COST: $$$
From the T+L 500
An oceanfront building flanked by two championship golf courses, 20 minutes from Lahaina; a recent $180 million redo ensures a laid-back Hawaiian feel with breezy interiors, a cultural center, and a new spa.
| Score | 81.91 |
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| Stats | 463 rooms; 6 restaurants; 3 bars. |
| Rooms to Book | Oceanfronts, with views of D.T. Fleming beach. |
| Insider Tip | Visit the environmental-education center, to learn about the area’s natural resources. |
| Cost | Doubles from $495 |
| Amenities |
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High-Speed Internet | |
Gym | |
Pool |
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Until recently, the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua's buttoned-up European look was strangely out of touch with its tropical surroundings. Now, after a $180 million renovation, the hotel has lost the chintzy curtains, faux Renaissance artwork, and yes, the fireplace in the library. The 460 guest rooms are breezy yet refined: kukui tree-patterned rugs cover dark Brazilian ironwood floors, and wrought-iron lanais look out on the island landscape. As they say in Hawaii, Na mea maikai — It's all good.
lastArticle = and lastAward = 01/2008
