Just finished 3 marvelous nights at FS Hualalia. I'll attempt to emulate fellow FTer Ether's review format, which I really like.
Overview
The Four Seasons Hualalai is located approximately 7 miles north of Kona International Airport, which is on the west (leeward) side of the Big Island of Hawaii. The hotel itself has approximately 228 rooms on approximately 30 acres. It is located within the master-planned resort development of Hualalai, which also offers private residences and two golf courses. The development is located approximately 5 miles away from the nearest off-site restaurant/market, and approximately 11 miles from downtown Kona. A car is required for getting around.
Pre-Arrival Concierge
About 3-4 weeks before arrival, the concierge contacts you to arrange for any reservations, activities, etc... They also ask if you have any special requests.
Made several restaurant, spa, and activity reservations - all flawlessly handled.
However, I asked for extra water at turn down and a humidifier in the room, neither of which was done.
Design
The hotel is an approximate 1 mile drive from the front gate of the Hualalai development. The design is "island tropical", with no building taller than 2 stories. The lobby is a free standing building that is open air on 3 sides. Lots of dark island woods, comfy places to sit, and fresh flowers.
Rooms are broken up into freestanding bungalows, each containing up to 4 rooms. Most rooms on the lower level have outdoor showers. Average room size is 635 sq. feet, but some rooms are slightly larger than others - a function of the individual bungalow design, and not a function of room category. Due to the spacious layout and design of the property, you will have to do a lot of walking to get from your room to the various restaurants, pools, spa, etc... For those not inclined to walk a lot, you can phone the bell desk to pick you up in golf cart, though we rarely observed anyone do this.
Arrival
At the main gate of Hualalai Resort, you must check in with the guard shack, who takes your name and notes the vehicle description. As you pull into the roundabout at the valet, there is a greeter assigned to your specific car, and you're greeted by name. The greeter seamlessly hands you off to a front desk agent waiting at the lobby entrance. You're escorted to a comfortable seating area (there are several different areas for different sized parties), offered a traditional lei, a cold towel, and a very small mango mai tai welcome beverage. Your room contract is contained within a leather portfolio, and you're asked to confirm room rate, fill in your address, and sign at the bottom. (as a short aside, I don't know why most FS properties make you fill in your address even after your travel agent provides it with your reservation...).
From there, you are again seamlessly handed off to a bellman with a golf cart that has your bags pre-loaded. If you're a first timer, you are offered a brief tour of the property before being driven to your room.
Oceanview / Oceanfront Room
All non-suite room categories are substantially similar in size and layout; it is only their location and view that differ. All rooms are reported to be 635 square feet, though since we changed rooms 1 day into our stay, I can tell you from personal experience that this number is approximate. There was a good 50 sq. foot difference in our two rooms, with the lower category room being bigger!
The front door enters into a small foyer. Straight ahead is a small walk-in closet and full-length mirror. His and hers clothes racks, and his and hers suitcase racks. To one side of the foyer is the bathroom. Traditional FS style with double vanity, separate shower and tub, and enclosed WC. If you have a lower level room, the outdoor shower is accessed from inside the main shower. There is some bamboo thatching that provides both shade and privacy above your outdoor shower.
Bath amenities are all L'Occitaine and are in generously sized bottles. Similar to the Mauna Kea review by Obscure2K, there are also 2 sets of robes - a traditional heavy waffled FS robe, and a lightweight japanese robe. Just don't steal the hand lotion...for some reason there is a sign in the room that says you can buy the hand lotion for $8 or some ridiculous figure. Perhaps they meant to say you can purchase additional hand lotion?? Why would someone need so much hand lotion
Who knows... Of particular importance to me was the fact that the hotel offers ultra-plush genuine Q-tips, not the crappy chinese cotton swabs that other lesser hotels (and even some FS properties) offer.
To the other side is the bedroom area. There is a TV credenza with large LCD TV, DVD player and a hidden small refrigerator, a round dining table with 2 chairs, and either a chaise lounge or a single sitting chair with small reading table (depending on the room layout). Strangely, there is no work desk. Though I was on vacation, I would have appreciated a work desk in lieu of the indoor round table. Wireless internet available for a fee (I believe $14.99).
On the far side of the bedroom is the lanai. On the lanai there is a round table with 2 more chairs and foot rests.
If you choose to leave your sliding glass door open while you sleep, there is a locking screen door to keep the bugs out. For added privacy and security, the full-length wood shutters inside the room are on sliders and can be locked in a secure position that can't easily be opened from outside. This is a really nice touch I wish more beach properties would do.
The rooms were renovated last year, and I believe new slate flooring was installed. However, there is also a large rug in each room, under the bed area. After hearing a weird sound everytime I walked near the bed, I lifted up the carpet to discover there was no slate underneath - just plywood. While functionally this does not change anything, it seems somehow inappropriate in a hotel that charges $1000+ per night.
Turndown Service
Typical excellent FS turndown service, with a couple special twists. They of course turn down the bed, lay out your slippers, close all the shutters, and put water next to the bed, etc... In addition to this, they also burn your choice of aromatherapy scents so the room has a subtle pleasant smell to it. The other difference is their shoeshine service. I have used FS shoeshine many times, but never have my shoes come out like this. Every part of the shoe, from top to bottom, inside and out, was thoroughly detailed. The sole looked like it had never been walked on, and the upper looked brand new! Amazing!
Room Service
We ordered a room service breakfast one day. It was delivered exactly 3 minutes before our requested time, which could have been a rounding error on my watch. Perfect timing. Room service attendant was very friendly and we chatted the entire time he setup the lanai table. Food was good, but not great. Pretty much on par with the breakfast buffet quality. Table was cleared during regular housekeeping service. Only nitpick was $5 delivery charge in addition to mandatory 18% gratuity.
Pool / Beach Service
It is important to note that 90% of the beach at FS Hualalai is unswimmable. There is only a small 25-yard long strip that is considered swimmable. Both fully exposed lounges and European style cocoon cabanas are available at no additional charge. There are plenty to go around, and they are all parallel on the same row - no one is in front of you or behind you. Drink service is best around Seashell and Beach Tree. Kings Pond and Palm Grove are largely ignored, though there is a snorkel station at Kings Pond, and the attendant can call a drink order in.
Each crescent has its own pool. Kings Pond is brackish water and is stocked with over 4,000 fish - included a couple eagle rays. Not a true swimming pool, but it's great for snorkeling with the kids. Not too many adults/couples here.
Seashell Pool is specifically designed for families, and there are some neat hidden alcoves, shady spots, and I believe even a small waterfall. Also, there is a small pool just for little tikes in the Seashell crescent. Lots of shady spots to sit and watch your kids, and a fair number of sunny spots to lay out and tan. Attentive drink service as well as a little ice cream cart.
Beach Tree Pool is the "main" formal pool. It's perfectly rectangular and has a teak deck around it. A good mix of cabanas and sun lounges. Full drink service, very attentive.
Palm Grove Pool is the most secluded, and I never actually saw anyone in it. I rarely saw more than 4-6 people in the general palm grove area. No drink service. There are hammocks and day beds surrounding palm grove - a nice switch from the standard chaise lounge and euro-cabana.
The Spa Pool is laned and is the only pool designed for lap swimming.
The Spa and Hualalai Sports Club
The Spa is located inside the larger "Hualalai Sports Club" complex. Treatments start at $170 per 50 minutes, or a whopping $3.40 per minute. I know, this is a strange way to look at it, but it really got me thinking about the value.
Anyway, I digress...I had 2 treatments and enjoyed them both. Neither were "the best" (if there really is such a thing), but both were on the upper end of the spectrum. My wife had 2 treatments and felt the same way.
The locker room is generously proportioned and has a eucalyptus steam room, a dry sauna, cold plunge, hot spa, outdoor showers, indoor showers, and all the toiletries a man could want.
The workout facilities consist of a spin / group exercise room, a hot Bikram yoga room, a pilates reformer room, a cardio room, and a weight room. Select pieces of equipment are located outdoors, though I don't know why you'd want to run on the treadmill outside in 84 degree heat. There were several group classes every day, and I believe the prices were fairly reasonable - around $15.
There are more tennis courts than I could count, a basketball court, a rock climbing wall (extra charge), and of course 2 golf courses. I don't golf and I know nothing about it, but I think I heard someone say something about $240 for a round. Not sure.
My wife is super picky when it comes to gyms/spas, and she said hands down this is the most complete, best hotel gym she has ever visited.
Beachtree Grill
This is Hualalai's newest dining venue, and it is heavily advertised in all the Big Island tourist guides. It's open for Lunch and Dinner, and also serves the pool area. The official description is Cal-Ital, but IMHO it winds up being a bit ho-hum, especially given the price tag. After tasting about six dishes throughout our stay, the best thing we ate was the Ahi Tuna burger, which is actually ground tuna with some seasoning mixed in, formed into a burger patty. The worst thing we ate was the Hawaiian Rainbow Roll. I have had better supermarket sushi. Everything else was just food. Average check is $30 per person.
Pahui'a
This is the resort's main breakfast restaurant, and is also the signature restaurant. Breakfast is either a full buffet or a limited a la carte menu. We had the buffet everyday, and it was good but not great. Plenty of selections and everything was fresh, but the prepared dishes lacked a punch of flavor. Perhaps they have to under-season food because of all the kids? Don't get me wrong...it's a great way to start the day if you have breakfast in your package...I just wouldn't pay $30 for it everyday.
Closed for lunch.
Dinner, on the other hand, was spectacular. I arranged for a special tasting (not offered on the menu). Chef Jacob was happy to oblige, personally calling me to find out our preferences and restrictions. With a couple small guidelines, we let him have carte blanche, and what a wonderful job he did. Very fish centric, heavily raw/crudo, and a bit of local island beef. $160 per person. Easily 1, possibly 2 michelin star quality in both food and service.
Lava Lounge
This is the formal bar at the resort, and is located atop Pahuia. It's the perfect place for a sundowner, and offers several specialty cocktails. Like most FS formal bars, they serve a snack mix with cocktails. Attentive servers, but bar was slow to mix cocktails.
Checkout
When we were ready for checkout, we phoned the bell desk and they had a golf cart at the door within 5 minutes. IMHO it felt like a long time to wait, but it is a large property and we provided no advance notice.
The checkout process was nothing special, though there were some anomalous charges that required further explanation. To my surprise, the front desk was unable to provide any further detail than simple 2-word descriptions like "Spa Service", etc...I was informed they would have to talk to the individual departments to request itemized receipts. Are they using technology from the 1970's or what?
It's getting to the point now that I have more anomalous charges on my FS checkout bills than not. I am starting to think FS as a chain trains staff to err on the side of the company, not the customer.
Pluses
- Easily earns its reputation as #1 hotel in Hawaii
- Staff are genuinely friendly and go out of their way to make you feel special
- World Class Spa
- Excellent dinner at Pahui'a
- Amazing grounds
- Everytime you return from a car trip, they say "welcome home, how was your trip"
Service Issues / Nitpicks
- Valet staff greet you by name the first time you arrive, but not thereafter
- Staff in general does not seem to remember names, except for people staying multiple weeks and frequent guests
- Room requests were not properly noted
- FSPP amenities were ignored due to an error in the reservation. I had to manually correct this on our second day. Based on another review, this seems at least somewhat common
- More than almost any other FS I have visited, they seem to nickle and dime you to death at every turn. Internet - $15, cocktails - $18+, orange juice - $10, small bag of chips - $8, ginger crusted macadamia nuts - $30, room service delivery fee - $5, deluxe in-room fruit tray (about 4 pounds of fruit) - $75
- Unlike some other FS properties, I really feel like the staff wait around just a moment too long...as if they are waiting for a tip. I would much rather prefer an option to add gratuity at the end of a stay, like on a cruise ship. I REALLY disliked taking out a $5 bill everytime someone came to our room or brought our car around.
Special Notes and Interesting Facts
- The hotel is VERY kid friendly and has a children's activity center/program. If you want a secluded adults-only hotel, this may not be the best hotel for you. That said, 95% of the kids were well behaved and did not interfere in our enjoyment at all.
- All water from drinking taps, showers, toilet, etc... is reverse osmosis treated
- As has already been mentioned, Michael Dell owns the resort (and neighboring KVR).
- Personally, I don't see the point in paying the premium for oceanview, as the view was not that great. I would opt for golf-view and negotiate a paid upgrade on arrival. It will save you a ton of cash, and there is no difference in the physical rooms themselves. However, if the ocean is your priority, I strongly recommend booking premium oceanview or oceanfront. regular ocean view is fairly obstructed
- For the best sunset views, book an oceanfront room at the northernmost bungalow of each crescent.
- Paid upgrades at the time of arrival are, space permitting, very matter of fact and easy to get. The front desk staff even have a little spreadsheet showing the upgrade prices. Upgrading this way as opposed to pre-booking the higher category appears to yield an approximate 20% rate savings. We could have had a Deluxe Oceanview Suite for $2025 per night, compared to FSPP rate of $2600. Not a bargain, but better than full price. I would guess that during periods of low occupancy you might be able to get manager approval for an even lower rate.