When a high-pressure meeting ends or members of an incentive group are about to go their own separate ways, no place offers a more complete change of pace than Lanai. With only two very exclusive properties on the entire island, both created by Castle & Cooke mogul David Murdock, the island virtually exudes pampered, but understated, charm.
Once it was known as The Pineapple Island, where Dole raised pineapples for the world. Now, Lanai is "one of the hottest spots for the discriminating who have been to Hawaii many times, and who want to enjoy peace and solitude," says Classic Destination Management's Debbie Weil.
For golfers, Lanai's two golf courses epitomize manicured perfection. The Experience at Koele is designed by Greg Norman, and is in the island highlands; the seaside Challenge at Manele was fashioned from several hundred acres of natural lava fields. Both represent golf at its finest, and prices reflect that fact.
Guests opting to stay at one property, the Lodge at Koele or the Manele Bay Hotel, can use the facilities of both. The upcountry Lodge has a riding stables and a world class clay shooting course. The Manele Bay, located near the beach, has a fitness facility and spa.