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HAWAII'S BIG ISLAND II |
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Another ten miles south brings
visitors to the new kid on the block, the Four
Seasons at Hualalai, a group of 36 low-rise bungalows clustered
around several pools, the most remarkable being the 1.4 million gallon
lava rock King's Pond. The pond is fed from both a freshwater spring
and the ocean and is constantly freshened: pumps allow 2,000 gallons
of sea water in every minute and remove 5,000 gallons in the same
time. The five year-old pond is stocked with 3,500 fish -- 84 species
-- for guests' snorkeling pleasure. And it's complimentary, a welcome
finding on the Kohala Coast where the price of Heaven comes high.
The Four Seasons, built on an ancient Hawaiian village, has a real
Pacific Islands feel. The lobby seems straight out of an Indiana Jones
movie set and the lower level bedrooms that have additional outdoor
rustic showers sure allow guests to feel connected to nature. |
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There's less connection to the outdoors at Waikoloa Village. This is the busy part of the Kohala Coast, the place for shoppers and families. The Hilton, for example, was formerly the Hyatt, one of the overwhelming mega-resorts built in Hawaii by Chris Hemmeter before he ran out of steam trying to build a casino in New Orleans. Hemmeter's vision assaults the senses but it's fun when you are on vacation; the Hilton is huge; guests can take Disney-like trams (each Swiss-built at a cost of $3 million) from one area to another. Kids love that and the Dolphin Quest program which allows supervised swims with those wonderful creatures. |
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The Hilton architecture is gigantic, though the grounds
are delightful. The gorgeous art on display, free though it cost
$7 million, makes a mockery of what Steve Wynn is charging his guests
at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. The Hilton's valets park 13,000 cars
a month. It's like a cruise ship: at peak occupancy it serves 14,000
meals a day. And drive back you must -- because few get to live in Paradise for ever. |
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