Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort

Hawaii’s first high-end destination wellness retreat set on 24 acres of pure pikake-scented paradise.

A Love Letter to Lāna‘i

In 2012, Larry Ellison bought the entire island of Lāna‘i. Together with David Agus, he partnered with Four Seasons to create Sensei Lāna‘i — a boutique-style resort focused on seclusion, healing, and wellness.

There are only two Four Seasons resorts on the island, and arrival and departure are by private plane. As you land, you’re greeted by sprawling redwood trees and the island’s iconic red soil, once blanketed with pineapples. The entire island feels cut off from the world — like something out of Tao Yuanming’s Peach Blossom Spring. The hotel itself is done in soft beige tones, reminiscent of Sri Lanka’s tea estates. Tropical greenery nearly spills into the second-floor balconies, wrapping you in a lush, rainforest-like embrace. Every detail — koi ponds, stone sculptures, manicured gardens, exotic plants — is carefully and beautifully placed.

You can hike into the hills, ride horseback along quiet forest paths, try archery, rock climbing, or shooting. Snorkel among vivid coral fish, then nap in a hammock under the endless blue of sky and sea. If boredom strikes, go tease the little parrots. At the cliffside golf course by the ocean, the 8th hole is a dramatic shot down 200 feet to the green, nestled in a lush valley below. In the late afternoon, board a yacht and chase dolphins across the waves. The sea crashes endlessly against the cliffs of Puupehe. As night falls, the sky melts into a quiet, moody blue.

Each day brings healing from nature. I wake to the sound of roosters crowing. Walking through winding paths under soft morning rain, umbrella in hand, I hear droplets whispering against banana leaves. I pause to let little chickens and ducklings waddle by. I pick a large tree, stand still, and feel our energies connect — breathing deeply, feeling the grass beneath my feet. Every cell in my body opens up. I feel like the tree itself — roots sinking deep into the earth, branches stretching toward the sky. When I quiet my mind, I can feel the island’s ancient, primal life force all around me.

Lazy afternoons are for forest bathing — shinrin yoku — or perhaps a little aerial yoga, or loosening the body’s fascia with functional movement. I try my hand at weaving a kupe‘e flower lei or listening to a local strum a traditional oli. There is never a dull moment. The Spa Hale is perfect for a lomilomi session — a traditional Hawaiian massage that uses oils based on the four elements (water, wood, fire, and earth), guided by breath to release and realign. The spa’s wooden huts are like hidden sanctuaries, housing hot and cold plunge pools, infrared saunas, steam rooms, thermal body mapping, forest baths, and more.

Nobu by Sensei sources most of its ingredients from its own organic farm, using advanced hydroponics and AI technology. The food is both healthy and flavorful — a perfect balance. After dinner, night has fully fallen. Torches light the pathways, and a dozen or so Japanese-style soaking tubs are scattered across the hillside, tucked into the dense forest. From a distance, the mountains look painted in deep, calligraphic greens. The breeze rustles the leaves. Birds sing, insects hum. A peacock struts by, or perhaps a line of ducklings out for a post-dinner stroll.

And finally, I sit by the fireplace with a book, slowly drifting into dreams with the island itself.