Thoughts on accommodations on Big Island?

[ScoopKona]

Anyone have any thoughts on Courtyard King Kamehameha?

You can't beat the location. It's walking distance to every tourist trap Kailua-Kona has to offer. It's even walking distance to a KTA. Unless you want to see the volcano, you could uber from the airport and not need a car at all. You have two breweries, dozens of restaurants (Umeke's Fish Market is the only one I'm fond of, though), two supermarkets (I much prefer KTA to Safeway), and the water is right there.

 

[lynne]

Costco is also running a promotion for Waikoloa Beach Resort which include a car and free parking:

Hawaii Island: Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa Package | Deal | Costco Travel

Costco Travel Vacations, Travel, All-Inclusive Vacations, All Inclusive Resorts and Vacation Packages

www.costcotravel.com

 

[NTP66]

Costco is also running a promotion for Waikoloa Beach Resort which include a car and free parking:

Hawaii Island: Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa Package | Deal | Costco Travel

Costco Travel Vacations, Travel, All-Inclusive Vacations, All Inclusive Resorts and Vacation Packages

www.costcotravel.com

lol, this is precisely why I asked - I received the same e-mail.

 

[daventrina]

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out the best plan for visiting the west side of the island. I'm thinking that flying into Hilo and staying a few nights there, and then simply driving to Kona to complete the stay may be the best best. I'd have to check flights to see if that lines up, though. It's already going to be a bit of a mess flying into one island, hopping, then back from another.

You'd probably find that the added hassle isn't worth all for the effort involved. You may find you are better off using the Kona airport and staying Kona Side and making Day trips to Hilo side unless you plan to be on Island for 10 days.

The two properties we use in Kona are and Sea Village both have timeshare units on the water. Kona Reef this is across/down the street from many restaurants and shopping and has a beach adjacent. Sea Village is a bit down the street. There is also the Billfisher, Kona Village and Kona Coast with timeshare.


While Waikoloa is expensive it does have the advantage of being rather centrally located. I'd argue that it's better to be there sorta in the middle of everything that changing sides.

 

[StaceyM]

Anyone have any thoughts on Courtyard King Kamehameha? I know that it's further south than I originally planned on staying, but I randomly came across a deal for it on Costco's site, and at a quick glance it looks like it'd be a nice option. Being on the water would be a huge benefit, personally, as I want to do as much snorkeling as possible.

We usually stay there for a night or two using Marriott points / free nights before or after our primary destination on the island, depending on flights versus timeshare checkin. It is on the water, and there is some decent coral out around the pier, but you have to watch for boat traffic on your way in and out. I wouldn't plan a trip out of it, a couple of hours of snorkeling will cover most of it.

-The best "hotel reef" I've experienced on the Big Island is Mauna Lani Beach Club. Accessible from the hotel but actually closer to some of the vacation rentals in the Mauna Lani complex.
-The Hilton Waikoloa has a shallow lagoon that is great for young children to get their first snorkel experience in a very protected environment. Not super exciting, but enough stuff to be interesting, occasionally a turtle or eel and your normal tangs/triggerfish/parrotfish, and very safe and calm. I'm not sure which Hilton properties get access to it, we usually stay at the hotel.

If you really want to snorkel, grab a couple of nights in an AirBNB down by Captain Cook at the beginning or end of your stay. We usually stay somewhere with easy access to Manini Beach and you can swim around past the state park and out to Captain Cook. It's about a mile swim, super easy with fins when the water is calm, but there is a stretch in the middle that's a bit boring. Also anything in that area is a short drive to Two Steps.

I usually don't like "swim with animals in a huge group of idiots" activities, but I HIGHLY recommend the Manta Ray swim at Mauna Kea, it's limited to groups of 8 people, so even if only one manta ray comes out, you still get individual time where they point the light and get it to swim close to you. It's run by a conservation group.

I also have a fishing guide I recommend (I prefer trolling for mahi/wahoo/ahi, no desire to fight a marlin for an hour) and he does great snorkel trips, too:

Aukai Adventures

Come experience Hawaii's warm tropical ocean just as you dreamed it. Epic fishing battles, intimate whale watching and wildlife experiences, and exclusive snorkeling adventure all included in our private boat charters. A perfect excursion for your family vacation!

www.chawkhawaii.com

 

[NTP66]

We usually stay there for a night or two using Marriott points / free nights before or after our primary destination on the island, depending on flights versus timeshare checkin. It is on the water, and there is some decent coral out around the pier, but you have to watch for boat traffic on your way in and out. I wouldn't plan a trip out of it, a couple of hours of snorkeling will cover most of it.

-The best "hotel reef" I've experienced on the Big Island is Mauna Lani Beach Club. Accessible from the hotel but actually closer to some of the vacation rentals in the Mauna Lani complex.
-The Hilton Waikoloa has a shallow lagoon that is great for young children to get their first snorkel experience in a very protected environment. Not super exciting, but enough stuff to be interesting, occasionally a turtle or eel and your normal tangs/triggerfish/parrotfish, and very safe and calm. I'm not sure which Hilton properties get access to it, we usually stay at the hotel.

If you really want to snorkel, grab a couple of nights in an AirBNB down by Captain Cook at the beginning or end of your stay. We usually stay somewhere with easy access to Manini Beach and you can swim around past the state park and out to Captain Cook. It's about a mile swim, super easy with fins when the water is calm, but there is a stretch in the middle that's a bit boring. Also anything in that area is a short drive to Two Steps.

I usually don't like "swim with animals in a huge group of idiots" activities, but I HIGHLY recommend the Manta Ray swim at Mauna Kea, it's limited to groups of 8 people, so even if only one manta ray comes out, you still get individual time where they point the light and get it to swim close to you. It's run by a conservation group.

I also have a fishing guide I recommend (I prefer trolling for mahi/wahoo/ahi, no desire to fight a marlin for an hour) and he does great snorkel trips, too:

Aukai Adventures

Come experience Hawaii's warm tropical ocean just as you dreamed it. Epic fishing battles, intimate whale watching and wildlife experiences, and exclusive snorkeling adventure all included in our private boat charters. A perfect excursion for your family vacation!

www.chawkhawaii.com

Ohhh, I think my daughter would love that. She's still getting her feet wet with snorkeling (ba dum, tsss), so this would work. As for the manta swim, that one in particular is already on my list.

 

[NTP66]

I'm close to booking at least the Hilo portion of our stay, and figured I'd ask this question here, as well. We plan on being on BI from 7/6 through 7/13, and right now, I'm thinking of staying in HVNP from 7/6-7/9, with the remaining time spent on the western side of the island. Are 2 days and some change enough for the volcano/hiking, or should I extend that to 7/10? I'd plan on traveling a bit one of those days so that we're not just entirely doing volcano stuff.

 

[Timeshare Von]

It's Hawaii! Go and enjoy!!
All kidding aside, we've stayed at several of the various resorts in and around Kona . . . as well as Paniolo Greens up in Waikoloa. We've enjoyed them all, but I do prefer being away a bit from the busyness of Kona itself. I've never stayed up on the northside or Hilo, but have often done the "long day trip" (12+ hours) to take in the sights up that way.

 

[ScoopKona]

I'm close to booking at least the Hilo portion of our stay, and figured I'd ask this question here, as well. We plan on being on BI from 7/6 through 7/13, and right now, I'm thinking of staying in HVNP from 7/6-7/9, with the remaining time spent on the western side of the island. Are 2 days and some change enough for the volcano/hiking, or should I extend that to 7/10? I'd plan on traveling a bit one of those days so that we're not just entirely doing volcano stuff.

How are staying backwards in time? Or is this next year's trip?

The Volcano doesn't even need a day. Every time I take friends there, I wake up at oh-dark-thirty and drive the Saddle road to the park. Time it so you arrive an hour before dawn, see the glow in the crater. Day breaks. Walk around the steam vents and the trails. Look at some orchids. And then return via Punalu'u Beach and South Point. Those two places are more interesting in my opinion. But everyone should see the caldera at least once.

 

[NTP66]

How are staying backwards in time? Or is this next year's trip?

The Volcano doesn't even need a day. Every time I take friends there, I wake up at oh-dark-thirty and drive the Saddle road to the park. Time it so you arrive an hour before dawn, see the glow in the crater. Day breaks. Walk around the steam vents and the trails. Look at some orchids. And then return via Punalu'u Beach and South Point. Those two places are more interesting in my opinion. But everyone should see the caldera at least once.

Next year's trip. Booked our unit at in Maui (MOC) for 6/29-7/6, and will be hopping over to BI afterwards. I figured that if we had all of 7/7 and 7/8 to both hike trails around the volcano, do lava tubes, etc., that'd be enough time, allowing us to spend the rest of the time elsewhere.

 

[ScoopKona]

Next year's trip. Booked our unit at in Maui (MOC) for 6/29-7/6, and will be hopping over to BI afterwards. I figured that if we had all of 7/7 and 7/8 to both hike trails around the volcano, do lava tubes, etc., that'd be enough time, allowing us to spend the rest of the time elsewhere.

Every time I do this, it's a day. It's a LONG day. But it's a day. And every time I do this, my friends/family say they liked Punalu'u and South Point better than the volcano. Your mileage may vary. My wife prefers the volcano -- but then, she's basically an amateur seismologist.

 

[NTP66]

Every time I do this, it's a day. It's a LONG day. But it's a day. And every time I do this, my friends/family say they liked Punalu'u and South Point better than the volcano. Your mileage may vary. My wife prefers the volcano -- but then, she's basically an amateur seismologist.

Wouldn't it be easier to access Punalu'u if you were staying in Volcano village, though? One thing I know for sure is that my wife is not going to want to hop between hotels/resorts for the week, so I basically have to choose two and roll with them. We don't mind driving around the island.

 

[ScoopKona]

Wouldn't it be easier to access Punalu'u if you were staying in Volcano village, though? One thing I know for sure is that my wife is not going to want to hop between hotels/resorts for the week, so I basically have to choose two and roll with them. We don't mind driving around the island.

You only have to stay in one place. The Big Island is big. But it's not THAT big. Plan on one long day for the volcano (I wouldn't stay at the volcano village unless mobility is an issue.) And a couple longish days to see the other sights. If it were me -- and I live here -- I would stay near Kailua Kona and then make the Volcano/South Point/Punalu'u a long day; and the Waipi'o Valley and a few waterfalls a long-ish day. The rest is either close, or close enough. You can't go into Waipi'o anymore. And most of the waterfall hikes are off limits. So that severely lessens the time needed.

As for Hilo, it's nice. I like it. They have an amazing Ramen restaurant, which my Japanese friends say is as good as Japan. I eat there every time I go. They have the only crafting store on the island, which means my wife drags me out there every few months. But from a tourist standpoint, there's no real reason to visit. Not unless you have family there.

 

[NTP66]

You only have to stay in one place. The Big Island is big. But it's not THAT big. Plan on one long day for the volcano (I wouldn't stay at the volcano village unless mobility is an issue.) And a couple longish days to see the other sights. If it were me -- and I live here -- I would stay near Kailua Kona and then make the Volcano/South Point/Punalu'u a long day; and the Waipi'o Valley and a few waterfalls a long-ish day. The rest is either close, or close enough. You can't go into Waipi'o anymore. And most of the waterfall hikes are off limits. So that severely lessens the time needed.

As for Hilo, it's nice. I like it. They have an amazing Ramen restaurant, which my Japanese friends say is as good as Japan. I eat there every time I go. They have the only crafting store on the island, which means my wife drags me out there every few months. But from a tourist standpoint, there's no real reason to visit. Not unless you have family there.

Gotcha, I'm going to run this by my wife to see if she's okay with the plan. I appreciate the advice!

 

[ScoopKona]

Gotcha, I'm going to run this by my wife to see if she's okay with the plan. I appreciate the advice!

Feel free to drop by next year. If you do it at the beginning of your trip, the avocado you pick will be ripe enough to eat at the end of your trip. (You can't take it with you. So only pick what you think you can eat in a day or two. These avocados are the size of softballs. Some are as big as footballs.

 

[NTP66]

My wife actually prefers staying at one place, so I guess it's a good thing I came to that conclusion myself, lol - so long day trips it is. Would it be reasonable to do both the volcano and botanical garden on the same day? I was thinking that w might be able to just drive that in a loop (volcano in the morning, garden in the afternoon).

 

[slip]

My wife actually prefers staying at one place, so I guess it's a good thing I came to that conclusion myself, lol - so long day trips it is. Would it be reasonable to do both the volcano and botanical garden on the same day? I was thinking that w might be able to just drive that in a loop (volcano in the morning, garden in the afternoon).

We were just on the Big Island in May. I drove and we did the loop. One thing I would add, especially if you have never driven the saddle road, is that it is steep. It climbs to over 6,500 feet and it is often clouded in and rainy.

 

[SmithOp]

We were just on the Big Island in May. I drove and we did the loop. One thing I would add, especially if you have never driven the saddle road, is that it is steep. It climbs to over 6,500 feet and it is often clouded in and rainy.

Piece of cake compared to driving the I-5 Grapevine in winter.

 

[SFTechGeek]

We're finally going to start adding a second island to our trips in 2024, and I intend to add BI to our Maui visit. Knowing next to nothing about the island, does anyone have any thoughts on a location to stay? We're a family of 3, and have no issues with a studio. Daughter loves the pool, and I prefer to snorkel as much as possible. I'd prefer to rent a timeshare from another owner via TUG or Redweek, but am open to hotels, too. AirBNB would be a hard pass, though.

Our party of 3 just returned from 5 nights in Kauai and 3 nights at Waikoloa, BI. I don't think I'll do that again. Spent too much time at the airport. Got up early to get to the BI and the hassle of getting another rental car doesn't appeal to me. Maybe if it were a week at each location then maybe. But then again, living in California, getting to Hawaii is relatively easy. We brought scuba gear so that was another 2 bags to schlep around. If you're staying on the BI, I love Kings Land. Then Kohala and Bay Club. Ocean Tower and Hilton Waikoloa Hotel are my least favorites. Kings Land will allow you the best pools on the island. I prefer to stay at the timeshare because the hotels grounds are generally too large, you pay for parking, and the rooms are smaller.

Let us know what you end up doing. Aloha!

 

[slip]

Piece of cake compared to driving the I-5 Grapevine in winter.

Yep, some people won't mind it but others may. That's why I mentioned it.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

One time we flew into Hilo, and stayed at the Grand Naniloa hotel for 2 or 3 nights. Nice hotel and a great bay view. That location made it pretty easy to tour the VNP. I loved the hike through the rain forest area. After we left the Hilo area we drove to Kona Kailua area and stayed at Kona Coast 2. As @ScoopKona said, it is a convenient area for a restaurant or two, a pharmacy and a grocery store. I liked the Kona Coast 2. At the time they had an orange timeshare cat (Peter?) that was pampered by the staff and guests. The KC has a program of spaying and neutering the feral cats and they feed the cats. I don't think that they have any problem with mice or rats on property. ha ha.

We had trouble getting hotel res's in Hilo. unbenounced to us, they were having a Merry Monarch festival. So while we were in Hilo the place was a zoo. The OP may want to look up the dates if they are planning on staying in the Hilo area.

 

[SFTechGeek]

Anyone have any thoughts on Courtyard King Kamehameha? I know that it's further south than I originally planned on staying, but I randomly came across a deal for it on Costco's site, and at a quick glance it looks like it'd be a nice option. Being on the water would be a huge benefit, personally, as I want to do as much snorkeling as possible.

Small rooms. We only stayed for 2 nights. If you don't have a car, you'll best stay in Kailua-Kona. But being in town, you have everything within walking distance. A lot more people too compared to Waikoloa. I wouldn't consider Waikoloa without a car. King Kam has a nice beach area in the back that you can snorkel off the dock. But you're going to have to drive somewhere for the best snorkeling. I've scuba dove Kohala Coast, Manta Rays near the airport, and southern part of the island. The best place I've snorkeled is called Turtle Cleaning Station off Puako Beach Drive. Spent 20 minutes with 3 turtles. I only know of this place from the nearby scuba shop. The secret is out.

 

[NTP66]

But then again, living in California, getting to Hawaii is relatively easy.

Compared to our 12+ hours of total travel time each trip from PA? No, I'm not jealous at all...

I'm honestly not sure how much snorkeling I'll do on BI because I'm still working on getting my daughter comfortable in doing so. She did well at Baby Beach last year, but that's pretty sheltered and shallow, and I want to do it a few more times before we branch out with her. I won't snorkel solo unless I use a snorkel charter or something where I'll have others around me.

 

[ScoopKona]

Compared to our 12+ hours of total travel time each trip from PA? No, I'm not jealous at all...

I'm honestly not sure how much snorkeling I'll do on BI because I'm still working on getting my daughter comfortable in doing so. She did well at Baby Beach last year, but that's pretty sheltered and shallow, and I want to do it a few more times before we branch out with her. I won't snorkel solo unless I use a snorkel charter or something where I'll have others around me.

I literally moved here for the snorkeling. I drew a one-mile circle around the Captain Cook monument at Kealakekua Bay and said, "I'm moving to somewhere in this circle or nothing." The bay is sheltered, and the water is glass smooth in all but the most stormy conditions.

It's a hike to get there. (Or an expensive boat trip.) If you like hiking, you're welcome to use my farm as a base. I live less than a mile away. I also take members of the Captain Cook Society down to the monument (which was recently defaced). I'm doing such a trip next week. They're an interesting bunch. And I do this hike every week anyway.

My wife isn't a strong swimmer (and I've given up on trying to teach her -- first she would have to want to learn). So she puts on a vest and no problems. A wetsuit is buoyant enough for most women, who are naturally more floaty then men.

Out of all the things to see and do in Hawaii (the entire state), this is my #1. Now I get to look out at that bay every single day.

 

[jabberwocky]

My thoughts since we are coming to the end of just about doing the exact same thing. We spent a week (06/30-07/6) on OGG and then flew to KOA where we’ve been staying at HGVC Kingland for five nights. Tomorrow will be our last full day before we fly back on the 12th.

Some observations:

- I would allocate a full day for Volcano National Park. Take the southern route - it will be a bit longer by Google - but the scenery is so much better and there are some interesting places to stop on the way. There is plenty to see in the park and some really nice hikes. The art gallery is quite nice to visit (but closes at 5 pm). Don’t rush it.

- I wouldn’t try doing a loop and the park on the same day. It will just be too long. This way you won’t feel as rushed and can take as much in as possible.

- If you like snorkeling there is quite a bit, but from what I have observed the beaches on BI are not as sandy as on Maui and I’ve found the seas to be tougher for entry/exit (I’m quite experienced). That said, they are spectacular and a good experience for kids who know how to use a dry snorkel (our four kids range from ages 10-17 on this trip).

Overall I’d almost like to have spent another day or two on the BI. It’s been non-stop since we arrived. We haven’t even gotten to explore the Hilo area yet and haven’t had a “pool day”. Two days only will leave you wanting more.