| Ihilani happens to be my favorite spot on the planet. We
stayed at Ihilani for the first time in 1996 when Machiko (Kei's sister and
manager of a travel agency) scored us a Jacuzzi room back in the day when Japan
Airlines owned the resort (it is now a JW Marriott). We loved our experience so
much that we were later married at the resort's outdoor gazebo in July 1997.
Since then, we try to stay at least a couple of nights at Ihilani each time we
visit Oahu, which ends up being almost once a year. What draws us back is
guaranteed relaxation and quiet luxury. Ihilani is located about 30 minutes from Waikiki Beach and 20 minutes from the Honolulu Airport on the leeward side of Oahu. It is situated on the first of four lagoons of the Ko Olina resort development in Kapolei. Since Ihilani is on the leeward side, it is generally sunnier and drier than the rest of the island. Anybody who says that he/she doesn't like Oahu because it feels overcrowded probably hasn't been to this part of the island or hasn't stayed at Ihilani. |
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Quiet, understated opulence - these are the words that best describe Ihilani. Just think, "spaaahhhh." Nothing about the hotel is garish or stifled. The room furnishings are monochromatic and uncomplicated (lots of creams and beiges), and everything feels clean, new, and complementary to the beautiful landscape outside the resort. Some hotel rooms in Hawaii (especially Waikiki) feel stuffy, humid, and cramped, but even the standard rooms at Ihilani are generously spacious and easily cool down if you run the air-conditioning or open the shutter doors to the lanai and run the ceiling fan. The bathroom is stunning - almost as big as the main area with two opposing sink vanities, separate toilet room, deep soaking tub, and separate glass-enclosed shower stall. A master remote control console at the bedside controls the ceiling fan, air-conditioning, lights, alarm, and message center. Also, each room is equipped with a CD player, which plays Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" upon your first grand entrance into your room. And the most stunning feature of all is the pristine beach outside your room. If you are fortunate to stay in an oceanfront room, the extra price that you pay is for the magnificent view of the swaying palm trees and the crisp, blue ocean in the near distance. As you relax on your teak lounge chair sipping a cold drink and watching the sunset, you realize that life can't get any better than this. |
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The resort is perfect for singles, couples, and families with children. Even for novice (and out-of-shape) swimmers like me, the man-made lagoons are easy to swim from end to end. You can search for fish around the rocks without any snorkeling gear. While the ocean beyond is quite turbulent, the breakfronts make the waters calm enough for young children, and non-swimmers can sit fairly still in the water without too many pummeling waves. Although they are open to the public, the lagoons do not draw crowds because the locals consider Kapolei too far from "town," and currently, the only tourists are guests of Ihilani (unfortunately, Marriott is building a timeshare resort at the next lagoon). You can stroll from one lagoon to the next on a well-maintained jogging path, and each lagoon looks pretty much the same and has the same restroom facilities. On early weekend mornings, you have a good chance of enjoying your own private lagoon at the ones furthest away from the resort. But, if you enjoy people-watching, there are enough "beautiful people" to look at in Ihilani's lagoon. |
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If you prefer poolside relaxation instead of the beach, Ihilani has a wonderful pool and hot tub with a view of the ocean. The pool is not too big or deep (more serious swimmers can use the lap pool in the spa), and you can generally snag a couple of beach chairs in the sun. Adult guests can sip mai-tais at the poolside bar or order drinks and munchies from the hotel staff circling the pool area. I'm not a spa person so I can't review Ihilani's spa. I also don't do golf, but my uncle tells me that the course at the Ko Olina Golf Club is fantastic. Other hotel amenities to note are: video arcade room, keiki club for kids, shark and tropical fish pools surrounding the hotel, nicely appointed gift shop and sundry shop, evening turndown service, and complimentary coffee in the morning. |
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No trip can be complete without stopping at the Waikele Premium Outlets (about 5-10 minute drive). Outlet stores that do not appear in typical outlet malls include: Off 5th (it has a great selection for petite sizes), Barneys of New York, Banana Republic, and Crazy Shirts. |
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There are two drawbacks to this resort: (1) it is relatively far from "town" and (2) the selection of restaurants at the hotel is mediocre. Ihilani has two expensive restaurants: Azul (Mediterranean cuisine - the food is OK, but it's pricey) and Ushio-Tei (Japanese - we're too scared of the prices to try). The only moderately-priced dining option is Naupaka Terrace for Pacific Rim fare (e.g., local fish entrees, salads, pasta, etc.). After dinner, you can enjoy drinks and a game of backgammon at the quiet Hokulea Bar. If you are lucky enough to stay at Ihilani for more than 2 nights, unfortunately, you'll probably want to drive somewhere else for food. However, you probably need to drive to Pearl City or even back to downtown Honolulu because the options in Kapolei and Waikele are sparse (e.g., Zippy's and Ba-Le). |
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In spite of these drawbacks, we are never disappointed whenever we return to our second home away from Sunnyvale. Even with the change in ownership from Japan Airlines to Marriott, I am happy to say that the quality and service have not declined since our first stay (and yes, I am still trying to stay in one of the Jacuzzi rooms again, and unfortunately, we have not been successful). Although I hope that Marriott can keep this hotel running for years to come, I wish that Ihilani continues to remain a little-known secret, a gem to be enjoyed by those of us who appreciate it so much. |
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