Visit Hawaii: The Kahala Hotel & Resort

1. Location

If you are looking for a quiet and romantic getaway, The Kahala Hotel & Resort (former Kahala Mandarin Oriental) is the place! This elegant oceanfront hotel has a fantastic location on a secluded beach of Kahala, a good mile of more from the next nearest high-rise.

As you roam the grounds of The Kahala Hotel & Resort, you will be delighted by the water garden with fishponds, waterfalls and tropical plants. Lush lawns lead to the palm-fringed 800-foot crescent-shaped beach.

Waikiki's attractions are only 10 minutes away, but the resort feels like another world, far away from civilization.

2. Rooms

364 rooms at Kahala Mandarin Hotel are done in neutral or earth tones and rich wooden accents that combines touches of Asia and old Hawaii. Your room will feature mahogany furniture (19th century reproduction), teak parquet floors, hand-loomed Tibetan rugs, and works by local artist adorning the grass-cloth-covered walls.

Canopy bed is covered with soft throw pillows. Floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass doors have awesome views of the ocean, Diamond Head and Koko Head.

Large bathroom includes vintage fixtures, freestanding glass shower, large soaking tub, "his" and "her" dressing areas, plush bathrobes and slippers, and illuminated makeup mirrors.

Each room has:

Beds: 1 king or 2 doubles
About 550 sq ft
Air-conditioning
Private lanai
Custom minibar
3 2-line phones
27" TV
CD player
Large fully appointed bathroom
Hair dryer
In-room safe

3. Restaurants

1) Hoku's - is known for innovative menu and panoramic views of the Pacific. An open kitchen serves ethnical cuisine from all over the world, prepared on fiery hot works, kiawe wood grill, tandoori oven and wood-burning pizza oven. It also has sushi and oyster bars.

2) Plumeria Beach Cafe - this open-air, all-day restaurants fronts the white-sand beach. Enjoy a la carte favorites, or lavish buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sunday brunch is very popular among the locals.

3) The Veranda - elegant and charming lounge offers afternoon tea (11 varieties of tea, homemade scones and pastries), snacks and cocktails in the evening. Relax and enjoy the views of dolphin lagoon, pool and the ocean, while listening to live music. Their menu has a long list of cocktails and 18 wines by glass.

4) Honu Bar &Terrace - situated next to the turtle ponds, it is a perfect setting for casual lunch, quiet meetings and sunset cocktails.

5) Tokyo-Tokyo - tatami rooms and an open Robata-style kitchen. Robatayaki is a fun and innovative style of cooking. You can choose from a selection of fresh seafoods, meats and vegetables served hot off the grill on a wooden paddle. The restaurant is decorated with exquisite furnishings and rarest artwork, porcelain and pottery hand-picked by the owner Kumi Iseki.

4. Things to do

Beach activities
The Kahala Hotel & Resort fronts a quiet swimming bay. Secluded Kahala Beach is perfect for relaxation or water sports like kayaking, rafting and snorkeling. Beach chairs and towels are complimentary, and you can rent a private covered cabana for a small fee. As you unwind in the tropical breeze, the hotel's Beach Butlers are ready to bring you cocktails, cold towels and provide cool mist service... isn't that awesome?
Dolphin Quest
The 26,000-square-foot lagoon is one of the most famous features of The Kahala Hotel & Resort. It is home to 2 bottlenose dolphins, tropical fish and sea turtles. The hotel offers dolphin encounter program for kids and adults, in which trainers introduce you to the dolphins face-to-face in the water.
Children's Program
Your child can enjoy half or full day of fun and creative activities, such as reef walking, snorkeling, legend storytelling, bamboo pole fishing, lei making, hula, crabbing and Hawaiian art. Ages 5-12 are welcome, full-day rate is around $50. The program is offered year-round.

Other facilities are: