The Hotels: I flew into Big Island itself to stay at the Kona Village Rosewood—honestly, I wanted to land on a beach and just flake out (it was a long trip!). There was enough variation on the property to feel like we could go somewhere different every day. (In fact, we rented a car, and I think we used it once in three or four days because the property was just so lovely.) The rooms are all individual, what they call hales, rather than it being a centralized property. Everything was beautifully done–if I could design a bedroom, I would do it like this, with the bed right in the middle of the room so you were always facing the window. My favorite thing was sitting on the deck out front at end of the day, reading a book with the fan going, overlooking the lagoon.
At Sensei Lanai, the first thing I noticed were the gardens. I don’t think I’ve ever seen color like this in my life—it was so vivid, like looking at a wild impressionist painting. I spent most of my time in and around those gardens: They have this huge lake, with paths that meander around. I think I sat and watched the carp in the pond for like 30 minutes at one point, which I’ve never slowed down enough to do in my life. That’s a testament to the feeling of that location: I’ve never had that sense of calm, and the whole experience was grounded in a thoughtful approach to wellness. When you check in, you meet with someone who puts together a straightforward program for you, grounded in the three pillars of nutrition, movement, and rest. When I travel I like to learn new things and have new experiences; and since I’d never meditated before, I chose to do a private class around meditation. To be honest, I really thought it was going to be a disaster, but it was quite transformational. I also had the best massage I’ve ever had in my life at the spa, which had a sauna, steam room, and a giant wooden tub. The food at the on-site restaurant, which is Nobu, is very much a blend of Nobu classics with locally sourced ingredients. I don’t think I’ve eaten as well or as cleanly before.
The Four Seasons Maui at Wailea was the last stop, which on the back of being in Sensei where I think I saw 20 people in four days, was a definite change of pace. Maui was lively and sociable—even being in the lobby for cocktail hour in the evening, with live music and amazing cocktails, was a really lovely vibe. That lobby has recently been renovated, with lots of texture, color, and interesting shapes—it’s very modern, but distinctive. Everything is open (there are no walls in this place) and the sea air coming in like that was such a treat. The property is a very large complex, with a large beach and an infinity pool that looks out onto the ocean, and you could spend many days here with completely different experiences. This is also where they filmed The White Lotus—and you do hear about it around the hotel, which makes the whole thing a fun experience.