We stayed in the Lagoon tower at the Royal Kona Resort for 6 nights and were upgraded to an ocean front room (from ocean view) by sheer kindness of the check in staff. Like most of the reviews note, the hotel rooms are in need of some TLC - furniture and bathroom were a little worn/dated. However, the view was wonderful! We saw dolphins and whales from our balcony and listened to waves crashing below (which is very calming).

The towels and bedding were all clean (and white). The carpet has seen better days. The shower pressure wasn't great (but this is a common complaint I have in many hotels). The room had a safe, flat screen tv, and a mini fridge. All in all, the room was average but most people don't go to Hawaii for the hotel rooms.

Yes, there is a luau 4 nights a week and it can be heard everywhere, but I found it more festive/in the spirit of Hawaii. It ends somewhere between 9 and 10pm. Depending on your room location you might be able to watch the entertainment for free from your balcony.

The main draw of the hotel is the location. It's an easy walk to any number of restaurants and shops. It's also a short drive to the main Hwy to visit any number of beaches. Parking is $10/night, however we were able to find free parking 4/6 nights without effort and just as close as the parking lot. The 2 nights we weren't able to find parking we paid for individually. We did not pay the $16 ea for breakfast and opted to eat at Bongo Ben's just down the street.

The hotel has a laundry room ($1.50 for washer, $1.25 for dryer) which is very handy if you are packing lightly.

Is this a 5 star luxury resort? Nope. Was it in line for what you pay for with a good location? You bet. Would we stay there again? Yup.

This hotel was a pleasant surprise for us. Located at the edge of town, it was a very short walk to the area shops and restaurants. The rooms are definitely dated, and could use a little redecorating, but as a crash pad, and for the beautiful view of the Kona harbor from our lanai, it can't be beat. The lanais are not as private as we would like, but were private enough to sit and enjoy a cocktail and the sunset. We had a coffee maker and small refrigerator, so were able to make small meals for breakfast. The price was modest compared to most other area resorts, and for the amount we paid, it was a downright bargain. The 'Don, The Beachcomber' restaurant is a bit upscale for the hotel premises, but the food is good, if a little pricey. There were plenty of other restaurants to choose from within very easy walking distance- from coffee houses, to thai and seafood or burger joints and sandwich shops. . I would definitely go back again, and would not hesitate to recommend this resort-hotel to anyone who wants to visit Kona on a budget.

Don't get too excited...it's a very average hotel with no special amenities. The property is very dated and the room was down right depressing. The linens-towels, sheets were just as bad.
No extra towels were provided and we had to call twice to get a blanket delivered. The location is in downtown Kona - which itself is a bit data and somewhat seedy in my opinion. The upside, the hotel is close to shops and restaurants.
The positives: the bar had a lovely view, great servers and nice hefty pour.
If we didn't have an ocean view and were there for a full week of vacation - I would have switched hotels. But we had the ocean view and were there only 3 nights...trying to spend every moment possible away from the hotel.
If you are traveling on a tight budget and not looking for a romantic get-away, then the value is there. If not, I'd skip it.

This hotel was built in 1968 when there was no airport on the west side of the island. It's classic like the Ilikai in Oahu. The place is a little worn, but you can't beat the price and the location and the facilities. Walk down the street to Huggo's for good breakfasts. And the best prices on mac nuts and kona coffee, and I mean the best prices, are from an 83 year old woman in a van right in front of Huggo's. We'd certainly stay at the Royal Kona again!