A Glimpse Into Living In An Ultra-Exclusive Hawaiian Private Oasis

“I just pulled into the pickup area near baggage claim, and will be wearing all navy blue with a gray cap,” texts my personal driver Luke, shortly before my plane lands in Kona. His sign-off emoji: A hang ten hand gesture. It’s so Hawaii.

As we emerge from the airport on the Aloha State’s Big Island, I see Luke waving to me and my family. The five-minute ride to Kohanaiki – an 11-year-old, ultra-luxurious private golf and real estate community – takes us through a combination of desert and black lava rock, before entering the property. Instantly, the surroundings are transformed into something much more upscale – gorgeous houses, a lush green golf course, quaint streets and plenty of palm trees. I am instantly relaxed.

And seriously, everyone is smiling at one another. Every golf cart we pass, people give a friendly nod. Disneyland claims to be the happiest place on Earth. After a few minutes here, I beg to differ. Luke rolls us up to our personal golf carts for the next three days, and introduces me to Taylor – a personal attendant for our hale – that’s Hawaiian for home. He escorts us into our villa while Luke brings in the luggage. Neither will accept tips, and tell us all employees here are well-paid and will not accept our money. Taylor walks us through every detail of the incredibly luxurious four-bedroom, five-bath unit overlooking the first tee of the golf course. The hot tub on our patio is already heated, the freezer is stocked with Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars, there are about a half-dozen water bottles in the fridge, peanut butter pretzels on the counter, and fresh Kona coffee beans waiting to be ground. “Just let me know what you need more of during your stay, and I will get it for you,” says Taylor – of course with a huge smile.

While we can’t agree on what to explore first, we concur that this property is stunningly beautiful. I was here for a work trip seven years ago and can remember a little bit about how to get around. I show my family the clubhouse first, starting with the infinity pool, world-class fitness center, pilates room, spa and terrace restaurant – all overlooking the Pacific. Then I take them downstairs to show them the private movie theater with its all-you-can-eat snack bar, four-lane bowling alley, and sports bar that has foosball, shuffleboard, arcade machines, and private Xbox suites. There’s even a cigar and scotch lounge, a private brewery, and a 350-locker wine storage area within this building. Next we hop into a golf cart and drive the vast 450-acre development that runs along 1.5 miles of shoreline. We preview a couple of the golf holes and come across one of three golf comfort stations that are fully stocked with snacks, candy, freshly prepared sandwiches, homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches, soft drinks, liquor, and my personal favorite frozen grapes – among many other items. It’s not attended and residents and guests are invited to dig in. We continue around the property checking out some of the gorgeous and mostly large homes – before ultimately coming back to the pool and chilling.

This is a serene getaway for multi-, multi-millionaires. One of the custom homes we eventually got to tour is on the market for $24.5 million. I’m not sure if this is an average price, but it definitely sets the tone. From what I understand, the smallest price of admission here is investing $800,000 into a fractional ownership of a hale, plus an annual fee. That gives you 40 nights per year on property, which you can divide any way it fits the schedule. There are also several levels of housing available. We’re also told that for many of the homeowners here, Kohanaiki serves as their second or third home. Ah, the good life.

The next day we checked out the private beach club. There’s another restaurant there that’s flanked by a pool and an artificial-turf field decked out with croquet, kids toys, soccer nets, etc. Trust me, children will never grow bored. There are also covered canopies down on the lava rocks and touching some beach sand. If you want a quiet escape, you can find it. Then there’s a restaurant – appropriately referred to as The Beach Club – that has tables under the open-air roof as well as literally down in the sand. Tiki torches only enhance the aura. And the food is fantastic.

While on property here, my daughter and I get to play the 7,329-yard golf course – Hawaii’s only Rees Jones original design. It’s in immaculate condition – sans the 15th hole that’s currently being regrassed. It’s temporarily closed, so par is automatic. The fairways are wide open and inviting, the greens are large and roll true – as if you’re on carpeting, and it’s one of Jones’ most player-friendly courses I’ve played. Mind you, there are some tough shots. The 12th hole, for example, plays 637 yards from the tip – into the wind and slightly uphill. I’m a single-digit handicap, but there’s little chance I’m reaching it in three. That said, I think it’s an easy course to score well on. Several of the holes are visually defined by the high-contrast black lava rocks that may come into play. And every hole sports an ocean view. The day we played, we saw a grand total of one other golfer on the course. Yes it’s a golf-centric community, but they seem to deliberately spread out groups so that you can play at your own pace. We took our time and finished in less than three hours. My daughter is learning the game, and we both found equal enjoyment from the different tee boxes. It’s playable for every skill level. Plus, the staff is incredibly welcoming and outgoing. If that’s a glimpse of how members are treated, then I completely understand the appeal of wanting to establish a home here.

There are discovery visits available for prospective homeowners. While we will likely never be able to afford such luxury on a permanent basis, our visit was a nice glimpse into what that lifestyle is like.