Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort

I had the most incredible and spiritual experience at Sensei for my babymoon in Sept 2022. The grounds were tranquil and luxurious, the staff was friendly and welcoming, the culinary experience was unique and delicious and the activities were restorative and idyllic. To this day, when I think of my happy place, I think of Sensei. Some of my favorite activities were "Freeing Yourself from Stories" which took a more psychological approach, forest bathing/meditation which helped with gratitude and presence, and daily stretch which kicked off the day with gentle restorative movement. My favorite of all though was the spa services. The hale's were amazing with their private sauna, steam room, pools, locker room, etc and the services were incredible, particularly aquatic bodywork. The aquatic bodywork treatment with Liran was fantastic and really helped me achieve some of my goals with this wellness getaway which had a focus on getting reconnected with myself, my baby and my husband. Unaware of the full scope of the treatment, I had originally booked only one aquatic bodywork session but ended up squeezing in a second last minute because the first was that impactful and I really wanted to try an underwater session! I was excited but nervous about going underwater since I believed I couldn’t hold my breath for very long underwater. Liran was able to sync his breath with mine which provided such a safe environment. Not only was he very in tune with my breathing needs, he also seemed very aware of any bodily cues of discomfort and adjusted accordingly. Being asked to release all my muscles and become like “seaweed in the ocean” really required a practice of relinquishing control which was necessary to experience the freedom provided by this practice. It was also a great exercise in noticing when I was uncomfortable and what caused me to feel so uneasy. I realized many times when I thought I needed air, I really just was seeking control. This treatment helped me see what comes up when I try to take the control back and practice releasing it whenever I feel ready to feel the positive effects of the release again. Through the treatment I learned to lean into the discomfort and not judge myself when I went back into control seat mode. Part of the way through the treatment, I began to amaze myself by exhaling first instead of grasping for air when I resurfaced and that helped me notice what I thought I needed was less about oxygen and more about control. Also, knowing that I could always pull myself up if needed, helped me trust the process and literally test the waters beyond a self-identified limitation. Overall, the aquatic bodywork felt so embryonic. Being in the water which is the same temperature as one’s body and cradled in the arms of the aquatic therapist with no control over my muscles, I felt very connected with my baby. In this treatment, I was at the mercy of Liran’s care just like my baby will be at the mercy of my care. I was able to

My husband and I recently spent a week at the Sensei. The resort is beautiful, the spa hale is a must and the food was great…The one thing we had an issue with is the front desk staff. I did not find them to be friendly or helpful. In general they were slow to even acknowledge your presence. Sadly one of the last interactions with the Sensei staff was with Lavenda. She seemed bothered by my presence as if I was interrupting her. She is not knowledgeable, as she had to defer to others regarding several of my questions.

My wife and I just spent 4 nights at Sensei Lanai in the Hawaiian Islands. We had a wonderful stay overall and would certainly return to this property in the future. When we travel we always try our best to seek out quiet, secluded destinations in interesting natural settings and this island and property certainly hit the mark. We made sure to include a balance of activities and relaxation and also made sure that we spent plenty of time on and near the water while being to retreat to the peace and quiet of Sensei up in the mountains. Lanai itself really is special with just the two Four Seasons resorts, one small town with a few shops and restaurants, a cat sanctuary, and otherwise just secluded beaches and untouched areas of lush vegetation and red dirt. For the best of both worlds in the future we would consider doing a split stay between the beach resort and Sensei, however given that we only had 4 nights in total on the island, we maximized our time by staying at Sensei, but doing multiple dinners at the beach resort, going out on a boat for the snorkel cruise, and exploring the island on our own in one of the jeeps to visit some of the more secluded beaches. While the beach resort is nice, we did value the peace and quiet as well as the lush gardens and pool that Sensei had to offer. We were very happy with our choice of coming to Lanai because we were looking for a combination of activities and relaxation and Sensei had exactly what we needed for this particular trip. Check in/Arrival Arriving to Lanai was a seamless process. After landing at HNL and exiting the terminal we were quickly greeted by a Lanai Air representative. From there we grabbed our bags and were transported privately in an SUV to the Lanai Air hangar which was just 5 minutes from the main airport. The Lanai Air lounge was great to relax in for about 30 minutes, they had snacks, drinks, and plenty of seating. The weather during our flight on our way to Lanai was unfortunately a bit cloudy which limited our visibility from above, but once we got closer to landing we were able to have some excellent views of the island from the air. Once the plane landed, we gathered our bags and we were immediately greeted by a representative from Four Seasons. We boarded a shared shuttle that took about 15 minutes from the airport. Upon arriving at Sensei we were checked in and given a tour of the grounds and oriented ourselves to where everything was located, namely the pool, the spa hales, onsen garden, exercise pavilion, restaurant, and bar. The main lobby area is quite impressive with tons of paintings and sculptures, high ceilings, and plenty of sitting areas with two fireplaces to sit around as well. Room We were booked into a standard king room (#322) that was solid, Four Seasons standard in many aspects, but nothing spectacular. Room was decorated with light tones had a king bed with comfortable Four Seasons bedding that I’ve found at every other North American Four Season I’

The rooms are tastefully furnished, but i wish the bathrooms had 2 sinks and a soaking tubs. The flora on the grounds was gorgeous, and there was a nice pool and spa, although, the massages were frightfully expensive. i loved the gym and the classes and it was nice to be in the mountains and see a different part of Hawaii. Food was over priced and could have been better. Excellent service, though.

I love this hotel and will be saving up to go back. The grounds are wonderful including the onsen and pools. The Hale spa room is a must (at least 60 min). The food at Nobu has something for everyone. You don't need to spend much to have a good time here. This is a chill out place to unwind from hectic life and enjoy nature. Also, no children is a plus for us DINKS :) The staff is really what makes this hotel. Everyone is so nice and they really go out of your way to make you feel special and seen. Thank you!

I would give this hotel 10 stars if I could. It's rare when resort pictures look like real life, but here the real life is even better than the pictures. This place is pure zen. It's such a unique place and everything feels tucked away and private, there are so many hidden paths that lead to quiet seating areas (or hot tubs). The spa hales are like nothing I've ever experienced, if you book a treatment you then are allowed to spend time in your own private hale with a hot tub, sauna, cold plunge, etc. The shuttle between this property and the one on the beach was a bonus if you want beach time. Additionally, I'm vegan, and many of the options at Nobu were vegan or could be made vegan -- it was never an issue and the staff and chef were always accommodating. Every single staff member that I encountered once or many times was friendly, helpful, competent, and so genuinely lovely to interact with. Other adults-only resorts are completely geared toward young newlyweds but this place seemed to attract a variety of people and the staff never made me feel less-than as a solo traveler which I greatly appreciated. If you're looking for a place with lots of nightlife or noise this is not it, be prepared for tranquility (and lots of happy birds chirping), I cannot wait to come back!