The Tamesis
hotel: I flew to the Big Island and stayed at the Rosewood Kona Village – honestly, I wanted to land on a beach and relax (it was a long trip!). There was enough variety in the hotel that we felt like we could go somewhere different every day. (We actually rented a car, which I think we used every three or four days because the house is so cute.) The rooms are all private, as they call it hailesrather than a centralized property. Everything is beautifully done – if I could design a bedroom I would do it so that the bed is in the middle of the room so you are always facing the window. My favorite thing is sitting on the front deck at the end of the day, reading a book with the fan blowing on, overlooking the lagoon.
The first thing I noticed at Sensei Lanai was the garden. I don’t think I’ve ever seen color like this in my life – it’s so vivid, like looking at a wild impressionist painting. I spent most of my time in and around those gardens: they had a huge lake with winding paths around it. I think I sat there and watched the carp in the pond for about 30 minutes at one point, which is something I’ve never slowed down in my life. It’s a testament to the feeling of that place: I’ve never felt that peaceful and the whole experience was based on a thoughtful approach to wellness. When you check in, you’ll meet someone who will create a simple plan for you, based on the three pillars of nutrition, movement and rest. When I travel, I enjoy learning new things and having new experiences; since I had never meditated before, I chose to take private lessons on meditation. To be honest, I really thought it was going to be a disaster, but it turned out to be such a transformation. I also had the best massage of my life in the spa, which has a sauna, steam room and a huge wooden tub. The on-site Nobu restaurant serves food that combines Nobu classics with local ingredients. I guess I didn’t eat that well or clean before.
The last stop was the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea, behind Sensei, I think I saw 20 people in four days, which was definitely a change of pace. Maui is vibrant and sociable and the atmosphere was lovely even in the evenings when drinking cocktails in the lobby listening to live music and delicious cocktails. That hall was recently renovated and has lots of textures, colors and interesting shapes – very modern, yet unique. Everything is open (no walls in this place) and the ocean breeze blowing in is a real treat. The hotel is a very large complex with a large beach and an infinity pool overlooking the sea, where you can spend many days and have a completely different experience. This is also where they filmed white lotus– You do hear about it around the hotel, which makes the whole thing interesting.
