Hawaii The Big Island Revealed - Reviews & Aerial Photos of Resorts

Our 6th edition of Hawaii The Big Island Revealed contained so much more new information that we had to move more reviews to our Web site so that we could fit more exciting content onto the book pages. We are giving all our loyal readers access to the new resort reviews and our great aerial photos. We know that if you have an older edition and are heading to the island again you will want to see all the other great new activities, places to eat, things to do and see we added inside the pages of our 5th edition. Pick up your copy today!

Many of the resorts claim to be oceanfront. But are they really? How close are they to the ocean? Pictures speak for themselves. Below are links to our own aerial photos of over 90 places to stay on the island. We have labeled the buildings on many of them so you can see for yourself what might be the best part of each resort to stay in. Refer to the candid reviews of each resort in our 6th edition of, Hawaii The Big Island Revealed, to see if you even want to stay there at all. (Some may be dumps.) We sometimes refer to specific buildings or wings in our reviews, steering you away from some parts of the resort and toward others to maximize your stay.

Hotels usually offer more services, but smaller spaces and no kitchens. Condominiums usually have full kitchens, but you won’t get the kind of attention you would from a hotel, including daily maid service. There are exceptions, of course, and we will point them out when they come up. You can find their locations on the various maps throughout this book.

All prices given are rack rates, meaning without any discounts. Tour wholesalers and travel agents can often get better rates. Most resorts offer discounts for stays of a week or more, and some will negotiate price with you. Some won’t budge at all, while others told us no one pays rack rates. Also, these prices are subject to taxes of around 13.5%.

These are subjective reviews. If we say that rooms are small, we mean that we’ve been in them, and they feel small or cramped to us. If we say that maintenance is poor, we mean that the paint might be peeling or the carpets are dingy or it otherwise felt worn to us.

The (Solid Gold Value) indicates that the property is exceptionally well priced for what you get.

The (A Real Gem) means that this hotel or condominium offers something particularly special, not necessarily related to the price.

Hotels: All hotel rooms described have air conditioning, an activity or travel desk, telephones, lanais (verandas), cable tv, and have cribs available upon request. None have room service unless otherwise noted. If you are a smoker, call about smoking policies because most hotel rooms in Hawai‘i are designated non-smoking.

Condos: One of the confusing aspects to renting a condo, especially in Kona, is the fragmented nature of the market. Each unit usually has a different owner, they all use different rental agencies to manage them, and it changes all the time. (Spreadsheets, blinding headaches and blurred vision are all necessary to figure it out.) Therefore, when we review them, we may look at 10 units and get 10 winners. You may rent one and get a dump because the owner is using furniture from a landfill and carpet from the finish line at the Ironman Triathlon. You never truly know what you’re going to get because condominium owners usually have complete autonomy in how they furnish their individual units. (Notice how we neatly cover our ‘okoles, so that if you get a less-than-charming condo in a resort we recommend, we can always say you got one of the few duds there.)

Also remember that many (not all) condos have cleaning fees—especially in Kona. We don’t list the fees because they will vary for each unit, rental agent or owner. Expect to pay $85–$250. And beware that cleaning standards in Kona condos aren’t as good as other areas around the state. You may also pay a cleaning fee in some Kohala condos rented from agents, so be sure and ask.

When we describe a particular resort, we will often give the names or phone numbers of one or two companies that dominate the rental pool. But realize that this does not always do justice to the entire property. When we describe rates and units, they are for the rental agents we list. Different agents have different policies for the same complex.

Once you have decided where you want to stay, you can contact the resort. You may also want to contact some of the rental agents listed in our book.

Many condos have minimum stays—usually three nights. We don’t always list this because it changes with different rental companies. More and more rental agents are also requiring you to pay all of your condo rental costs before you arrive. It may make you nervous, but you might not have a choice if you’re intent on staying at a particular place.

Three bedroom/two bath units are described as 3/2; two bedroom/one bath units are described as 2/1, etc. Differentiation between half baths and full baths is not made. The price spread for rooms of a given size is due to different views, different locations within the resort and seasonal fluctuations. So when you see that a 2/2 unit rents for $140–$180, you should figure that $180 units have a better view or are closer to the water. Also note that, unlike some other Hawai‘i locations, Kona condo rack rates seem more negotiable. The terms Oceanfront, Ocean View and Garden View are used rather capriciously in Hawai‘i, so you should be skeptical of them.

Unless otherwise noted, all condos come with telephones, complete kitchens, coffee makers, lanais (verandas), cable tv, ceiling fans, coin-op laundry rooms, free local calls and have cribs available upon request. Maid service is only when you check out, and units won’t have air conditioning or elevators unless otherwise noted. If you are a smoker, you will want to check policies before you book. Condos don’t allow smoking in the units, and some even restrict you from smoking on the lanai and property, too.

Where Should I Stay? We describe the different areas in detail at the begining of the Where to Stay chapter in our book.

On some photos you'll notice that the ocean isn't always blue. That's usually because the coral reef from below is showing and light can play funny tricks when you're taking aerial photos. We're telling you this so you don't misinterpret it to mean the water is nasty there.

(Sorry for the fairly large graphic, but it's necessary because of the number of resorts on the map.)