We are traveling with our family (older kids) and would like to stay at a lovely resort with a great beach. Which one would you choose?

Mauna Kea Beach hotel has a better beach. Hapuna Beach is beautiful! So another option might be the Hapuna Prince.

Definitely the Mauna Kea. A much better beach than the Mauna Lani.

I agree100% The fact your kids are older was the final factor! Our 22 year old would never let us go to the Mauna Kea without him!!!!!!!!! For younger kids, both (actually all three) hotels would be fine. We actually have divided our stay between the Mauna Kea and the Mauna Lani many times because we love them both. Lucky you to be going there!!!!!!!!!

On thing, though! Mauna Kea won't allow more than 3 people per room. If you and your husband have two kids, you have to have 2 rooms. It seems to me that the Prince will allow 4 in some rooms and it has a little bus that runs between the hotels all the time.

Don't miss the luau!

thanks for your comments. I was somewhat worried because the new Best Places to Stay in Hawaii book said the Mauna Kea was a "little worn appearing" or something to that effect and it seemed like an incredible amount of money to pay for anything less than wonderful.

Well, Cindy, the rooms at the Mauna Kea are really NOT that great, i.e., not very large or luxurious, so don't expect anything earth shattering in that department! Perhaps that's what Best Places was trying to say! However, the property itself is still a GREAT property!

Just returned from a week at the Mauna Kea. Fantastic!!! I've seen alot of comments that the rooms are "undrewheming" and "dated" but I have to disagree. I think they just went through a major renovation, so maybe that's the difference. We stayed in an oceanview room and it lived up to every expectation. It is not glitzy, no enormous marble and brass bathroom like a 4S, but wonderfully elegant in an understated way. Like the rest of the Mauna Kea, the rooms feel like they are designed to fit their surroundings - very Hawaiian feeling, and can be almost completely opened on one side out to the large deck with a spectacular view. I can't say enough great things about this hotel!

We just spent a week at the Mauna Lani and absolutely loved it. Our oceanview room was large, clean, modern, and really had a great view. The grounds are beautiful, with restored ancient fishponds, one of which even has sharks. For our stay, the breakfast buffet was included, and it was immense and delicious. We skipped lunch. The snorkeling at the hotel beach is OK, but by walking about 5 minutes to the Mauna Lani's condo's beach, there is some of the best snorkeling I've ever experienced. I will admit, however, that although the beach at the Mauna Lani is fine, the beach at the Mauna Kea is nicer.