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Which hotel is best, Four Seasons Hualalai or Oahu at Ko Olina? While both hotels are some of the best Four Seasons in Hawaii, we think Four Seasons Hualalai feels more remote and exclusive than Four Seasons Oahu.
Four Seasons Hualalai offers many secluded coves not shared by any other hotel. The resort feels wild and remote compared to Four Seasons Oahu, which is located in the fairly built-up resort area of Ko Olina on Oahu. Four Seasons Hualalai has a low-rise design, and compared to Four Seasons Oahu, it feels more like a desert island resort rather than the large high-rise resort that forms Four Seasons Oahu.
In our opinion, both of these hotels are some of the best Four Seasons in Hawaii. There is no wrong choice here. If you have a big budget, I would book a two-center stay so you can enjoy both, but if you are choosing between one or the other, I will break down the pros and cons of each hotel. Read on to find out which resort is best for you.
Book your stay at either hotel via our luxury travel concierge for extra benefits and perks at both of these hotels, including free breakfast, resort credit, and a prioritized room upgrade.
1. Best Location: Four Seasons Hualalai Vs. Oahu
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai sits on the shores of the stunning Kona-Kohala coast of Hawaii, situated on the Big Island, also known as Hawaii Island. This luxurious resort enjoys a prime oceanfront location, offering panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and dramatic lava rock formations.
The resort is surrounded by lush tropical gardens and volcanic landscapes, providing guests with a serene and picturesque setting to relax and unwind. Hualalai is renowned for its pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and abundant marine life, making it an ideal destination for snorkeling, diving, and other water sports.
The resort is conveniently located near Kona International Airport, just a short drive away. It is within easy reach of popular attractions such as historic Kailua-Kona town, coffee plantations, and the iconic Volcanoes National Park.
Four Seasons Hualalai’s disadvantage is that it may require an extra flight, usually from Oahu, to get to Big Island. Kona International Airport does have flights from the US mainland, but not as many as Honolulu Airport on Oahu. Four Seasons Oahu is easy to reach from the US mainland by most carriers and is less than a 30-minute drive from Honolulu International Airport. Four Seasons Oahu is also usually the cheapest Four Seasons hotel in Hawaii.
Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina sits prominently on the shoreline of the less exclusive resort community of Ko Olina, which houses multiple resorts, including Disney’s Aulani Resort, some residences, a golf club, all set around four artificial lagoons, which offer protected swimming, and loads of beach. It sits right next door to an uninteresting Marriott and is fairly high-rise in design with maybe 13 floors. The resort offers guests a secluded oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki but is still in a busy resort area.
Four Seasons Oahu’s oceanfront location provides stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and easy access to the island’s natural wonders, including picturesque lagoons perfect for swimming and snorkeling. Guests can also explore nearby attractions such as historic Pearl Harbor, scenic hiking trails, and championship golf courses, so its location is good for sightseeing.
2. Style & Character
Four Seasons has a desert island feel. It is spread over a large area of lava rock and beach, giving the hotel a spread-out desert island feel. The resort is much lower rise than the resort in Oahu and feels smaller and more boutique.
Four Seasons Oahu is a high-rise hotel with around 13 floors. It has 371 rooms and was originally an independent hotel from the mid-1980s that was rebranded as a JW Marriott Ko Olina before being reopened as a Four Seasons in 2016 after a huge renovation.
Because of its age, some design features, such as the atrium lobby with open-air sides, feel from the 1980s. However, the Four Seasons refurbishment, which included adding an adults-only pool, has been a fabulous improvement.
The Four Seasons Oahu is undoubtedly a beautiful hotel, but it feels bigger and less personal than Four Seasons Hualalai. At the Oahu Four Seasons, you feel less like a member of an exclusive club.
Just to confuse you, we have compared Four Seasons Hualalai Vs. Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort, which is the next door resort. Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort is even more barefoot luxury than Four Seasons Hualalai.
3. Beach & Pools
The pools at Hualalai feel more integrated into the resort, with the Banyan Tree pool being steps from the beach. The resort is built on the water’s edge, so all the beaches and coves are easily accessible here. The beach will probably be a shorter walk from your room at Hualalai.
It’s also worth mentioning that the beaches at Hualalai Resort are basking grounds for the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle. The multitude of Green Sea turtles that thrive here enjoy eating the limu (seaweed) off the rocks and resting on the sand or the rocks to warm their bodies. This can add an extra element of fun if you’re into wildlife.
At Four Seasons, Hualalai has eight pools, so it wins on this front, too. These pools range from an adults-only pool where you can enjoy cocktails and music to a dedicated kids pool, a lap pool, and, finally, an outdoor aquarium pool where you can swim with thousands of tropical fish.
The Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina has four pools. The Ohana Pool is a circular but uninteresting family pool that is near the beach, pool bar, and a couple of restaurants. Adjacent and right next to the beach is a smallish kid’s pool with a stepped entry, hot tubs, and a spa lap pool. The most attractive pool is the adults-only pool, which was recently built and is infinity in design. This is a gorgeous pool area with views across the lawns, which are punctuated with palm trees, and out to the ocean in the distance.
Ko Olina has four artificial lagoons, and the Four Seasons’ beach area is a stunning patch of sand on the edge of one of these lagoons. Because of the lagoon design, the waters stay calm and are ideal for swimming. Families with young children will likely feel that this beach is safer for their children than Wailea Beach, which is relatively calm but can be wavey at times.
A beachfront boardwalk runs across the coast at Ko Olina and is lovely for an evening stroll.
4. Rooms
We prefer the rooms at Hualalai. We love the ones on the ground floor (Hualalai rooms are in 2-floor blocks). The ground floor rooms at Four Seasons Hualalai all have a blissful outdoor shower. From these rooms, you can walk out from my room onto the dewey lawns in the morning or even step out straight onto the beach if you book one of the beachfront rooms or suites.
Our top picks are the poolside room, where you can stroll from your private terrace to the pool for a quick dip or just enjoy the views of the verdant landscaped gardens from your private balcony. The ground floor poolside rooms aren’t so great for privacy, but for easy access to the pool for the family, they are a dream.
If you can splurge, the one or two-bedroom Anelakai Suite on the lower level is fantastic. They open to an extended lanai with a plunge pool, private lawn, and direct access to the beach. An outdoor dining table inspires breakfasts with an ocean breeze and romantic dinners for two.
The rooms at Four Seasons Oahu are also large, with a minimum of 640 ft² They feel modern and beachy, with a wooden floored entryway and rattan-style tan carpet. The bathrooms are large, and the rooms have a large balcony that houses a sofa, two seats, and a table.
The rooms are nice, and the views from the higher-floor ocean-view rooms are tremendous. They look out over the Koh Olina resort-y beach. One thing to mention at this hotel is that you are aware your room is located in an architecturally older and more dated hotel design. The high rooms have fabulous views but are high up in the sky.
Ultimately, most hotels in Hawaii have a slightly dated feel in their architecture, and the Four Seasons hotels remain your best bet if you are looking for a gorgeous and luxurious retreat. When comparing the Four Seasons hotels in Hawaii, we love the groundfloor rooms at the low-rise Four Seasons Hualalai best, as you are near the ground and the ocean. I don’t like being up in a tower, although towers grant incredible views.
Digressing a little, but if you are looking for barefoot beach luxury, we also love the Four Seasons Los Cabos. If you pick one of their beachfront plunge pool rooms, the beach is only a couple of steps from your bed, and you can walk barefoot down to the shoreline for an early morning dip, much like you can at a Maldives resort.
Get a prioritized room upgrade at any Four Seasons hotel by booking via our concierge.
5. The Club Floor
There is no club lounge or floor at Four Seasons Oahu or Hualalai.
6. Food & Drink
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai boasts a diverse array of restaurants offering exquisite cuisine in breathtaking settings. These restaurants feel more like desert island beach restaurants compared to the Oahu restaurants that feel like they are part of a larger resort.
‘ULU Ocean Grill showcases locally sourced ingredients in its innovative Hawaiian-inspired dishes, served amidst panoramic ocean views. Guests can savor authentic Italian fare at Beach Tree, where wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta are enjoyed beachside under swaying palms. For a taste of Japan, ‘Olu Grill offers fresh sushi and seafood in a casual outdoor setting overlooking the ocean.
Four Seasons Resort Oahu has numerous restaurants, all of which are open-air and have at least one side open to the elements. Some have seating in the grounds between the greenery and boulders.
Mina’s Fish House is a particularly lovely restaurant at the resort, as it is set right on the beach. Noe, the Italian restaurant, is set in the gardens surrounded by tropical plants and waterfalls, which is also rather nice.
7. Golf
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai has an excellent golf course crafted with sensitivity to its unique environment. This 18-hole, Jack Nicklaus signature, championship course winds over 7,100 yards, beginning in a lush oasis, flowing across bright green fairways contoured against black lava, and then returning to the ocean for the final holes.
Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina offers guests access to the nearby Ko Olina Golf Club, a championship golf course designed by renowned architect Ted Robinson. Situated along the stunning western coast of Oahu, Hawaii, the golf course features lush tropical landscaping, panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, and challenging fairways and greens. Golfers can enjoy 18 holes of play, with strategically placed bunkers, water hazards, and undulating terrain adding to the excitement and challenge of the game.
The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai gets fabulous reviews, whereas the Ko Olina Golf Club reportedly has pitted greens and less well-maintained greens. With this in mind, if golf is a big part of your holiday, pick Four Seasons Hualalai.
8. Price
Winter in Hawaii can be slightly cloudier and wetter from December to March, but it is a popular time to travel simply because the rest of the Northern Hemisphere is so miserable and cold. Pricing is reduced at all the hotels in the lower season. November and early December often offer the cheapest time of year to visit.
When comparing pricing, Four Seasons Oahu is usually the cheapest Four Seasons hotel in Hawaii and is cheaper than the Hualalai Four Seasons.
9. Resort Fee
Unlike some nickel-and-diming resorts across these islands, Four Seasons hotels in Hawaii do not charge a resort fee.
10. Conclusion
Four Seasons Hulalai offers a more secluded and less commercial setting for your vacations. It is low rise and has more pools and beaches. Four Seasons Oahu has the advantage of a calmer beach and a glorious adults-only pool, but the other pools, restaurants, golf, and the high-rise and commercial nature of Ko Olina and Oahu means that we prefer the Four Seasons in Hualalai. Both resorts are fabulous, and we are nit-picking to find fault with either. You will have a wonderful time if you can afford to stay at either Four Seasons for your holidays.
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