Royal Kona Resort TripAdvisor Reviews
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Great Value for Ocean Front
Hawaii
July 15, 2010.
If you're looking for a 4-Star property, don't stay here, but if you are looking for a good "Value" on an Ocean Front property, this is your best bet in Kona. Ask for the Alii Tower (the only one that has been renovated) on the 4th floor or higher. Even the partial ocean view rooms have great views of the ocean and are very comfortable. You can't beat the prices at the restaurant and bar for ocean front drinking and dining, the Mai Tai Bar and Don the Beachcomber. The location is ideal for walking into Kona and they have a large, well-lit parking areas. This is a very family friendly, Hawaiian feel property.
Second Honeymoon
Tacoma, Washington
June 27, 2010
My husband and I celebrated our 10th anniversary by renewing our vows at the Royal Kona Resort. As our stay neared I began to get nervous from the mixed reviews on Trip but the second we checked in our minds were at ease. We were upgraded to a corner king and still miss the falling asleep to the sound of the waves each night. Our room and our friend's room was very clean, basic and very comfortable to sleep in, zero complaints. The pool was awesome, literally right on the ocean. Our vow renewal was amazing, once again right on the water next to the hotel lagoon where we learned how to snorkel the next day. We had our celebration dinner at Don the Beachcomber. Service was excellent with a beautiful sunset for dessert. Food was excellent although a tad overpriced for the quality. But the view took our breath away and any complaints I could try to come up with. You must try the Strawberry Lava drink at the hotel, it's wuuunderful!
We ate breakfast just about daily at Lulu's across the street not only because it was great but because it was $5.00 with a view of the ocean. Fabrizio's on the north end of Alii Drive was fabulous, try the Tricole. Snorkel Bob's gear was so-so and we found there were better deals to be had up Alii drive. If you rent scooters they'll start with a 4 hour rental but they'll give you a full day for the same price if you ask.
Akaka Falls and Waiipio Valley is not to be missed. Waiipio Valley is a black sand beach with horses that will come right up to you and say hi. Beautiful waterfall awaits just beyond the trees in the Valley. It's only accessible by 4 wheel drive and I would say that the best places on the Big Island are best reached with a jeep. Two step was okay snorkeling, don't go in the late afternoon as there are rowing teams that will show no mercy with their paddles and your body.
The First Hotel I've ever wanted to review and recommend
Melbourne
June 26, 2010
My friend and I loved this hotel in every way. The beds were heavenly: we had an oceanview room and were lulled to sleep every night by the rythmic sound of the waves. Staff were friendly and very helpful answering all our questions about the local area.
The position was really wonderful, close to the sea, shops and all the action. I have a slight walking disability but found the hotel very easy and comfortable.
We intend to go back to the Big Island and will definitely stay at this hotel again.
Great Place to Stay
Medford, OK
June 14, 2010
Had to let other travelers know we just stayed here for our 25th anniversary May 27 - May 31st. We were upgraded from an ocean view room to the ocean front corner king room and it was FANTASTIC! We watched dolphins every morning off the balcony also saw para sailing and lots of boats daily. Great location to walk to eat and lots of shopping. We were impressed by the volcanoes national park. I can only say our stay on this island was great!
Conveniently Located withe wialking distance to Jack's Diving Locker
Berkeley, CA
June 13, 2010
Eight day, seven night stay
boyfriend/girlfriend couple, mid-thirties, active lifestyle
Love the location of this hotel as it was beachfront and walking distance to Jack's Diving Locker. Parking at the hotel was possible, but challenging at certain hours of the day, which is why it was an added convenience that we could bypass driving and easily walk to/from the dive shop with all of our gear. (parking at the dive shop was limited)
Reserved an oceanview room on the "town" side of the hotel, away from the pool and the noisy luau festivities. Very peaceful and tranquil at night, making for an excellent night's sleep. I'm sure it helped that we exhausted ourselves everyday diving, hiking, etc. Slept with the lanai door open, hearing the surf all night long. Our king size bed was fabulously comfortable. It was so wonderful that I regret not pulling off the sheets to see who the manufacturer was. I wish my bed at home were that comfortable. = (
Enjoyed a swim in the pool upon arrival and a quick dip in Kailua Bay, but did not take the opportunity to snorkel there. In fact, most of our time was spent out enjoying all the Big Island has to offer and we wished we had an extra day to enjoy lounging at the hotel. We went all over the island with this hotel as our jumping off point.
Our last day, we had a very late flight back to L.A. and we were allowed to check-out and enjoy our last day of adventure but also have a courtesy suite to clean up for a couple of hours before we had to head to the airport to drop off the rental car. This was a very nice added bonus. The guest suite was small, but very clean, and perfect for two people to shower, change, and check email from the laptop before heading out.
I would definitely recommend the Royal Kona Resort to my friends (actually I've already recommended it to people) and would consider staying here again on my next diving trip to the Big Island.
Excellent Location -- Good Hotel - Great Staff
Long Island, NY
June 2, 2010
Great Location - Close to airport, Right at Alii Street (which is a fun area - restaurants, shopping, crafts...etc). Short drive to excellent snorkeling. And Amazing views of Sunset! Must sit at the bar area during sunset - perfect spot. In the morning we saw dolphins in the bay area right next to the hotel. The location is really great for touring the Kona side. $10 a day for parking (only added fee). The buildings are not as great as the location (the renovated building was what we'd consider an average hotel room), but the room was clean and that's the important part (we're not there for a fancy bathroom or a big tv). And actually our only complaint was that there is no hot tub!!! We went outside at 9pm in our bathing suits with towels, and were walking around looking for a hot tub (nice looking pool, though, with a great view). But other than that, we really loved it here.... it's beautiful. And honestly the staff is so friendly and helpful, it made up for any minor downsides. We really found the staff to be great, they upgraded our room, sent champagne for our anniversary, changed our room when we had noisy neighbors... they did so much for us - we'd come back just for the great service we received. It's really nice to get personal service. And they seemed honestly so happy to do what they could for us. We appreciate the good service!
Royal Kona stole our hearts
March 27, 2010
My husband and I were extremely impressed the second we walked "in" to the resort. The open air lobby is gorgeous. We came here with 30 other people for our wedding, and everything went off without a hitch! Marites at the group desk was very helpful during the planning process. We fell in love the the Royal Kona because of the old hawaii charm, you can't find that just anywhere. Our room was fantastic, in the Ali'i tower. We had the most amazing view of the ocean and kona town. One of our favorite parts about the hotel was Don's Mai Tai Bar! Great Mai Tai's and great food at decent prices. Also the hotel is in walking distance to Kona town and everything is at your fingertips. We orginally planned on staying 4 nights then moving to other resorts for our honeymoon. We couldn't leave the Royal Kona after the 4th night so we exteded our stay one more night.
On this trip we also stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, and wished we were still at the Royal Kona. The hilton was nice, but a bit too much like Disneyland for us. We even returned to the Royal Kona to have lunch at Don's Mai Tai bar after we were staying at the Hilton.
This is a long overdue review! We planned our Wedding and Reception at the Royal Kona Resort. It was the perfect wedding for us, beautiful and low stress! The wedding location is gorgeous and the staff took care of everything for us. Besides choosing a day, time and menu... I didn't have to make any other decisions. I can't say enough positive remarks about the wedding planning services.
My only tip is to not book a room in the Bay Tower. I've heard bad reviews about the Bay tower, because it's the only tower that hasn't been renovated. Stick with the Ali'i or Lagoon tower and you will have no complaints. The building is old, it's a landmark! ...but that's probably part of it's Hawaiian charm, it feels authentic.
Did I mention that the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks was amazing to listen to while waking up every morning?
LOVED IT! Royal Kona Resort & Area Review
Winnipeg
Feb 21, 2010
Having read so many negative reviews, we wanted to make sure we put the word out that this is an excellent resort and would recommend it highly to anyone.
The Room: We arrived late in the evening and were greeted by a friendly and efficient front desk staff. We were immediately upgraded to an ocean view in the Ali'i Tower, because we had booked our stay as a honeymoon. A bottle of champagne and two glasses awaited us in our room - and what a room! The view is stunning, and the room was classy, comfortable and clean. My husband was happy to find a 32" flat screen TV in the room. (We had to watch the Olympics occasionally) ;)
Staff: The staff, from the housekeeping to the front staff, and the bar & restaurant wait staff, were fantastic! The front desk staff was very friendly and eager to make our stay comfortable, the housekeeping staff were also friendly and very keen on refreshing our towels and cleaning our room as often as possible. The wait staff were friendly and fast, you have to try the "topless mai tai", and I would also recommend the Ono Fish Tacos. We liked to grab the lounger style chairs with the foot rests when we went down for drinks and/or food at Don the Beachcombers. Great place to catch the sunset. :)
Eats: We had breakfast once at the buffet at the Royal Kona's restaurant. It was fairly comparable to most breakfast buffets around, price-wise (around $16 per person). We ended up buying groceries at the KTA and eating most breakfasts and some lunches in the room. The bar fridge came in very handy. The in-room picnics can save a good chunk of cash, for those looking to cut costs on their holiday budget. Lulu's just across the street has a $5 breakfast deal on the weekends. Tasty eats, great price, can beat it!
Mahina Pizza was one of our favourite places for good food at a good price. Pizza, subs, mostly casual fare. The Big Island Grill is a favourite with locals. Delicious food, HUGE portions, and very reasonable prices. Kona Brewery & Pub - worth the wait to get a table. Serious flavour country! Again with the huge portions, pretty reasonable prices, and one heckuva beer! I recommend the Fire Rock Pale Ale. :) The Kona Canoe club is a little more pricey, but not too bad. Great view, conveniently located in the Kona Shopping Village, and they make a mean mai tai. We just had drinks and "pu pu's", a nice place for a light lunch. Bongo Ben's is a good restaurant, delicious food, a bit more expensive, but overall not too bad. Last but not least, we took in "Huggo's Java on the Rocks". I enjoyed kicking off the sandals and being barefoot in the sand while having lunch. Good service and good eats - a nice place to hit up for happy hour.
The Resort: The grounds are gorgeous! We got a bit snap-happy and couldn't stop taking pictures. It has the look of a luxury resort, without the luxury resort price tag. The lagoon area is really nice, like your own beach on the resort. At times, the public beaches can be rough and more rock than sand (usually in the winter months). Having your own private lagoon was a nice touch. There's a nice beach just a few minutes walk south of the hotel, but you can get pushed around by the waves, keep an eye out for high surf advisories. There was always a lounger available by the pool. Great place to kick back with a book, or for a quick dip without the salt water. The location is perfect. It's right on Ali'i Drive, which is littered with shops, restaurants, some historical points of interest and beaches. The Royal Kona is the only resort style hotel located this close to the amenities. The other popular hotels, such as the Sheraton, or the Hilton were at least a half hour cab ride away from the downtown area. We didn't need to rent a car at all during our 2 week stay. Which was good, because the car rental companies were sold out for our entire stay.
A Welcome port in the storm
Milwaukee, WI
Feb 5, 2010
After 10 month of planning our trip to Hawaii, we walked away from the accomodations we had booked and headed out blindly to find something else. We were desparate and didn't know what would work as we changed locations in Kona. What a relief when we pulled into the drive in front of the Royal Kona. I didn't know anything about the property but could tell you all about it now. My first impression was that it was a very busy place and probably way too expensive. But surprise! They had rooms available and they were so affordable for a hotel that was on the ocean. We got a basic room in the Lagoon Tower. It was spacious, clean, and quiet. Although there are 3 buildings of rooms (436), it never seemed busy or crowded. I'm not sure where all the people were. The Royal Kona has a small manmade beach and private Lagoon on the south side of the property. The pool is conveniently located close to the bar (with poolside service) and restaurant. We ate lunch one day at the bar and had dinner one night in the restaurant. The food was delicious and not too expensive considering it was Hawaii! The hotel is very close and within walking distance to other restaurants and bars. they also offer an authentic Luau 3 times a week. I think the Royal Kona Resort is one of the best kept secrets in Kona. It's not a 5 star resort but it sure was affordable and a great value.
Worth the Extra
Worthing, England.
Jan 25, 2010
We wished we had done our trip the other way round as we had two nights here and five in honolulu.
On our arrival we were asked if we wished to upgrade to an ocean view. So to hell with the expense that's exactly what we did and was it worth it ? you bet it was.
The room was large and a little dated, but that didn't matter a whole lot because the view soon made up for that.
Located quite literally on the ocean we were able to view whales and dolphins and no end of other wild life.
If this hotel were upgraded it would cost a small fortune to stay here, I would get there soon incase they do just that.
Parking is $10 and is self park although it can be a bit of a challenge to find a spot late at night.
I have no doubt that we will return to Kona and where we will be staying, only next time it will be longer and it will be the Royal Kona with ocean view.
The food and service was great and the Luau was wonderful
Brownsville, Ca.
Jan 14, 2010
I enjoyed the seaside atmosphere and dinning the most. I would also recommend going to the fabulous Luau on Friday night.
My wife and I went on a week long vacation in and around Kona on the big island of Hawaii. We had a wonderful time site seeing, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, shopping and just taking it easy.The second day there we had dinner at Don The Beachcomber restaurant located in The Royal Kona Resort and found it to be a great place dine and lunch. The sea side atmosphere was really great with the waves splashing on the rocks just outside. The food and service was fabulous every time. The menu was impressive with a wide variety of sea food and steak entrees. Everything we tried was great. This is a must place to eat. On Friday evening we went to the fantastic Luau just outside Don The Beachcomber. The entertainment was wonderful and a lot of fun and again, great food and all we could eat.
There is a lot to see and do on the big island, from the view from the observatories on the highest mountain to the lava flows, now that something to see.
Royal Kona Resort, 2 week stay
Fresno, Ca.
Jan 10, 2010
It's on the ocean with crashing, delightfully noisy waves, but ask for an ocean view if you don't want a parking lot view. Clumsy, pay wireless only. No room service, but the Mai Tai bar for lunch and snacks is nice and on the ocean.
Relaxing
Montreal, Canada.
Jan 1, 2010
I stayed at the Royal Kona for 6 days after running around Maui and Big Island staying at hostels. Everything was clean, the staff was pleasant and friendly, the proximity to the town was nice and the view was absolutely spectacular. On-site restaurant nothing special but there are 3 or 4 in spitting distance.
Fantastic Location, excellent value, well maintained.
Honolulu, HI.
Jan 1, 2010
The Royal Kona is not a 5 star hotel. That said, it's been well renovated, well maintained, it has the BEST location in Kona, and the views were to die for. I had an ocean front room, and the surf lulled me to sleep every night! The room was clean & comfortable, nice new large flat screen TV, the fitness center was adequate but could use more equipment (while it had an ocean view, I'd like a TV on the wall). The front desk staff were excellent, friendly and efficient. Service in the restaurant was a little slow, but they were busy and the waiter (originally from MN was super-friendly and accommodating).
Best place to stay on big island
ElizabethR6
Dec 22, 2009
Very romantic good view close to city good music i love and plan to go back nice clean and friendly
Most Amazing Sunset
San Diego
Dec 22, 2009
The boyfriend and I spent 2 nights at the Royal Kona in November. I had booked a garden view room, but once we got to the hotel, we agreed that getting a oceanview room was the way to go. We were placed in a corner room which was huge. We had a living room area and a separate bedroom. The bathroom is small and generic, but clean. The living room area needed a coffee table or something. It looked a little bare. We ended up pulling out the couch-bed and hanging out on that most of the time. The room decor is a little dated, but once you look out the huge sliding glass doors, the interior fades away! With the corner room, we had ocean view and mountain views. The lanai wrapped around the room with chairs for relaxing. SO nice.
We checked into the hotel with ease and were given discounts for the hotel bar. The Don's The Beachcomber bar was really nice. Open and chill. Get there early for the happy hour, discounted drinks and appetizers. The bartenders, for the most part, were attentive and nice. The drinks and the sunsets were incredible. I took so many pictures! We went down for the happy hour both nights we were there.
The Hotel is in a great spot, great views, right on the main street, and close to shops and restaurants. The best place we ate was Rapanui. It is in a strip mall about 3/4 of a mile up Alii, the owner is from New Zealand. The food was awesome. We never ate at the hotel restaurant. We had lunch at the Kona Brewing Company one of the days, also a great meal.
I would totally recommend this hotel. Compared to the prices of the other hotels in the area it is totally worth paying the $20/30 more a night for the Royal Kona.
Best sunset outside of Greece
Karen, Brisbane
Dec 7, 2009
We stayed for 3 nights on the 4th floor in an ocena view room. The rooms need some refurbishment but the price is right for what you get. Privacy between balconies is poor.
Staff were very friendly. The bar area and restaurant are superbly located right on the rocky forshore. The bar reminds me of of a mediterranean temple.
The sunsets are trult spectacular and I think they are missing out on a great marketing opportunity here. The sun sets slowly into the ocean during happy hours where you can enjoy the romance whilst sipping the Mai Tai's. The sunsets are as good as the much heralded sunsets on Santorini in Greece.
The location is great and in easy walking distance to the town and restaurants and bars.
We had a great time.
Beautiful View
Kingston
Dec 14, 2008
We stayed at the Royal Kona for 2 nights on our honeymoon. What a great spot, close to everything, great food, great bar, great pool and natural lagoon!! If you can afford it, stay in a corner king room the view is worth a few extra bucks. Head to huggo's or Huggo's on the rocks for great food, entertainment and atmosphere!!
Great Honeymoon
Ritz, Washington
Oct 19, 2008
It was a great hotel, we went for 6 days for our honeymoon. Nice clean rooms and friendly workers. Our room was always clean when we came back from wherever. Good view and close to everything we needed. we are going back next year!
Great Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
Jul 25, 2008
We only stayed on the Big Island for two nights, but the Royal Kona was great. The views of the hotel were wonderful. The lobby/pool/bar area was open and inviting. We stayed on the lagoon side with an ocean view, which was very nice and peaceful.
It is within walking distance of many restaurants and shopping. Be warned that many restuarants close at 9 or 10pm, so be sure to make plans accordinngly.
I would definitely recommend this hotel.
Loved the Big Island
Minnesota
Jun 2, 2008
We spent 10 days at the Royal Kona Resort. The staff was excellent. We were given an upgrade as promised and had a remarkable view of the ocean. Don the Beachcomer was a relaxing place after a day of shopping and time spent on the beach. My wife and I will book this hotel again and we have also encouraged our friends to stay there also.
Nice Hotel
Burlington, Ontario
Mar 18, 2008
We stayed in this hotel for 3 nights in February to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary and enjoyed it very much. It is a clean, well-run hotel with a great location. The staff was wonderful, the restaurant very nice. Beautiful sunsets to go along with great service. Easy walking distance into town to shop and enjoy the beautiful town of Kailau-Kona. Comfortable bed made it easy to enjoy a restful sleep listening to the surf outside our lanai. Would definitely come back for a stay. |
