Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay

The Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay is one of our hidden gems and we think one of the best kept secrets in Hawaii. The Four Seasons Lana'i is located on the white sand beach of stunning Hulopo'e Bay. There are only two resorts on the entire island of Lanai, so you really get the feel of a private island. There is no glitz or happening party scene on Lanai (thank goodness!), and that is how we like it. Lanai is just a great opportunity to sit back, relax and soak up some of the local sunshine.

At the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i we feel you get great value for your travel dollar. You get all the amenities that you would expect from a luxury resort, but we were able to find great deals as well. The beach is great for lounging and snorkeling. The views from the resort are amazing. The golf is world class. Lanai is like your own private island; waiting for you to explore. These things make the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i an awesome experience. When you first walk into the lobby and gaze out over majestic Hulopo`e Bay, you will see a Hawaiian paradise that will make you want to stay forever.

Here's our lowdown on Four Seasons Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay

- Our Favorites -

Beach at Hulopo'e Bay

BEACH - The beach is just a short walk down the hill from the resort. You have all the service you would expect from the Four Seasons. The beach is a beautiful crescent with stunning blue water. If you are lucky, you may see the spinner dolphins that come into the bay. If you are REALLY LUCKY, you may get a chance to swim with them like we did last time we were here. It's an unbelievable experience that you will never forget. The beach was not crowded when we were there, as it seemed most guests chose the pool option. This meant plenty of room to lounge about and enjoy the beautiful beach.

#17 at The Challenge at Manele

GOLF - Ok my wife can take a break and I will tell you about my favorite course in the whole world, The Challenge at Manele. The course was in great condition when I played; perfectly manicured. Greens are typical Hawaiian Bermuda which makes them a little slow to putt, but they were in great condition. On the front nine you get sweeping views of magnificent Hulopo'e Bay. The back nine is where you get the true feel for Manele Bay. On most holes (I think every) you have ocean views. But on #12, #13 and #17 you play right along the 300 foot sea cliffs. #12 is an awe inspiring hole that plays completely over the water to a green that looks like it is hovering over the ocean. #17 is the best/most beautiful/hardest hole I have ever played. You play over water twice and it is just a visually spectacular hole. Do not miss playing this course if you are a golfer. And if you are not a golfer, definitely ride along on the back nine; as the views are magnificent. When I played, the Four Seasons allowed a free ride along on the back nine which was a nice touch. Just have the van bring your husband or wife over for the back nine; it's an experience you will not forget.

SNORKELING - Just steps from the Four Seasons Manele Bay, Hulopo'e Bay provides an outstanding snorkeling environment that includes many brightly colored fish, beautiful coral and the occasional Hawaiian Sea Turtle. Swimming with the turtles is a remarkable experience and really gives you a feeling of being one with nature. The resort provides free snorkeling equipment so you don't have to pack your own, which is very convenient. The best part of my snorkeling adventures was swimming back to shore; suddenly I was surrounded by at least 50 spinner dolphins. I was so fortunate to get a chance to swim with the dolphins as they are not always in the bay. The beach attendants say sometimes they are there for days in a row, other times they aren't around for many days. You can't count on them, but I would suggest you always check to see if the dolphins are in the bay. If they are, you may get the experience of a lifetime.

Shipwreck Beach

DON'T MISS :
Renting a 4x4 to see the Island of Lana'i - A great excursion is to rent a 4x4 and explore the island of Lanai. We went down to Shipwreck Beach to explore and it was a good outing; definitely worth the drive.
The most fun of our 4x4 excursion was taking the dirt road down to Garden of the Gods and beyond it to what is a remote, secluded beach. The water is rougher down at this end of the island, so we did not swim, but it is a great place to soak up some sun or walk on the near deserted beach. You really get a feeling of tranquility when you are there all by yourself. Driving on the dirt road is a real hoot and very much off road action. I had a blast just driving the on the path/road with a feeling of total freedom.

Garden of the Gods

You can see everything in one day, so it is a great excursion. You can also drive up to the Lodge at Koele and see upcountry Hawaii at its finest. Stop by historic old Lanai City and walk around the unique shops that surround the town park. Whatever you choose to do, renting a 4x4 is a great way to see Lanai.

- Other Good Stuff -

Awesome Lanai

Room - The room was what you would expect from a Four Seasons room: Great fit and finish, comfortable bed, beautiful marble bathroom with deep soaking tub. A really awesome part of the room was the Lanai. Our lanai had great views and was well furnished with comfortable chairs and a small couch. This was a great place to have coffee in the morning and enjoy the beautiful views! The room was very comfortable, but we felt it was lacking a Hawaiian feel to it. It is hard to complain about such beautiful accommodations; still we just wish it would have incorporated a little more local ambiance.

Pool - The pool is very beautiful and is situated on a bluff overlooking stunning Hulopo'e Bay. The pool does get a little crowded as it seems many people choose the pool over the beach. There is only one pool (many Four Seasons Resorts have multiple pools) so people looking for a more quiet environment don't have a separate pool for more tranquility. Not having the specific pools for specific purposes is somewhat disappointing and detracted to a certain extent from the pool experience. Set up was good both days we were at the pool but the service was uneven. One day I had excellent service, folks were keeping an eye on me and when I wanted a drink and a little lunch, the attendants were right there to help. The next day the service was ... well ... below average. Staff would walk right by when it was clear I needed some help. My husband actually had to go to the bar to get drinks. He didn't mind, but that is not the type of service we are used to at the Four Seasons or any other world class luxury resort. May have just been a blip, but we the service at the pool did lack at times.

Spa - The spa is nice; decor is pretty and tranquil. The treatments and service were good, but common areas, showering facilities, and locker areas seem small. If you like spa treatments, you will be happy with the Four Seasons Manele Bay, but it was not something that knocked my socks off.

Bar/Lounge - We enjoyed the lounges at the Four Seasons Manele Bay. The Ocean Grille has a bar that overlooks Hulopo'e Bay and we found the food and drinks to be very good. The bartenders were not as "friendly" as other resorts we have been to, but the service was very good and professional, so we can't really complain. We also tried the Hale Ahe Ahe Lounge which the resort bills as an open-air sports bar. The bar has a pool table and other table games if you want to engage in a little friendly competition. They had local music which was good. The lounge is on the lobby level so it sits up from the pool and you get nice views of the bay. Overall it was good and we enjoyed ourselves. The pupus (snacks) we ordered were good (my husband loved the Kalua Pork Nachos) and the atmosphere was casual and friendly.

There are several lounges at the Lodge at Koele, which is a sister property to Manele Bay. There is a free shuttle that runs to and from each resort. You can easily take the shuttle up to the Lodge for a drink or some dinner. We did not eat or drink there, but we did check out the resort and it is beautiful. Has the unique up-county Hawaiian charm that is a delightful contrast to the beachfront resort. If you want to see "Hawaiian Country", the Lodge at Koele is definitely worth a short shuttle ride.

- And Our Not So Favorite Things -

Food - We found the food at the restaurants to be lacking and not up to Four Seasons quality. Our lunch at the Ocean Grille and appetizers at the Hale Ahe Ahe Lounge we good, but not great (except my husband's Kailua Pork Nachos which he loved). We ate dinner at Hulopo'e Court and the food was below average. We did not eat at Ihilani, but our friends did and they gave it a lukewarm review. Overall the food was disappointing and if you are someone who likes fine dining, you may want to take this into account.

Service - The service was acceptable, but not really what we are used to at other Four Seasons or luxury resorts. Turndown service was very good, but other than that things were just ok. The staff seemed to try, but they just did not seem able achieve the level of sophistication of service that most luxury resorts achieve. As stated above, service at the pool was spotty. And at the beach, they missed on the little things, like bringing water to you at your lounge. Might seem picky, but it is standard at most luxury resorts and we expect it at any Four Seasons Resort.

Shopping/Other Activities - Besides a few shops and a gallery or two in Lanai City, there's not really shopping or other activities (no bars or nightclubs). Didn't really bother us, but if you like to do shopping, you are not going to find a lot on Lanai. If you really want to do some shopping, look into taking the ferry over to Lahaina (50 min. each way). This would be least a half day excursion, but you will find plenty of good shopping in old Lahaina Town.

Resort Information

Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay - [Link to Hotel Website]
One Manele Bay Road
P.O. Box 631380
Lana'i City, Hawaii, U.S.A., 96763

Hotel Photos
Room Rates
Guest Rooms and Suites
Special Offers

Resort Room Prices
When we travel, we always look for the best deal and do not mind traveling during the off season to get the lower prices. This means you may not get to travel at the optimal times based on Temperatures and Rainfall (see charts below). At Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay, the rack rates are consistent throughout the year, except during the holiday seasons when prices are higher.

When we plan a trip to Hawaii, we usually try to avoid the summer months and holiday periods, to keep our costs low. We are usually able to get better deals during the off seasons. Whenever you choose to go, make sure you check for special deals and packages that the hotel may be offering.

Special Offers - Many times you can save some money by taking advantage of packages and special offers that the Four Seasons is presenting. To see the latest packages that Four Seasons Manele Bay is offering, please click the following link: Special Offers - Four Seasons Manele Bay.

Map of the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay

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Weather on Lana'i

The island of Lana'i is one of the most dramatic places to visit in the Hawaiian Islands. Lana'i is a relatively small island at 13 miles wide by 18 miles long. Once a working pineapple plantation, Lana'i is now a resort destination with gorgeous beaches and first rate golf. Lana'i has diverse weather from the cool, country feel of Lana'i City down to the sun drenched beaches of Hulopo'e Bay.

If you choose Lana'i for a tropical vacation, you will get plenty of sunshine at Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay. The really cool thing is that you can experience a variety of climates all on the "secluded island". Renting a 4x4 and exploring the Garden of the Gods, Shipwreck beach, Lana'i City or the beaches around the resort will give you a great feel for the diversity and beauty that is Lana'i.

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Rainfall - Whenever we go on vacation, trying to avoid rain is always high on our list. My husband is especially fanatical about this. Lanai is one of the driest islands in the Hawaiian chain and rarely gets continuous showers. As you can see from the chart to the right, Lanai's dry season is in the summer when they get very little rain. It's important to note that readings in the chart are from Lanai Airport, which is up the hill from Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay. At 19 inches per year, the area is what we would consider dry, especially for Hawaii. If you go to Lanai City (which is "up-country" from the resort) you should expect more rain (on average of almost 35 inches per year). We would expect slightly less rain at the resort than at the airport.

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Temperature - The chart at the right shows the average temperatures for Lanai Airport. It is important to note that the temperatures will probably average approximately 5-10 degrees warmer at the resort. As you would expect, the average temperatures increase fairly significantly during the summer months.

Before you go to Lana'i, or anywhere in the Hawaiian Islands, it is always wise to keep a watch on the weather.

Check out the latest weather for Lanai City:

Weather Forecast | Weather Maps | Weather Radar | Hurricane Center

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Hurricanes are not common for the Hawaiian Islands. Still, it is always good to keep watch on the weather before you leave for your tropical vacation.

To check for storms around Hawaii and the Central Pacific, please click the following link: National Hurricane Center: Central Pacific.

Or check the Accuweather Hurricane Center

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