My husband, 7-yr old daughter, and I are looking for accommodations on the Big Island. As we will be using some airplane mile credits, we have the following options: Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, Hilton Waikoloa Village, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, and Castle Halii Kai At Waikoloa.

I'm a bit confused as these seem to be HUGE resorts - not the type of places we typically stay - and frankly the range of opinions on review sites is so large it's difficult to determine what might be consistent with our thoughts. We'd like a great beach, snorkeling, and pool, fun activities for my daughter - preferably with other kids around, and some nice restaurants at varying price points. Some tennis and golf would be good as well but not critical. We plan to stay at a couple of other places on the Big Island to take advantage of the volcanoes, hiking, and bike riding. Our time at the resort then would really be about sports and beach.

It is looking like we could stay for free for at least 4 nights, so we'd like to take advantage of this. It might be nice to have a condo so we could cook a few meals and now dine out/ spend money constantly. However, we don't want to feel too isolated or be too far from the beach.

If anyone can offer opinions about the above possible options we would really appreciate it.

ALSO, we're thinking of the Volcano House and Puakea Ranch as places to stay the other nights. Feedback on those would be helpful as well.

Thank you,
Molly

Waikoloa Beach Marriott is on a nice beach (not great snorkeling), great pool, and walkable to a food court (and some other restaurants), shopping, etc. at the Queens and Kings centers.
The Hilton is a huge complex, and has a fake beach, and is farther away from the two shopping centers.
Hapuna has older rooms, very small selection of dining (you're basically marooned without car), but one of the best beaches you'll ever find.
Mauna Lani is much more upscale, and has a very nice beach and snorkeling, but you won't be able to walk to the beach very easily unless you are in the hotel. There is a nearby open air mall with restaurant options. A bungalow provides very nice space and accommodations, for sure.
Castle Halii Kai is far removed from the beach.

I would stay on the east side for the volcano and to see the sights on that side, but going up to Hawi seems like a pointless extra move.

I loved the Hapuna Beach Prince. My room certainly did not seem "older." The beach is fantastic, but I don't think it's a good snorkeling spot. The pool is quite nice. I agree that dining is limited and the only way to to avoid the high prices in the restaurant is to buy take-out in their little cafe (which actually was fine for me a couple of times). The restaurants were good, but, like restaurants at every nice resort, they were pricey. I think you'll find that everywhere unless you rent a car and eat outside of the resorts.

They provide a free shuttle to their sister property, the Mauna Kea, which is even more upscale. There are additional dining options there, and another gorgeous beach. But the food prices won't be any better.

I have stayed in Hawi four nights and a private lodge in Kohala Ranch for 24 nights. I cannot fathom someone suggesting a stay at Hawi is pointless. The property looks magical. And the area is breathtaking with many little places to explore.

We really liked staying right in Volcano Village for early morning and late evening access.

Adding a resort visit sounds like a trifecta experience to me.

It is pointless to make a deliberate change of venue when you are already ensconced down the road, esp. if beach access and pool are important (with a 7 year old). In addition, although Kohala Rance is a beautiful setting, you must admit that nearby dining out options are all down the highway at the harbor. Just saying that moving a lot ( to a short distance away)on a short vacation is unnecessary.

Not to hijack the thread, but did you get to the heiau near Kamehameha's birthplace, Ina?

Your daughter might like the Hilton because it's a little disneyesque and attracts lot of families, but that would be the best reason to choose it. Halii Kai and the Marriott are better options, but you'd be driving to the beach from Halii Kai, and Anaeho'omalu Beach isn't very good snorkeling anyway.

By contrast, beaches in the Mauna Lani Resort property - Honokaopi and Makaiwa - are generally regarded as two of the best for snorkeling in Hawaii. Makaiwa, in particular, is somewhat sheltered and perfect for kids. And it's just a short walk to there from the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, along a beautiful coastal trail past ancient ponds where you'll have a preview of what you'll see underwater. The resort also has a tennis club and two great golf courses. We've enjoyed several stays on the property, never feeling overwhelmed by size or crowds.

Hapuna would be my 2nd choice from your list as it overlooks spectacular Hapuna Beach. Dining options are more limited there, though, and Hapuna Beach isn't great for snorkeling. But nearby Waiamea Bay is pretty good.

This morning I received a link to an article about Hawi, Kapaau and Pololu (a beautiful black sand beach).

http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/conten...historic-sites

Hawi is the birthplace of King Kamehameha, and the area is filled with his history and sacred places associated with his life.

Father and now Saint Damien was the priest in the local parrish before he went to Molokai.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_S..._(Hawi,_Hawaii)

There are many excellent restaurants, most featuring locally grown food, and there are activities such as zip-lining, ATV tours, specialty horse riding, nature tours, food and farms tours.

Some say the ride to Pololu from Hawi is as beautiful as the road to Hana, although different, and much, much shorter (9 miles with grassland & ocean views of Maui, and colorful jungles with quaint historical buildings), with a beautiful view from Pololu, and a similar feeling as Waipio with much more accessibility.

There are many accomplished musicians in the area, and an excellent Guitar & Ukulele shop. Local musicians are frequently featured in town and around the island.

The town was also the home parish for Father Damien, and if you go to church, you may see hula dancing along with slack keys masters playing.

Personally, I think it is the best area in all of Hawaii, and it is a perfect day adventure for someone staying at the Hapuna.

I could go on and on... and I have in many posts about this area. Suffice it to say, any person visiting the Big Island would enjoy a visit to Hawi.