Which is best, Four Seasons Lanai Vs. Sensei? These are both Four Seasons hotels on the island of Lanai, but the setting is completely different. Four Seasons Lanai is on the beach. Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons hotel is located in the mountains in the center of Lanai.
Lanai is the smallest inhabited island in Hawaii, and there are regular flights from Oahu to the luxury charter Lanai Air. The island offers secluded sandy beaches, red rock fields, and incredible mountains, yielding vistas of neighboring islands. You can read our thoughts on the best Four Seasons in Hawaii, but when comparing the two properties in Lanai, they offer very different things, so be careful that you clarify which is which before booking!
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1. Beach
First and foremost, Four Seasons Lanai is on the beach. Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons hotel, is not on the beach. If you are visiting Lanai for a beach holiday, pick Four Seasons Lanai. If you stay at the mountain property, you will have to minibus down to the beach every day.
2. Golf
The Signature Jack Nicklaus-designed Manele Golf Course (pictured above) is located at Four Seasons Resort Lanai (not at Sensei) and is a true hidden gem. If you come to Lanai for golf, Four Seasons Lanai is the place to stay.
Four Seasons Resort Lanai makes golf travel a breeze. Golfers can also arrange seamless travel from home with door-to-door shipping through a partnership with Luggage Free. Those who choose to leave their clubs at home are covered as well. Guests can access complimentary Titleist or PXG clubs on-site, and men’s, women’s, and seniors’ right- and left-handed sets are available.
High above the crashing surf of Hulopoe Bay, Manele Golf Course is an outstanding course that lives up to its storied challenge. Built on lava outcroppings, the Par 72, 7,039-yard course features three cliff-top holes that use the Pacific Ocean as a water hazard. Five tees allow the course to be enjoyed by all levels of golfers while presenting a formidable test to the best players. Tee shots over natural gorges and ravines must be precise, and golfers face the challenge keeping eyes on the ball with ocean views from every hole. In winter months, the course’s fairways are among the best vantage points for spectacular sightings of whales making their annual migration.
The Resort also offers lessons, clinics, technology, and entertainment to golfers and those new to the sport. Check the online calendar for current schedules.
3. Loyalty
It’s worth mentioning that both of these hotels are Four Seasons hotels, and there is no Four Seasons loyalty program although you can get all our free benefits from your very first Four Seasons stay by booking with our luxury travel concierge team.
4. Location
Four Seasons Lanai is located on the beach by its famous golf course and has wonderful ocean-view restaurants dotted around its oceanfront pool.
Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons hotel, is located up in the clouds (well, it’s high enough to occasionally be in the clouds) in Koele. This lush, green upcountry is said to be named for the moisture-laden clouds that came down from the mountain gulches. The grounds are beautiful and tropical, but the cooler air at this height makes it feel like a more temperate resort, almost as if it is enjoying a neverending spring or fall, whereas, at Four Seasons Lanai, it is always summertime.
4. Setting
The beachfront Four Seasons Resort Lanai features 213 guest rooms in a series of low-rise buildings spread along the Pacific coastline, providing a private residential experience.
Tropical gardens serve as a background to Sensei Lanai, with outdoor sculptures dotted about by renowned artists, fitness facilities, an outdoor pool, Onsen heated baths, and a putting course. Dine at Sensei by Nobu, enjoy a variety of complimentary fitness and wellness classes, luxuriate in 1,000 square foot (93 square meters) private spa hales with a range of therapeutic treatments, or delve deeper into paths that align with intentions in one-on-one sessions with a trained team of Sensei Guides and practitioners who hold degrees in their respective fields including exercise science, nutrition, yoga, and mindfulness.
5. Activities
Four Seasons Lanai is a wonderful base from which to explore the beach and the pools, enjoy fine dining, and golf your days away. The Resort also offers outdoor restaurants, including NOBU LANAI, a spa, tennis, a kids club, a beach, and a pool with spacious seating areas nestled among tropical gardens, complimentary wellness classes, cultural workshops, and luxury retail boutiques.
Sensei Lanai is a spa and wellness resort. Treatments are offered in a collection of ten 1,000 square foot (93 square meters) spa hale – houses in Hawaiian – providing an intimate escape surrounded by the beauty of nature. The private spa hale is perfect for individuals or couples, complete with oversized spa tables, changing rooms, and bathrooms, and during hale time, guests can move seamlessly between amenities, including indoor and outdoor showers, sauna, steam, of baths, private plunge pools, and lounging areas, allowing each guest an experience focused on the individual.
Itineraries at Sensei are comprised of a selection of wellness activities, spa treatments, a range of island activities, including local mountain hikes, and world-class golf and tennis facilities complemented by innovative dining, all set amid a serene and luxurious setting.
6. Families
Four Seasons Lanai has one of the best beaches in the world, steps from the hotel, and brilliant pools. What more could the kids want?
Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort, is an ideal adults-only setting to commit to personal wellness and learn daily practices to live longer, healthier lives. This is not a hotel you can bring your family to.
7. Conclusion
Both magnificent hotels offer Four Seasons service, luxurious rooms, and wonderful restaurants. Plus, you can minibus between these two resorts for free if you decide you want to try the other one.
Sensei is very much an adults-only spa resort, perfect for those looking to improve their wellness and escape day-to-day stresses, whereas Four Seasons Lanai is a beach resort with incredible golf. The Four Seasons Lanai beach resort is ideal for families and couples alike.
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Image courtesy of Four Seasons Lanai.
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