What’s it like to stay on billionaire Larry Ellison’s US$300m Hawaiian island where Bill Gates got married
A-listers like Jessica Alba, Will Smith and Cindy Crawford are among the rich and famous people who have stayed at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai
Four Seasons Lanai in Hawaii, owned by tech billionaire Larry Ellison, CEO and founder of Oracle, is one of the world’s most luxurious hotels. In 2012, the New York native bought the entire 88,000-acre, 140-square-mile island for US$300 million.
The acquisition included two Four Seasons retreats, through which the billionaire is realising his ambition of building an economically viable, 100 per cent green community. One of them is Four Seasons Resort Lanai, which has been frequented by the super rich and famous: Jessica Alba, Will Smith and Cindy Crawford, to name a few. Bill and Melinda Gates got married on the resort’s cliffside golf course, next to the 12th hole.
How to get there
The A-listers love it for many reasons. The property is located on a private and scenic spot of Lanai, a well-preserved hideaway, and a 40-minute flight from Honolulu International Airport.
Four Seasons partners with Lanai Air to offer the well-heeled a six-person charter from Honolulu, before users board a luxurious Tesla X at Lanai airport for a scenic 40-minute commute to the resort (Ellison also owns 3 million Tesla shares worth about US$1 billion). Hotel staff take care of all luggage. It also has a pickup car, whisking guests from Lanai airport to the resort.
The resort
Formerly known as Manele Bay Hotel, the property was closed for an eight-month, multimillion-dollar renovation. Ellison enlisted architect Todd-Avery Lenahan, founder and principal of TAL Studio, to build his new luxury retreat. The result is an ultra-modern, stylish and upscale estate in an understated way.
