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TheBuzz
Erika Engle
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Four Seasons Hualalai spa wins No. 4 global rank
THE Four Seasons Resort Hualalai has the top hotel spa in Hawaii, according to readers of Travel + Leisure magazine.
Yes, again. The magazine's October issue hit newsstands yesterday.
The Hualalai Sports Club and Spa was rated the best in the United States and Canada six times in the past 10 years, according to the resort's growing list of accolades. That is, until the magazine started breaking out Hawaii's properties into a Hawaii-only list in 2006.
Halekulani, Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Fairmont Kea Lani (Maui) and JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa made it to this year's Hawaii Top 10, while Hotel Hana-Maui's Honua Spa, the Kahala Hotel & Resort, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa and Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa fell out of the rankings from last year.
T+L's survey results assign points to each hotel spa and destination spa based on four criteria. Hawaii is not on the destination spa list -- those are different sorts of properties. Hotel spas are judged by travelers based on ambiance, treatments, service and value.
The magazine also breaks out hotel spas into regions: the Continental U.S. and Canada; Mexico, Central and So. America; Europe; the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas; the Asia-Pacific region, Africa and the Middle East; and Hawaii.
Based on points earned by all hotel spas in all regions, Four Seasons Hualalai is No. 4 in the world, after three properties in Thailand -- Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai with 95.51 points; the Oriental, in Bangkok, with 94.06 points; and JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, with 93.75 points.
On the global list, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows is tied for No. 15 with the Mandarin Oriental Miami, each with 90.07 points.
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea is tied for No. 39 with the Royal Hideaway Playacar, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Each scored 87.50 points.
Maui's Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa is at No. 44 with 87.08 points, while the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa is at No. 47 with 86.15 points.
The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua's 85.91 points ranks it as the No. 50 hotel spa in the world.
Hawaii's two Fairmonts, the Kea Lani, on Maui and the Orchid, on the Big Island, are Nos. 52 and 53, respectively, and at No. 55 on the global list, Hawaii's No. 10 hotel spa, the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa has 84.51 points.
TheBuzz deigned go no further in the comparison.
Hawaii's Top 10 Hotel Spas
As rated by readers of Travel + Leisure magazine, surveyed between Jan. 17 and March 27.
2007 |
2006 |
Name |
Score
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1 |
1 |
Four Seasons Hualalai |
92.89
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2 |
- |
Halekulani |
92.19
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3 |
7 |
Mauna Lani Bay |
90.07
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4 |
8 |
Four Seasons Wailea |
87.50
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5 |
6 |
Grand Wailea |
87.08
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6 |
3 |
Grand Hyatt Kauai |
86.15
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7 |
- |
Ritz-Carlton Kapalua |
85.91
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8 |
- |
Fairmont Kea Lani |
85.16
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9 |
9 |
Fairmont Orchid |
85.00
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10 |
- |
JW Marriott Ihilani |
84.51 |
Source: Travel + Leisure magazine
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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4747, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at:
eengle@starbulletin.com