BI Trip Report w/ kids (LONG)
May 12th, 2005 | 07:21 PM
#1
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Joined: Oct 2003
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BI Trip Report w/ kids (LONG)
INTRO.
Big Island March 27 – April 4. We are a family of four (me, DH, DD9, and DD6). We’re fairly experienced travelers to Hawaii, but this was our first visit to the Big Island. After doing some research, we attempted to book a few nights at a hotel in Hilo or near the volcano to avoid long drives, but by the time we decided to try this, the rooms were all booked because the Merrie Monarch Festival was occurring at the same time.
PART I. First 4 nights:
Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. We loved this resort. Beautiful, expansive lobby. Rooms are spacious. Big bathroom with double-sinks, separate tub and shower, separate "toilet room” with its own telephone. Two queen beds. Small empty refrigerator--perfect for milk, juice, and some snacks for the kids. Free bottles of water which they replenished daily. We had the $199/nt deal so did not have a view (we weren't expecting one) but we were "ground level" and could walk out from the lanai onto a grassy area. Resort is very spread out in the way it's designed so it was a bit of a walk from our room to the pool/beach/lobby, but we didn't mind.
Things we did...
· Beach: The beach at the Hapuna was beautiful. Nice sand (perfect for building sand castles). DDs loved "jumping waves." Loved that the Resort set up lounge chairs and umbrellas for guests--for free. Unfortunately, it was quite windy most of the days we were there. We were expecting afternoon showers/winds, but not all day. Wind would kick up the sand, which my DDs hated, so we didn't spend as much time on the beach as we would have liked.
· Pool: The Hapuna pool was much larger than we expected. I think it's 4 feet all the way around. Water was a bit cold. DDs loved getting strawberry/banana smoothies from the Poolside beach bar.
· Visited Mauna Lani. Wonderful grounds. Kids loved the ponds (fish, sharks, turtles). Also took some time for the girls to spell out their names with white coral on the black lava near the beach. They thought the roadside messages along the roads on the Big Island were cool, and this was a way for them to do one in a safe, fun way.
· Trip to Hilo: Drove to Hilo from the Hapuna. Brought the portable DVD player for the kids to watch during the car ride, but the road was too curvy, and they were getting carsick so we turned it off. Went to the farmers market and picked up fresh papaya and rambutan. Kids also picked up some souvenirs. Went to see one of the Merrie Monarch hula halaus perform at one of the Hilo Hotels. We WERE going to stay for the Merrie Monarch free exhibition that evening, but the girls said they didn't want to (too long and boring). We ended up watching much of the Festival competition during the evenings in the hotel room. Visited Big Island Candies—very modern facility, although nothing was being made when we were there. Expensive. Sampled a bit; bought a few things. We’ve had their goods before, so it wasn’t new or exciting to us.
Places we ate...
· Hawaiian Style Cafe in Waimea for breakfast. A LOT of mediocre food. The cook made my DD6 a complimentary Mickey pancake--she was THRILLED.
· Pavilion at Mauna Kea for dinner. Took shuttle over from the Hapuna (sister resort) for dinner and to view the manta rays. Dinner was okay. Average food at best. Dessert (trio of creme brulees) was AWFUL. Wouldn't spend my $100+ there again. We only saw a couple of Manta Rays at the viewing point that evening.
· Merriman's in Waimea for dinner. Good meal. DH thought food was a little too bland i.e. he would have liked more flavor. Dessert (sampler) was wonderful.
· Tex Drive-In for malasadas. Big--much bigger than Leonard's on Oahu. Good, but we like Leonard's better.
· Cafe 100 in Hilo for lunch. Good plate lunch. Lots of varieties of loco moco. Seemed to be popular with locals (always a line).
Big Island March 27 – April 4. We are a family of four (me, DH, DD9, and DD6). We’re fairly experienced travelers to Hawaii, but this was our first visit to the Big Island. After doing some research, we attempted to book a few nights at a hotel in Hilo or near the volcano to avoid long drives, but by the time we decided to try this, the rooms were all booked because the Merrie Monarch Festival was occurring at the same time.
PART I. First 4 nights:
Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. We loved this resort. Beautiful, expansive lobby. Rooms are spacious. Big bathroom with double-sinks, separate tub and shower, separate "toilet room” with its own telephone. Two queen beds. Small empty refrigerator--perfect for milk, juice, and some snacks for the kids. Free bottles of water which they replenished daily. We had the $199/nt deal so did not have a view (we weren't expecting one) but we were "ground level" and could walk out from the lanai onto a grassy area. Resort is very spread out in the way it's designed so it was a bit of a walk from our room to the pool/beach/lobby, but we didn't mind.
Things we did...
· Beach: The beach at the Hapuna was beautiful. Nice sand (perfect for building sand castles). DDs loved "jumping waves." Loved that the Resort set up lounge chairs and umbrellas for guests--for free. Unfortunately, it was quite windy most of the days we were there. We were expecting afternoon showers/winds, but not all day. Wind would kick up the sand, which my DDs hated, so we didn't spend as much time on the beach as we would have liked.
· Pool: The Hapuna pool was much larger than we expected. I think it's 4 feet all the way around. Water was a bit cold. DDs loved getting strawberry/banana smoothies from the Poolside beach bar.
· Visited Mauna Lani. Wonderful grounds. Kids loved the ponds (fish, sharks, turtles). Also took some time for the girls to spell out their names with white coral on the black lava near the beach. They thought the roadside messages along the roads on the Big Island were cool, and this was a way for them to do one in a safe, fun way.
· Trip to Hilo: Drove to Hilo from the Hapuna. Brought the portable DVD player for the kids to watch during the car ride, but the road was too curvy, and they were getting carsick so we turned it off. Went to the farmers market and picked up fresh papaya and rambutan. Kids also picked up some souvenirs. Went to see one of the Merrie Monarch hula halaus perform at one of the Hilo Hotels. We WERE going to stay for the Merrie Monarch free exhibition that evening, but the girls said they didn't want to (too long and boring). We ended up watching much of the Festival competition during the evenings in the hotel room. Visited Big Island Candies—very modern facility, although nothing was being made when we were there. Expensive. Sampled a bit; bought a few things. We’ve had their goods before, so it wasn’t new or exciting to us.
Places we ate...
· Hawaiian Style Cafe in Waimea for breakfast. A LOT of mediocre food. The cook made my DD6 a complimentary Mickey pancake--she was THRILLED.
· Pavilion at Mauna Kea for dinner. Took shuttle over from the Hapuna (sister resort) for dinner and to view the manta rays. Dinner was okay. Average food at best. Dessert (trio of creme brulees) was AWFUL. Wouldn't spend my $100+ there again. We only saw a couple of Manta Rays at the viewing point that evening.
· Merriman's in Waimea for dinner. Good meal. DH thought food was a little too bland i.e. he would have liked more flavor. Dessert (sampler) was wonderful.
· Tex Drive-In for malasadas. Big--much bigger than Leonard's on Oahu. Good, but we like Leonard's better.
· Cafe 100 in Hilo for lunch. Good plate lunch. Lots of varieties of loco moco. Seemed to be popular with locals (always a line).
May 12th, 2005 | 07:23 PM
#2
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Joined: Oct 2003
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PART II. Last 4 nights:
Sheraton Keauhou. We booked their $169/nt “Get to Know” special, so we got a lousy parking lot view. Rooms were average size—although it seemed really small coming from the Hapuna. They were nicely appointed with new furniture, carpet, paint, etc. Construction was still taking place when we were there. The resort is close to the water, although there is no beach. The pool is wonderful. My 6 year old declared it the best pool she ever had. Small "sand bottom" wading pool area (zero entry to 1.5 feet deep). Sand was more like small pebbles and hurt little feet a bit. Fountains shoot out of a nearby area, and my kids had fun playing in those. The main pool is large, ranging in depth from 3 ft to 4.5 ft. Most of the pool is 3 to 3.5 feet deep. This meant my small 6 yr old could stand in the 3 ft deep areas of the pool BY HERSELF. And my 9 yr old pretty much could walk the entire pool. There are two water slides. The big one was a lot of fun for all of us. Only one person down the slide at a time, but my husband was able to catch my little one at the bottom. There was also a small slide that connected the upper and lower pools, but it was really short and emptied out into the 4.5 ft deep area so my kids didn't like it. We spent a LOT of time at the pool. Service was somewhat lacking in our experience--we didn't encounter much "aloha spirit" but that may just be our expectations.
Things we did...
· Pool: Lots of it. Pretty much every chance we had, the girls wanted to go to the pool. It is perfect for small kids given the sand bottom area and the shallow depth of the large pool.
· Kailua Candy Company: Took a tour of their kitchen. Very small and “homey” compared to Big Island Candies. Ate samples, and bought a LOT as souvenirs. Loved their mac nut honus and coffee swirls.
· Tour of Greenwell Coffee Farm: Short 20 minute personal tour (we were the only ones there). Interesting, but as it’s not harvesting time, there wasn’t any “action.” Tasted various coffees and bought some for souvenirs.
· Mac Nut “factory.” The gentleman at Greenwell Farms told us of a Mac Farm up a little ways, so we went. No tour—just a couple of old ladies in a little candy/mac nut shop. Bought lots of bags of mac nuts here—pretty cheap (I think it was $7/lb for half-nuts in nicely packaged bags).
· Trip to Volcano: Drove to Volcano from Keauhou—left in the morning after breakfast. Again, the portable DVD player was useless as the road was too curvy. It was a LONG ride. Lots of “are we there yet?” from the girls. Not a lot of places to stop off once you get going. Did stop at Punaluu Black Sand Beach. That was cool. Girls thought the black sand was fascinating, and we saw our first, real, live honu. Took pictures but made sure not to get too close to disturb him. Thank goodness for the honu—it made the rest of the drive easier for the girls. We brought pants and jackets—good thing as it was cool, windy and a bit drizzly. Stopped at the visitors center to go to the bathroom and get information. Went around and stopped at the steam vents. These were cool, and my little one was fascinated by the hot steam. As it was pretty cold, she would go up to a steam vent and warm up her hands. She made a game out of finding big ones. Stopped at one of the calderas (sorry, can’t remember which one). Required just a short walk—peppered with steam vents along the way. The caldera was amazing in its “hugeness.” Went to Thurston Lava Tube. Girls thought that was really cool. In one of the guidebooks, it said to bring a flashlight to go past the end. But when we got to the end, there was a chain link gate, and I wasn’t sure if we should keep going. We didn’t—and the flashlights weren’t necessary for the main part (which was lighted). Drove down the Chain of Craters Road. Luckily someone was pulling out as we got to the turnaround point, so we didn’t have that long of a walk to the “starting point.” I believe the hike from the start (ranger’s station) to the beginning of the lava is about ½ mile. Sounds easy enough, but it’s hot on the pavement and we were walking against the wind, which was pretty strong. Girls did fabulous. Once we got to the lava—WOW! Just seeing where the lava overtook the road is fascinating and a great photo op. We took a hike out a bit over the crackly, glass-like lava. Girls thought it was cool to see the bluish black lava and hear it crackle under their feet. Walked to the end of one of the marked trails (the short one)—with binoculars we could see the edge of the island meet the ocean. Lots of steam, but it wasn’t that spectacular from that far away. We opted not to try to hike to the “fresh” lava flow. The day we went it was 2 miles to get to it. It was hot and windy, and we weren’t willing to take the chance of having it be too long for the girls to enjoy. With the short hike we did, the girls were excited and fascinated, and that was good enough for me. Since we weren’t guaranteed to see fresh lava flow, and since it might not be that awe-inspiring in the daylight, we decided to pass. When they girls are older, I would like to do the hike at nightfall. I don’t think it would have been safe for my girls to do at their young age—there were many slips and close-to-falls hiking the lava during daylight. I’m glad we didn’t try to do it at night this time. Glad we brought snacks for the car. We ended up driving around and touring the volcano till after lunch so we ended up just eating snacks in the car. Girls fell asleep on the drive back to Keauhou.
Places we ate...
· Wendy’s in Keauhou. Only mention because of the great view.
· O’s Bistro (formerly Oodles of Noodles). Great pasta/noodle dishes.
· Teshimas. Good, homey Japanese food. Reasonable prices.
· Kona Mixed Plate. Okay plate lunch.
· Tex Drive-In for malasadas. Stopped at this one (there are two) on the drive to the Volcano.
· One Kine Grinds. Great kalua pig (can have with or without cabbage).
· Roast Chicken. From the roadside barbecue. We picked this up on the way back from the volcano and grubbed on it at the hotel. It was wonderful—juicy, tender, and flavorful. The girls thought this was the best meal they had in Hawaii. Not sure if it was because it was THAT good or because we were so hungry after our day at the volcano.
· Roy’s. Great meal. The best Roy’s meal we’ve had in a while (we’ve been to the ones in Hawaii Kai (Oahu), Kahana (Maui), and Poipu (Kauai)).
Our flight out of Kona on Aloha Airlines was delayed by 10 hours, so that was a drag—waiting at the airport was the only “bad” time on the entire trip. Overall, it was a great trip. Our family probably still likes the other islands better (Oahu, Maui, and Kauai), mostly because there was so much driving on the Big Island. I’m not complaining, though. All of Hawaii is a paradise to me!
Feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
Sheraton Keauhou. We booked their $169/nt “Get to Know” special, so we got a lousy parking lot view. Rooms were average size—although it seemed really small coming from the Hapuna. They were nicely appointed with new furniture, carpet, paint, etc. Construction was still taking place when we were there. The resort is close to the water, although there is no beach. The pool is wonderful. My 6 year old declared it the best pool she ever had. Small "sand bottom" wading pool area (zero entry to 1.5 feet deep). Sand was more like small pebbles and hurt little feet a bit. Fountains shoot out of a nearby area, and my kids had fun playing in those. The main pool is large, ranging in depth from 3 ft to 4.5 ft. Most of the pool is 3 to 3.5 feet deep. This meant my small 6 yr old could stand in the 3 ft deep areas of the pool BY HERSELF. And my 9 yr old pretty much could walk the entire pool. There are two water slides. The big one was a lot of fun for all of us. Only one person down the slide at a time, but my husband was able to catch my little one at the bottom. There was also a small slide that connected the upper and lower pools, but it was really short and emptied out into the 4.5 ft deep area so my kids didn't like it. We spent a LOT of time at the pool. Service was somewhat lacking in our experience--we didn't encounter much "aloha spirit" but that may just be our expectations.
Things we did...
· Pool: Lots of it. Pretty much every chance we had, the girls wanted to go to the pool. It is perfect for small kids given the sand bottom area and the shallow depth of the large pool.
· Kailua Candy Company: Took a tour of their kitchen. Very small and “homey” compared to Big Island Candies. Ate samples, and bought a LOT as souvenirs. Loved their mac nut honus and coffee swirls.
· Tour of Greenwell Coffee Farm: Short 20 minute personal tour (we were the only ones there). Interesting, but as it’s not harvesting time, there wasn’t any “action.” Tasted various coffees and bought some for souvenirs.
· Mac Nut “factory.” The gentleman at Greenwell Farms told us of a Mac Farm up a little ways, so we went. No tour—just a couple of old ladies in a little candy/mac nut shop. Bought lots of bags of mac nuts here—pretty cheap (I think it was $7/lb for half-nuts in nicely packaged bags).
· Trip to Volcano: Drove to Volcano from Keauhou—left in the morning after breakfast. Again, the portable DVD player was useless as the road was too curvy. It was a LONG ride. Lots of “are we there yet?” from the girls. Not a lot of places to stop off once you get going. Did stop at Punaluu Black Sand Beach. That was cool. Girls thought the black sand was fascinating, and we saw our first, real, live honu. Took pictures but made sure not to get too close to disturb him. Thank goodness for the honu—it made the rest of the drive easier for the girls. We brought pants and jackets—good thing as it was cool, windy and a bit drizzly. Stopped at the visitors center to go to the bathroom and get information. Went around and stopped at the steam vents. These were cool, and my little one was fascinated by the hot steam. As it was pretty cold, she would go up to a steam vent and warm up her hands. She made a game out of finding big ones. Stopped at one of the calderas (sorry, can’t remember which one). Required just a short walk—peppered with steam vents along the way. The caldera was amazing in its “hugeness.” Went to Thurston Lava Tube. Girls thought that was really cool. In one of the guidebooks, it said to bring a flashlight to go past the end. But when we got to the end, there was a chain link gate, and I wasn’t sure if we should keep going. We didn’t—and the flashlights weren’t necessary for the main part (which was lighted). Drove down the Chain of Craters Road. Luckily someone was pulling out as we got to the turnaround point, so we didn’t have that long of a walk to the “starting point.” I believe the hike from the start (ranger’s station) to the beginning of the lava is about ½ mile. Sounds easy enough, but it’s hot on the pavement and we were walking against the wind, which was pretty strong. Girls did fabulous. Once we got to the lava—WOW! Just seeing where the lava overtook the road is fascinating and a great photo op. We took a hike out a bit over the crackly, glass-like lava. Girls thought it was cool to see the bluish black lava and hear it crackle under their feet. Walked to the end of one of the marked trails (the short one)—with binoculars we could see the edge of the island meet the ocean. Lots of steam, but it wasn’t that spectacular from that far away. We opted not to try to hike to the “fresh” lava flow. The day we went it was 2 miles to get to it. It was hot and windy, and we weren’t willing to take the chance of having it be too long for the girls to enjoy. With the short hike we did, the girls were excited and fascinated, and that was good enough for me. Since we weren’t guaranteed to see fresh lava flow, and since it might not be that awe-inspiring in the daylight, we decided to pass. When they girls are older, I would like to do the hike at nightfall. I don’t think it would have been safe for my girls to do at their young age—there were many slips and close-to-falls hiking the lava during daylight. I’m glad we didn’t try to do it at night this time. Glad we brought snacks for the car. We ended up driving around and touring the volcano till after lunch so we ended up just eating snacks in the car. Girls fell asleep on the drive back to Keauhou.
Places we ate...
· Wendy’s in Keauhou. Only mention because of the great view.
· O’s Bistro (formerly Oodles of Noodles). Great pasta/noodle dishes.
· Teshimas. Good, homey Japanese food. Reasonable prices.
· Kona Mixed Plate. Okay plate lunch.
· Tex Drive-In for malasadas. Stopped at this one (there are two) on the drive to the Volcano.
· One Kine Grinds. Great kalua pig (can have with or without cabbage).
· Roast Chicken. From the roadside barbecue. We picked this up on the way back from the volcano and grubbed on it at the hotel. It was wonderful—juicy, tender, and flavorful. The girls thought this was the best meal they had in Hawaii. Not sure if it was because it was THAT good or because we were so hungry after our day at the volcano.
· Roy’s. Great meal. The best Roy’s meal we’ve had in a while (we’ve been to the ones in Hawaii Kai (Oahu), Kahana (Maui), and Poipu (Kauai)).
Our flight out of Kona on Aloha Airlines was delayed by 10 hours, so that was a drag—waiting at the airport was the only “bad” time on the entire trip. Overall, it was a great trip. Our family probably still likes the other islands better (Oahu, Maui, and Kauai), mostly because there was so much driving on the Big Island. I’m not complaining, though. All of Hawaii is a paradise to me!
Feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
May 12th, 2005 | 09:18 PM
#4
Original Poster
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21
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We had the terrace view $199/nt special. We were in bldg 5--the farthest bldg from the "action", but we didn't mind. I believe the Hapuna is a GREAT value. I think it is the largest standard room we've stayed at in Hawaii. If I were to go back to the Big Island, I'd go back to the Hapuna in a heartbeat.
May 13th, 2005 | 10:16 AM
#5
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,455
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Thank you so much for your report. My family is planning a trip to the Big Island NEXT June (2006) and you are staying at the same two resorts I was considering most strongly. We wanted to work our way around the island spending time at the Hapuna Beach, a B&B in Volcano, and then the Sheraton (mainly because of the pool). We love Maui and my daughter really got spoiled at the Grand Wailea pool last summer!
May 13th, 2005 | 11:53 AM
#6
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21
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crazy4hawaii: not sure how old your daughter is, but I just wanted to put this out there. The Sheraton Keauhou's pool is perfect for younger kids, with the sand bottom wading pool, fountains, and shallow depth. I would think it would be pretty mild for teens or adults. I have never stayed at the GW, but I've seen the pools highlighted on travel shows, and the Sheraton Keauhou's pools, though nice, aren't nearly as "super." Just want to make sure your expectations are realistic...
May 13th, 2005 | 01:57 PM
#7
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 718
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We have booked two OF rooms. How close are those rooms to the ocean, if you know? The hotel seems pretty close to the ocean on the website and that is one of the reasons (plus newly renovated and pool area) why I chose this hotel with my younger daughters.
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May 13th, 2005 | 08:45 PM
#8
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Hi Ashley24. The resort, itself, sits pretty close to the water. I believe the OF rooms that directly face the ocean/bay would be pretty close. It looks like they might have some OF rooms that look over the pool--into the ocean. Those wouldn't be as close and wouldn't offer as much privacy.
May 13th, 2005 | 10:19 PM
#9
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 718
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Thanks for your reply. Also, did you happen to notice if there are any rays in the water by the hotel? I guess they used to get a lot until the hotel closed down. Also, how far is the drive to fast food restaurants like Wendy's? My girls are not into dining at sophisticated restaurants. Is the hotel within walking distance to anywhere else? How far to The Place of Refuge (I can't remember if you went there but if you did, did your children snorkel there?) Also, could you please describe the bathroom? Thanks so much!
May 14th, 2005 | 08:38 AM
#11
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21
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Hi Ashley24:
We didn't see the mantas at the Sheraton Keauhou. It wasn't advertised when we were there--not sure if it was set up yet. We had already seen them at the Mauna Kea so we didn't ask.
I don't think there is much within walking distance of the resort--we didn't check it out. The Wendy's is a pretty quick drive--less than 5 minutes. The Wendy's is near/in the Keauhou Shopping Center http://www.keauhou-resort.com/shopping.asp where there are grocery stores, restaurants, etc. There are a lot more places in Kona--10-15 minute drive. My DH said to avoid trying to go out around 7:30 am (he had gone to get pastries while the DDs were still asleep)--because of traffic, it took him over a 1/2 hr.
Didn't go to the Place of Refuge so I'm not sure of the distance. DDs are not great swimmers and haven't snorkeled much yet.
Let's see... the bathroom was small. Single sink was located outside of the "bathroom." Bathroom itself was small--combined shower/bath and toilet w/ industrial flush mechanism (i.e. no tank--kind of like what you see at public restrooms). Sometimes had to flush twice.
Yes, there was a bar/snack shack near the pool. Girls had a smoothie from there once (okay--they preferred the ones at the Hapuna). Didn't try any of the food.
We didn't see the mantas at the Sheraton Keauhou. It wasn't advertised when we were there--not sure if it was set up yet. We had already seen them at the Mauna Kea so we didn't ask.
I don't think there is much within walking distance of the resort--we didn't check it out. The Wendy's is a pretty quick drive--less than 5 minutes. The Wendy's is near/in the Keauhou Shopping Center http://www.keauhou-resort.com/shopping.asp where there are grocery stores, restaurants, etc. There are a lot more places in Kona--10-15 minute drive. My DH said to avoid trying to go out around 7:30 am (he had gone to get pastries while the DDs were still asleep)--because of traffic, it took him over a 1/2 hr.
Didn't go to the Place of Refuge so I'm not sure of the distance. DDs are not great swimmers and haven't snorkeled much yet.
Let's see... the bathroom was small. Single sink was located outside of the "bathroom." Bathroom itself was small--combined shower/bath and toilet w/ industrial flush mechanism (i.e. no tank--kind of like what you see at public restrooms). Sometimes had to flush twice.
Yes, there was a bar/snack shack near the pool. Girls had a smoothie from there once (okay--they preferred the ones at the Hapuna). Didn't try any of the food.
May 18th, 2005 | 12:18 PM
#12
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 48
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Thank you for taking out the time let us know how your stay was at the Sheraton. After what you wrote I think we are going to reconsider our stay there. Have you heard any feedback about the Hilton Waiakaloa. I know it is a little big, our girsl are 15 and 13, I think they might like the atmosphere.
May 18th, 2005 | 04:46 PM
#13
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 718
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luvhawaii,
Please let me know if you think I will be happy at the Sheraton for two nights. Here are my expectations:
Clean rooms
Close to water, pretty views
Close to Kona activities and food (Place
of Refuge, boat ride)
Great pool: heated and fun slide
Tropical atmosphere
Poolside service
Friendly service (not bending over backwards but not surly)
Will I be happy here with these expectations? I don't like mega resorts like the Hilton.
How long would the drive be from Kohala resorts to get to Place of Refuge and Keauhou Bay?
Please let me know if you think I will be happy at the Sheraton for two nights. Here are my expectations:
Clean rooms
Close to water, pretty views
Close to Kona activities and food (Place
of Refuge, boat ride)
Great pool: heated and fun slide
Tropical atmosphere
Poolside service
Friendly service (not bending over backwards but not surly)
Will I be happy here with these expectations? I don't like mega resorts like the Hilton.
How long would the drive be from Kohala resorts to get to Place of Refuge and Keauhou Bay?
May 18th, 2005 | 09:10 PM
#14
Original Poster
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21
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Stephanie82: Never been to the Hilton Waikoloa. Heard it's huge--but fun.
Ashley24: Keep in mind that when we stayed at the Sheraton, we were coming from the Hapuna (LARGE rooms, good service, great beach), so the Sheraton was a bit of a let down for us in some ways. But, the Sheraton pool was PERFECT for my DDs--we spent most of mornings till early afternoon at the pool. I think we'd go back for a few days just so my kids could enjoy that pool (at least while my kids are too little for real "super" pools). The service, atmosphere, etc. weren't THAT bad--just a step down from the Hapuna for us. Keauhou is a great location in it's proximity to Kona with lots of shopping and places to eat. As I said earlier, we didn't go to the Place of Refuge, but we passed it on the way to the Volcano. Maybe a 30 minute or so drive from Keauhou(perhaps others can correct me if I'm wrong--my husband always drives, and I don't pay much attention to distances). If you went to the Place of Refuge from Kohala or Waikoloa, it would add 30-40 minutes to that depending on traffic. If you're staying for just a few days and are looking for convenience to Kona and the Place of Refuge--and if you think your daughters would enjoy the pool--then the Sheraton, I think, would a good choice.
Ashley24: Keep in mind that when we stayed at the Sheraton, we were coming from the Hapuna (LARGE rooms, good service, great beach), so the Sheraton was a bit of a let down for us in some ways. But, the Sheraton pool was PERFECT for my DDs--we spent most of mornings till early afternoon at the pool. I think we'd go back for a few days just so my kids could enjoy that pool (at least while my kids are too little for real "super" pools). The service, atmosphere, etc. weren't THAT bad--just a step down from the Hapuna for us. Keauhou is a great location in it's proximity to Kona with lots of shopping and places to eat. As I said earlier, we didn't go to the Place of Refuge, but we passed it on the way to the Volcano. Maybe a 30 minute or so drive from Keauhou(perhaps others can correct me if I'm wrong--my husband always drives, and I don't pay much attention to distances). If you went to the Place of Refuge from Kohala or Waikoloa, it would add 30-40 minutes to that depending on traffic. If you're staying for just a few days and are looking for convenience to Kona and the Place of Refuge--and if you think your daughters would enjoy the pool--then the Sheraton, I think, would a good choice.
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crazy4Hawaii
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