The Spread:
Set on a secluded bay and beach about ten minutes from Waikiki's hub, the Kahala Hotel and Resort is best described as “luxurious and discreet,” with 345 rooms and suites that meld plantation-style simplicity with Asian elegance. The CHI Fitness Center is a cut above the norm with numerous classes, including several different kinds of yoga as well as Pilates, to complement extensive gym equipment. At various times during the week, there are

The Spread:
Set on a secluded bay and beach about ten minutes from Waikiki's hub, the Kahala Hotel and Resort is best described as “luxurious and discreet,” with 345 rooms and suites that meld plantation-style simplicity with Asian elegance. The CHI Fitness Center is a cut above the norm with numerous classes, including several different kinds of yoga as well as Pilates, to complement extensive gym equipment. At various times during the week, there are complimentary classes in Hawaiian cultural traditions—hula, ukulele, Hawaiian quilting, and lei making. The hotel's spa is the place for total pampering and de-stressing. The Kahala Culinary Academy, based at the resort, offers classes for amateurs and professionals alike, typically on Saturdays.

Why Families Love It:
All young guests from age one to 12 get a special Keiki passport upon check-in. During their stay, kids collect Hawaiian-themed stamps for their passports as they go about experiencing the resort. At the end of their stay, the stamps are redeemed for prizes. Kids Club is for ages five to 12 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m., half- and full-day options, $35 to $55 with discounts for second child).

The Dolphin Quest program works with six resident dolphins in the resort's private lagoon. There are morning and afternoon sessions for adults, one hour or half-hour, respectively, and one session daily for kids ages five to ten. Kids' sessions last two hours and are shallow-water encounters that include feeding the reef fish and stingrays and learning about the green sea turtles that also live there.

Special Events & Activities:
Don't miss the Monday morning gatherings beachside for Hawaiian Legends, when traditional storytellers share tales of old Hawaii, heroics, and stories of gods and goddesses.

— Candyce H. Stapen