Travel to the Hawaiian island of Lanai got more luxurious and fun last week, with three separate announcements that extend and amplify the “aloha spirit” to all who visit.
Specifically, the news spotlights a new spa, a new airport lounge, and an expanded activities center.
The new spa, named Hawanawana, opened Thursday at The Four Seasons Resort Lanai—the latest phase of a multimillion-dollar renovation of the property that started back in 2014. The spa has eight treatment rooms, including four couples suites, and a salon. Massage treatments feature seaweed, algae, and other ingredients pulled right from the ocean. One treatment also celebrates the pineapple, which was the signature and staple crop on Lanai for decades.
The facility was designed by TAL Studio and has color schemes that evoke sand and ocean. The spa’s name, Hawanawana, means “whispering ocean” in Hawaiian. Considering the property’s location on the shores of Hulopoe Bay, these references seem perfectly on point.
The 213-room Four Seasons Resort Lanai unveiled another high-touch amenity last week: a new lounge in the Honolulu International Airport. According to a release, the 1,000-square-foot lounge is situated near Gate 24 on the second floor of the overseas terminal and is open to all inbound and outbound travelers staying at the property.
Guests of the lounge have access to food and beverage offerings, magazines, newspapers, high-def TVs, and free Wi-Fi access. They also can work with an on-site concierge to check in to the hotel or book on-island activities.
Finally, at least according to an article in Pacific Business News, the island’s existing adventure center north of Lanai City stands to get a makeover that includes a tennis academy and a zipline course. Larry Ellison, the billionaire who bought about 98 percent of Lanai for $300 million in 2012, announced earlier this month that the developments were part of a revitalization for the adventure center, which sits on the grounds of a now-defunct golf course adjacent to the former Lodge at Koele property.
(Four Seasons has been working on upgrading and rebranding the golf course as well as the upcountry Lodge at Koele under the brand’s umbrella.)
If these three developments aren’t enough reason to visit Lanai soon, perhaps our article about the Lanai Cat Sanctuary will help. Bottom line: This sleepy little island is getting more exciting these days. Definitely check it out.
Matt Villano is a freelance writer and editor based in Healdsburg, California. In nearly 20 years as a full-time freelancer, he has covered travel for publications including TIME, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Sunset, Backpacker, Entrepreneur, and more. He contributes to the Expedia Viewfinder blog and writes a monthly food column for Islands magazine. Villano also serves on the board of the Family Travel Association and blogs about family travel at Wandering Pod. Learn more about him at Whalehead.com.
