What to expect: Built in plantation style, the hotel appears modest from the driveway: low-rise, creamy stucco with a green-tile roof. The vast lobby creates a different impression: marble, gently falling water, tapestries, antiqued chairs, sofas so deep they seem to swallow guests. A terrace off the lobby showcases ocean views, as breaking rollers sweep into beautiful Hanalei Bay past the rock spire called Bali Hai.

Amenity highlights: The beautiful beach provides calm water for swimming and snorkeling except under the most dramatic offshore surf conditions. A huge pool with an ocean view and a swim-up bar are surrounded by a spacious sundeck and a garden of small palm trees. One level up from the pool are a toddlers' pool and three enormous half-moon-shaped spas.

Insider tip: Golf carts at the Prince Course are equipped with a color screen connected to a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) so golfers have a bird's-eye view of each hole and precise shot distances. Food and beverages can also be ordered through the system.