Relaxing in Kailua-Kona

The Mauna Loa Village by the Sea is situated next to the Kona Country Club and, as such, enjoys vistas of green lawn and swaying palms. While our one-bedroom unit did not have a view of the ocean (few do, I beleve), we definitely felt like we were "in Hawaii" and felt like this was the best RCI resort we've stayed in.

If you've ever been to a Disney park and noticed how staff are always moving about cleaning and polishing, you'll see some similarity at the Mauna Loa Village by the Sea. The grounds are immaculate, staff seem to be very intent on keeping them that way, and the units themselves seem extremely well maintained.

This resort is similar to, but differently managed from, the Holua at Mauna Loa Village. Both are on the same grounds and share common facilities, but after seeing the Holua condos, we preferred the more muted tones of the furnishings in the "By the Sea" property.

Our only beef ... and it is a small one: parking at the resort is in a central parking facility. You then walk along beautifully landscaped trails to your condo unit. Depending on what building you are in, that can be a bit of a hike, especially if you have bags of groceries.

Overall, this is an excellent resort and we wouldn't hesitate to return in the future.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

After one dining experience, though, Huggo's has become one of our favorite dining spots in all of the places we've visited. First off, the location is spectacular. Perched right on the water's edge between Keauhou and Kailua-Kona, the view of the setting sun on the Pacific is phenomenal. The interior of the restaurant, too, is eye-pleasing. Huggo's has what could be called "contemporary Hawaiian" decor ... which means the kitsch is absent, but the warm, comfortable tropical tones are ever-present.

This is a restaurant, though, and the food is what is really important. Everything that was brought to our oceanside table was a mouth-watering treat. The crab-stuffed ono (a Hawaiian fish) was more delicious than we could have imagined. The stir-fried shrimp and vegetables was perfectly seasoned and cooked. Salads were delicious, the garlic bread was fantastic, and the desserts (mmmm ... the macadamia nut mud pie is something I'll never forget) were beyond expectation.

Service here, as well, was fantastic. Our server was friendly and seemed to be able to balance good service with allowing guests to enjoy the ambience without constant interruptions. Even the bus-boy was pretty amazing. When our server was tied up with another table, he rattled off the dessert selections from memory, took our orders, and promptly passed them along to the server. We were quite impressed.

All in all, you can't go wrong at Huggo's if your dining expeience there is anything like ours.

Jameson's in Kona was a disappointment in comparison. This tired, run-down establishment proudly displays an award for their fine cuisine from a time that has long passed ... in many ways.

The lunch menu was quite pedestrian. Burgers, salads, and some local fish were present. Preparations seemed to be prepared on the safe side of things; nothing too daring. My chicken curry salad was creatively served in a halved papaya, but the salad itself was something of a deli-counter style.

The furnishings at this establishment are worn and in need of some make-up. The salt air has taken its toll on the window frames, the carpet, and the seat cushions. The restaurant operators could do themselves and their clients a favor by renting a Rug Doctor and chasing it around the place.

I'm sure that twenty or so years ago Jameson's was a really nice place. I think it still could be a really nice place if the menu was changed and made a bit more adventurous, if the presentation was more interesting, and if the place was refurbished somewhat.

We sat ourselves in a booth and were quickly given menus by a friendly, yet seemingly overtaxed, server.

When we made our decisions (it didn't take that long ... we were hungry) it seemed like just a very short time until our food was delivered to our table.

We ordered a green papaya salad as a starter for the four of us as well as some spring rolls. The spring rolls were very tasty, although we would have preferred to have a non-fried version available. Still, they were crisp and not greasy at all. The green papaya salad was very authentic with a somewhat strong fish sauce flavor (I like fish sauce, so this was a plus to me). The salad had a subtle hint of heat and enough lime to create a nice layering of flavor within this dish.

We shared four different main dishes that night. Our favorite, hands down, and one of the best dishes we've ever had at an informal Thai restaurant, was the pineapple curry. I really can't think of words that would accurately describe how delicious this was. Every speck (literally) of this was eaten up and even though our stomachs were full, we were wanting more. Pure delight, I tell you.

The pineapple fried rice, served in a halved pineapple with large shrimp and chicken, was also quite tasty. It could have used a bit more seasoning, but due to a few tame stomachs in our group we ordered everything on the "mild side."

We probably ate too quickly, we were probably so hungry that anything would have satisfied our cravings, and we probably were so relieved to find a restaurant willing to take us in on New Year's Eve that this review may be a bit skewed. However, when I look back at this meal with as objective an eye as I can have, I find that this is a great place to dine if one has several nights of dining available in the Kailua-Kona area and has the craving for some good Thai food.