Destinations
Where to Find Sustainable Hospitality in Hawaii
Photo by Kona Village, A Rosewood ResortIt was just after sunrise at Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort, and the surface of the blue sea, clear enough to see iridescent teal and orange parrotfish swimming below, shimmered in the sunlight. I was paddling a traditional wa’a (Hawaiian canoe) with my guide, Kalani, who told me how Hawaiian villagers would have used these simple-but-sturdy boats to go on all-day excursions between islands. Kalani also told me about the coral restoration project that was going on just below us bringing back abundant sea life to the bay.
Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort (from $1,122 per night), just 15 minutes north of Kona International Airport, may be a luxurious resort with a spa built around lava rock and stand-alone hale accommodations, many with both outdoor and indoor showers, but it has a much larger mission, including preserving the environment and local culture.
The resort, which opened in 2023, is the rebirth of a beloved retreat built in the 1960s but destroyed by a tsunami in 2011. To respect the sacred landscape — the shores of Kahuwai Bay were first discovered by Polynesians around 1000 AD and became a thriving fishing village — builders kept most of the lava ground intact and protected archaeological sites.
Reverence for the ocean weaves through all water activities, from sunset sails to snorkeling adventures. The developers re-created many of the things guests loved about the original resort, like a bar in a shipwrecked boat and accommodations close to the water. Even artworks by Hawaiian artist Pegge Hopper were salvaged from the wreckage and repaired, but there are even more thoughtful amenities and activities than before, like a program where guests fish for invasive species in an ancient pond; the fish are fed to monk seals at a rehabilitation center on the island.
I wanted to explore beyond the comfortable confines of the hotel, so I visited the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary in the misty mountains above Kailua-Kona. This high-elevation rainforest was grass-covered ranchland until the ’80s when a visionary man decided to return it to its once wild state. Island visitors can arrange guided hiking tours of the sanctuary, which features a dazzling array of native and non-native trees, such as blue marble with buttress-like roots, Hawaiian palms and rainbow eucalyptus. Bringing back endemic species with no natural defenses is a challenge, but the forest shows how life finds a way. The sanctuary has created a haven for birds and other wildlife.
Back at Kona Village, I continued to be impressed by the resort’s sustainability efforts. Hales look like they’re topped with traditional thatching, but the material is recycled plastic. My meal one evening featured sustainably farmed kampachi raised in the ocean a few miles from the hotel. Even the scales of the fish were used to flavor the rice.
I wanted to see another new hotel in Hawaii earning praise for respecting the environment. Formerly the St. Regis Princeville, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay (from $1,200 per night) opened on Kauai’s North Shore in 2023 as 1 Hotels’ flagship. The hotel showcases the brand’s ethos of hospitality as a vehicle for doing good and changing industry norms. Architects kept the original structure, but designers changed the paint color to a subtle sage green that blends into the hillside.
The resort features 252 rooms decorated with woven willow walls and reclaimed teak furniture and includes water bottle-filling stations. There are multiple green walls and 1 Hotel Kitchen serves a bright breakfast buffet overflowing with fresh fruits and other ingredients from local farms and growers. Activities are often centered around giving back to the island through tree plantings and beach cleanups with local organizations. The hotel’s Bamford Wellness Spa offers innovative treatments incorporating Hawaiian practices and the latest technologies like hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which I tried for the first time.
As the oxygen level in the chamber, which felt like being in a private plane, increased, I felt so relaxed that I almost fell asleep. After the treatment, I experienced a boost of energy. My mind was sharper than it had been in months.
The 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay drips down a steep hillside, offering dramatic views of crescent-shaped Hanalei Bay, a renowned surfing destination. And one of the world’s most stunning coastlines, the Na Pali Coast, isn’t far. A new system has been implemented to protect the state park and trail system and give locals greater access to the highly coveted area. Travelers must buy permits online in advance, and unless they get a parking pass, they must take a shuttle with several pickup and drop-off points.
From Haena State Park, I did the four-mile out-and back hike to Hanakapiai Beach, marveling at dramatic views of emerald cliffs disappearing into turquoise seas along the way. To be a responsible traveler, I realized, I needed to tread lightly on the fragile landscape and explore with the utmost respect.
Other Thoughtful Hawaii Activities
Founded in 1850, Greenwell Farms has produced Kona coffee since the late 1800s and still has some original coffee plants. The family-owned farm also grows pepper and rare fruits like sour Surinam cherries. Visitors can learn everything they want to know about Hawaii’s prized export and the finer points of coffee tasting during immersive cupping experiences.
This locally owned outfitter offers stand-up paddleboarding and guided snorkeling experiences that depart from Kamakahonu Bay, the historic residence of Kamehameha I. His personal temple, a national landmark, still sits offshore, and there’s a museum on the ground floor of the Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel. Excursions are also offered from Kealakekua Bay, home to one of the world’s most pristine reefs.
Ranching runs deep in Hawaii; it came to the Hawaiian Islands in 1793 before it really took hold in California. Many towns on Kauai have rodeo grounds. CJM Stables offers an adventurous trail ride. Riders get to splash through the shoreline and see Kauai’s stunning and sunny south shore, a onetime sugar plantation that is now a sanctuary for native plants and turtles.
Another way to see the Na Pali Coast is by boat. Blue Dolphin offers raft adventures, including visits to sea caves, boating with dolphins and snorkeling among green sea turtles.
Located in one of the most biodiverse valleys in the Hawaiian Islands, this native forest gives visitors who walk through a glimpse of what Kauai looked like centuries ago.
