Is Lanai worth it?
 

Hi,<BR><BR>Thinking of going to Lanai instead of the ol' standbys (Maui, Oahu, Big Island, etc.).<BR><BR>Anyone a big fan of Lanai? I typically like tropical vacations with privacy: where my husband and I can lay out without lots of children screaming and people chatting us up.<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR><BR>Servy

If privacy and solitude are high on your priority list then Lanai will fill the bill very nicely.<BR>2 great resorts there, each quite different from the other, owned by same group.<BR>Nothing much in the way of civilization beyond the resorts (Lanai City is quite a tiny hamlet).

Check if a convention will be at Manele before you go - when I was there lot's of kids in the pool daytimes (the pool is NOT large), and the pool taken over for convention parties early evening. <BR><BR>I am not fan. I found the service there to be very spotty - sometimes rude. I'd opt for the ol' standbys.<BR><BR>Do a search for previous posts. <BR><BR>

Search "Manele" for long list of posts.

With regards to privacy I didn't find any during my hotel stay this July. Lots of rowdy ill behaved kids. The hotel runs a special buy 1 room get the 2nd one free for kids. A person can't move the covered lawn chairs away from the pool therefore if you want to be out of the sun you're stuck in the crowded area. I am still looking for the perfect Hawaii hotel for peace & quiet. At the Lodge, however, you could hear a pin drop but you're 20 mins away from the ocean. So far the best I've found is the FS BI. Will visit Mokokai this winter, I think that may finally be the place.

Natalie - I could not agree more. There wasn't any room to swim in the pool or to relax around it. I wasn't so thrilled with the beach or the snorkling either. It is fine if you have kids though there are better beach destinations for little ones as well IMHO.

I stayed at the Lodge at Koele a few months ago and really liked it. It is considerably smaller than Manele Bay - so less prone to conventions and swarms of small children. In fact, when we visited Manele Bay there was a convention going on and the hotel was a bit crowded - very different from the Lodge. The Lodge is located 'up country' - near Lanai city. A shuttle bus runs between the two hotels and town. (The lodge is within walking distance of town, too.) The Lodge was very quiet and sedate and we had a great time. There isn't too much to do on Lanai -some hiking, a few restaurants outside of the hotels, the beach (or pool - at either hotel). The service was also very good at the Lodge. Manele bay seems to have more mixed reviews. Lanai is a bit short on beaches compared to the other islands - even on Oahu you can probably more easiler find beautiful, easily swimable, relatively uninhabited beaches.

I assume that you have been to the "ol' standbys" on previous visits. I would not suggest Lanai for a first visit to Hawaii. It is a place that will appeal to only a small minority of people, and if you do not fit in that minority you will not enjoy your vacation. I suggest that you do the ol' standbys and do a day trip or an overnighter to Lanai to check it out. If you like it go back for a longer stay on your next visit.