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 The Kohala Coast has long been a destination for golfers, fishermen and some of the world's best athletes who have come to this stretch of coast to play in the sun and soak up the laid-back culture. It has also become a major retreat for romance and reflection. With endless sunshine, a dry climate and warm breezes nearly year round, this 27-mile stretch of coastline is a lover's paradise. Bring your golf clubs (the number of world-class courses is unparalleled) and certainly pack your fins and mask (the snorkeling is mesmerizing). But be prepared to rediscover what it means to be in love - and king of the romantic resorts on the Kohala Coast is the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. There are a multitude of reasons why Hualalai has become a favorite among celebrities and honeymooners alike. From the resort's breathtaking perch on the Pacific to its renowned spa and fitness center and top-notch staff, the Hualalai has built almost a cult-like following among travelers looking for something much more meaningful than a getaway. Understated elegance permeates the entire 243-room property and every guest is constantly greeted by hotel staff with "aloha." A calming quiet is the order of every day because this is not your average resort by any measurement. Some of the world's leading travel magazines have long touted the Four Seasons Hualalai as one of North America's finest and it is considered the best in the highly competitive Hawaii market. In 2006, Condé Nast Traveler ranked Hualalai No. 1 on its top 50 Resort Spas and No. 4 on its top 100 Golf Resorts. In the past two years, the prestigious Travel + Leisure magazine honored Hualalai as the top spa in the U.S. and Canada. It's heady stuff for a resort that places a high premium on the care and comfort of its guests from the moment you step out of the airport taxi and into the resort lobby. Service is a passion at Hualalai, whether it is dining at sunset at the resort's signature beachfront restaurant, Pahui'a, or relaxing at one of the resort's five pools, including the King's Pond, a 1.8-million-gallon lava rock "aquarium" where guests actually swim with more than 4,000 tropical fish. The amenities are first-rate and the rooms luxurious, with plush bath towels to die for. For golfers, the Jack Nicklaus Signature 18-hole golf course is home to the Champions Tour's MasterCard Championship. The par-72 course delivers not only a stern test of golf but an abundance of postcard views of the entire Kohala Coast. However, this trip to the Big Island, the southernmost in the Hawaiian archipelago, was about romance and we found it at Hualalai. Celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary, the resort was the quintessential backdrop for toasting this personal milestone. Privacy is one of the hallmarks of the Four Seasons. Every room is designed in such a way that it is easy to forget you are at a resort. The property can be full and it hardly seems like anyone is around. Fitness and spa treatments are high priorities, two pursuits that are often casualties of our busy everyday lives. But the Hualalai Sports Club & Spa makes it easy to indulge in both. In the middle of the club is a gorgeous 25-meter lap pool surrounded by weight and aerobics facilities and plush locker rooms with an outdoor sauna and a cold-plunge pool for men and women. The outdoor, open-air massage huts surrounded by trickling waterfalls bring the "outside in," particularly for the resort's signature couples massage. But it is the simplicity of a specific moment that can deliver the most lasting memory when you travel. For all of the resort's richly deserved features, it was a dinner for two on the beach that proved to be the crowning highlight. A four-course dinner with leis, candles and the kind of sunset you dream about underscore why the Hualalai is one of the world's most endearing resorts. |
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