Much as we love ferreting out local restaurant gems when we travel, it’s also a delight to simply eat in a commendable dining room right in our own hotel. And an excellent kitchen takes on added importance in a remote resort, when no alternatives are nearby. We enjoyed dozens of delicious meals in recommended properties in 2024, and the following represent the best of them.

Brown’s Beach House

Fairmont Orchid, Waimea, Hawaii

With its romantic palm-shaded patio and seafood-focused menu, Brown’s Beach House at the Fairmont Orchid was one of our top dining experiences on the Kohala Coast. To the tune of a musician strumming traditional Hawaiian music on his ukulele, we sipped on mai tais as we watched a brilliant sunset before us. The Fishermen’s Pot, a lemongrass-and-coconut-cream stew stocked with a generous amount of impeccably fresh lobster tail, kanpachi and clams, made for an excellent main dish as an evening breeze set in. The warm service further enhanced our dinner.