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Cheaper
Average
Higher
About
4.0
#2 of 4 resorts in Kailua-Kona
Location
4.7
Cleanliness
3.8
Service
4.0
Value
3.9
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
With its dramatic setting overlooking Kailua Bay, the Royal Kona Resort is an oceanfront landmark in the heart of Kona town, conveniently located just steps from many fine restaurants, shops, historical sites, and activities. Completed in 2021, guests will enjoy the $15-million renovation to the resort’s 436 guestrooms and suites, and oceanfront pool deck.
Drawing inspiration from the tropical surroundings and sheer beauty of the islands the new Deluxe guestrooms and suites are designed with modern coastal inspired décor and finishes, rich teak furnishings, colorful natural fabrics, and beautiful marble wet bars outfitted with coffee makers and mini refrigerators.
The relaxing open-air lobby, surrounded by a tropical saltwater fishpond, leads out to an expansive newly refinished oceanfront sundeck impressively set directly above the ocean featuring luxurious teak loungers, beach umbrellas, and pool cabanas. The Resort also offers a private sandy beach cove and sheltered saltwater swimming lagoon perfect for beginner snorkeling.
Guests will find light meals and a variety of tropical beverages, including the Original Mai Tai, showcased in a world-class oceanside setting at the signature Don the Beachcomber Restaurant & Mai Tai Bar. With its open-air setting, right on the water’s edge, Don’s is the perfect spot to enjoy the sights and sounds of all the activity taking place on Kailua Bay, and it’s a great place to catch a breathtaking Kona sunset. Several nights a week, the Resort is home to Kona’s best oceanfront Luau, the "Voyagers of the Pacific Luau” presented by the award-winning Tihati productions.
Other resort amenities include four tennis courts available for day or evening play; rejuvenating massage and spa treatments; a fitness center; Hawaiian cultural activities; yoga classes; and a great sundry shop. Island specialists are available at the Resort’s Activities Desk to assist guests in booking tours and to recommend other island attractions, and specialists are also available on-property to assist couples with destination weddings and vow renewal ceremonies.
For a great location in the heart of Kailua-Kona, gracious Hawaiian hospitality and service, and the Big Island’s best value, choose the Royal Kona Resort.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Nestled in a prime location, the Royal Kona Resort is lauded for its ocean views and proximity to local attractions, offering a central spot that guests find enhances their stay. While some travelers revel in the resort's authentic Hawaiian atmosphere and lively entertainment, others are troubled by noise from nearby activities. The lagoon and restaurant are highlights, though calls for room and amenity updates are frequent.
Opinions on value and service vary, with praise for the staff's friendliness counterbalanced by mentions of unexpected fees and inconsistent service. The cleanliness of the resort is generally appreciated, despite some areas needing more attention.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Outdated
Rooms
Dated
Value
Mixed
Cleanliness
Mixed
Noise level
Noisy
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Satisfactory
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First timers to the Big Island and Royal Kona Resort. We were not disappointed. We knew in advance that it was not a sandy beach setting. Rather, the resort is located on a beautiful lava rock outcropping. There are plenty of places to relax next to the wave action, which was mesmerizing and peaceful. There are sandy beach areas up and down the coast, but we preferred relaxing at the resort. We also knew in advance that one of the resort towers was under renovation, and we were accommodated away from that area. The resort went to great lengths to keep disruption to a minimum, and we never even heard any construction noise. We stayed in one of the deluxe corner rooms. These have very large lanai's and perfect ocean and sunset views. If there was more outdoor furniture on the large lanai, we may have simply stayed there the whole time! We also saw other room types and it seemed that any with a water view were worthwhile. We enjoyed several meals at the resort's restaurant which is right at water's edge as well. One evening we listened to a live performance there at the restaurant by Henry Kapono, which was entertaining. We also enjoyed several days with a poolside cabana, super nice for enjoying the sunshine in moderation. All of the resort staff were excellent, from the moment we arrived and checked in, and throughout our stay. Everyone there was friendly and good at what they do. All of this, combined with the fact that the resort retains that Hawaii vibe that we like to feel, is why we will return to the Royal Kona Resort!
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HHR_CustomerService, CSR at Royal Kona Resort
Responded May 12, 2023
Aloha!! We appreciate your valuable feedback. We hope that you had a beautiful time and will keep us in mind on your next trip to Hawaii.
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We stayed at the Royal Kona Resort for 5 days, 4 nights. We had perfect weather for our January getaway. Temperatures range from 70 to 77 degrees F. We did not have a rental car during our stay so we used Uber-like transfer to the hotel; our visits into town were by foot or the Kona Trolley. We had a very relaxing stay at the Royal Kona Resort. It is an older property. Hotel staff were very welcoming. Some rooms offer better views and are away from generator noise. From our first room we could hear a high pitched generator. We moved to another room on the reception side of the tower which also gave us views of the pool and stage. We had a very nice buffet breakfast at the hotel Beachcomber Restaurant, looking out over the water and seeing sunrise. My favorite experience is swimming in the hotel's private protected lagoon with the little fish. The lagoon is shallow (3.5-4 feet deep), no floating debris, sandy bottom about midway out. The lagoon water is cool and relaxing. My other favorite activity is sitting out on the hotel chairs, with a cool drink, looking at the incoming waves and watching the beautiful sunset!
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Date of stay: January 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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Response from HHR_CustomerService, Customer Satisfaction Team at Royal Kona Resort
Responded Jan 27, 2020
Aloha, Thank you for your kind review of our hotel! We are ecstatic that you enjoyed your 4 nights with us and that you found your whole stay to be relaxing. We are delighted that you were able to take in the gorgeous views that our hotel offers and we thank you for choosing to stay with us. We hope to have the honor of welcoming your return to our hotel on your next trip to the Big Island! Mahalo, Javier
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Although the Royal Kona is an older hotel it is very nicely appointed and situated on the quieter end of Kailua. What the hotel lacks in beach it makes up for with beautiful views. The Voyagers lua at the hotel is a nice show with talented performers and a variety of dances. The staff are friendly and helpful. The breakfast buffet has a nice variety with very attentive staff to fill your coffee and clear your table. Overall a nice place that is very walkable to shops and eateries in Kailua Kona.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HHR_CustomerService, Customer Satisfaction Team at Royal Kona Resort
Responded Mar 11, 2020
Aloha, Thank you for your warm review of our hotel. We are joyful that you enjoyed your stay with us and that you were able to take in the great view that our property is able to offer. We hope to have the honor of welcoming your return to our hotel on your next trip to the Big Island! Mahalo, Javier
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While there is so much to like and love about the Royal Kona, it's location is the best aspect of this resort. It's an easy walk to every fun shop, restaurant, bar, and scenic viewpoint within Kailua Harbor.
........but don't forget that the Royal Kona's own restaurant, shops, bar, and pool have some of the most picturesque views in all of Kailua already!
The four rooms we have stayed at over the years at Royal Kona are comfy, fairly quiet, and frequently cleaned. The only recommendations are to pursue installing larger bathtubs and find a way (might be impossible) to keep the in-room AC quieter. Three of the four rooms have been oceanfront with large subdecks. They cost more, but the views are wonderful.
In the last trip we saw Royal Kona put a lot of effort into repairing / remodeling their buildings; a mandatory process as hotel buildings can and will age when located mere feet away from the Pacific Ocean. Presumably their construction efforts will result in the Royal Kona continuing to be a preferred and highly recommended booking for us.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Oceanview is worth it. Superior to a standard room.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HHR_CustomerService, Customer Satisfaction Team at Royal Kona Resort
Responded Feb 24, 2020
Aloha, Thank you for your kind review of our hotel. We are joyful to read that you thoroughly enjoyed your stay with us and that you had such a great experience with us. We thank you for being a loyal guest and we thank you for returning to our hotel once again. We eagerly await the honor of welcoming your return to our hotel once again. Mahalo, Javier
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We stayed at the Royal Kona in an Ocean View Deluxe room (#513) over Spring Break. Perhaps it was a mistake to come to Hawaii during Spring Break expecting peace and quiet. One thing I have to say about the Big Island in general is that I felt extremely safe traveling there during the pandemic. Mask usage was almost 100%, even when outside walking around. And the testing requirements to enter the island made me feel like I could somewhat trust being around strangers briefly, such as in an elevator. Anyway, here are the pros and cons of our stay:
Pros:
House keeping was great! Our room was sparkling clean each day, including beds being made and clean towels, which I know other hotels have cut back on doing during the pandemic. It was appreciated.
We enjoyed the view from our lanai and loved being able to watch the luau without having to pay for it :) I could hear the ocean waves hitting the rocks below, even with the doors shut.
The restaurant has great views, friendly service, good drinks and decent food, although at tourist prices. We especially enjoyed the special Easter brunch.
We never had trouble finding parking in the paid lot. It is $18/day for self park.
The front desk staff were pleasant. Check in took a while because of all of the pandemic protocols and having to help walk guests through how to log onto their Safe Hawaii accounts to pull up their test results, etc. I'm sure the front desk staff are ready for the pandemic to be over, as we all are!
Cons:
The biggest issue we had, and why I am rating our stay three stars vs five is that we had major issues with our neighbors. Our neighbors two doors down smoked weed on their balcony constantly. Morning, noon and night. The first night they were up until 2 am talking loudly and smoking weed. The smell was so prevalent that it saturated our room even with the doors closed. I called the front desk and they said that they would send up security, but I never heard anyone walk by (and I could hear everyone walk by our room because of the poor sound quality).
A few nights later, we had some more troublesome neighbors check in, this time next door. They sounded like young college kids and they were up laughing and talking loudly and slamming doors well into the morning hours. Again, I called the front desk, again they said they would send up security, and again I don't believe they did. Luckily, this was our last night.
Anyway, I know that noisy neighbors are always a risk when staying at a big hotel like this with other rooms surrounding you. And I think maybe the price point for this hotel and location near the bars in Kona make it attractive for partiers. Probably next time we come to Kona we'll try to find a condo in a quieter complex. Minus the noise issues, we had a lovely time at Royal Kona.
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Date of stay: April 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Ask for a room overlooking the pool if you want to be able to watch the luau for free!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HHR CRES, Guest Services / Front Office at Royal Kona Resort
Responded Apr 26, 2021
Aloha, Thank you for providing your feedback. We are glad you enjoyed the restaurant, the sound of the waves crashing, and the housekeeping. We are very sorry about the neighbors. We can guarantee that the smoking neighbors did not go unnoticed and neither did the loud neighbor next door. We apologize this was an issue during your stay and hope you enjoyed your time of the island otherwise. Although we missed the mark this time, we hope you will consider us on your next visit to Kona. Mahalo, Fatima
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My husband stayed here for 4 nights after a week at the Westin in Maui. While the view from the pool and bar area is beautiful especially at sunset and the hotel is very convenient to town but we were so disappointed with the actual hotel. The room reminded us of an old roadside Best Western or Howard Johnson's motel. The carpet was stained. The furniture was old. There were bugs that came out around the sink at night. The bathroom was tiny. The towels were small and thin. The comforter on the bed was old and fraying. The thermostat for the air conditioner did not work properly. No matter how high you raised it, the air conditioner came on. The only way to stop it was to power off the system. The pool is tiny. There is no towel desk. You pick up towels in the gift shop and take them back to your room at the end of the day. Consequently there were usually no towels available if you went to get any in the morning and they couldn't tell you when there would be more. When this hotel was built it was probably beautiful but it is in DESPERATE need of updating.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HHR_CustomerService, Customer Satisfaction Team at Royal Kona Resort
Responded Jan 9, 2020
Aloha, Thank you for sharing your review. We are very sorry to read that you did not enjoy your stay. We do our best to provide the best of service and a relaxing stay and we would have been happy to move your room had we known that you were unhappy. We are in the process of renovating the rooms currently and do hope that you will join us in the future to see our updates and improvements. Mahalo, Zareena
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We enjoyed the stay. Great and friendly staff. Our view of the ocean was 5 out of 5 stars, the sounds of ocean waves were hypnotic. Our large balcony has two comfortable chairs and a table. The location is great, park the car and walk to restaurants, souvenir shops, art galleries and convenience shops. The bathroom needs a vent so steam can escape during a shower. Balcony cracks are abundant but the structure appears strong. Room could use a fresh coat of paint and/or deep cleaning. Common hallways felt humid. The views from the outdoor were great, and we watch the sunset during our dinner. Pools not too crowded, you might need to wait for a padded lounge chair at the pool in the afternoon Parking is $25.00 a day in a secure lot. Suntan lotion was available at the pool, which is part of the "resort fee". Would I stay here again? Yes, but I would also check around first at other places before booking. I did not hear any noise from my next door neighbors, maybe there were not any. Our room was away from the elevator, our hallway noise minimal. If you have deep financial pockets, you might be disappointed, but for the average person, the place was nice.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HHR CRES, Guest Services / Front Office at Royal Kona Resort
Responded Jun 23, 2022
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us! We are happy to read that you enjoyed your stay and we appreciate your feedback regarding the updates we need. We hope to welcome you back again in the future!
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We stayed in this hotel because of its proximity to the downtown area in Kona. We were able to walk to all the places we wanted to go. Also, the bar at the hotel was great. Beautiful views, great happy hour, decent food. The problem was that the rooms are in horrendous repair. The carpets are dirty. The bathrooms need to be thoroughly cleaned. Housekeeping needed to replace sheets that were dirty after the room was "cleaned." In all fairness, they are in the process of remodeling beginning with the Bay Tower which is where we stayed.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HHR_CustomerService, Customer Satisfaction Team at Royal Kona Resort
Responded Feb 18, 2020
Thank you for your review of our hotel. We truly apologize that our hotel did not meet your full expectations. As you may know, we are currently undergoing enhancements to make improvements. We hope you give us the opportunity in the future to show you the new improvements. Mahalo!
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The Royal Kona is a great hotel to stay a week on the Big Island! It is right in the heart of downtown Kona. You can walk to so many restaurants but the parking is easy too. David at the front desk made us feel welcome. He is an asset to the hotel. We were in an Ocean Front room in the Bay Tower on the 4th floor & the views were breath taking! Seeing sunsets, turtles & fish from the balcony is a real treat! The rooms were updated & spotless. The housekeeping staff was attentive bringing blankets & towels in a matter of minutes after calling. Being an older resort the bathroom is small but one thing I would suggest is to add a full-length mirror to the room. This would help so two people don’t have to get ready in the small bathroom. The bar staff were top notch, friendly & made great drinks. The pool was a bit small for this size of resort & could add more chairs to accommodate more people. The lagoon was a great way to get into the ocean without leaving the resort. I loved that they lighted torches every night, it really added to the atmosphere of the resort. It was a great hotel with many amenities for the price per night.
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Date of stay: May 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HHR CRES, Guest Services / Front Office at Royal Kona Resort
Responded Jun 7, 2021
Aloha, Thank you for sharing your kind review of our resort! We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and that our staff provided great service! We appreciate your suggestion regarding the mirror in the room. We hope to welcome you back again in the future! Mahalo, Zareena
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Walls are super thin… had two crazy loud fighting neighbors on the one side almost entire 7 day stay. They argued 100% there with extreme foul language until late night and early morning and cursed out security who came up to ask them to keep it down.
Balconies have minimal privacy….hard to enjoy quiet mornings with coffee with loud talkers next to you on balcony.
Since the resort is on a super busy street …. City workers decided the week we were there to trim trees starting at 6 am the morning after we had a late arrival. Traffics noise and motorcycles were pretty loud most of the time from our room.
Employee break room was outside our balcony 7 floors down, but they carried on loudly.
No room service…which was a bummer.
No microwave, which was a bummer…
Parking was worth the price ….however the trolley is out front was not the best…came every hour ….and was a slow mover… you could walk faster anywhere. LOL
Front desk and housekeeping were AWESOME!! Check in and check out was great. Texting with front desk was great. Beds were comfortable, not amazing but we slept well.
Bar drinks were not outrageously expensive, which was nice. Grounds were clean and plenty of seating around.
Pool folks should not allow people to leave crap on chairs Allllllll day when they aren’t there. Pull folks should monitor and remove belongs to a table near towels. Several chairs were dropped with towels and stuff and went unused for hours at a time.
Pool service would be great and more pool tables so people can eat / drink at the pool without having to leave their poolside.
Beachfront view at pool was super nice and amazing.
Filtered water machine was great bonus… should put on every floor near ice machines so we don’t have to go to front desk each time.
Eliminate MASKS we are all open air outside …we don’t need them outside.
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HHR CRES, Guest Services / Front Office at Royal Kona Resort
Responded Feb 17, 2022
Mahalo! We appreciate your valuable feedback. We will be addressing your concerns to make sure we offer the best service to our guests.
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I am unable to answer this question as I didn't stay in the Lagoon Tower. I did however contact the hotel directly regarding another matter and found the staff very helpful in answering questions prior to my stay.
Manchester, United Kingdom123 contributions49 helpful votes
The accommodations are the same in all towers, Laguna was under construction when we were there in June 2024. The views will vary depending on what side of the tower you are on. We had the main tower 3 rd floor and partial ocean view. We mainly had a view of the entrance and luau arena, with ocean in the background. Our friends had a deluxe 7 th story corner room on the opposite side and a lovely view over the bay. The view is not as important to us as we spent very little time on the balcony. The rooms are nice and well appointed but the bathrooms are in need of some updating. Remember that Hawai’i is expensive as a resort so do not compare 100 dollar room against an American 100 dollar room , expect to pay about double for it to meet your expectations. I loved this hotel though it was clean and a good base for all attractions.
There are more places to choose from in the Kailua-Kona area.
PRICE RANGE
$243 - $295 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
royal kona hotel kailua-kona, royal kona kailua
LOCATION
United StatesHawaiiIsland of HawaiiKailua-Kona
NUMBER OF ROOMS
436
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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