Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort

The original Kona Village was a Sixties classic, and in many ways a forerunner of the boutiue-inspired style that is the state of the luxury-resort art today: no vast central complex, but a loose network of traditionally constructed bungalows lining the seaside cliffs and the lagoon. Its story was interrupted by the tsunami of 2011, but this Big Island favorite is back, this time as Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort.

Despite the corporate connection, the new Kona Village is still one of a kind. Its 150 bungalows were designed by the San Francisco–based Nicole Hollis, and they’re a masterful mix of familiar Hawaiian elements and modern, kitsch-free tropical chic. Even the basic rooms span 600 square feet and open onto private lanais; meanwhile the vast signature suites come with four bedrooms and a private pool, and sleep up to 12 guests.

There’s an impressive spa and wellness center, plus facilities for tennis and pickleball, as well as just about any imaginable seafaring activity. Meanwhile the restaurants are among Kona Village’s strengths; Moana serves “Pacific Rim–to-table” cuisine in an open-air pavilion, while Kahuwai Cookhouse opens onto its own terrace, and specializes in Hawaiʻi’s homegrown version of cowboy cuisine. And there’s one holdover from the resort’s original incarnation: the Shipwreck Bar, crafted from a sunken (and thoroughly restored) sailboat called the New Moon.