Help! I am agonizing over this decision! Will be traveling to Kona in July with husband & 3 kids. We can't decide between Hilton Waikoloa Village & the Vista Waikoloa condos. I have tried to make a pro & con list of each choice. Hotel one room, vs.condo 2 bedrooms. Hotel pools, lagoons, dolphins & activities vs. condo pool. Please feel free to share your experiences both good & not so great. Thanks!

I've been struggling with the same decision and we finally chose a condo. Have you looked at Outrigger's Fairway Villas? They are very new and if you book thru Outrigger you can use the beach and pool at the Abay Marriott/Outrigger. If you can book the entertainment card rate then you will be saving enough to pay the $75 day charges at the Hilton and can do it all. As much as I wanted easy access to the cool pools and lagoons, the comfort of more space and convenience of a full kitchen made us choose the condo, we go next week.

In case you didn't already know, Waikoloa is not in Kona, it's on the Kohala coast -- about a 45 minute drive north of Kona.

Vista Waikoloa is nice, although it's a very big complex and like most other condos in Waikoloa is set back from the ocean. Also, a lot of construction is going on between the Vista Waikoloa and ocean, so depending on your unit location you may run into noise and dust problems.

For condos in that immediate area both the Outrigger Fairway Villas and Shores at Waikoloa are better deals. Smaller complexes and the units/grounds are nicer.

As for the hotel vs. condo debate, it's the same in Hawaii as anywhere else. If you want the option to cook your own meals, do your own laundry etc. a condo is the only way to go. But if you're looking for service, amenities, activities etc. the Hilton is quite nice, although crowded.

Thank you both for your opinions. I do know we will be north of Kona. My son is playing a soccer tournament in Waimea so that's why we're staying out there. Most of the team is staying at the Vista Waikoloa or the Shores (1 bedrooms) so the Outrigger did not come up. How far from the Vista is the Outrigger? Ready, I hope you have a great time! Thanks!

The Outrigger is in a large resort area adjacent to the Hilton. This area includes the Shores at Waikoloa, Outrigger, Villa Waikoloa, Waikoloa Beach Marriott etc. They're all within a 10 minute walk from each other.

This map might help:

http://waikoloa-realty.com/mapbeachresort.html

It doesn't show the Outrigger Fairway villas but they're basically behind the King's Shops complex, sort of to the right of the Vista on the map. We stayed in a 2 bedroom at the Vista last year that I found on vrbo.com. Everything in the Waikoloa complex is within walking distance to each other. I think the Fairway Villas would be closest walk to A-Bay. Don't miss the petroglyph fields.

Thank you! By the way, how's the roach problem in these condos?! We had a horrible experience a few years ago on Maui! Needed to ask!

The only roaches I've run into in Hawaii were also on Maui, those suckers must have been 3" long! Never came across one on the Big Island yet.

Didn't see any roaches in our condo but did find one in our takeout box from one of the restaurants at the King's Shops!

Ohhhhhh Patty GROSS!

We had roaches at the Kanaloa at Kona but that's an older place. Don't know if that maters. There was even one in the pool that my kids saved. We found that if you keep the lights on in the kitchen and bath the pests stay out of sight.