Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort
Sensei Lanai Review
*** Update as of November 2020 ***
Sensei Lanai has switched from the original all-inclusive rates with a 3-night minimum stay to a new more flexible (and less expensive) model. Rooms can now be booked at either the base nightly rate, or with an included nightly Wellness credit for spa treatments and island activities.
All rates include round-trip flights on Lanai Air from Honolulu, and all rates can be booked through Four Season Preferred Partner to include the usual FSPP complimentary benefits.
You can book part of your stay to include the Wellness credit, and other nights to include only the base room rate. The accrued Wellness credit will be available for you to use throughout your stay.
Sensei Lanai guests have full access and signing privileges to all of the Four Seasons Lanai beach resort amenities, except for the use of the pool and pool chairs.
Sensei Lanai minimum age requirement: 16 years old.
Original notes from November 2019:
After a massive two-year renovation, Four Seasons recently opened Four Seasons Hotel Lanai at Koele, A Sensei Retreat. I had the opportunity to meet with the hotel manager for a tour of the property, and the results are incredible. They have turned the retreat into a lush and tropical masterpiece that is totally focused on providing the best experience in luxury wellness. Here are some of the details as well as a few pictures from my visit:
Before arrival guests work with a dedicated Sensei Guide to develop a custom itinerary. The uniquely crafted itineraries are entirely fluid and adaptable, and focus on three practices - movement, nourishment, and rest. Movement is how we interact with our environment, nourishment is what fuels us, and rest is how we recover and grow. These practices are the basis for the programming, and integrating elements from each of them leads to a balance that is at the heart of the Sensei philosophy.
All 96 rooms and suites are ready for occupancy, however, to be sure the experience is exceptional from the open, they are only allowing 10 rooms to be occupied through the end of the year. In January they will add another 10, and they only expect to allow occupancy to run at around ~ 30% through next year. This will give them time to learn and fine tune, while also providing a world-class experience for every guest.
The nightly rate is all-inclusive. Including round trip luxury charter flights on Lanai Air, on-island transportation, all dining & beverages (except for a few ultra premium spirits), treatments, classes, activities including golf, ocean activities, hiking, horseback riding, archery & shooting, UTV tour, the new Adventure Park with ziplines, ropes courses, access to FS Lanai beach resort, and more.
The Sensei by Nobu restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating, as well as options to eat poolside, in-room, or in a private spa hale. The customized wellness menu is unique to the property and has been created by Chef Nobu and his team in close collaboration with Sensei’s nutritionists.
Spa treatments are in gorgeous private hales with everything you would need… indoor and outdoor treatment areas, saunas, indoor and outdoor showers, Japanese ofuro bathtubs, outdoor plunge pools, water features, Watsu pools, and more.
There are amazing works of art everywhere, including works of renowned contemporary artists, as well as works of art commissioned exclusively for the property, all intended to stimulate thought and reflection.
Four Seasons Hotel Lanai at Koele, A Sensei Retreat is a lush and tropical world-class property, and is the perfect spot for those looking for the ultimate luxury wellness experience, with plenty of opportunities for adventure. Finally, if you want to feel like you practically have the retreat all to yourself, I recommend that you try to visit soon.
GOOD TO KNOW
Roundtrip luxury charter flights on Lanai Air are included for all guests. FS Koele guests also have access to FS Lanai amenities. The minimum stay is three nights while seven-night vacations are highly recommended to maximize the experience.
LANAI AIR
We flew on Lanai Air as a part of our stay at Four Seasons Lanai, and the experience was exceptional. It’s totally seamless, removes all potential stress, and it feels like your vacation starts as soon as you arrive in HNL. It also saves a lot of time and gets you to the resort more quickly than the commercial Hawaiian Airlines flights (which have been known to experience delays). We met a couple of other guests at the resort that also flew Lanai Air and they were raving about the convenience and overall VIP experience.
Round trip flights included for all FS Lanai at Koele guests. Plane holds a max of 6 passengers.
As soon as you deplane from your arriving flight in HNL a VIP agent is waiting to greet you at your gate.
The VIP agent escorts you to baggage claim to retrieve checked luggage.
From baggage claim we were immediately escorted to a waiting Cadillac Escalade, and transferred to the private jet section of HNL. The ride is 5 minutes.
Lanai Air has a private lounge with refreshments, snacks, restrooms, etc.
After 5 minutes in the lounge, they were ready for us to board the plane for the 20 minute flight. We departed 1 hour earlier than what had been scheduled :-)
We landed on LNY and the plane pulled up to a Tesla Model X that was parked on the tarmac waiting for us. Within minutes we were on our way to the resort.
FOUR SEASONS PREFERRED PARTNER BENEFITS
All clients of Kristen Nix Travel will receive complimentary Four Seasons Preferred Partner amenities when staying at Sensei Lanai. Contact Kristen for property-specific details.
ADDITIONAL READING
Four Seasons Resort Lanai 2019
Four Seasons Resort Lanai (2017 previous review)