Checking into Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Resort next Friday

[jjking42]

First trip to big island. Any recommendations welcome. Does anybody know if the resort supplies beach/pool towels or should we pack them.

 

[Luanne]

I think they supply towels. We never pack them and I'm pretty sure we didn't have to buy any.

 

[geist1223]

Swim with the Manta Rays. Jump off South Point into the ocean. Visit coffee plantations.

 

[DaveNV]

Hi Jim,

You'll enjoy the place. The units are very comfortable, and spacious. There are two swimming pools: The one downhill, closer to the road, is better for kids. The uphill pool is mainly for adults. It makes a huge difference. We really enjoyed the upper pool. I agree with Luanne, I don't think you'll need to buy beach towels. I'd call the resort and ask, to be sure. They're very nice.

There are many threads about this great location - it is central to the Ali'i Drive experience, and plenty to do. If you're driving around, drive south, all the way to Hilo, then take the Saddle Road back to Kona. On that route, tour the coffee plantations south of Kona, see the Painted Church, visit the City of Refuge, snorkel from shore at Two Step (across the road from the entrance to the City of Refuge), go to South Point (next land south of there is Antarctica), don't fail to stop at the Punalu'u Bakery in Na'alehu, stop by the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach and look for turtles sunning on the black sand (better to see them earlier in the day), visit Volcano National Park, stop at Akatsuka's Orchid Farm, tour the Mauna Loa Macadamia Farm. Spend time in Hilo, have lunch at Cafe Pesto, tour the Tsunami Museum, visit Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls. Watch for wild pigs on the drive back over the Saddle Road (it's a well-paved highway now, and an easy 90-minute drive from Hilo back to Kona.)

When you leave the resort, the first street closer to Kona town (Lunapule Street) is a quick access uphill to the highway. Much easier to get to the highway that way, than to drive into Kona and turn around, especially if you're heading toward the south end of the island. (See the map below)

Have fun! It's a great island.

Dave

 

[chellej]

We did a lunch and tour of the vanilla farm and enjoyed very much.

I second swimming with the mantra rays. We also did a snorkel tour of Captain cook and near two step

 

[Luanne]

Big Island restaurants, these are all places we’ve been and would recommend:

Starting at the “North” end and working south:

Havi:

Bamboo Restaurant – we’ve only been for lunch, be sure they are open (I think they’re closed on Mondays)

Waimea:

Merrimans

Lilikoi Café – this is a tiny little kind of take out place, some friends of ours who lived in Kona recommended it. Really good for lunch. Kind of hard to find, it’s hidden on the back side of a shopping center.

Village Burger – order at the counter and pick up at the counter. There is seating in the center where it’s located, the seating is for all of the food court type restaurants there. It is highly rated and does have a decent burger.

Waikoloa Resort area:

Sensai Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar - in the Queen’s Shopping Center. Had the best sushi roll I’ve ever had there. They have a pretty extensive menu, not just sushi.

Lava Lava Beach House – right on the beach, in fact you can sit in a table in the sand.

Waikoloa Village:

Pueo’s Osteria - very good Italian

Island Lava Java – a coffee place, but they have a nice menu. Ate dinner there our first night on the island. Not a fancy setting at all. The outdoor tables have a view of the parking lot.

Kohala coast resorts (these are all pricey, the food is good but we go for the atmosphere):

Four Seasons Hualailai – Ulu Ocean Grill, there is also the Beach Tree Bar (I’ve been there for lunch, not dinner)

Fairmont Orchid - Brown’s Beach House

Mana Lani - Canoe House

Kona:

Huggo’s (this is not the same as Huggo’s on the Rocks. We’ve been to the On the Rocks one and it’s good, very casual, but we really like Huggo’s

Kona Brewing Company & Pub – good pizza, nice local beer selection

Fish Hopper Seafood & Steaks

Kona Inn Restaurant – mostly for the atmosphere. We’ve only eaten lunch here.

South of Kona:

Keei Café

Coffee Shack – for breakfast

Volcano Village:

Kilauea Lodge – make a reservation if you’re going for dinner

Ohelo Café – Open for lunch and dinner, we’ve only been there for lunch.

Café Ono – part of a complex that has a one unit B&B and a gallery. Only open for lunch, vegetarian menu…..but very good.

Hilo:

Café Pesto

 

[BDMX2]

We're just back from our trip, the first week was at Wyndham Kona Hawaiian! They definitely have beach/pool towels for your use. I think there were 6 in the linen closet when we arrived.

We loved breakfast at Huggo's on our first morning in Kona, and then returned to go to Huggo's on The Rocks for dinner our last night before moving on to Kauai.

A couple of activity highlights for us:
1. Coffee roasting session at Kona Joe's (even a tour there would be nice, or just a stop for a coffee...which we did on a subsequent day)
2. Snorkeling Kealakekua Bay/Captain Cook, we kayaked in using rentals via this Groupon: https://www.groupon.com/deals/bay-side-adventures-1 They couldn't have been nicer, I highly recommend this company!
3. as mentioned, the night snorkeling with manta rays! We used a Groupon here as well: https://www.groupon.com/deals/my-kona-adventures Another great experience, they were so nice and the group size was small, which was sweet. We saw much bigger boats with so many more people with longer light board things - I felt lucky that we had chosen My Kona Adventures with 6 people per session. I was able to ask questions and talk with the diver that was out there with us, he was very knowledgeable!

We also really enjoyed the Aloha party at the resort, it was just the perfect little music and hula show with a few pupus. I was afraid it was going to be a backhanded way to get us to an owner update, but it totally wasn't.

I did get a parking pass, but it was fairly low pressure and because I had already made plans for activities it was pretty easy to say no thanks to their discounted offers for doing the update. They didn't pester us the rest of the week.

Have a wonderful time!!! I can't wait to go back!

 

[Tamaradarann]

We're just back from our trip, the first week was at Wyndham Kona Hawaiian! They definitely have beach/pool towels for your use. I think there were 6 in the linen closet when we arrived.

We loved breakfast at Huggo's on our first morning in Kona, and then returned to go to Huggo's on The Rocks for dinner our last night before moving on to Kauai.

A couple of activity highlights for us:
1. Coffee roasting session at Kona Joe's (even a tour there would be nice, or just a stop for a coffee...which we did on a subsequent day)
2. Snorkeling Kealakekua Bay/Captain Cook, we kayaked in using rentals via this Groupon: https://www.groupon.com/deals/bay-side-adventures-1 They couldn't have been nicer, I highly recommend this company!
3. as mentioned, the night snorkeling with manta rays! We used a Groupon here as well: https://www.groupon.com/deals/my-kona-adventures Another great experience, they were so nice and the group size was small, which was sweet. We saw much bigger boats with so many more people with longer light board things - I felt lucky that we had chosen My Kona Adventures with 6 people per session. I was able to ask questions and talk with the diver that was out there with us, he was very knowledgeable!

We also really enjoyed the Aloha party at the resort, it was just the perfect little music and hula show with a few pupus. I was afraid it was going to be a backhanded way to get us to an owner update, but it totally wasn't.

I did get a parking pass, but it was fairly low pressure and because I had already made plans for activities it was pretty easy to say no thanks to their discounted offers for doing the update. They didn't pester us the rest of the week.

Have a wonderful time!!! I can't wait to go back!

We are going to stay there in December. I know it may be a little hot out there now to walk to Kona from the resort. However, we are walkers as long as it is safe to walk and not get hit by a car so we would like to do it in December when it should be around 10 degrees cooler. Is it a safe walk? Are there sidewalks?

 

[BDMX2]

We are going to stay there in December. I know it may be a little hot out there now to walk to Kona from the resort. However, we are walkers as long as it is safe to walk and not get hit by a car so we would like to do it in December when it should be around 10 degrees cooler. Is it a safe walk? Are there sidewalks?

We're walkers too. No sidewalks, but people do walk along the road, there is a decent shoulder/bike lane. As long as you're aware of cars, you'll be fine. We walked into Kona a few times and also walked the other direction to the other Wyndham (the name escapes me right now) to check it out. We walked to Honl's Beach to watch fireworks from there on the 4th of July, too. After dark was not my favorite, but do-able if you're used to walking a lot around various areas.

 

[Luanne]

We are going to stay there in December. I know it may be a little hot out there now to walk to Kona from the resort. However, we are walkers as long as it is safe to walk and not get hit by a car so we would like to do it in December when it should be around 10 degrees cooler. Is it a safe walk? Are there sidewalks?

We would do the walk from the resort into Kona in the mornings. No sidewalks. Just be aware of the cars on the road.

 

[baf99]

When I stayed at Wyndham Kona Hawaiian resort 4 years ago I enjoyed breakfast at Island Lava Java--a couple of times. Kona coffee came in a large mug, but there were no refills, at least not without being charged for another coffee. That didn't stop me from ordering another... I also enjoyed Huggos and Fish Hopper. Annie's Island Fresh Burgers came highly recommended (I think by the concierge). The food was pretty good and the burgers were huge (lunch the next day as well) but the wait was really long, and I probably wouldn't wait that long again.

One of the highlights of my visit was a trip to swim with dolphins. These were not captive, but wild spinner dolphins. I know there is a lot of discussion about whether or not having boats go among the dolphins is a good thing, but the company I went with seemed to take care to follow standards that ensure the dolphins are not bothered. Basically the boat went to an area where dolphins were likely to be found and anchored. If the dolphins came around, great. And they did. This was a bucket list item for me, and I really enjoyed it. I think the dolphins had a good time too, at least they seemed to like to swim under us and then come up right in front of us. Here's a link to their website in case anyone is interested:
https://www.dolphindiscoveries.com/dolphin.html
Also, if you like dolphins and cats there is a cute video at the bottom of the page. If you don't, then never mind.

And if you are interested in bringing back Kona coffee, the concierge at the resort told us about Captain Cook Trading company. It's in an industrial area and kind of hard to find, but the prices were lower than at any of the shops. We didn't go to any of the plantations so I don't know how those prices compare. Here's a link to TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attract...ng_Co-Kealakekua_Island_of_Hawaii_Hawaii.html

Again, my info is from 4 years ago and things may have changed. When I was there they also sold granite slabs...

 

[geist1223]

When buying KONA Coffee remember to read the Bag closely. The coffee (bean or ground) only has to be 10% actual Kona Coffee to be labeled Kona Coffee. Costco use to carry 100% Kona Whole Bean Coffee. It probably still does.

 

[BDMX2]

When I stayed at Wyndham Kona Hawaiian resort 4 years ago I enjoyed breakfast at Island Lava Java--a couple of times.

Yes! They make a cinnamon roll the size of your head, so tasty!

 

[Tamaradarann]

We're walkers too. No sidewalks, but people do walk along the road, there is a decent shoulder/bike lane. As long as you're aware of cars, you'll be fine. We walked into Kona a few times and also walked the other direction to the other Wyndham (the name escapes me right now) to check it out. We walked to Honl's Beach to watch fireworks from there on the 4th of July, too. After dark was not my favorite, but do-able if you're used to walking a lot around various areas.

We don't drink and drive so we would like to be able to either drink in the condo and walk in or walk in and have some drink and then Uber it home and not have to worry about driving home.

 

[Luanne]

When I stayed at Wyndham Kona Hawaiian resort 4 years ago I enjoyed breakfast at Island Lava Java--a couple of times.

That is where we used to walk every morning to get coffee. They have changed location (I don't remember how long ago) and are now farther up into town.

 

[Luanne]

We don't drink and drive so we would like to be able to either drink in the condo and walk in or walk in and have some drink and then Uber it home and not have to worry about driving home.

My dh always felt the walk was more dangerous than I did. I doubt he would have wanted to do it at night. We've never used Uber, but I imagine it's available, it just might not be as quick as in some places.