Price it out both ways. Most car rentals are cheaper at the airport, plus the weekly rate might be cheaper than five days at the daily rate. And don't underestimate the cost of a shuttle from the airport to Waikoloa; that could easily run you over $100 both ways.

"The Hilton is in the Waikoloa Village." Good luck finding it there! The Hilton is in the Waikoloa Beach Resort! :):):)

Sorry - I have ONLY stayed there 5 times in the past 6 years ;o)

Yes - it is in the Waikoloa Resort area, not the VILLAGE. Village is nice though, but no Hilton there ;o)

Aloha!

I believe the confusion lies in the name itself of the resort:

"Hilton Waikoloa Village"

http://www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com/

We who have been in the area numerous times ..all realize it is NOT in "Waikoloa Village"....however one can see the confusion some new visitors may encounter when researching the property...and the "Official " name given to the resort by Hilton......which includes the phrase "Waikoloa Village"

It's a shame they don't call it "Hilton at Waikoloa Beach Resort"...which would be most accurate.

Thanks for the helpful info but I am sorry - the last two posts have confused me. Is this car rental place at the Hilton Waikoloa Village?

Go to Alamo.com and type in KOA as airport code. It comes up with the locations of Airport and Hilton Waikoloa. They used to just be at the airport, so I guess this is new. (I just started noticing it the last month or so)

National Rental Car is at the Hilton Waikoloa Resort - the hotel, not the airport.

I am not sure were Alamo is located in the Resort Area.

I also think the Marriott, which is next door to the Hilton, also has a rental car agency on the premises, but cannot remember who it is. Might be Budget.

Hertz is at the Waikoloa Marriott.

MissJolly, you may want to do some price comparisons. The hotel transfer cost will be per person. Rental away from the airport location will have a different pricing structure, probably more.

I would be interested in hearing what the price differential is when you get it worked out.

A weekly rental is less expensive per day than a 3-4 day rental, unless the 3-4 days is at a weekend rate, which is typically a good rate.

However, rates for a van do run quite a bit higher than most other vehicle types. Are you saying that you won't need to take the wheelchair along on any sightseeing?

Anyhow, you will figure out which is the better option, but be sure to get the cost on the transfers before you firm up your plans.

This is the website for Speedi Shuttle.

www.speedishuttle.com

They don't have their fares to Waikoloa on the site, you'll need to get a quote. Jack's is another service that is $44 per person for the basic transfer service.

susie ...

>>> The Hilton is in the Waikoloa Village.

from your reply to TT, it looks like you don't think you made much of a mistake, but it is worth learning.

Basics of Waikoloa:

Hilton Waikoloa Village is the name of the hotel. There is no "village" surrounding the Hilton, but there is a resort.

There are two hotels inside the larger area of the Waikoloa Beach Resort. The Resort area does not in any way "belong" to the two hotels, and is open to the general public.

Waikoloa Village is a sizable residential community mauka of the resort area, and if you ask anyone who lives on island how to get to Waikoloa Village, they will direct you up the hill, NOT to the Hilton. Nobody on island calls the Hilton "the Village."

>>> Sorry - I have ONLY stayed there 5 times in the past 6 years ;o)

Which makes it all the more distressing that you can't use the proper place names, and yet still take on the title of Destination Expert for Waikoloa. People see DE next to your name, and they expect you to have it right!