Four Season on Big Island damaged

they are shutting down the entire hotel while they clean out a pool?

I have heard of some flood damage in Kona on Alii Drive as well.

For some videos, google"Kona tsunami damage". Amazing shots by fools.

Thanks TravelingMan76, www.Youtube.com shocking as well.

JohnD - that's only the link to youtube - not any specific video.

Duckey, evidently so. I would speculate that it is not just a pool that the entire oceanfront is trashed. So while they clean up, they will transfer their guests to other resorts.

You might find more by searching "Youtube", and do not wish to encourage the making of risky videos: http://tinyurl.com/6atxnpf

Kona Village was damaged. I read that 20 hale were lifted off their foundations and damaged and that the Hale Moana and Hale Samoa were flooded. I don't know any more than that. I wish I did because we're supposed to go there next month. Please update if you find out anything.

That video looks like it was shot in the daytime...

Pickles where did you hear this? I can't get any specifics.

I found the info, thanks.

Muana Lani also slightly damaged.

Kona Village is closing for a few days as is the Four Seasons.

Sorry guys.

The little community of Napoopoo, located on Kealakekua Bay was hit hard. I've stayed here before and the folks living there were great. I will pray for you.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2011/03/11/raw-video-kona-tsunami-house-washes-away-floats-in-bay/comment-page-1/

The ocean front restaurant at Four Seasons was trashed, we learned from a local. So they have to do that over, and probably don't havemthe capability to serve everyone without it.

The Kona video can be found by searching either You Tube or Google for Kona tsunami 2011. I agree it was a foolish, stupid thing to do. He was standing on the sea wall while the water flowed over it, and with just a slightly higher surge he could have been swept off and either severely injured or killed.

Honounou (city of Refuge) was flooded, we hear. We were thinking of going down there today, and will let you know.

Bubba Gump's restaurant in Kona was trashed, also, and the underground garage next door was flooded. But Huggo's On The Rocks was undamaged. Hulihe'e Palace had its basement flooded, but they had removed a lot of precious artifacts from the place before the tsunami hit.

We have friends who were booked into the Kona Village starting nest Saturday. They recieved a message today from hotel saying that the hotel is closed. The person calling left no other details and my friend has not been able to reach the resort yet. All the voicemail boxes are full. Sounds like they may be closed for more than a few days.

Does anyone know which resorts on the Kohala Coast are open or closed? I wonder about the Mauna Kea. I will start a separate thread, but I thought I would at least bring this back to the top.

Kona Village is closed, probably for at least a few months. We *had* a reservation starting next Saturday and KV called us to cancel. They said that there was 'A Lot' of damage and they are still evaluating so they have no idea when Kona Village might reopen. KV wouldn't even reschedule for us for the summer. They are not taking any reservations at all.

So much for our anniversary trip. We were married there and have gone back every year since.

We're still trying to figure out if we should stay somewhere else (some other island?) or just cancel and hope KV reopens eventually.

KSottile, Thanks for information. Did they suggest any other hotels in the area that were open when you talked to them? Our friends are having a hard time getting through to the hotel at all. Thanks.

Four Season Damage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zm8OFeVn04&NR=1

Iamq Muana Kea had no problems.

KSottile, As of this morning, there is no official word from Kona Village as to how long they will be shut. I have read the damage report and a few statements, but the extent of the damage is still unpublished. There is at least one or two hales destroyed with a possible 20 other damaged. Hale Samoa was damaged and probably the lunch area of the Hale Moana. The beachshack will be ripped down. I am not sure if they will be closed months but the more severe the damage to the hales the more likely you are right. Time will tell. Sorry that your trip was cancelled.

ps I have resevation in early May.

We live in Kona part of the year and have some first hand knowledge as to what has happened with the tsunami in Kona. The King Kam hotel is closed until they get everything cleaned up. Shops were flooded with about 5 feet of water. Lot of damage. You can see the video on my facebook page. Several videos are there of the downtown area and the Kona Reef where our condos are. KR has really bounced back fast. Pool is back open, units are cleaned. Some others are still replacing and cleaning. But not that many. All should be done in a few days with the exception of things that have to be ordered. Thanks to the really hard work and the great crew at the KR!!! Doing a wonderful job!!! I have not seen videos of the 4 Seasons, although I know they are closed until things are repaired. They would not close down just because of the pool they would just close the pool area if that were the case. I am sure they had other damage as did so many others. Down by the bay there are a couple of houses in the water but they were AT sea level and most everywhere else was not. The downtown area is currently being repaired and will be up and running within the week. This is our high season and Kona lives on tourism. They will work to put things back together very fast. Main thing is everyone heeded the warnings and no one was hurt.

Dia, the main restuarant at the 4 seasons suffered damage as well as a few rooms. At Kona Village 20 hale were damaged. At this point I believe about nine hale are toast. No word on when Kona Village will reopen.

Thanks for sharing updates and helpful links everyone. So glad that everyone is safe.

Here is Fodor's latest news on hotels that sustained damage: http://www.fodors.com/news/story_4476.html

At this point, the Four Seasons will open on March 21. Information from inside KVR seems to indicate that it will be closed well into April. I have heard of cancellations out to April 23.

An update on KVR damage, there are probably 8-9 hale that are toast and 10-11 that have varying degrees of damage.

The wave that hit KVR was reported to be between 7-8 feet. The peak seems to have hit between beachshack and just past SH5.

In some places the wave invaded 75 yards into the Village.

We were supposed to begin our stay at KVR next week, and it's been cancelled obviously. Our airline is being flexible w/ our tickets, will waive change fees for altering dates/place due to the circumstances. But we are absolutely devastated to not be able to stay at KVR. I've literally dreamed about it for years since I saw it in a travel mag, have been packed for over a month, getting my kids so excited about fishing and kayaking and snorkeling, etc. We have no real desire to stay in a fancy corporate resort, totally not our style, but are travelling w/ young kids (2 of 'em under 5) and do want some activities around.... does anybody have any suggestions for places (even on another island) that could offer a similar experience? I'd sit tight and wait and change the dates of our vacation but they are so non-commital about even a general idea of a re-open date that it feels hopeless. (And here somebody has posted "months" til they reopen. Frustrating frustrating frustrating. Any advise or insider knowledge would be so appreciated.

Well, not like KVR but on the Big Island -
http://www.haleohia.com/rooms.htm

They have some options suitable for families and it's a lovely place. It's near Volcano. There's no pool on site but would be a great base for exploring the Big Island. Also look for listings on vrbo.com.

On Kauia, we really loved the "Old Hawaii feel at the Waimea Plantation Cottages. We flew over to Kauia (from the Big Island) just to see - and stay at- this amazing place featured on Samantha Brown's Hawaii shows. The beach isn't the best for swimming with little kids (rough water) but the pool is very nice. It would be a great base for exploring Kauia.
http://www.waimeaplantation.com/cottages-overview.php

Here are a couple of vrbo.com options that may work. Check out the other listings -

http://www.vrbo.com/251046#comments

http://www.vrbo.com/131489

Plum, please call KVR and talk about your position. My reservations have not been canceled (may3) but they may not be taking reservations until May21 or so.

Sorry for your pain. I truly think they will know more by next Monday. The engineers and the adjustors are in this week and it is they who will define the damage and the plan to repair.

Unfortunately there is no resort that is like KVR on the Islands. I do like the Hali'i Kai condo complex in Wailkoloa. It is new and very clean amd modern. It is quiet. It has a great pool complex. It has many price points and it is near kid friendly A-bay.

enjoy

Plum, email Monica at monica@hotelvrm.com including your phone number, and see what the situation is. She was very open and helpful for me. I'm pretty sure next week is out, but late next month may not be. Good luck.
David

Plum, meanwhile, if you haven't come across www.davidskvr.net take a look. It's a poor substitute for the real thing, but it's the best I can do...
David

This is a surprise from the 4Seasons.

Mahalo for everyone's support - please see below update on the Resort's reopening:

Four Seasons Resort Hualālai at Historic Ka‘ūpūlehu, the first and only AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star resort on Hawai‘i Island, will reopen on April 30, 2011. The reopening follows a six-week closure caused by the earthquake-generated tsunami resulting from the recent earthquake in Japan.

The Resort sustained damage from the storm surge, bringing water, sand and debris onto the grounds, mainly affecting pool areas, landscaping, a restaurant and 12 guest rooms and suites.

Resort staff has been instrumental in the early clean-up efforts, and will remain so throughout the restoration. The Resort intends to keep all staff employed in various capacities wherever possible.

“We had planned on opening the Resort earlier, however upon further inspection and damage assessment, we determined it best to sustain the closure until April 30, in order to limit impact on the guest experience,” says Robert Whitfield, general manager of Four Seasons Resort Hualālai. “While there is no significant structural damage, we are well aware of what our guests desire and our need to provide that experience at the highest level possible. This additional time will allow us to polish the property in the fashion it is known for. We’d like to thank our guests for their understanding and outpouring of support, as we bring this place back to perfect form. Our thoughts continue to be with those directly affected by this tragedy.”

All guests with reservations prior to April 30 are being contacted by the reservations team to make alternate arrangements, which include re-booking at a later date, or staying at the Resort’s sister properties on Lāna‘i and Maui, and other Four Seasons properties around the world.

This is a surprise from the 4Seasons.

Mahalo for everyone's support - please see below update on the Resort's reopening:

Four Seasons Resort Hualālai at Historic Ka‘ūpūlehu, the first and only AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star resort on Hawai‘i Island, will reopen on April 30, 2011. The reopening follows a six-week closure caused by the earthquake-generated tsunami resulting from the recent earthquake in Japan.

The Resort sustained damage from the storm surge, bringing water, sand and debris onto the grounds, mainly affecting pool areas, landscaping, a restaurant and 12 guest rooms and suites.

Resort staff has been instrumental in the early clean-up efforts, and will remain so throughout the restoration. The Resort intends to keep all staff employed in various capacities wherever possible.

“We had planned on opening the Resort earlier, however upon further inspection and damage assessment, we determined it best to sustain the closure until April 30, in order to limit impact on the guest experience,” says Robert Whitfield, general manager of Four Seasons Resort Hualālai. “While there is no significant structural damage, we are well aware of what our guests desire and our need to provide that experience at the highest level possible. This additional time will allow us to polish the property in the fashion it is known for. We’d like to thank our guests for their understanding and outpouring of support, as we bring this place back to perfect form. Our thoughts continue to be with those directly affected by this tragedy.”

All guests with reservations prior to April 30 are being contacted by the reservations team to make alternate arrangements, which include re-booking at a later date, or staying at the Resort’s sister properties on Lāna‘i and Maui, and other Four Seasons properties around the world.

Thank you so much for the helpful posts!!! I'm exploring a variety of the options you've put out there. I really appreciate the help, will gladly accept more suggestions and info if you have it!!

This is very ugly.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2011/03/16/video-tsunami-batters-kona-village-resort-hale-bungalows/