Below are my favorite Hawaiian hotels, where I believe a couple can make enough beautiful memories to get them through that first rough year of marriage. This list is by no means exhaustive, and you may well disagree with my choices. Now, let the thought of gentle breezes lead you to...
OAHU
Hilton Hawaiian Village
If you want to be in the center of the action, at the mega-resort synonymous with Waikiki, there's no place that offers couples more to see and do than Hilton Hawaiian Village. Numerous places to eat, activities, a wide range of accommodation, and a dedicated wedding chapel make this a very popular choice.
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Halekulani
A cool retreat from the wackiness of Waikiki, the Halekulani ("house befitting heaven") is the state's only property to score Five Diamond awards from AAA for both lodging and dining. And it deserves them. It's had plenty of time to become perfected; this modern, airy refuge began welcoming guests in 1917.
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And if you're prepared to totally splurge, consider staying in the Halekulani's Vera Wang Suite].
Also consider:
The Kahala Hotel & Resort
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Hyatt Regency Waikiki
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BIG ISLAND
Kona Village Resort
I love this place. It's been rated as one of the world's top 50 Romantic Getaways by Travel & Leisuremagazine, and will appeal to couples who enjoy something different. It's neither big nor fancy (nor inexpensive). If you lodge here, you'll get to sleep in a thatched-hut hale, perfectly civilized with a nice bed and original Hawaiian art inside. Posh-primitive, it has no phones, TVs, or radios to distract you.
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Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows
After your ride from the airport, past sparkling black lava fields, you arrive at this oasis. You're greeted by a gentle Polynesian host, a fragrant lei is slipped around your neck, and you are offered a cool glass of fresh juice. Sufficiently restored, you then check in to this extraordinary place. If you golf, you'll find two of the island's finest courses here. The South Course is built on a lava flow and has spectacular views of the ocean and mountains. A new spa offers authentically Hawaiian treatments.
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Also consider:
Hilton Waikoloa Village
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MAUI
Hotel Hana-Maui
Recently refurbished, the very posh Hotel Hana-Maui is located on the far end of Maui. That means it's a very long drive from Lahaina or the airport. But what a drive it is! Through magical scenery, waterfalls, lush and fragrant tropical foliage -- and also hairpin turns. If you're determined to make the drive -- which is truly a once-in-a-lifetime romantic experience, go in a four-wheel-drive rental car.
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Four Seasons Maui at Wailea
If I had but just one honeymoon to experience as a bride, let it be at the Four Seasons Wailea... Rated No. 20 on Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List, this exquisite property features the most spacious rooms on the islands. And that, as they say, is not all. Modelled on a Hawaiian palace, the resort features reflecting pools, fountains and cabanas enhanced by views the Pacific. The food's excellent. The staff bends over backwards to satisfy your wishes. And you just happen to be on the best island for vacationers in the whole state.
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Also consider:
Fairmont Kea Lani
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KAUAI
Princeville Resort
Kauai may be the state's most beautiful island, and you can really appreciate the drama of its topography from the sky. If you're game, plan to spend an afternoon helicopter flight-seeing over valleys and waterfalls, beaches and secluded coves along the spectacular Na Pali coast. Come home to Princeville, where tennis, spa facilities, and river and ocean kayaking can all become part of your agenda.
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Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa
With architecture and decor reminiscent of Hawaii's golden age during the 1920s and '30s, the Hyatt Regency Kauai stands on a glorious 50-acre oceanfront setting on Keoneloa Bay, part of the popular Poipu Beach district.
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LANAI
These two extraordinary properties are now under the Four Seasons flag:
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Four Seasons Resort Lanai, the Lodge at Koele
Set in the highlands, the Lodge at Koele recreates the ambiance of a baronial English mansion. Rare art, roaring fireplaces, fine architecture all surround you. Some may find it stuffy. But this expensive property and the Manele Bay Hotel are basically the only game in town when it comes to upscale Lanai lodging.
Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay Hotel
The island's only beachside resort, Manele Bay features multi-tiered gardens with waterfalls and an incredible view of the Pacific. It's private and quiet (and if you come from a city, you may find it overly placid and have to escape back to Maui). But it is gorgeous.
