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Hilton Waikoloa Village
Rating Details »
425 Waikoloa Beach Dr
Waikoloa, HI 96738
(808) 886-1234
Waikoloa, HI 96738
(808) 886-1234
- Price Range:
-
$$$
65 reviews for Hilton Waikoloa Village
Just got back from a wedding at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. What a gorgeous destination for a wedding!
This resort is PREFECT for families. What you're looking for is always different when you take a child.
Though there is a lot of great snorkeling in Hawaii, we found that for our purposes--having a safe child-friendly experience--snorkeling at the resort fit our needs perfectly. However, I recommend bringing your own gear because the hotel charges $25 per day. We really did get to see a lot of fish and it was much more relaxing snorkeling there than when we went to a State Park to snorkel in the ocean and the whole time worrying about child safety.
And of course one of the bonuses of this property is that Dolphin Quest (an opportunity to swim with dolphins) is right on the premises. Seeing dolphins everyday can really impact your overall pleasurable experience of a vacation.
The Luau at the hotel is actually pretty decent. One of--if not my most--favorites.
If you are looking for a luxury experience or service really matters to you though, I would skip this place. Though it is a very nice hotel, and the service is very friendly, it is ANYTHING BUT accommodating.
I have been to Hawaii at least five times and I would say that this is my favorite hotel for a family vacation; it is the PREFECT combination of great for the kids, the entire family, and if you are traveling just as a couple too.
We had a great overall trip to this Hilton. We made the trip on Hilton Points and knew in advance from reviewers to expect to be nickle and dimed for little stuff. This is a big resort, so if you need to be close to your car, request the Lagoon Tower at the time of booking.
My only disappointment was the Kamula Provision Company on site - we had a really bad meal here
What a waste of money! Six main complaints...
1. Outdated Hotel
2. Restraunts are terrible here
3. Stupid tram!!!!
4. Very noisy
5. You have to pay for parking!!!
6. No direct beach access to lay out. They make you lay by their pool.
This hotel is completely outdated and is every foreign tourist's dream. It was disheartening knowing how big this place was and seeing tourbus after tourbus of people get off and plough into the hotel. The carpets are gross and they still have popcorn ceilings. The bathrooms are semi-updated and most of the rooms have flatscreen TVs in them. The air-conditioner SUCKS. It will kick on every 10 minutes or so by having some startling loud annoying growl and grumble. This is guaranteed to wake you up at least once or ten times during the night while you're trying to get a good night's sleep in your $200+/night hotel room....
They boast about not having to leave the 62 acre village but everything there is reCOCKulous expensive for nothing good which makes you want to leave and go elsewhere to spend your days/meals. Look up the reviews for Kirin Chinese, Kamuela Provision Company, and some other Japanese restaurant that got terrible reviews for more information.
BE PREPARED TO WALK!!! They have this stupid tram that you need to take to get to your room that means you are pretty much waiting all of the time. They have little boats that cruise around the green lagoon on a track that also take you to your rooms but those take even longer than the darn trams do. Be prepared to be frustrated with the tram schedule, its latency, and the guy telling you "the doors are closing" in Japanese at every stop twice.
If you are staying in the Ocean View Towers, make sure to get a room that is as far away from the lagoon islands as possible. Tons of birds nest in these trees and every time a door closes loudly they squak and go crazy for about 10 minutes. It's absolute chaos once local bars start shutting down and you hear door after door closing.
Great place for kids with the dolphins on site, site, and kid-friendly environment. DO NOT GO HERE ON YOUR HONEYMOON EXPECTING PEACE AND QUIET LIKE I DID.
I'm sorry, but if I'm paying $200+ a night to stay in a hotel room, then I should NOT have to pay for daily parking. Especially since the Hilton is trying to convince people not to leave the parking lot and just stay within the village... charging $15/day for self-parking and $21/day (+tips) for valet parking is ridiculous.
Save your money, time, patience, and go to the Marriot which has a better beach than the Hellton.
i was struggling writing this review since i have mixed feelings about the hilton...we just had our wedding here, and at the end of the day - it was beautiful, we were happy and loved how things turned out. our stay there was also wonderful - we had excellent service from the staff and we loved our room. on the other hand, it was a bumpy road to get to this point. so here is the breakdown:
*wedding services*
it was a REALLY rough start. it was difficult to get answers (i.e. it took them 2 months to get us catering prices, lots of follow ups, etc.) and there is generally a noncommittal attitude. our original wedding coordinator left mid-way through (which turned out to be a blessing). in the end, heather (the director) pulled through and we really did have a lovely wedding and it was all we could wish for. i would have to say, if you want your wedding here - you have to have lots of patience BUT you also have to put your foot down on things. this did cause we some stress and frustration - i am glad that things worked out...
*hotel room*
we've stayed here before and the rooms are fine - you have a lanai and a clean room. this time, we were upgraded to a suite (we deserved it!) at the palace gardens. it was AWESOME! we had a living room area and separate bedroom. it was spacious with 2 lanais. no birds but it would not have mattered since we wake up early (got to make the most of your trip!). we have stayed in the ocean tower before and yes, the birds are LOUD but it didn't bother us.
*staff*
for the most part - almost all of the staff were friendly, professional and and pleasant. our housing staff, valet and servers at the water's edge breakfast buffet were great. (tho to be fair, there was one server and a couple valets that could use some attitude adjustments).
*food*
we had vouchers for breakfast everyday at the water's edge ballroom. it was pretty good but they should switch it up a bit since the food is the same everyday. breakfast did hold us over until dinner so we were able to save $$$. i have to agree that the other eating venues are pricey and not that great. with that said, i would venture off site to get some food. also, stock your fridge with drinks, munchies, etc.
*pools/beaches*
they have a few great pools to lounge at. they also have a couple water slides for small and big kids (woohoo!). they have a lagoon where you can snorkel and hang at their little back area. if you are into beaches - you are better off going off site.
*other downers*
cost of parking - really? is this necessary? parking is $15 per day and valet is $21 per day. self-parking is a bit of a trek too. this is pretty annoying.
the resort is huge (hence the tram and boat) but that's also part of the charm. if you are adverse to walking, this is not the place for you.
tourists! the place can get packed especially during peek times.
overall, the wedding was great and we really had a wonderful time. prior to the wedding, we had vowed never to stay here again, but we have since changed our minds and plan to return next year for our one year anniversary. i almost willing to overlook all the negatives to give the 5 stars but i think it would be more fair to give a 4.5 (no half stars so will do a 4).
aloha!
We just got back from the Big Island of Hawaii and stayed here for a week at the Hilton Waikoloa village in October. (good month to go it seems).
pros:
- The resort is HUGE. Lots of place to wander around and get lost the first day. But as you get familiar with the hotel grounds, it seems to grow smaller as you quickly learn the shortcuts and routes to take.
- Kid friendly!! Went with our 4 year old, and they had a dolphin doll waiting for her in the room when we checked in. Nice sandy kiddie pool. They have this deal in several dining areas where kids 4 and under eat free. Lots of things for kids to look at : various pools around filled with fishes, watch dolphins of course, lots of birds to look at including flamingos, hawaiian local birds, and parrots in the lobby (not to mention these vulturous finches that seem to appear by the dozens if you're sitting down eating outside.. they stole my pizza when i wasn't looking!).
- the pool is HUGE. The main pool include waterfalls and a big water slide. It never felt crowded at the pool. Also have a smaller pool full of kiddie-friendly waterslides.
- hotel-made snorkeling lagoon that opens up to the ocean. i swam VERY close to a sea turtle here!
- kids have fun riding on free tram and boat. Although.. they are VERY slow. if you're decently fit, you can outwalk them.
- Dolphin quest is awesome!! They even have a toddler program where one adult and one toddler can touch and feed dolphin for $80 for about 10 minutes. (perfect for the short attention span of a toddler).
cons:
- food here is VERY expensive. The hotel room has a small fridge so recommend you stock up on drinks/snacks/fruit from a local cheaper market.
- the rooms seems a bit outdated and it's VERY LOUD. the AC is super loud, the BIRDS in the morning and at night are screechingly-loud. you can hear various noises from people next door and outside.
- parking fees. They charge like $15 to self park, and $21 for valet parking.
- The hotel overall seems a bit old.
- No fans in the bathroom?? ugh. not pleasant when someone is "dropping the kids off at the pool" and the scent wafts into the rest of the room. eeeeew.
Overall, This hotel is nice becuase there really isn't much to do on the big island (other than helicopter lava tour and coffee tours) that you coudln't do better on the other hawaiian islands. So you could spend a whole week on the resort if you wanted to just swim,relax, play becuase they seem to have everything there and the resort is so huge.
You just have to pay the hefty bill.
OHHHHH HOW I MISS YOU!!!I have not been for a few years but this place is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to hawaii in a month but sadly am not staying here. This is a great family vacation. It may be a little pricey for some people (including myself) but if you can save the money and go here, do it!!! The views, hotel, landscape is perfection. If I was rich and could retire here I totally would ;) I don't have one complaint. Even there hotel lotion smells like heaven. so yummy!!!!!
It's okay for the price. It just needs some renovating. The big plus to it is the endless amounts of pools-waterfalls, dolphin lagoon, boats, and man made beach. This place is a kids heaven, but I don't have kids... so I guess me pretending to still be a toys-r-us kid will do. LOL
Our time at Waikoloa Village was above average, even though we had problems finding parking. The closest lot to the hotel is allocated to valet. It doesn't make much sense to have valet closest to the door because it's not like the guests have to run and grab their cars; the staff does all the running.
We enjoyed the train from the main hall to our hotel rooms. The beds were very comfortable and dreamy. Our view was of the volcano/mountain. We were offered a less expensive rate because we checked-in with an island local. On our visit to the pool, we saw whales. It was very scenic to see the whales jumping out of the ocean and lounging by the pool. We also used the refrigerator to hold our food. We had requested for band-aids and a security guard delivered them and asked if we were okay. That was a nice gesture.
Since this hotel was considered a resort, I was disappointed that we were not offered slippers. I hate to be a stickler, but it says its a resort! The property is amazing. The service was above average. Would go again, but would bring my own slippers.
First, given the size of the island, the location of the resort, the cost of things therein and the number of things to see and do on the island, I highly recommend getting a car. I apologize to those carbon footprint conscious folks reading this. It does make vacation sense.
As for the resort:
The good
Service is on par with any full service Hilton. The grounds are very beautiful and very well maintained. There are two waterfall pools. There are dolphins swimming in one of the "lagoons". We're in the Lagoon Tower. Our room is clean. The view is pretty good but be careful that you don't get a room on the lower floors. They can be almost basement-like. The Palace Tower appears to be the finest on the property. The Ocean Tower, with its obvious benefit, also appears to be a step up from the Lagoon Tower. There are Lagoon Tower rooms that look at the ocean.
You must stop by the Kona Pool Bar and ask for Tim. He is a Big Island native with a great personality and he makes a mean Mojito (so I'm told). Actually, he says he'd rather not, but give him a little grief about it and have him make you a Matador. This is an alternative to the Tequila Sunrise or Margarita. It's simple, Tequila, Red Bull and Grenadine. Mine came at about 11AM and is a great alternative to that third cup of coffee.
There is a tram that, with patience, will get you around the property with limited exertion.
The not-so-good
The carpet in our room could use replacing. The "lanai" in our room, referred to on their website is more like a cement balcony. It isn't bad, but it isn't a lanai.
The place is just too big. They proudly claim that the place covers 62-acres. If you plan to just use the amenities close to your Tower, you're ok, but otherwise, you will do some walking. It isn't generally more than a mile or two at the most, but if you're carrying groceries back from the car, beach gear down to the pool, etc, it is noticeable. This is in contrast with the Waikiki property, where everything is packaged in a smaller footprint.
The bad
Be concerned if getting a room in the Lagoon Tower. The courtyard area in the middle is a beautiful lush area where the boat and tram travel. There are beautiful tall trees and other vegetation. Unfortunately, it is also home to thousands of birds, who start cackling in unison at about 5AM and keep at it periodically throughout the daylight. If you are a light sleeper, this could be a factor.
When going to the pool on the first day, the wife and I were interrogated by a staffer asking if were staying at the resort. Huh? I said yes, to which he indicated that we should have a wrist band. Again, huh? Sure, he says, the towels tipped him off. What? Yes, I did see the "Towels" sign on the way to the pool, but as a former Boy Scout, I come prepared when I go to the beach/pool, I bring my own towel. I passed that area without thinking. Well, that was a bad move. You have to somehow know that you need to stop in at the towel dispenser and request a wrist band, and don't even think about getting a band for the wife. Nope, only one band per person. But you can get two towels per person. I follow rules, don't hassle me unless you tell me the rules, period.
Having been to the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Oahu a couple of years ago, one thing I anticipated was the free (cold) breakfast as a reward for my Diamond Hilton Honors status. All that fresh pineapple, the light Japanese fare and guava juice made the last trip very enjoyable. They provide a $10 per-person, per-day voucher that can be used at any of the (obscenely overpriced) restaurants on property. The voucher doesn't even touch the $52 breakfast-buffet-for-two. In the Hilton's defense, the buffet was well stocked with fresh choices. Take a trip down HI 19 and find an alternative in Kailua-Kona.
Internet access: This resort doesn't provide WiFi except in common areas and wired access in the rooms is $70 for 5 days. You can get 1 hour at the bargain rate of $5.95 or a 24-hour pass for $15.95.
One final note for those carbon footprint conscious types out there who might still be reading. I feel a measure of satisfaction knowing that as scientists report the loss of white, sun-reflecting Earth surface brought on by the melting of the polar ice caps, my Ohio winter, long covered, overly pale, uber-white skin surface exposed when I shed my shirt out by the pool made up for that reduction in the sun's energy radiated back into space. If only for a few hours anyway, I was reversing the global warming trend.
This hotel was pretty awesome. If you have the chance to stay there I would definitely recommend it.
It's definitely a resort unto it's own. It has numerous towers, restaurants, and pools which can all be accessed on foot, by train, or a boat that circles the resort. I recommend taking the walk at some point because along the walk area there are beautiful pieces of art hanging from around the world.
Also if you get a chance take a look at the parrots in the lobby. They'll talk to you and amuse you, as well as sing for you.
I was also able to book a Dolphin Quest Adventure which is located on the grounds. You get in the water with dolphins to play and do tricks. Included in the package was also snorkeling in the hotel's bay where animals from the ocean come in frequently. We didn't see much, but we did see some fish and sea turtles.
The Marriott across the way has a pretty awesome open bar luau show a few times a week. The food is really good, and so are the drinks.
Our second stay here in 2 years but this is only because its so kid friendly. The kids go bananas here with the water slides, pools, and lagoons. Get the Fun Pass and breakfast included into your room and that will save you a little bundle on parking, fitness center, lagoon activties and putt putt.
DO NOT ORDER ROOM SERVICE. Both times we stayed here we only ordered room service once. We were told our meals were going to arrive in an hour and instead it was two hours. The kids fell asleep and our food arrived cold. Every time we called to ask we were told it would come in 5 minutes and its already left the kitchen.
Restaurants in the hotel have a very limited veggie option. Heard terrible things from guests about the chinese restaurant so skipped it.
Conceirge service is hit or miss. Sometimes they are so helpful and other times they told me they will give me the phone number of a coffee shop I was asking about and I can find out the hours of operation myself. Rude! Also they told me it is not possible to order Pizza to the hotel. Not true. You'll have to pick it up at the lobby but that is still better than the cost of the room service pizza and the wait for room service. The to-go pizza shop is located in the Queens shopping center food court.
The monorail and boat system is REALLY slow so have patience. We just walked most the time.
The kids loved the putt putt golfing and the lagoon activities the best. Its worth the trip if you have kids and you don't mind walking. Eat off the hotel property as much as you can. Merriman's Market Cafe in King's shopping center is great. Macaroni Grill in Queens shopping Center is good. Kona has a great restaurant Huggo's on the beach. Really yummy grilled fish tacos. Saturday Farmer's Market is terrific with exotic fruits and little trinkets to buy. The trip down highway 130 from 5pm-8pm to see the lava flow into the ocean was amazing! Wear sneakers and take a flash light per person as the walk is a bit difficult at night.
All in All worth the stay. I did not have the same problems other people did with the room. I thought the rooms were great and had beautiful sunset views.
I believe it was this hotel my family and i went here for dinner which was the first time i had sushi and let me be the first to say you will never have a more amazing sushi experience then in hawaii. i fell in love after seeing this beautiful hotel and the amazing dinner party we had here. there were flowers cascading the table with huge plates of many different dishes. great experience. i miss it so.
Wow, what a nice surprise! We usually stay at the fairmont or four seasons on the big island but this time decided to try something different. A beautiful and spacious property with plenty of things to do or not do! Resturants are good and the staff execellent. The property is worth visiting just for the art work alone!
This is a fabulous hotel. If you've got the dough, you can even swim with the dolphins. there aren't many hotels that offer three different forms of transportation to your room, walking, a tram, or a boat. Nice meeting rooms, but plan for extra setup time if working on a conference as Hawaii time has its delays. the restaurants are quite good also.
And if you're a member of the Hilton time share club (I think it's called grand vacations), you can stay here as part of that program.
Just remember, if you come all this way to the big island, don't just hang out at this hotel the whole time (it would be pretty easy to do). the big island of Hawaii is one of the great natural jewels in all the world. Rent a car and see it!
This is THE best place for kids! We stayed there for five nights and it was great! Although a little pricey, but well worth it! We stayed at the lower level of the Ocean Tower and the Dolphin Quest was right in front! Where else can you see dolphins swimming right at your door step? The staff were all very friendly and knew what they're doing. Remember to get the resort pass which entitles you to free paddle boats and other water toys everyday. They also have shuttles and for a few bucks can take you to the nearby Kings shopping center or Queen's. Overall, it's one of the most Disneyland like hotels I've ever been too.
I've been here several times but have never actually stayed here. I'm giving it 5 stars because it is one of the nicest hotels on the big island of hawaii. It has a boat system that can take you to your hotel room, tram system, dolphin lagoon (where you can swim with dolphins), miniature golf, golf, large pools, beautiful beach, and amazing art work throughout.
Heaven on earth. You do not have to leave the hotel the entire time you stay there. They have asian artwork throughout the hotel, parrots to great you as you enter the lobby, a train and boats that take you around the hotel and a manmade bay where they have kayaking, paddle boats, etc. They also have a dolphin learning center right on site. This is another hotel that is far from everything, but is paradise all by itself.
This is a massive resort with a tram and a boat that takes you from one end to the other, but it's almost faster to just walk. We tried both out just to say that we did and then we walked the rest of the trip. There are 3 towers: Lagoon, Palace and Ocean - and all 3 look equally nice. It looks like they built it in the 80s so although it is really nice, there are some parts of the place that looks really dated. For example, when you walk into the front lobby there is this huge cheesy Dynasty style chandelier that I am sure was the hip thing in the 80s, but today they need to replace it with something more stylish. There is also that popcorn junk on our ceilings and the toilet and the shower are in the same room so while you are going number 2, your partner can't shower until you are done and have aired it out. There is $7 million worth of art around this place that you need to check out. It's mainly Asian and Hawaiian art and it's awesome. It's just as good as some of the stuff you see in museums in Asia. If you hate your room like we did, they will gladly switch you out. We went from a room with a view of the golf course to a room overlooking the ocean at no extra charge!
Here are the perks:
1. There is a dolphin lagoon and for about $200, you can suit up and dive in and play with them. This experience is like speed dating, if the dolphins take a liking to you, then they will frolic and flirt with you. If they don't like you for some reason, then you are screwed. They just avoid you like that dude you hooked up with last weekend after the 7 beer upside down beer bongs at the frat party. You are out $200 and all you got was a dip in the pool with some dolphins. You might as well just play with the ones at Sea World. The area where they keep the dolphins is open to the public so you can kick back and watch them do back flips and jumps for FREE!
2. There are 3 pools - one at each tower. The pools are just too amazing you talk about - you have to see it in person. There are sand pools, slides, suspension bridges, waterfalls, and a whole lot more.
3. There is a place like day camp where you can dump your kids off at for the whole day. The whole day!!!!
4. Concierge is sooooo nice and helpful!
5. There are 9 yummy places to eat and they all have a little or a lot of ambiance.
6. The entire place is a photo op in waiting. There are a zillion places that you can take great photos at and the whole place is just beautiful.
Here are the downsides:
1. We stayed in the Ocean towers and at 5 am every morning, birds chirp and wake you up. They sound like they are harkening the coming of Christ. It sounds like something from the Twilight Zone or a horror movie. It is so loud and it sounds like you are surrounded by millions of them. They do this for over an hour. I want to go out there with a machine gun and kill all them all.
2. Self Parking is $15 a day or valet is $21 - WTF? You are paying tons of money to stay here and they want to rip you off for parking too? Why can't parking be thrown in for free like the shampoo or soap?
3. There are no robes or slippers and the towels are not soft. I have never been to a fancy resort that doesn't offer robes or slippers. It's just bad etiquette.
4. Food here is grossly overpriced. I got a side of fruit and it was $7. Room service charges a $19 fee to bring food to your room. I guess if they are going to rape you on parking then why not on food too? It's hotel gang rape.
My mom and I got to stay here on a promotion through a friend. We loved it so much we got a time share. It was not open yet but we knew this is one place we'd always come back to. The Big Island is the best place to be in Hawaii. The locals will tell other popular spots like Maui and Honolulu are over crowded. I love the east side of the island which is easily accessible by car from Waikoloa. Nearby is a state bar with the most pristine white sand beach. The sand here is much finer so expect alot to end up in your butt crack and be rest assured everyone else has a lot of sand in their crack.
There is great nearby shopping and if we weren't so cheap would pay for valet parking. Parking is plentiful but is quite a hike if you get back late. And what's with all the stray cats. Sunsets are amazing. Buy a real camera when you visit. You will want pictures of it. There is a luau with a real pig roasted in the ground. The show is very cool (men are hot!!!). The Japanese restaurant was amazing. Our favorite was the Italian restaurant. So mouth watering, it's starting now just thinking about it.
Not roach infested. Please!
This review is for their Concierge Desk Only
Thought we'd stop by the Hilton to have a quick lunch, see the Dolphin Learning Center & check out the grounds
Walk over to the Concierge & ask if there are any veggie-friendly restaurants & he immediately says no - unless we want to try their Chinese Restaurant & even then, we'd have to ask for something made special......well, we didn't want Chinese food
We then ask about the Waikoloa Beach Grill & he pulls out their menu & tells us how great the chef is & we see a couple of veggie items & he also says they could make something special if we didn't see what we wanted so we headed over - read my review of the Waikoloa Beach Grill to read about THAT experience
THEN we ask him where the best spot is to see & maybe swim w/ Sea Turtles - we'd heard about some amazing Black Sand Beach where tons of turtles hang out & he actually asks us "Why, so you can grab it & ride around?" Uhhhhh, no, we're not morons you A-hole - we want to experience nature not destroy it
So he tells us that turtles are everywhere & even in their man-made lagoon & there is no particular place - but then he does proceed to brag how he kayaks out to fish & loves fighting w/ these 40-pounders, going on what he called the Hawaiian Hayride - for 30 min before they tire out & he can reel them in.....my, what a M-A-N you are! ESPECIALLY as we *just* told you we were veggies!!
Hilton - if you're looking for people to actually be HELPFUL to your patrons, you might want to take a better look at your staff
Oh and BTW, we walked around the grounds & stopped by the FIVE restaurants you host in the Hilton & they ALL had veggie options!
I think the biggest problem with the Waikoloa is the thing they're most proud of- this place is HUGE. Almost too huge. You know when you're on vacation and after coming back to your hotel after a long day the only thing you wanna do is get in an elevator, go to your room and plop down on the bed? Yeah, you can't do that at the Waikoloa. You have to wait for the tram, or the boat, or walk your happy ass half a mile before you can even get to your room. Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful and massive and the pools are awesome, but I got kinda annoyed with how spread out it all was. I just didn't find it to be very convenient. I also wasn't very impressed with the quality of the rooms. Thankfully, we got a really good discount when we stayed there but if I had paid full-price ($400+/night) I would have been very disappointed. I'm glad I stayed there once, just so I could say I stayed at the Waikoloa, but I wouldn't tell someone that they just HAD to stay there. I mean, we all know size matters, but in this case, I'd say smaller is better.
definitely one of the nicest hotels I have been to...huge hotel. Walking is fastest, but it is like 1.3 miles from one end to another. The other option is a boat or train across the hotel land. The staff are amazing and they have dolphin shows as well.
They have nice coffee bars and restaurants galore. Also, for the kids, great slide and lots of pools. Rooms are nice and the hotel is open, pretty much no walls.
This place is beautifully decorated and Expansive.. Millions of dollars had been spent to decorate the outside halls and buildings with ancient Pacific and asian paintings, statues and tapestry. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because of the walking distance to get around.. Keep in mind that this place is so large, that you have to get around by monorail or via a boat (think about the jungle cruise boats in Disneyland, they were made by the same designers).
This resort is a destination in itself.. Dolphin quest can be experienced here, and the swim pond is loaded with fish and sea turtles.. I was lounging on the water, and fish were literally hopping out of the water around me.. so snorkeling for the kids will be a blast.. Oh and did I mention that there are waterslides for the kids in another section of the resort if they don't want to do that??
There is no 'Beach' right on the resort property, although being on the water, its lava rock.. but a shuttle will easily take you to A-Bay.. beach..
I hate that I like this place. I prefer places with four huts and 100 yards of white sand. The Hilton Waikoloa a gargantuan megaresort. With freakin in-house dolphins. But somehow they pull it off. The food's nothing special, and they nickle and dime you, but in the end I didn't feel cheated.
Please, PLEASE, don't tell anyone. I'm embarrassed enough as it is.
I loved walking along the path by the ocean that was populated by beautiful Buddhist and Chinese sculptures. This place is really hard for me to describe. It is like what you would envision a resort to be like on star trek or something. You can get to your room via futuristic Disneyland subway or by boat. There is canal system set up through the whole resort. The breakfasts were full of fruit, guava juice, kona coffee and the sounds of birds and waterfalls through the open air dining facility in the far building near Buddha point where our room was. I had a fantastic dinner of seafood with a wonderful King Estate Pinot Gris at the other end of the resort on a terrace over looking the ocean.
The spa is excellent and has a lava rock steam room and jacuzzi. I got a massage there and it was of high quality as well. The fitness center is pretty complete too. They had great treadmills to run on to burn off all the Khalua and Cremes as well as a good selection of free weights so your muscles won't atrophy too much on vacation. I also noticed they had tennis courts there next to the fitness rooms and spa.
This is my second stay here over the past 10 years. The property is starting to show a little age, but everything was good. Service was good, the health club is INCREDIBLE and the view from our room was great. No real downside except for the LONG walks if you choose to bypass the hotel train and boat system. I'd definitely come back!
I stayed at this resort for the eight time when we went island hopping(Oahu,Maui,Kauai,Big Island) for an entire month.This is one of my favorite resort for any of the beautiful islands.There's something in the air about Waikoloa and this resort is beautiful designed.I can definitely appreciate the Asian artworks and sculptures that could be seen on the beach side.The rooms are nicely decorated,clean,spacious and worth the price you pay for.Although this resort is in somewhat of a secluded location,there are plenty to do within this resort where you don't feel the need to leave.I don't need to go much into details,I will just add that the Hilton Waikoloa is one of the most beautiful resort in all of Hawaii.
I would of given this resort a 5 stars,I had to minus 1 star because I'm trying to erased memories of the ex tthat we've shared at this resort not too long ago.(ha ha ha!!!)
First impression of this place: Great customer service! I felt welcomed and relaxed. Awesome layout...you can spend a day or two just in the village checking it out. The food was decent, yet expensive, but that is expected in a resort like this. And, if you were to stay in Ocean Tower and forget something in your room, it can take 10-15 minutes to walk back to the lobby. I would definitely like to come here again.
My wife and I got married here back in 2000. Any first time visitor should visit this place to experience the grandeur of the orginal kohala coast resort. I believe it was one of the first resorts which redefined and pushed the envelope for what amenities should be provided. This resort is clearly targeted at families with acres and acres of swimming pools, water slides, salt water lagoon, dolphin experience program and endless water activities. Take your kids here and they'll guaranteed to have a blast.
I've been back several times and each visit has been less exciting as all the amenities lose their appeal. I don't really care for the restaurants within the hotel grounds and have spent time exploring different parts of the Waikoloa area. I have noticed that the Hilton timeshares (Hilton Grand Vacations) add a different character to the overall resort, more people and crowds in general. Anyways, I'm sure I'll be back assuming kids are in our future family plans.
There are some things in life that I consider sacred. One of these things is that hotels that charge in excess of $250/night should offer a free hot breakfast. Hilton does not.
To add insult to injury, I also just found out that they have taken out the volleyball court and are turning it into some children's water structure. I don't understand why this is necessary since they already have the biggest pool I have ever seen AND a lagoon.
The views are pretty amazing since it's right on the ocean, but I don't think I can enjoy it without the volleyball court and the free hot breakfast.
What a disappointment.
I went to the Waikoloa for a wedding and it was really nice, not as nice as Dog the Bounty Hunter's wedding, mind you, but nice nontheless. No conch shell blower or arrivals on a platform between canoes. :)
I couldn't believe how big this place was....63 acres?!!! Our hotel room was the last one for the boat/monorail/walk throughout the property which made for nice strolls throughout the beautifully decorated buildings.
Lots to do with a huge pool, slides, suspension bridge over the pool, dolphins, man made beach and of course a gorgeous view of the ocean. I loved the koi pond next to the Japanese restaurant that Sandy T. mentioned. You don't have to eat at the hotel all the time, there's a Sam Choy's in Kailua Kona that is really good.
Yeah, okay I'm playing tourist and that grants me a visit. I didn't stay here so I'm only reviewing my first impression of riding the tram. I had higher expectations and maybe it's from people who came here awhile back.
The hotel and furniture decor looks old and need of an update. The ponds look kind of gross with icky moss. Moss is good in nature, but come on, this is a man made village.
Parking is a flat rate of $9, but you can't complain with a free tram and boat ride.
This Roach infested 1980's hotel is one of the worst hotels that I have ever been in. The Property is beautiful and very nice, but when it comes to the actual rooms, they are terrible.
The first room I was in had a huge patch of mold behind the couch. They fix for the hotel was to screw a big piece of plastic over it and leave it. They did not have a room to change to at that time so i slept there and woke up the next morning with a cockroach stuck to the wall. It's leg was stuck in the wallpaper.
I moved rooms and stayed a week. The people who work the Trams and the Boats (with the exception of 1 boat driver) gave me the impression that they HATE their jobs.
I give this hotel 2 stars for the view and the pools.
By the far the most memorable trip I've ever taken was to the big island in Hawaii.. The Hilton resort was just awesome. Huge, and scenic it was such a highlight in our visit to the big island.
Our walk back to our room (after the tram ride OR the boat ride) was always so fun because there was so much to look at. The pool by the outside cafe was filled with little fishies and Tangs. Next to the japanese restaurant there was a HUGE Koi pond that was brimming with koi. Just feet away from our balcony was the ocean, palm trees and the most beautiful sunset ever.
At dusk, a man comes out and blows in a conch and lights the tiki fires. At the far end of the resort up on the hill, you can watch the sun set over the ocean and see all the fire-lights go on one by one....it really is a spectacular sight.
I did a lot of suntanning while at this resort. Pool space can go quickly and can get loud because of the children. I recommend staying away from the hedges and bushes because the mosquitos tend to cluster in these areas. I was attacked one day after I fell asleep on a lawn chair.
All in all I really loved staying at the HIlton village and would loooove to go back some day soon.
This hotel is a romantic tropical paradise. With dolphins. It would be an excellent place to stay on a honeymoon. However there are a few people this hotel is NOT good for:
1. People with a wheelchair or stroller
2. People who don't like climbing a lot of steps or walking a long distance
3. Toddlers who like to dart off randomly, and at high speeds, towards danger, including, but not limited to, the (admittedly low-speed) monorail
4. Toddlers who lean way over the low railings of boats, as if to dive into the water
5. Folks who enjoy getting from their room to the lobby in under 20 minutes.
6. People who want the best food value for their money
Although this hotel is beautiful, the restaurants are incredibly overpriced. I paid $10.25 for a breakfast plate at one of the snack shacks, for some powdered scrambled eggs, greasy sausage patty, and a big ass biscuit. Served with a frown, when I asked for an extra knife and fork.
Our room was very nice but there was an incident one day involving some dirty sheets and a hairy booger (I'm not kidding) left on one side of the bed. We called housekeeping and they came right away to change the sheets. The next day they even left us a fruit plate to apologize for the inconvenience. It also seemed like things keep disappearing.
Keeping with the relaxed nature of the tropics, don't expect high speed delivery from the valet. When they finally delivered the car, I was often amazed at the number of personalized driver settings that had been violated. For example, the driver's side (power) mirrow was often pointed in random, bizarre directions. The interior lights were disabled one time, and fully blazing on another night time occasion. Someone must have opened the rear hatch and set the three way ON/DOOR/OFF switch to ON. Fortunately the driveway to the hotel is beautiful and kept my passengers entertained as I would re-adjust all the settings.
All in all, it's a great place if you have all the time and money in the world.
If you like a HUGE place to stay that has absolutely everything.....I mean I think I saw Minnie shacking up with Goofy here! Trains , Boats....they all help you get around this HUGE property, but prepare for LONG walks anyway....
I just don't like places this big, but it has everything from a grand Spa to a really good Japanese restaurant.
Kids will LOVE this place, they have Camp Menehune to entertain the little ones and they have a large lagoon for the kids to play safely in....
Hawaii is a great place to be anytime....I just like smaller places....
Oh my gawd!! Oh my gawd! I've never seen any resort quite this magnitude, ok maybe Bahamas Paradise Island Atlantis Hotel because of the sheer size of its large marine habitat and the resort itself but Hilton boasts 62 acres of land and guests can cruise on mahogany boats along tranquil waterways or travel by an air-conditioned Swiss-made tram to their different accomodations, different hotel towers, etc!!! This is a massive piece of property when you can actually travel in a tram or a Disney-engineered boat! My oh my.....the swimming pools, lagoons, fresh seawater habitat were just simply spectacular, endless fun factor and entertainment!
Oh, they also have dolphins in a lagoon at their resort independently owned and operated by Dolphin Quest Learning!! Have you ever seen dolphins at a hotel resort???
And the hotel has one of the most amazing Asian artwork collection with a museum walkway featuring over $7 million art collection!
Since we were visiting the hotel resort in the evening hours, we decided to settle for a Hawaiian luau there. The performance deemed 5 stars with the elaborate costumes and different Hawaiian and Polynesian dances but the food was merely a 3. It was priced at $82++ per person but the food variety did not match up to the price, not so many dishes and they repeat the desserts on the dessert table! Not impressive at all. Bummer.
But overall, we are still captivated by the beautiful resort and I would assume, it will take a few days to discover everything in the resort and sufficient to just stay within but then again, there is an abundance to discover on Big Island so I would think people will eventually venture out of the hotel! :)
Hilton "Village" is an understatement, I would call this a town or a city with its own zipcode! Goodness gracious!
*THIS IS A REVIEW OF KIRIN CHINESE RESTAURANT ONLY*
Day two of our Big Island trip and we were looking for a restaurant that was open late. A quick internet search revealed that Kirin was open until 11pm and we were feeling adventurous. Not being guests of the Hilton Resort, we had no idea what we were in for. Once we arrived, it took twenty minutes to find and walk to the restaurant. It turns out that we could have taken a Disney-like tram or a boat, but we were too frightened because it seemed like we could be the next murder victims in one of those bad slasher movies that takes place in an abandoned amusement park. This place is huge. Where was everybody?
I feel the need to point out that our host/waiter was attentive, friendly and did the best he could with what he had to work with in the kitchen. Unfortunately, along with being way overpriced, the food was bland. A pina colada, glass of Asian wine, vegetarian fried springs rolls, vegetable lo mein, and shrimp with black bean sauce came out to $94 including tip. This is what we get for eating at a resort restaurant. Lesson learned.
At no other time was there more than one other couple in the restaurant, and the place was freaking huge. Why did we need to make a reservation thirty minutes before deciding to eat there? And why there was ham and pork in the dishes under the section labeled "Tofu and Vegetables"? At first we thought they were fake meat options, but no, they were the real thing.
Stay away from this restaurant unless you are marooned at the resort and your idea of fun is throwing money into a pit of lava.
Awesome place! Gigantic pool complete with waterfalls and nooks and crannies in the grotto to soak! Staff is nice and friendly. Lots of things to do in the resort itself. Dolphin experience, but you can watch for free. Better yet, have lunch at the cafe next to the Dolphin Lagoon and you get an awesome view of everything. Boat and trains takes you to your hotel room, but is also a good way of sightseeing.
The Hilton Resort is part of the Waikoloa Beach Resort. "A Bay" is right next to the Marriott. Place is pretty calm water, but beware of the lava rocks. They hurt and can cut your feet - seriously. Also, the sand's not as fine as Hapuna's or Spencer's Beach. There are also two shopping center within the Waikoloa resort. King's Shops - which is more like the mall is quaint, with some pricey stores (Louis Vuitton, etc), and few restaurants (i.e. Roy's). Not far from King's Market is Queen's Market. Cool place - still developing though. HUGE PLUS - Sansei just opened a restaurant here (Yes, Sansei - restaurant from my Maui trip - DELISH!!). I recommend you go here for awesome sushi...not to mention, after 10Pm, Karaoke and half price sushi?!?!
Beautiful grounds, beautiful place, centrally located. Fabulous time!
We stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa Village for one week in August 2005.
I would recommend renting a car to get from the airport to the hotel,
it is a long but beautiful drive! Also, if you're a Costco member, there is a Costco in Kona on the way to the hotel...great place to get snacks/drinks and also cheap souvenirs as well! The hotel lobby is open and beautiful! It is pretty much in the center of the hotel grounds. From there, you have three choices of getting to your room...walking, taking the Disney-like monorail, or a Disney-like boat (reminded me of the Jungle Cruise!). I liked trying each to get a different experience. The rooms were adequate, we got one with a king bed and couch pull-out...nothing special, but then again we didn't spend much time in the room!
There are a few pool choices, they are all beautifully landscaped and
include hot tubs hidden in caves and other neat features! Another aquatic must-do is the Dolphin Quest, if you have the $$! It was the experience of a lifetime to swim with the dolphins. Our adventure also included snorkeling in the hotel's lagoon on a motorized undersea hover-scooter (hard to describe)...it was cool! We saw tons of fish, sea turtles, etc....even if you don't do Dolphin Quest, definitely go to the lagoon area!
Dining choices were plentiful at the Hilton Waikoloa Village..they had Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Hawaiian, and more! My favorite was Imari, the Japanese restaurant. It was like Benihana, but better! The service was great as well as the atmosphere, I felt like I was in a Japanese home. Another great restaurant was Kamuela Provisions Company...it was seafood and steaks with a wonderful view. Get the S'mores for dessert, you make them yourself!
Another place that is a short walk/drive away that is worth visiting is the Kings' Shops. There are good dining and shopping choices there! They have a great duty-free shop, Louis Vuitton, art galleries, touristy shops, surf shops, etc. For dining, definitely check out Roy's. I would recommend making reservations. It is the ultimate in Hawaiian fusion cuisine...fresh seafood, Asian influences, altogether fine dining. For a more reasonable alternative, try the Big Island Steak House. They have seafood and steaks with a view over the lagoon area. The Kings' Shops also have a food court with a Subway, Starbucks, and other choices.
Check out http://www.waikoloabea... for a full listing of shops and an overview of the Waikoloa resort in general.
