The Mauna Lani Hotel & Bungalows wrapped up 2009 with accolades aplenty. It was honored by Conde Nast Traveler, Golf Digest, Hawaii Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Golf Club and Islands Magazine as among the best resorts Hawaii, noted not only for its world-class accommodations but also for its top-notch spa and championship golf courses.
The resort's 343 guestrooms and suites are available in nine different configurations, ranging from affordable standard rooms overlooking the main entrance to the oceanfront suites on the upper floors. The suites feature separate living areas and wet bars, as well as unimpeded views of the Pacific.
Every unit comes with its own private lanai, personal bar, a writing desk, refrigerator, coffee/tea maker, 32'' LCD flat-screen TV, two telephones with data ports, complimentary Internet & WiFi access, and an electronic safe. Also provided are robes, slippers, his and hers marble basins, a make-up mirror, hair dryers, and maid service twice daily. All guestrooms are non-smoking, and ADA rooms are available upon request
Conveniently located within a minute's walk of the hotel, the Mauna Lani's bungalows are secluded with privacy maintained by a gated driveway and private access to the beach. There is 4,000 square feet of living space in each unit, including two master bedrooms, three baths, two steam showers, a private swimming pool, whirlpool spa, a 50'' plasma TV and use of a 20'' iMac computer
Golf is one of the main attractions at the Mauna Lani Resort. Featured here are two championship-level 18-hole courses, one of which was used for eleven years as the venue for the Annual Senior Skins Game. The surrounding lava fields and ocean vistas lend themselves well to photography, and the Mauna Lani has been rated by Golf Magazine as one of the Top 10 Environmentally Friendly Courses in the world.
At the Mauna Lani Spa & Salon, the garden area has been designed to resemble a Hawaiian village. Treatments are given within thatched hale huts that can accommodate couples. Also located here are two natural lava saunas, a Vichy shower, a meditation pavilion and a fragrance garden. Indoor lockers, steam showers, saunas and a retail boutique are provided, too.
Other resort facilities include the Mauna Lani Fitness Club, a lap pool, tennis courts, sand volleyball, and beach cabanas. Guests may sign up for fitness classes, golf clinics, bicycles on loan, use of snorkeling equipment, tours of historic petroglyphs and nearby fishponds, jogging amenities, and scheduled classes in Hawaiian weaving, ukulele and lei making. Educational fish and turtle feeding tours, a monthly Full Moon Talk Story, and special rainy day activities are offered, too.
For dining, the Mauna Lani has several options for a world-class dining experience, starting with the open-air Bay Terrace and its noted breakfast menu. Poolside, the Ocean Grill serves casual lunch items as well as sunset cocktails. Facing the ocean, CanoeHouse offers contemporary, market-fresh Hawaiian cuisine along with a Sushi bar.
The Mauna Lani Hotel & Bungalows is located at 68-1400 Mauna Lani Drive, Kohala Coast, Kamuela, Hawaii 96743. The nearest major town is Waimea, and the resort can be reached via State Route 19, the Queen Kaahumanu Highway, just 20 minutes north of the Kona International Airport about 23 miles. Self-parking is available for registered guests, as is a complimentary shuttle service throughout the resort.
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