The Fairmont Kea Lani in Hawaii: Luxury Through a Cultural Lens
Photos courtesy of Fairmont Kea Lani
Nobody needs to be sold on a trip to Hawaii. The only questions are if you can fit it into your budget, which island(s) to go to, and what hotel or resort to stay in. I’d never claim to be a Hawaii expert—I’ve been exactly once—but I’m pretty sure I’ve spent more nights in hotels than at my own house this year, so I definitely know a little about hotels. That’s why I feel safe saying that, if you can afford a trip to Maui, the Fairmont Kea Lani is a great place to stay, whether you’re headed on a romantic trip with your special someone or doing it up with the whole family.
One of the many resorts found in Wailea, Fairmont Kea Lani scores well on all the basic requirements—location, amenities, food and drinks, recreation, rooms, etc.—as well as the now-expected opportunity to learn more about Hawaiian culture during your stay. Whereas other spots might have a cultural director on staff but makes guests go out of their way to actually learn something, Kea Lani also offers something most hotels won’t spend time or money on: an actual cultural center that offers a fascinating (and free) introduction to the local culture, one that goes beyond afternoon activities to keep kids busy or pricey dinner shows. Sure, it has those too—and some of them are pretty dang swell—but the Kea Lani’s cultural center, Hale Kukuna, takes its mission seriously. Located near the lobby and right next to the bar and restaurant Pilina, Hale Kukuna helps Kea Lani’s guests better understand the history and culture of the beautiful place they’re vacationing in. With understanding comes respect, and if you can’t (or won’t) respect the places you travel to, you shouldn’t be traveling at all, making Hale Kukuna’s goal an important one.
If you’re staying at Kea Lani, you can’t miss Hale Kukuna—literally. It’s prominently placed just feet away from the check-in desk, next to the stairs that take you down to the pool complex and the hotel’s majestic view of the Pacific. It almost looks like a living room, and feels exactly like one, albeit one where every book is about the people of Hawaii and with a display case full of relics and heirlooms instead of an entertainment center. Between its comfortable chairs and the breeze that’s always blowing through the Kea Lani’s entire open-air lobby, Hale Kukuna is a deeply inviting and enticing space. And, yeah, you can also learn how to play the ukulele or make leis there, too.
Kea Lani also offers a bounty of cultural experiences outside of Hale Kukuna, of course. One morning we woke up early and rowed an outrigger alongside the shore with a pair of newlyweds and two hardened local guides. My wife and I are not the type to do anything too physically rigorous during vacation—other than walking, hoisting drinks might be the most exercise I get while traveling—and our history of trying to row in boats together is shoddy at best (and almost divorce-worthy at worst). Despite our apprehension about the outrigger, our guides made it a fun and frictionless morning as we skimmed through the ocean and witnessed some of the local fauna in their natural habitat. We even got to manhandle some curious-looking anemones, which they were no doubt thrilled by.
