Insider tip: In front of the resort, a freshwater channel passes through the reefs into the ocean. Guides can lead guests to spots in the ocean where the cold mountain water can be felt, places considered by ancient Hawaiians to have healing properties.

What to expect: Opened in 1964 and frequented by Hollywood's elite (Frank Sinatra, Tom Cruise, Michelle Pfeiffer), entertainment notables (Faith Hill, Luciano Pavarotti, Billy Joel), every US president from Nixon to Clinton, and royalty (Queen Elizabeth, Princess Grace, the Dalai Lama), this resort attracts the rich and famous and the discriminating and sophisticated. Ordinary families cavort next to the glitterati. Consistent awards prove this resort is among the world’s best .

Amenity highlights: For a modest fee, guests (kids, too) can swim and interact with the resort’s most loved residents, the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Emphasizing education, Dolphin Quest scientist/trainers run the program in the 26,000-square-foot salt-water lagoon.

The Kahala Hotel and Resort's elaborate pool complex includes a large ocean-view pool lined with blue Italian-glass tiles, a big spa, and a children's wading pool—all surrounded by a sundeck furnished with thickly padded lounge chairs and fronted by a sunning lawn graced by coconut trees.

Responding to celebrity requests, this Honolulu resort built five 550-square-foot spa suites (one for couples) where guests can receive various massages and body treatments in an utterly tranquil, private setting, beginning with a foot-bathing ritual.

Insider tip: The Kahala Burger, available at the open-air Plumeria Beach Café, brings guests back to the resort year after year.

What to expect: The Royal Hawaiian, first opened in 1927, has undergone an extensive renovation and reopened in 2009 to offer discerning travelers an experience steeped in Hawaiian culture. Set on a private stretch of Waikiki Beach and surrounded by tropical gardens, the pink resort is popular with couples, families, and business travelers.

Amenity highlights: Guests can splash in one of two outdoor pools, including one by the beach, and relax in a luxury cabana at the hotel's private beach, The Royal Beach Club. Dining options include an oceanfront restaurant serving fresh seafood, a poolside café, and a beachside bar offering appetizers and live Hawaiian entertainment.

Insider tip: Within five miles of the hotel at Honolulu Harbor's Pier 7, the Hawaii Maritime Center (surcharge) explores the history of the islands with museum exhibits, a Polynesian sailing canoe, and a four-masted, full-rigged ship.