we found the experience very disappointing this year. The entertainment poolside has been moved around, deferred maintenance has slipped. repairs to room that were requested were not corrected. The view is terrific and the size of the condo was perfect for 3 people.The room was very comfortable and hey, it IS Hawaii:)

Stayed here for a week as a guest of a family member. As the other reviews indicate, it is a very nice condo style suite with two bedrooms and two baths. The large master suite has a king size bed with large shower, soaking tub and two sinks. The other bedroom has two full size beds with a separate bath with shower/tub combo and sink. The kitchen is nice with granite counter tops and full size appliances including oven, stovetop, microwave, and fridge with ice maker. There is a small combo washer/dryer in the closet too. Very handy! Each bedroom has a tv plus the living room so no battles over what to watch. The immediate area has a small clubhouse with a nice wading pool and hot tub. There is a small bar/snack area there too but I didn't try the food. Why eat out when you have a kitchen? The units themselves are inland from the coast. You won't see the ocean. they back up on the golf course or the road so you have little privacy. Thankfully there are good curtains in the rooms. Our room was clean and well appointed but the dishwasher didn't work at all well. A look at it revealed most of the jets were clogged with mineral deposits and plastic from improper use. If my home dishwasher was in such shape I'd replace it pronto.

As others have said, as a guest you have access to the Hilton over on the coast. Although with the exception of the swimming lagoon I don't know why you'd want to just wander around a large convention hotel for fun. I see enough of those for work. The tram, boat ride and lagoon are fun but only really worth half a day tops.

There is a good sized shopping district within the resort complex that has mostly high end specialty shops (Jewelry) and typical resort shops like sunglasses shops and the like. There is one small convenience/grocery store that stocks many items you will need for your kitchen (including beer and wine) but a real grocery is down in Kona 30+ minutes away. There are a few restaurants in the shopping center but we were not impressed. Macaroni Grill? Really? Why not just put in an Applebee's and be done with it.

The major, and I do mean major, disadvantage of this resort if that it is in the middle of nowhere! I mean nowhere! it is carved out of a barren lava field! There is nothing else within walking distance or even a short drive with the exception of one beach. If you want to see the volcano be prepared for an all day trip (3 hours one way!) on twisty two lane roads to the other side of the island. Want to see the tropical rain forests and the botanical gardens? Again, well over an hour one way. Want to head to Hilo or up Mauna Kea? You'll be on roads that make even this experienced Colorado and Pennsylvania mountain driver nervous. Even a trip down to the heart of old Kailua-Kona will take 35-40 minutes one way. If you want to see any of the big island other than the resort, and there is a lot to see, you'll be spending a lot of time in your rental car so get a good one.

So ask yourself a couple questions. What sort of vacation are you wanting? Do you want to sit by a pool or play a bunch of golf in beautiful weather year round? Do you want to eat at nice hotel restaurants or shop in some high end specialty stores? Then this may be for you. If you want to experience the uniqueness of the big island from swimming with sea turtles to the rainforest to the summit of Mauna Kea to the most active volcano in the world then realize you'll be doing a LOT of driving.

One final comment. The staff was uniformly excellent. Every single person we interacted with was friendly, professional and courteous. I have never experienced the level of excellence I experienced from this staff at any other hotel or resort I have ever been to. It wasn't just a few standouts either, it was everyone. They really hire good folks that take a lot of pride in their work.

The ideal place to relax and feeling home away from home. 2-bedroom apartments with two bathrooms and a large living/dining room, 3 TVs, kitchen fully equipped for 6 people, dishwaher, washer, dryer, fridge, micro wave - and all the "toys" you need(coffe machine, blender, toaster, etc.). Nice showers and bathtubs, great beds. Very nice interior of the rooms. Pools and hot tubs are close by, also grill places, tennis courts, gym. Big pools at Hilton hotel (5 minute drive) can be used. Good location for jogging and walking exercise. If you don't have a "plus" unit, you balcony and main bedroomwill face the street. But there is very little traffic, so really no big problem. "Plus" units face the golf course.

The Hilton has everything you could need! Great family destination, as there are tins if things for all ages. Beautiful pools, wildlife and activities. The only downside is that there isn't actual ocean each access - really miss that! Overall an excellent getaway!