Kona Coast or Kona Hawaiian Village - opinions?

[klpca]

We are traveling next June with extended family. Husband and I (and possibly our grown kids) already have an exchange into Kona Hawaiian Village. I have a request in for my brother/sister in law. They have a preference for Kona Coast Resort (based upon prior stays and because they have small children), but are open to other properties.

SFX called today to offer Kona Hawaiian Village. If you have stayed there with small children, did you like it? My sister in law specifically mentioned the functionality of the kitchen and the layout of the bathrooms at KCR as things they liked about it. Otherwise she didn't really care about features. I am going to call her, but I just wanted to hear other people's opinions about the two properties.

Thanks for any help!

 

[catwgirl]

The kitchen and bathroom layout at KHV is perfectly functional. However, keep in mind that your dining table is outside on the balcony/patio. Other than a couple of barstools at the kitchen counter, there are no eat-in facilities are KHV. We enjoyed eating outdoors. Not sure how much we would enjoy it with young children.

Kona Coast is generally a harder trade. You may need to take the KHV.

 

[randyz]

Stayed with extended family of 24 at KHV (5 units) and there were 6 young "cousins". The pools were perfect for the young children, and the activities.

I also own at Royal Sea Cliff, but picked KHV precisely because it was great for the younger families.

Randy

 

[klpca]

Thanks for sharing your real-life experiences. I am waiting for her decison - hoping that she chooses KHV so that we are staying in the same resort!

 

[cgeidl]

KHV for kids

Perfect. A couple small pools and lots of activities with the same director for years.Favorite BI Resort for us and we have stayed Sea Clii,Sea Cliff, Waikoloa, Mauna Loa,and Sea Village. Ask for units 19 to 21. @nd floor nicer but there are steps so with kids you might like the first floor.
Like everything about the resort other than the rather unhelpful concierges,(timeshare salesmen in a not very good disguise).As soon as yu refuse the TS presentation they no longer seem to love you anymore.

 

[DeniseM]

Kona Hawaiian Village is a beautiful resort, but it has no beach/ocean access - it is across the street from the ocean, with shoulder to shoulder homes and hotels lining the ocean side of the street with no access to the water at all.

Some units at the top of the hill have distant ocean views, but I was told that only owners get those units. I love an ocean view, and want to be able to at least walk along the coastline, so we wouldn't return to KHV because of that.

 

[aliikai2]

Very few Big Island resort are on a beach or even the ocean

The Sea Village, Lea Casa, and a few others are on the ocean, but none of them offer the things that the Kona Hawaiian Villages does such as free A/C, Free Wifi, walk to town, 2 nice pool areas, great design. This resort is hard to beat in Hawaii, it can't be beat on the Big Island.

Here are some photos we took while staying their in the fall of 2009
http://www.timeshareparadise.net/Nov 2009 photos.htm

Greg

 

[Luanne]

The Sea Village, Lea Casa, and a few others are on the ocean, but none of them offer the things that the Kona Hawaiian Villages does such as free A/C, Free Wifi, walk to town, 2 nice pool areas, great design. This resort is hard to beat in Hawaii, it can't be beat on the Big Island.

Greg

I agree. This one and Kona Coast are our favorite in the Kona area. But I also like the Bay Club for the Waikoloa resort area.

 

[aliikai2]

The Kona Coast is nice

But paying for A/C just bugs me, at least this year the added free wifi, but the still aren't on a beach or have ocean access

Greg

I agree. This one and Kona Coast are our favorite in the Kona area. But I also like the Bay Club for the Waikoloa resort area.

 

[Luanne]

But paying for A/C just bugs me, at least this year the added free wifi, but the still aren't on a beach or have ocean access

Greg

I don't think there is a fee for a/c at The Bay Club. But you're right, no ocean access. Like it for the units, and the location in Waikoloa.

And Kona Coast doesn't have beach access, but it does sit on a cliff, so you're kind of "on the water".

Our perfect visit to the Big Island is one week in Kona and one week in the Waikola area, with a night or two in Volano Village thrown in there. Heaven......

 

[klpca]

Well, my SIL is holding tight to her Kona Coast request, so I turned the exchange down today. However, based upon the responses here, I am more excited than ever to stay at Kona Hawaiian Village!