So I finally got a chance to visit the Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina and it also happened to be my first time ever at a Four Seasons property.
Having stayed and reviewed the other major luxury resorts on Oahu, Halekulani, Ritz-Carlton Waikiki, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, and the Kahala Hotel, I was keenly interested on how it would compare.
I was impressed.
Looking to do more while visiting Oahu? Check out my list of the best things to do on Oahu.
Additionally, the Four Seasons made my list of the best family hotels on Oahu.
Unique Features
I know each Four Seasons around the world is unique in its own way so let me share with you what I found here on Oahu.
As soon as you arrive at the hotel you are greeting by the valet and given a lei while being escorted to the front desk. A cool ceramic cup filled with ginger lemonade is brought out for a refreshing start to your visit.
Take some time to enjoy the lobby area as it changes constantly throughout the day based on the sunlight entering the top.
Booking
I booked through AMEX FHR program and got an early check-in at 11:30 am which was great because we had a lunch reservation at 12:30 pm
The welcome amenity gift was a bottle of champagne, fresh fruits, and chocolate-covered strawberries. I asked if they had wine and she asked me what kind I preferred.
I mentioned a Cabernet and maybe a Riesling, and she said not a problem and would be back, I thought she had it with her so I said no problem with the champagne. Poured the champagne for us and came back in 5 minutes with the wine, just in case.
Got the free upgrade to a corner oceanfront room with two balconies, FHR provides a free one-category upgrade on availability, but I lucked out this time. They also offered us a junior suite for $200 more but it faced the lagoon so I passed because I wanted this view….
We were entitled to a breakfast credit ($72 total per room) but it was a weekend and the next morning was the Sunday Brunch at La Hiki (see the review here) for $95 per person, not included but they agreed to move the breakfast credit over and I would be responsible for the difference.
I recommend booking this hotel with a Virtuoso travel agency if you don’t have the AMEX points for additional VIP perks and benefits. I use Classic Travel which allows me to book online or by phone.
Click Here For Recent Trip Advisor Reviews Of The Four Seasons
Service
As housekeeping is ever on the chopping block for a variety of service-level hotels it was nice to know the Four Seasons still does it daily with turndown service each evening.
They also have a departure lounge which comes in handy if you have a late departure out of Honolulu.
During the evening turn-down, they cleaned my glasses and left a Four Seasons cleaning cloth along with covering the wine glasses, bringing additional water, tidying up my shoes, and using a Four Seasons branded tie for my electronic charging cord.
In the shower cap is a tie-up for those with longer hair, the little extra touches were noticeable throughout.
Room
The room had a view that was to die for. With both shutters opened you could hear the waves crashing along the shoreline below and set me up for one of the best naps in my life.
A welcome note and Honolulu Cookie company box awaited us along with a wonderfully decorated room that had all the fixings.
Double balconies gave us one unobstructed view of the coastline while the other had higher walls for increased privacy. We watched the sunset from both and it was truly special.
The balconies had thick sliding glass doors that provided excellent sound control. They also had sliding plantation-style doors that we used for privacy but also to let the ocean sound and breeze in.
The mood lighting system along with the robes and spacious layout made for a very relaxed space.
Bathroom
Double vanities and a deep soaking tub made this one of the best bathrooms I have enjoyed in Hawai’i. Water pressure was on the weak side but so far nothing above 10 floors is gonna give me that.
The separate toilet room was a basic western toilet, I was surprised no highly automated Japanese toilet like the other luxury hotels I have stayed at on Oahu.
Dining at Four Seasons Resort Oahu, Ko Olina
Mina’s Fish House Happy Hour
I had a late reservation at Noe’s so I decided to check out Mina’s Fish House and to find this “SPAM” drink I had been hearing about. The cocktails here were delicious and the “If Can, Can” drink was everything I expected.
It did indeed feel weird drinking a cocktail in a SPAM can at the Four Seasons.
The happy hour food here was limited and honestly, it was terrible. The lettuce cup meat was way over-salted and had a film of grease over the ground beef. The smoked marlin dip tasted like canned tuna and had almost no smoked flavor at all.
I have eaten lettuce cups at dozens of other restaurants and love a good smoked marling dip, pass on the happy hour menu and come back later, disappointing.
La Hiki
The service at La Hiki was wonderful and I recommend this place for a casual meal with friendly service. Located right next to the family pool and the main beach entrance, it is in the perfect spot.
Starting your vacation off with a cool cocktail is one of the simple indulgences I enjoy.
First up was the “Hawaiian Bliss”, a coconut-flavored cocktail that had hints of lime juice and was not too strong, almost like a POG drink with a splash of something something 🙂
Our favorite drink of the meal was the “La Hiki Rummy Whipped Coffee”, wow wow wow, this was like a chocolate coffee candy. I thought it would be hot but it came out cold and was a huge surprise. I thought the suspended glass section within the cup was also unique and made for a fun start to our stay.
We ordered the lobster roll with onion rings and found it to be simply tasty and flavorful. The plate was too small for a lobster roll but we managed to make it work. The bread was soft and tasty with lots of lobster and not too much of all that extra stuff.
I ordered the 2 tacos and portion-wise it was more of an appetizer than a full meal but if you are accustomed to small meals then this will probably be perfect for you
The Green Curry Mahi was nice but the flour tortilla is a no-go for me, corn or bust. Although I did have a unique won-ton taco shell in San Diego at the Republic Hotel that was amazing.
The other taco was a braised Pipikaula beef – wow!, the flavor was incredible, better than most carnitas tacos I have had. A double corn tortilla would have made this an epic dish.
As with the majority of the staff at the Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina, they all seemed to know we were celebrating our 20th anniversary, very nice.
Noe
I booked the Noe several weeks out to celebrate our 20th anniversary and was really looking forward to the unique ambiance I had seen in several photos.
I must say the service and ambiance were on par with what one would expect from the Four Seasons and the loveseat chairs really made for a wonderful evening.
We started the evening with a couple of cocktails, first up was the “Fumo Nero” a smokey Manhattan. This cocktail was extra smoky with a strong essence of Keawe wood, smooth and fireplace mellow. On par with Morimoto Asia in Waikiki where I had a similar smoky Manhattan.
With both of us being margarita lovers we also tried the “Luminosa”. It was almost too strong, lol, but the flavor and bitterness kept it under control. Zesty lemon and tequila are prevalent in every sip
They brought out some freshly baked bread with olives and olive oil but we also ordered the Whipped Ricotta. The bread was warm and toasty with a crunchy edge. You spread the honeycomb first and then the whipped ricotta next, it was like a warm scoop of heaven on the bread. Comfort food to the extreme.
For the main course we ordered the “Veal Milanese” which was tender and moist throughout, the waiter said people come from all over for the veal. I was perplexed by the pile of greens on top, is this a certain style? Crispy on the outside and a large portion. Definitely a well-prepared veal.
We also got the Lobster Spaghetti, the noodles were thick, heavy, and el dente. A very filling meal and the sauce was delicious with just enough spice to keep you eating more. This is a large serving and I did not finish it so skip the appetizers if you are not a big eater.
The broccolini was delicious and fresh with melted Parmesan that was kind of caked on a few stalks and made it a stuck pile, tricky to separate
I did not like the cutlery here, it was far too thin and made me feel awkward in handling the fork and knife. Think of a shiny thin chopstick for a grip on the fork.
For dessert, we tried the recommended special which looked like eyeballs lol, nice and cold with a lilikoi tang. A palate “wake me up” at the end of the evening. The purée in the eyeball was delicious and this was the surprise dish of the evening.
Hokulea
I didn’t get a chance to order anything from here but did peruse their offerings and was glad to see such variety. Not just coffee but malasadas, spam musubis, and croissant sandwiches made this a great place to grab and go.
Dr. Mai Tai’s
The swim-up bar at Four Season Oahu at Ko Olina is built into a classic VW bus and tucked up against the adult infinity pool. Maybe next time I will spend some afternoon wading here. It looked like a fun place to be in the sun.
Pools
Adult Infiniti Pool
The layout and views made this a strong contender for the best adult infinity edge pool on Oahu, the Sheraton Waikiki also has one of the best right in Waikiki.
Family Pool
Located in the center of the resort with direct access to the beach this pool was the most busy of all the pools. I passed this area multiple times a day and there were always chairs available, no need to rush down at 6:30 am to reserve a spot.
A third pool is also located just near the lagoon with several cabanas and great views of the ocean.
Spa
Quite a few services are available for guests staying at the hotel along with access to the zen garden, and basic spa services. Be sure to check in here even if you don’t have a treatment scheduled, as a hotel guest you have access to several services included.
They also have a zen garden that you can use before or after any services that you book for the day.
Fitness Center
Open 24 hours with tennis courts, pickleball courts, and basketball courts available with views all around. Lots of seating for guests or fans and a tennis pro is available for lessons.
Just a few steps away from the hotel building and staffed with attendants for top-level service. Towels, water, and scented washcloths were stocked and on hand for guests.
I swung by in the middle of the day and it was quite empty except for one die-hard on the elliptical machine. Air-conditioned, spotless, and when you grabbed a cool towel from the fridge the eucalyptus scent was heaven.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for the highest level of service on the island of Oahu along with an exclusive resort feel then the Four Season Oahu at Ko Olina is my number one recommendation. If you are a golfer, I am not, then the Ko Olina Golf Club will be a dream come true for you, it’s steps away.
I can’t wait to visit again and will definitely give Mina’s Fish House a try on the next go-round.
