As seen on Goop.com
One relatively new and excellent antidote to the housing crunch—particularly for families, or anyone traveling with other couples—is the Lodge at Kukui’ula, a private club in Poipu. Stretching across 1,000 acres, they started developing the site exclusively for ownership, before allowing a handful of rentals to open up recently. Comprised of multi-bedroom homes—most with adjacent guest houses—it is really well done, with plenty of high-end touches and amenities. It is so well done in fact, that you might find yourself spending too much time sprawled out on the couch, and not enough time at the beach (one upside of staying at a more bare-bones option like Waimea Plantation, also in the south, is that you will be inspired to get up and go). While all the homes are equipped with lavish kitchens, the club restaurant is excellent, and serviced by an on-site organic garden. The fact that you open up a club account at check-in makes it a siren song, particularly because it’s adjacent to a multi-level pool complete with hot tubs, a water slide, and a beach (the real beach is just across the road). It’s kind of kid paradise—compounded by a keiki play room lined with toys, DVDs, and all the things you might not have packed, including bouncy chairs and strollers. Kukui’ula also developed a shopping center down the road, replete with some of the island’s best restaurants, an organic market, ice cream and shaved ice spots, and shopping, should you feel compelled to go on an adventure. And speaking of adventures, there’s an on-site outfitters staffed by locals who know all the island’s secrets—what’s better is that they’ll take you there, or pack you a cooler and bag of equipment and send you on your way.