Honua Kai Resort

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Travelers enamored of Maui might want to veer off their usual course and try the new all-suite Honua Kai Resort & Spa, whose first 318 units debuted last month on Kaanapali’s North Beach.

Top Chef: Café Aina Marketplace restaurant is the brainchild of Maui celebrity chef James McDonald of Pacific O and I'o in Lahaina. McDonald wins raves for his contemporary Pacific cuisine—we hear he’s especially adept with seafood and appetizers, such as fresh oysters in lobster butter with a touch of tarragon and garnishes of shrimp and kimchee.

Top Digs: We say the Penthouse, Alii and Kamehameha suites provide the resort’s finest panoramic views of Maui’s coastline and the islands of Molokai and Lanai.

Want to be close to the beach? Opt for a Deluxe Ocean View Suite.

Sleek Amenities: Teak and travertine finishes create a cool, relaxed vibe throughout the resort as do the Blu-ray DVD players and Bosch kitchen appliances. All of the living areas have a NanaWall system of sliding glass walls that provide seamless access to the outdoors. The system makes it a snap to arrange outdoor dining directly off the living area, where six people can be accommodated at a dining table on the lanai.

More to come: Spring 2010 heralds the completion of the Konea building and its 310 guest suites, beachfront restaurant and two pools. Guests will also have to wait to enjoy the resort’s 7,000-square-foot spa, which is still in the design stage. Only a few hints have leaked out, but one thing is certain: treatments will utilize fresh ingredients from Maui and incorporate Hawaii’s unique healing traditions.

Luxury travel advisors can reach out to General Manager Ed Sowers ([email protected]; 808-662-2810) with questions, while Brian DiMartino ([email protected]; 808-875-6920) of the 21st Century Group, the company overseeing sales and marketing for the resort, is your contact for VIPs.