"People just aren't playing tennis anymore."
Colin, in what amounted to a choked-up voice, directed us with the turn of his chin to six empty courts beyond the spa gardens.
Colin and Andrew, from Four Seasons Hualalai, fetched us from the Fairmont Orchid promptly at 9:00 a.m. in beige Lincoln Town Cars. There is a certain sensation, while turning corners in the back seat of a wide-bodied domestic, that is distinctly prerecession.
Soon after arrival, fresh chocolate-dipped pineapple in hand, we headed down a path for a tour of the spa.
"Guests are in treatment at the moment, so we'll need to use our spa voices."
A gentle waft of cool air met us inside the door. Dark wood, lava rock, and abounding natural light. We approached what looked like apothecary set ups I've seen in recreated frontier towns at Disney Land and Nauvoo, Illinois.
"And this is our apothecary." (Pleased with myself). "And these. . ." he pulled a Vanna White with one hand,"Are salts, herbs, and essential oils native to the islands of Hawaii."
The idea is for therapists and guests to jointly create mixes according to ailments, and to scent it all with oils that resonate at that moment, for use during appointments.
"We want to create an unforgettable experience that speaks distinctly of this Island." He walked towards a wood and glass door. "Please follow me into our meditation garden and stream."
After lounging and sipping iced infusions, bath-robbed guests are encouraged to enter the water, following its meandering course leading to the professional arms of their therapist. Textures on the gurgling stream bed change from smooth, to coarse sand, and finally to gentle waterfall splashes before exiting.
We left the spa and moved on to an impressive sports complex, complete with climbing wall, yoga studio, workout gym, and tennis courts.
While you could say that guests aren't pursuing organized sports as much as before, the Four Seasons staff are looking sportier than ever. The sales staff at Haualalai wear khaki knee shorts and aloha shirts these days. To avoid any unpleasantness, however, gentlemen have clean-shaven legs. Also, no socks allowed. But this isn't quite a flip-flop establishment. For footwear, they sport square-toed leather loafers that surely get sticky in the heat.
The resort is family-friendly, but at the same time, old money. It seems like new clientele just aren't impressed by dinner dress codes, German cars, or foreign spa products. Above all, they want to relax, and to have a luxe "Hawaiian experience."
If that's the case, then Hualalai's the right place--even with the occasional bout of nostalgia.
Colin, in what amounted to a choked-up voice, directed us with the turn of his chin to six empty courts beyond the spa gardens.
Colin and Andrew, from Four Seasons Hualalai, fetched us from the Fairmont Orchid promptly at 9:00 a.m. in beige Lincoln Town Cars. There is a certain sensation, while turning corners in the back seat of a wide-bodied domestic, that is distinctly prerecession.
Soon after arrival, fresh chocolate-dipped pineapple in hand, we headed down a path for a tour of the spa.
"Guests are in treatment at the moment, so we'll need to use our spa voices."
A gentle waft of cool air met us inside the door. Dark wood, lava rock, and abounding natural light. We approached what looked like apothecary set ups I've seen in recreated frontier towns at Disney Land and Nauvoo, Illinois.
"And this is our apothecary." (Pleased with myself). "And these. . ." he pulled a Vanna White with one hand,"Are salts, herbs, and essential oils native to the islands of Hawaii."
The idea is for therapists and guests to jointly create mixes according to ailments, and to scent it all with oils that resonate at that moment, for use during appointments.
"We want to create an unforgettable experience that speaks distinctly of this Island." He walked towards a wood and glass door. "Please follow me into our meditation garden and stream."
After lounging and sipping iced infusions, bath-robbed guests are encouraged to enter the water, following its meandering course leading to the professional arms of their therapist. Textures on the gurgling stream bed change from smooth, to coarse sand, and finally to gentle waterfall splashes before exiting.
We left the spa and moved on to an impressive sports complex, complete with climbing wall, yoga studio, workout gym, and tennis courts.
While you could say that guests aren't pursuing organized sports as much as before, the Four Seasons staff are looking sportier than ever. The sales staff at Haualalai wear khaki knee shorts and aloha shirts these days. To avoid any unpleasantness, however, gentlemen have clean-shaven legs. Also, no socks allowed. But this isn't quite a flip-flop establishment. For footwear, they sport square-toed leather loafers that surely get sticky in the heat.
The resort is family-friendly, but at the same time, old money. It seems like new clientele just aren't impressed by dinner dress codes, German cars, or foreign spa products. Above all, they want to relax, and to have a luxe "Hawaiian experience."
If that's the case, then Hualalai's the right place--even with the occasional bout of nostalgia.
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