St. Regis Princeville Resort

Unveiled in September 2009 after its conversion from a Sheraton, this resort on Kauai’s North Shore borders one of Hawaii’s most famous golf courses (also called Princeville, it comprises 45 Robert Trent Jones, Jr.–designed championship holes). In its new incarnation, however, the property now also offers enough amenities to tempt even the links-averse—including an expansive spa doling out taro-clay wraps and maile-oil massages; a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant; a 5,000-square-foot infinity pool; and a sheltered beach good for snorkeling and for families. The 252 rooms—some of the largest on Kauai—are all gleamingly new and soothingly upholstered in soft, seashell colors; sea-view rooms and suites overlook Hanalei Bay to Mount Namolokama and, in the distance, Mount Makana (more famously called Bali Hai in South Pacific).