Kona

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Royal Kona Resort

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  • 75-5852 Alii Drive
     Kona, Hawaii
    329-7230
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Kikapa
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
6
Reviews
14
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1-5 of 6
Editor Pick

Beautiful Hotel on the Ocean

  • October 17, 2008
  • Rated 3 of 5 by golden101 from Honokaa, Hawaii
Beautiful Hotel on the Ocean

This beautiful hotel on the ocean was built in 1968. It has an unusual design like a white mountain. It is located close to the main drag on Ali'i Drive which makes it within walking distance to all the shops and restaurants in Kailua-Kona. As you enter the open-air lobby you can hear the sound of waterfalls and smell the salt air of the ocean. There are three main buildings spread out over the property. The higher the room, the better the view and the higher the rate. All units are the basically the same with coffeemakers, refrigerators, safes, two double beds, and a nice bathroom. Rates start at $115 for a gardenview room in the Bay Tower. Note that there is no white sand beach in front of this hotel, so the hotel has a saltwater lagoon with a man-made sandy beach which is great for children to swim in. But note that this small lagoon can get rough when the surf is up during the winter months. There is also a freshwater oceanfront pool and a children's pool in the hotel. The 4 lighted tennis courts are wonderful and there are two golf courses (in Keauhou) just minutes away. There's open-air casual dining right on the ocean's edge at Don the Beachcomber Restaurant and Don's Mai Tai Bar. Even though this hotel is old the hotel renovated its rooms in two towers in 2006. If you want to eat in town, there are several restaurants within walking distance such as Huggo's, Lulu's, Rios, Thai Rin, etc. I would recommend staying at this hotel if you want to be close to the main drag on Ali'i Drive. Also it is a nice alternative to King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel.

From journal Hotels and Resorts on the Big Island

Editor Pick

Royal Kona Resort

  • October 31, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by RoBoNC from Indianapolis, Indiana
Royal Kona Resort

The Royal Kona Resort is located in Kona, one of the two major cities on the Big Island, the other being Hilo on the other side of the island. The resort is situated directly next to the ocean which offers scenic views during your stay. The resort has 436 rooms located in three different towers spanning twelve acres. The hotel is a mere 9 miles from the Kona International Airport and minutes from downtown Kona.

The lobby, like most hotels in Hawaii, is open-air and is accessed by walking over the pedestrian bridge spanning a Koi pond. The resort is split into three towers named the Alii Tower, Lagoon Tower, and the Bay Tower. All of the towers are six floors except for the Alii Tower which has seven and they all have two elevators. They all have oceanfront rooms and there is not a bad view even if you do not get an oceanview room. The Alii Tower could very well be classified as the main tower. It includes the reception desk, gift shop, and the two main restaurants on site, Don the Beachcomber Restaurant and Don’s Mai Tai Bar. The massage and spa center are located in the Bay Tower and is the closest to the town of Kailua-Kona. The Lagoon Tower has a beauty salon and laundry facilities.

The rooms are spacious with 390 square feet while a king corner room has 450 square feet. The rooms were being refurbished while I was there, which now consists of granite countertops, marble showers, new furniture, plush bedding and new fixtures. All of the rooms come equipped with A/C, refrigerator, in-room safe, color cable television, a private lanai, as well as many others.

The hotel offers a concierge service to assist in making reservations for dinner or activities around the island. The ocean around the Big Island is very rough which is why it is not famous for its beaches like the other islands. The hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool and a private beach area which contains a saltwater snorkeling lagoon. The lagoon is surrounded by huge black rocks which separates it from the ocean. The lagoon is also home to hundreds of black crabs which blend in with the rocks to protect them from predators. They are interesting to watch as you relax in the lagoon or sun bath on the shore.

The hotel also boasts it owns nightlife by hosting a luau every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday named Lava, Legends & Legacies. The Royal Kona Resort has also become a popular place to have weddings, which they offer different packages to make the most of your wedding and honeymoon.

The hotel charges to park your vehicle but it substantially less than most of the other hotels in the area. The hotel could very well be a budget hotel because of their prices but their accommodations and amenities speak luxury.

From journal Big Island of Hawaii

Royal Kona Resort

  • June 10, 2003
  • Rated 3 of 5 by bgarver from Claysburg, Pennsylvania
The accommodations were quite comfortable. It was an older hotel, but clean and inexpensive. The rooms were big enough for two people to stay comfortably. The lobby was open air style, which created a feeling of tropic excitement. The hotel has a luau three times a week. There was a nice pool and a lagoon swimming area, convenient laundry facilities, and parking lots that didn't require you to hike a mile to get to your room. The location was great - easy walking distance to shops and restaurants in Kailua-Kona. The hotel featured the Tropics Cafe and the Windjammer Lounge, for open-air dining and entertainment.

From journal Dreams of the Big Island

Royal Kona Resort

  • June 5, 2003
  • Rated 3 of 5 by bpinet from Pembroke, New Hampshire
Royal Kona Resort

Rental car and full buffet breakfast included in price. Very nice corner room with balcony overlooking the ocean. Housekeeping was very good and we would definately stay here again.

From journal Hawaii - The Big Island

Royal Kona Resort

  • May 20, 2003
  • Rated 3 of 5 by bjwhitaker from Los Angeles, California
We stayed one night at the Royal Kona Resort. Although it is somewhat dated, I really appreciated how the hotel entry blended nicely into the surrounding rock and water gardens.

The first room we were booked into had a VERY musty smell and we were transferred to another room. I'm not sure, but it appears that nearly all the rooms are designed to have an ocean view. I loved listening to the waves crashing against the shoreline as we opened our sliding door to the balcony.

Although I didn't attend, I was told by others that the luau at the Royal Kona was the best on the island. It was also nice to be walking distance to the main Kona shopping and dining area.

From journal Unspoiled Hawaii

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