BIG ISLAND
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
What it is: A 258-bedroom complex in the Kohala Coast, combining traditional Hawaiian culture with international design and luxury standards.
The rooms: The hotel was recently renovated, which means that along with a new decor scheme with clean lines and a sunset palette, the rooms now include techie perks such as bedside iPod docks and media hubs.
Amenities: There's an 18-hole championship golf course for fans of the game; lei-making classes, weekly luaus, and a collection of Pacific and Asian art for the culture fans; and even a wine-tasting program for the enology enthusiasts. And guests 5- 12 years old can participate in half-day and full-day programs that will keep them entertained with beach scavenger hunts, hula dancing, and Hawaiian arts and crafts.
Details: 62-100 Mauna Kea Beach Drive, Kohala Coast; from $450 for a standard room with a mountain view.
Kona Village Resort
What it is: A Tahitian-inspired all-inclusive resort in Kona, overlooking Kahuwai Bay and tucked away from much of civilization, in pleasant jungle environs.
The rooms: The complex is made up of 65 Polynesian-style bungalows with thatched roofs. Each private lodge can accommodate up to four guests. Oh, and no television or telephones; unplugging is taken seriously here.
Amenities: Kids have the opportunity to become explorers; this is Kona Village territory, after all, meaning there are lava rocks and petroglyphs aplenty; fishing pros, or turtle doctors, all activities are done under the supervision of a team of counselors. And the adults can join them in water activities; sports for the children, scuba diving for the parents. Nights can end with a luau banquet or a Polynesian show.
Details: Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway, Kailua-Kona; from $616 for a bungalow.
Kapalua
The Kapalua Ritz Carlton
What it is: A luxury Maui hotel that exudes the effortless relaxed vibe of Hawaii, set among a century-old pineapple plantation and home to the PGA Tour season-opening championship.
The rooms: 463 guestrooms with local island-inspired art and spacious lanais. Each bathroom has a bathtub big enough to put your whole family in, with a separate rain shower.
Amenities: The spa is not to be missed. Spend time soaking in the relaxation lounges and then being pampered in luxurious treatment rooms with heated table, iPod docking stations and garden showers.
Activities: Your family can go on rainforest hikes and underwater snorkeling adventures with the Ambassadors of the Environment program, or take a tour of the pineapple plantation next the property and learn how to harvest a pineapple.
Details: One Ritz Carlton Drive, Kapalua Hawaii; from $299 for a Terrace room with a choice of one king-size or two double beds.
Waimea
Waimea Plantation Cottages
What it is: Houses with up to five bedrooms each that used to be workers' quarters on a sugar plantation.
The rooms: Each of the cottages has it's own unique floorplan, but they all have been restored with a full modern kitchen and period-inspired furniture. The front lawns give way to the black-sand beach and oceanfront pool. Each cottage offers a crib, barbecue, cable TV, a lanai, DVD players, roll-away bed, and some have jet spas. For meals, visit the Waimea Brewing Company, which offers traditional pub fair with multiethnic plantation menu featuring fresh seafood and desserts.
Amenities: Besides the free treatments at the on-site A Hideaway Spa, the resort offers a front-desk concierge, art gallery, coin-operated laundry, nearby movie theater, volleyball court, tennis court, and swimming pool. Dry cleaning, babysitting, and private chef services are also available.
Activities: With the beach so close, guests have a variety of outdoor activities available, including surfing, horseback riding, snorkeling, and fishing. There are also movie tours, shopping centers, cruises, guided tours, golfing, helicopter tours, hiking, and luaus.
Details: 9400 Kaumualii Highway, from $155 for a standard cottage.
