Escape to Shelter Island

At the tip of Shelter Island, the Kona Kai is a legend reborn thanks to its new owners, Noble House Resorts.

 Unwind at the Kona Kai Resort and Spa

By Bob Page

A recent conversation turned to where could we spend an upcoming weekend without turning a car trip into an adventure.

What was near. We pondered Santa Barbara, great place, fabulous beaches. What about Santa Monica, close, some terrific restaurants. The negative: traffic.

Dana Point was an interesting idea, as was the desert. We had a momentary thought about LA’s museum row, but battling traffic turned that thought on its head.

We knew we wanted an escape but we also knew we weren’t up to a weekend rodeo on the I-5.

So after fiddling with Google for a few hours we found the perfect place to unwind without hassle.

So, we jumped in the car and within 30 minutes from home, we were parking in front of the Kona Kai Resort and Spa on Shelter Island.

The Kona Kai is no mystery to old-time San Diegans. But for somewhat newscomers, it was a hidden treasure about which we knew nothing, other than what we could piece together from Google.

At the tip of Shelter Island, the Kona Kai is a legend reborn thanks to its new owners, Noble House Resorts.

There are 129 rooms, a private beach, a new Spa Terra, a state-of-the-art fitness and class center, a heated outdoor pool with seasonal poolside cabanas and a seasonal outdoor Tiki Bar.

Its chic waterfront restaurant — Vessel — is as fine as you’ll find in San Diego and certainly without equal in the Point Loma neighborhood. Its coastal fare created by chef Roy Hendrickson incorporates local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients.

A hidden and somewhat unknown asset at Kona Kai is its Kona Kai Club, which has been offering members a home away from home since 1953 with unprecedented privileges. There are a series of exclusive benefits offered to its members.

The resort’s SpaTerra is a haven for its guests, club members and San Deigns alike. It offers a variety of luxurious salon and spa services including nail care, bridal services, massage therapy facials, body wraps and scrubs, and globally-inspired treatments.

SpaTerra is the only spa in San Diego that boasts a heated quartz bed, known to generate a deeply affecting warmth that not only provides physical and mental relaxation but also stimulates the metabolism and has a purifying effect.

Want an escape without the miles. You’d be hard-pressed to beat the Kona Kai. It’s a hidden gem. Go see for yourself.