We have a choice of the Outrigger at Waikoloa or the Orchid at Mauna Lani on the Big Island for a few nights (one room) with two adults and two children. The Orchid is $75 more per night (150 vs. 225 respectively). What one would be more fun? Is it worth the extra? Kids are 10,15. Is a condo better? If so, where on BI? Thanks so much for advice. (First time visitor!)

I feel like I'm a kid at heart - and I thought the Orchid was stodgy and overpriced.

If you want a place your kids will really love, you should consider the Hilton Waikoloa Village (http://www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com/). It's a giant resort and they smartly separate clientelle into three separate buildings (one for families, one for singles, and one for visitors from Asia). Each building caters to the needs of the individual groups.

Top that off with great pools, swimming with dolphins, and being transported to your room via small boat or monorail - and it's a guaranteed hit with kids.

It's the best no-worries "artificial reality" hotel experience I've ever had.

We stayed at the hotel that is now called the outrigger. It was previously called Royal Waikoloan, that's why you sometimes see that name in parenthesis after Outrigger. We absolutely loved this place. It is on a beautiful bay with great sand. I don't know if the outrigger kept them but there were hammocks between the trees down on the beach. The grounds are beautiful too. There was an activities hut on the beach where you could rent water equipment or take lessons of all sorts.

We visited the Waikoloan Resort next door which is a HIlton now and found it to be way too big for us and had no beach. We'd go back to the Outrigger in a flash.

Outrigger does still have the hammocks. We loved this resort. There were activities for kids, a pool slide, good food at the pool bar, and INCREDIBLE snorkeling right from the fantastic beach. We also visited the Hilton and would not recommend it (Way more $$ also). We got a comp. upgrade to club level just for asking. Saved us a lot on breakfast. I don't know about the Orchid but I would return to Outrigger if I go back. Have fun!

We have stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa twice, once on our honeymoon when it was still a Hyatt property (and new) and last year with our kids. I am one of those people who find it overcrowded, overtired, basically overwhelming. We took our kids and a sitter there last year as a little splurge for a couple of nights. We thought the kids would love the pools and the dolphins and that the sitter would get to see a real Hawaiian resort. (We were renting a house in South Kona at the time.) Anyway, found it overwhelming once again and discovered that on the weekends the pools and hot tubs were packed with employees and their families. Really busy.
We walked through the grounds at the Outrigger one day and were really impressed by how well kept the facility was, how much more managable it's size was, and how beautiful it was. They have a nice kids' pool area and a path to Anaeho'omalu beach, which is just a stunning spot. (No good beach access at the Hilton. They also have a fun luau at the Outrigger.
Haven't stayed at the Orchid. Have stayed at the Mauna Kea Beach Resort (without kids.) The only thing that I could share about the Orchid is that it is further up the Kohala Coast than the Waikoloa resorts and if you want to head down into Kona (which my kids like to do) it's a long haul into town.
Also, definitely purchase the book: Hawaii, the Big Island Revealed, as it describes a lot of great beaches and accesses along the Kohala coast- they'd be hard to find without it.
Have a great trip.

Our family is intrested in staying on the Big Island this August,we have three kids; 7,10 and 12. We want to do as much snorkling and adveturing as possible. We need to stay in a condo/hotel. Our kids want the slides ect.. but the parents want some peace. Can anyone out there suggest a great place? We do have a budget but are willing to pay extra for more of paradise. The Outrigger sounded ideal, but what is the best ont to stay at?? thanks for quick replies...