It may be a bit of a journey to get to Four Seasons Resort Lanai, but it’s absolutely worth the extra effort. The brand’s five-star, five-diamond beachfront resort on the Southeastern coast of the island is truly unique — from the moment I arrived, I knew an exceptional experience was in store.
The least inhabited of Hawaii's six major islands (and once home to the largest pineapple plantation in the world), Lanai offers fewer crowds and a slower pace than other Hawaiian vacation destinations. The resort has 213 rooms, 45 of which are suites, which were refreshed during a significant renovation in 2015. And on Nov. 1, 2025, celebrity chef Nancy Silverton opened her newest Osteria Mozza restaurant at the resort.
From Garden to Ocean Views
Clients may think they “need” an ocean view room (and Four Seasons Lanai certainly has plenty of them), but my garden-view room proved wonderful, too. Surrounded by the resort’s lush gardens, the setting allowed me to wake up to the sounds of tropical birds each morning — and since pool areas and restaurants offer unobstructed ocean views, I didn’t miss seeing the water from my room.
Guest rooms and suites that overlook the resort’s lush tropical gardens offer a relaxing way to start the day.
Credit: 2026 Four Seasons Resort LanaiMy spacious guestroom and bathroom also featured a Nespresso coffee station, Aina bath amenities (made with locally sourced kukui nut oil) and a Dyson hair dryer, which I may have been unreasonably excited about.
The resort’s six specialty suites include the two-bedroom Alii Royal Suite, the one-bedroom Kapihaa Presidential Suite and the one-bedroom Palawai Suite, which can be connected to the penthouse prime oceanfront suite.
Dining at Four Seasons Lanai
Four Seasons Lanai has five onsite restaurants, including Nobu Lanai and Osteria Mozza Lanai.
Osteria Mozza Lanai features chef Silverton’s signature Italian dishes made with fresh island ingredients — you can’t go wrong ordering anything on the menu designated as “Nancy’s” — but my favorites were the shaved brussels sprouts salad with mint, almonds and lemon and the restaurant’s signature orecchiette with fennel sausage and Swiss chard. Of course, I also had to try Nancy’s famous butterscotch budino, a creamy custard with just the right amount of sweetness. (For Silverton fans, it is worth noting that Osteria Mozza Lanai is the only Mozza restaurant that serves breakfast.)
Osteria Mozza Lanai features Nancy Silverton’s signature Italian dishes made with fresh island ingredients.
Credit: 2026 Four Seasons Resort LanaiNobu attracts many guests to the island — and during my visit, a couple said they came to the resort specifically to dine at the restaurant. While several dishes are on the menu at every Nobu location, the Nobu Hucker salad was created in the kitchen on Lanai.
“The secret of Nobu is that we all have the same sauces, but it’s how we mix them that makes each Nobu a little bit different and special,” explained Christopher Texeira, the restaurant’s executive chef. “I named this salad after my sous chef Alex Hucker, because Alex mixed three sauces to make the golden goddess dressing.”
The Nobu Hucker salad was created by Nobu Lanai sous chef Alex Hucker.
Credit: 2026 Samantha Davis-FriedmanAnd while there’s no doubt Nobu is well-known for its seafood, another gem on the menu is the sliders, which are made with a combination of Japanese A5 Wagyu beef and local Lanai venison.
“There’s honey truffle aioli on the bottom, spicy ketchup on the top, soy-mirin shiitake mushrooms and a crispy onion ring,” Texiera says. “It’s the ultimate two-biter.”
Exclusive Experiences
Lanai is already an exclusive destination, but Four Seasons takes advantage of the island’s unique landscape with cultural experiences and activities.
Highlights of my stay were a stargazing experience inside the resort's private observatory (the only one of its kind in Hawaii); a horseback ride through the island’s not-at-all-tropical mountain forest, located above Lanai City; and an early morning hike to the island's landmark Pu’u Pehe (Sweetheart Rock).
Clients can greet the day with an early morning hike to Pu’u Pehe.
Credit: 2026 Samantha Davis-FriedmanWe began our hike before dawn (start time varies seasonally); when we reached Pu’u Pehe at sunrise, our guide, Kaleialohi, welcomed the day with a traditional Hawaiian chant in Olelo, the indigenous language of Hawaii.
“We encourage the sun to rise from the deep, deep ocean (ka moana hohonu) to the highest heights in the sky (i ka lewa),” he explained. “And we blow the conch shell [in all four directions] to give thanks to Lanai.”
Complimentary Transportation
Round-trip flights to Lanai from Honolulu International Airport via Lanai Air are included in resort bookings with arrivals by Dec. 31, 2026. Upon arrival in Honolulu, clients are met at baggage claim and transported to the new Lanai Air Lounge, where they can enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, charging ports, snacks and beverages.
Private charter flights are also available between Lanai and Oahu, as well as from Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island.
Shared arrival and departure airport shuttles, intra-island transfers and activity and golf shuttles are complimentary with all stays.
