One Island, Four Seasons: The Lodge at Koele

On Lana'i, the stables and pines of the Lodge at Koele

On my recent trip to Lānaʻi, I was amazed by the differences between the two big-ticket resorts on this tiny Hawaiian island.

Just a 20-minute drive from each other, the Four Seasons Resort Lānaʻi, The Lodge at Koele and the Four Seasons Resort, Lānaʻi at Manele Bay are like separate worlds — albeit each with frondy gardens, romantic diversions and sexy cocktails. Offering dreamy-grey skies and ranch land on one side of the island and rocky cliffs overlooking the Pacific on the other, I can’t imagine a trip to Lānaʻi without a stay at both.

If a big ol’ porch, an orchid greenhouse, a stable full of horses and elegant afternoon tea are your idea of vacation, though — allow me to introduce Koele.

Before I launch in, perhaps I should clarify: I personally love porches, orchids, greenhouses, horses, elegance and afternoon tea. These are all things that for me, as a traveler and a human being, make life infinitely worth living. And Koele has them all.

The former headquarters of the Lanai Company Cattle Ranch, the Lodge at Koele is a renovated version of Victorian-era Hawaii, with a leathery library, mural-trimmed music room and even croquet on the lawn. There’s an expansive, woodsy golf course designed by Greg Norman, but we had ourselves a fine time at the civilized miniature course right in the backyard. The gardens are a mix of natives and tropicals from around the world, flowing gently around shimmering ponds — and a pagoda.

A frequent shuttle travels between the island’s two Four Seasons resorts so you can have access to Manele Bay’s beach and spa. But at Koele, just across the road is a stable full of horses where you can clop along the surrounding trails, rent a fancy carriage and driver, or just lean over the wooden fence and pet some soft noses and manes.

Ironically, it’s a lot cooler here up near the woods than down by the sea, and the sun is more occasional than shining. The steely light here boosts every color and softens every hard edge. From inside the soaring A-frame lobby, perched beside a roaring fire in a big stone fireplace, nibbling a cheese plate and sipping pineapple lemonades, we gazed dreamily out of tall windows at the velvety glow of bougainvillea beneath an overcast sky. Out in the orchid greenhouse, for just a minute we had the curious feeling that we were actually in England, surrounded by misty clouds, manicured lawns and old-growth trees.

The best place to watch the light change up here is from the front porch. Between the west wing and the front entrance, there’s a long line of wicker lounges, each with its own quilted pillow, that seem to invite lingering. One day of our stay, we walked past the same thirty-something couple three times — in morning, afternoon and early evening — simply reading books, side by side. On our third pass I said, “You two are my personal vacation heroes.” They laughed and replied that their big goals at Koele were to slow down, read, and occasionally lift their heads to see the day drift by. While our travel style is more “see everything you possibly can and then sit down, I still salute this couple for their dedication to chilling out. Well done.

Just before sunset on the center porch is cowboy/cocktail hour. I cuddled the resident cat (aka Koele), for a good long while, then joined Adam at a rail-side table for elderflower-honey martinis and original songs by Jesse Taylor (aka the Singing Cowboy). In what sounds like the logline from a ’70s movie, Jesse often shares the story of being discovered in a Montana bar by the wife of Koele’s stable manager. Just about every evening now, in a cowboy hat and boots, Jesse strums his guitar on Koele’s porch and sings to all the ladies of the Lodge.

Once the light was done for the day, we’d happily retire to our nearly perfect room. Huge and cozy at the same time, we had plenty of space in which to spread out and settle in. A window seat for me; a rear garden-view lanai (balcony) for Adam; a big, hand-painted tile bathroom with strong water pressure; a sprawling hug of a bed; and um, excellent soundproofing. Given free rein, I’d have swapped out the formal chintzes and plaids for something more Hawaiian…but then we might still be in that room now. (Rooms average $295-750, with packages and luxury suites available)

Still, we’d be tempted to leave it for a few hours at a time. For instance, glad we didn’t miss the wagyu beef prepared on lava rocks in the fancy, fireside Dining Room, listening to the angelic voice of the simply lovely Larry Endrina, a regular Koele performer. Afternoon tea was a highlight, too, with a tea box that allows you to sniff each blend and read about its origin. Our friendly server had recently been to Taiwan and fallen madly in love with tea there; his insights led me to a floral-y oolong and Adam to an earthy assam.

Our last afternoon at Koele, we meandered over to the stables and alighted a white, horse-drawn carriage (with pink seats, no less) for an hour’s delightful ride through Lānaʻi City. By then, we’d both walked and driven through town, but from up in the carriage we managed to see things we hadn’t noticed before. Folks waved us to us from their porches as we leaned back, slowly passing beneath treetops, and snuggled in for some head-on-shoulder action.

Am I ready to go back to Koele? Absolutely. This special place would be way up on my list for an anniversary or other special occasion — like, say, any random Tuesday.

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While all opinions and observations are my own,
our stay at the Four Seasons Resort Lana’i, The Lodge at Koele
was sponsored by the Lānaʻi Visitors Bureau
and included our room, carriage ride and several of our meals.
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