Kona Reef is an oceanfront condominium resort adjacent to a sandy beach park in historic Kailua-Kona and near quaint shops and restaurants. One- and two-bedroom suites offer full-kitchens, FREE WiFi, and ocean or garden views. Amenities include an oceanfront swimming pool, jet spa, and a cabana with barbecue area.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Centrally Located
Bay View
Languages Spoken
English
Location
75-5888 Alii Dr, Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawaii, HI 96740-1312
Kona Reef Resort
699 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
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.
My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon from March 29- April 12. Our flight landed after the office had closed but the staff provided us with simple check in instructions prior to our arrival and we completed the rest of our check in the next day. The space and grounds were clean and spacious. The rooms have everything you would need and you can always request additional soaps/towels from the office. We were in E-12 and had a view of the ocean and pool. The pool is very active so if you prefer more privacy, I would request a different room. All in all, great value for an oceanfront property that I would recommend. The only downside would be that we were not able to extend our checkout past 10:00am. Our flight wasn’t until 10:45pm, but they did allow us to hold on to the pool key if we felt so inclined.
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Date of stay: April 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.
Most important question first. Would we stay here again? Probably not.
I give this an overall 3-star rating, because there's the rental unit itself, which rates a 5 for value, and then the "beach" which is a 1.
First, the condo: it is as advertised, and while neither large nor luxurious, it is a fair deal. It's a bit cramped but is clean and secure and everything works: A/C, TV, coffee maker, etc. The price is right. The location is good (you can walk to the trendy walkable parts of town) and I was always able to find a parking space at Kona Reef, but I'm not certain that parking availability is guaranteed, so ask about what to do if parking is full.
Second, the "beach." As to the condo property itself, Kona Reef has no real beach. It has rocks. Big rocks. Nobody swims or hangs out there. It's somewhat forbidding and the footing is precarious. You can sit out at the pool but that's not the same as a beach experience. There is a small, man-made public beach next door which is mostly rocky, is filled with locals with boomboxes, and there are 3 or 4 homeless men who sleep there nightly. I just didn't feel comfortable out there.
Finally, Kona Reef calls itself a resort, but I was not aware of any resort-like services or features. It may be essentially a collection of individually owned/rented units.
Overall, I give it a three. Not great, but it's ok.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
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.
We’ve stayed at Kona Reef multiple times. We love the location - right on the ocean and within walking distance to great restaurants in downtown Kona. The property is dated. Our stay was for 10 days which required periodic cleaning. Because of Covid, this did not happen.
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Date of stay: December 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Parking has always been great at Kona Reef. I would suggest leaving your car in their facilities...
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.
Impossible sleeping in the morning since the curtains in in the bedroom were little effective in screening the morning light -I mean since At 6 am !!!
the unite was in terrible condition anyway. A lot of dust , lipstick stains on the sheet . The sheets were gray at first then when WE washed them turned out out white.
Mold smell both in the kitchen and in the sleeping room
We spend the first 3 days of my vacation cleaning not wanting to stay in the dirt
The front desk admitted they were understaffed… but did very little
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, since we complain booking granted me a two night discount that hasn’t arrive yet (we pay Kona resort directly not booking to be precise)
Go Check the pics
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Date of stay: August 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.
Kona reef We had an amazing stay at Kona Reef Resort in unit A36. The property is well maintained and the location is perfect! The unit has a comfortable king size bed and walk-in shower ensuite. The kitchen is dated but functioned well for making breakfast and light meals. There are NO condiments or seasonings so be sure to pick those up if needed. There’s a drip coffee maker (mesh basket so no filters required ), a coffee grinder and a Keurig coffee machine too. The unit also has lots of beach stuff such as chairs, umbrella, boogie boards and cooler bags. We made use of the washer & dryer which worked very well. The pool and grounds of the resort are well maintained. Pool is a nice temperature so I assume it’s heated. No issues finding lounge chairs. We spent much of our time on the lanai watching the surfers and boogie boarders; So entertaining. Honl’s beach is next to the property. Small beach with some sand but lots of rocks. We also saw plenty of whales and pods of dolphins throughout the day. When the sun is at the right angle we could also see tons of tropical fish along the rocks. Each unit seems to have different owners so we’d suggest paying close attention to the reviews to reserve the one best suited to your needs. We booked through Kona Coast Vacations. They were excellent! As for our unit, we’ll be looking to book it again!
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Date of stay: January 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Book oceanfront condos for the best views. Book with a reputable property management company.
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.
Great views however rental unit itself for the great Oceanview condo was not good. It needs some updating! It was unit D01.
*The master bedroom bed was really bad, huge lumps in it and sagged really bad. *The toilet upstairs made a really loud noise every time the flushed it and it may have had a leak in it because the ceiling had a kind of bulge and crack in it like there may be a water leak. *The curtains in the living room and bedroom had big tears in them so if people wanted to look in they could. *The windows were really in need of cleaning. *The air conditioner only cooled the living room, and they had a standing fan, but it was broken and didn’t work. *The doors to the washer and dryer were off the track and kept wanting to fall off so you had to be very careful with them. *The dryer vent was broken so it was hard to use the dryer because the door didn’t want to close. *The living room couch cushions had slits in them like were holes *The paint on the floorboards in the master bedroom, look like it was chipped and falling apart, like almost like they had a mold issue
The view helped for the week, and if you don't care about something being run down then sure rent this place, but we won't stay here again.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
We loved this place. Our unit, D15 faced the waterfront and view was gorgeous. Hearing the waves crash against the shore was magic. Front desk staff was very accommodating and provided room code a day in advance since we were getting there after hours on Christmas. It worked! The one bedroom unit with pull out couch was slightly dated but everything we wanted for three adults. Kitchen was clean and well equipped. There was a washer and dryer to use in unit. Getting TV to work was a challenge but if you are watching tv here you are doing vacation wrong. There is a bustling area of shops and restaurants a short walk away. Pool is small but nice. Hot tub was also tiny and had a seat ledge that was a little slanted so it felt you were slipping. Otherwise a wonderful experience.
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Parking is a little tight. Wi-Fi is spotty. Supermarket is five minutes away by car.
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.
We enjoyed our apartment and the pool and hot tub area walking distance to many of the best restaurants and amenities. The staff was super helpful. The tour companies presentations on the Monday is super helpful
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Date of stay: June 2019
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 Wander23422985638, General Manager at Kona Reef Resort
Responded Feb 24, 2020
Aloha Glad you enjoyed your stay at the Kona Reef! General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kona Reef is a wonderful resort and I have stayed there many times. E11 was recently sold and Kona Coast property management took over renting this unit .(E11) I would not recommend staying at E11 because it is need of many improvements. The kitchen and bathroom are okay but the furnishings in the living area are awful. The dining table has two plastic chairs. The couch is old and needs to be cleaned or replaced. There is no other seating in the living room. The tables on the lanai are chipped and corroded. They did bring new barstools but they are only 2 feet tall and way too short to sit on and reach the counter!! Overall, it needs some work and could be done for not too much expense! and would make it far more comfortable. I would give the Kona Reef resort and excellent review but not for E11.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Cleanliness
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 Wander23422985638, Manager at Kona Reef Resort
Responded Apr 29, 2020
Mahalo for staying at the Kona Reef and your feedback.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Great location and view! This was the only reason we didn’t end up asking for our money back and leaving. Unit was filthy including floors, baseboards and even dishes. Bedroom A/C was loud and pump was going out or clogged. Ran nonstop. Bed uncomfortable. Patio tile disintegrating and debris tracked in making it ever dirtier. Patio furniture cheap and table was uneven. Had to us a phone book to level table.
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Review collected in partnership with RCI
Date of stay: July 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
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.
As I recall, from Kona reef condos to the town, there was a straight sidewalk you could bike on- but to get up and away from the ocean path, it’s uphill. I suggest you join a group on Facebook entitled “Kona Tourists” or something similar. I always get a ton of information that way for places I’ve never visited before. Have fun!
There are more places to choose from in the Kailua-Kona area.
PRICE RANGE
$269 - $406 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
castle kona reef hotel kailua-kona, castle kona reef kailua, kona reef
LOCATION
United StatesHawaiiIsland of HawaiiKailua-Kona
NUMBER OF ROOMS
130
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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