Waikoloa Journals

Better than Home

A December 2003 trip to Waikoloa by June Berreth

Quote: Spacious rooms with a great view. Informative visits with other guests in the hot tub to help plan your next activity. Staff were very helpful here, as was the orientation talk for activities and the island. Nearby are beaches, restaurants, and a grocery store. What more do could you want?

Paniolo Greens

Hotel

Quote:

Best Things Nearby:
Beaches were a short drive away. A small shopping area has a grocery store and restaurants.

Best Things About the Resort:
The staff was friendly and helpful. It was comfortable to stay in the condo, with a stocked kitchen and the BBQs close by. But the emergency flashlight provided will come in handy, as the BBQ areas were not lit at night. It was easy to get a great nights sleep, as there were two bedrooms, with a king sized bed in one, and the other a double bed. If needed there was also a sofa bed available. We liked how our room opened out to the golf green. It was also great to eat breakfast on our patio , with the option of going out for a stroll, as we were on the ground level.The relaxed pace of the area is great for a quiet stay. After being out all day it was great to have the option of watching a bit of TV to relax. There were three TV's in our unit and a VCR in the living room. It was great to have the pool towels in the room, but it would have been nicer to be able to trade them in daily for clean ones. It was nice to have a large hot tub to relax in nightly, and visit with the other guests. In the morning there were classes available to learn different skills. I particularly enjoyed the guest speaker from the coffee plantation. He provided pictures of the process and samples of products. This saved a trip to the plantation.

Resort Experience:
After picking up your rental vehicle, I highly recommend a trip to Costco to pick up your groceries for the stay. What you can't find there or if the quantities are just too big, you can get at the local grocery store. This shopping mall also is where the office is for checking in. It was a great place to take the family. There was plenty of space to unwind after a day at the beach, or a busy day of sight seeing. With so many sights, we will return to see more of what nature and their culture has. We all enjoyed our snorkel trip to the Captain Cook Monument, the Place of Refuge and the Keahou Beach. We enjoyed many beaches, shopping in the Kona area, a trip to the Thurston Lava Tubes, and the Kahua Ranch.