RGaitherHI (Pahoa, Hawaii) 08/15/2018

My husband and I loved a Saturday evening out to include an early dinner at Volcano House's Rim Restaurant, and then a short drive to the Jaggar Museum. The food and the service at the restaurant have been excellent. Unfortunately, the hotel and restaurant have been closed since the Kilauea eruption in May - August 2018. While the facility is still standing, it's unknown when the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where Volcano House is located, will reopen.

JPDMR (San Francisco, California) 07/19/2018

This was a great splurge to be near the volcano for a couple of nights. I'm not sure what's going on now, but the feeling of being so close to the crater was incomparable. Dinner at the restaurant is a must, with the light-off show. Again, this was before the recent eruptions. Hopefully, someday it will go back to how it was, as it was a memorable stay.

judith l (Westminster, Colorado) 07/08/2018

I am sure that this review is no longer worth much as so much as changed since the eruption has changed the landscape considerably. We walked and visited and appreciated being on the Rim of the Crater. This year, we look at that and say- right there- we were right there!

harveymushman99 (San Luis Obispo, California) 06/24/2018

The party is over go home...Sorry to say this is over now.Stayed in the campground last year and would visit the "House" in the mornings and evenings .The view could be excellent at times depending what the Volcano was up to.In fact a small portion of the volcano wall collapsed into the lava lake one year ago and created a huge bit of smoke to rise into the air...a message of things to come...The lava lake is gone now along with all the tourist .The crater is now dormant and has collapsed in on it self and is growing larger and larger some scientist believe their may be a huge explosion there soon. The Jagger lookout-museum is closed now forever I am grateful I was there last year for several months some nights there were just magical...Maybe soon the Leilani estates fissure Number 8 will be the new lookout area.Cinder cone with fresh lava running out overland with a ocean entry point within a mile just might be the new place to go...time will tell....Jagger lookout- Volcano House and the ex military base turned hotel with restaurant are now all closed and the local crazy campground... and bless their overcharging hearts they are all unemployed now and maybe just maybe now just a bit more humble and compassionate ..but now is to late as there are no tourist in that area.

Steph H (Ontario Canada) 06/05/2018

We are a family of four we stayed one night in a volcano view room on the second floor. The room was comfortable, but it is older and dated. We didn't stay there for the accommodations, it was for the location. The view is stunning! Seeing the glow and bubbles of the lava and volcano at night and in the morning before sunrise was stunning. I highly recommend staying here and enjoying the beauty of nature!

vegewalk (Santee, California) 07/22/2018

Our two bedroom condo was overlooking the golf course. It was way bigger than I imagined. We booked through Costco and feel like we really got our money's worth. Having a washer and dryer in unit saved us from bring more luggage. It was clean, service was great for check-in and check-out. We chose not to get daily maid service. We used the condo as a launching pad for most of our adventures driving around to other places, so we didn't do much on property. When we needed to stay in and relax the condo definitely suited our needs.

John H (Fullerton, California) 07/14/2018

The units are very nice, AC is good, and lanai is very nice. Units are spacious. The pool is very nice, clean, and has a range of depth from 3-5, but not much 3 feet. Little kids will need floaties. Hot tub is nice although the jets are not very strong. In July the place felt deserted; might be due to weather (90), volcano, etc. The area is very touristy and pricey. It's about 0.5 miles to rocky shore and 1 mile to sandier A-bay. The grounds feel safe and are green, but everything is spaced out (ie, need a car to get around comfortably), and it feels 100% tourists. If you want to mingle with locals, this is most definitely not the place.

familytravellerz (Victoria, Canada) 04/29/2018

We had a two bedroom condo that we booked through VRBO so we did have any interactions with the Aston staff. The condo was spacious (with the exception of the outdated and cramped kitchen) and comfortable with a large lanai and its own BBQ. The Shores is a beautiful complex in a good location. The grounds and common areas were well maintained. Pool was good. The fitness room is small but very clean and well enough equipped. The resort seemed to have a lot of full time residents.

DDDFJD (Carmel, Indiana, USA) 04/06/2018

Working with Peggy at Waikoloa Realty (808) 886-7874, reservations & communication throughout were excellent. All questions answered immediately. The Waikoloa area is beautiful & easy to find. The directions & map sent prior to arrival along with check in information was perfect. To have an assigned parking spot is wonderful & this one was especially nice because it was right on the end & marked for this condo. Step into this 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit & immediately you feel at home. It’s warm & inviting & especially comfortable. The kitchen has everything you’d ever need to cook a full meal, even some spices & coffee/tea supplies. This microwave is the easiest one to operate I’ve ever encountered. The dining room table & chairs were beautiful & the artwork delightful (South Pacific was a favorite musical of mine). There is a desk in the dining room to use to set up your computer. The living room, again, very comfortable & the TV worked well. Ceiling fans in the living room & master bedroom provided just a touch of breeze when needed. Full windows in the living room & bedrooms offer you the views of swaying palm trees. I practically lived on the wrap around lanai with very comfortable furniture & the perfect place to enjoy your meals, a good book, a cup of coffee or glass of wine. The master bedroom had the most comfortable king bed & lots of closet & drawer space. The master bath has double sinks & lots of storage underneath. There is a huge shower with dual shower heads & lots of hot water. The washer & dryer is always a welcome addition - so nice to continue your travels or return home with clean clothes. In the entry there is a collection of great books, movies & a game to enjoy during your stay. At The Shores & for your use is a gym, tennis courts & barbecue areas that include a table & chairs for outdoor dining if you want something other than your lanai. For golfers, you would be in paradise as the course is right outside the complex. You are a short walk to the rocky coast & the King’s trail that goes along the ocean’s edge for quite a way. You are very near A-bay which is a breathtakingly beautiful beach. Many restaurants, grocery stores & shopping reside within the Waikoloa complex. There is even a movie theater. We’re already looking to return, LOVED our stay & the Waikoloa area & would return in a heartbeat. Special thanks to Peggy for making our stay so wonderful.

ryancoke99 (Prince Albert, Canada) 03/18/2018

Absolutely enjoyed out stay at Aston Shores at Waikoloa during the week of February 17 - 25,2018. Central to most things on that side of Big Island, but still a drive to pretty much anywhere you wanna go (fairly typical of Big Island though). Aston Shores is a gorgeous property and the suite we rented from VRBO, was incredible. Please check out info@waikoloavacationcondos.com for their multiple rental properties. The only negative thing I can say about our whole trip is regarding our car rental experience. We've rented multiple times and have never experienced such poor customer service. We reserved a standard size SUV with Budget Rent a Car months prior to arrival. After being in airplane and waiting in airports for pretty much 17 hours, we were faced with an almost 2 hour wait in Budget's building before being helped. Then, the lady behind the desk informs us there are no more standard sized SUVs left and we'd have to take a downgrade, with no offer of refund of any kind. As we we're exhausted and just wanting to get to our condo, I just accepted it and drove away. I have sent a few emails since to Budget, to only be offered a $43 refund for the experience. Needless to say, I will never entertain renting from Budget again. Anyway, enjoy The Big Island. Peace

tarajog (Visakhapatnam, India) 06/18/2018

Great Beach services. It supplies all snorkeling gear, beach gear and chairs. It provides super market just out side the villa area called Queens market. Accommodation is very nice with scenic view, clean and neat. Tennis court and swimming pool facility is available. There is Beach next to it called Waikoloa.

Buttons560 (Beaverton, OR) 06/13/2018

We have stayed in several condos in the Waikoloa area but we thought we would stay somewhere new. It was very nice. Where we had to check in at the Queens shopping center was quite a ways from the actual condos. The staff was very helpful and friendly, especially Emmie. Every time we interacted with her, she was so willing to help us with anything we needed. You had to go into Aston's office to get extra coffee, shampoo, soaps, detergent , etc.. which was kind of a pain. The condo itself was very nice, parking was kind of an issue. Not a lot of spaces for people that rent in the facility, I think it was more owner occupied. The swimming pool area was very slippery and dangerous when wet. I saw several little kids falling down and the edge of the pool was very sharp, saw a man cut his foot. All in all it was a nice place to stay.

snowseekerWA (washington) 04/24/2018

We made our reservation through Air B and B and a group called Resortica. This is the same property, but possibly different units than those available through Aston, but it's the same overall development/neighborhood/property. Wiakoloa village is a great place to stay and this condo complex was perfect for the price, location, and amenities. The unit itself is a well designed townhome with minimal shared walls, was spacious and very comfortable. The bed arrangements were perfect for our family (two singles for the kids, a queen for grandma, and a king for mom and dad), the kitchen/dining area was well stocked and had more than ample space, and the living room with very tall ceilings had a great feel to it. There was a HUGE grass/green space out the back sliding doors, which was perfect for the kids to let themselves out and play. The appliances were new and efficient making it as easy as being home to get the dishes and laundry done. The only thing I would change if I were building it myself would be to increase the outdoor patio space. Also the owners/managers go out of their way to say you get a "starter" amount of laundry detergent/dish soap etc... We were very pleasantly surprised to find enough supplies (garbage bags, soap/detergent, shampoo, etc...) to probably last a month. Lastly, it was really great to have a nice collection of beach chairs, beach umbrella(s), boogie boards, tennis equipment, some sand toys, and towels galore. All this stuff is really hard to travel with and we were very happy to have it in Hawaii waiting for us without having to spend a bunch of money to gear up on arrival. They even had some basic cooking things like oils (vegetable and peanut), salt, pepper, balsamic, and a few other things. The kitchen supplies, pots/pans, dishes, were better and more numerous than anything we have at home. This particular unit was nice in that it was across the street from one of the pools. The pool was also wonderful. It was warm, but refreshing. It was really fun to swim under the stars without being too cold. The hot tub was large and accommodating. The grills around the pool made making a poolside lunch/dinner easy and fun. My wife enjoyed the work out facilities and there are many paths and lots of space in the roadways for running/biking and kid play. Having the pass to the Hilton was the icing on the cake. While it's a bit of an outing/effort to navigate the resort because it's so big, it is a wonderful perk to have. We had one day where it was too windy to be on the beach and we were able to retreat to the Hilton for more fun in the sun instead of feeling like we had to retire to the room or condo pool. It's a very easy to walk there from the rental, however, with two younger kids and LOTS of pool and sand toys it was only practical to drive. The kids (ages 3 and 6) did scooter with me to the Hilton while my wife drove and we met up in the parking lot to gear up. It's also easy and fun to head over to the Hilton for their luau and its nice to have free parking for the event, too. In the end I would highly suggest the Wiakoloa Village Resortica as an excellent location and we really enjoyed this rental as an outstanding place for your Hawaiian adventures.

loveDCA (Seattle, Washington) 03/18/2018

Our AirBnB was part of the Colony Villas in Waikoloa and was perfect for an adult family of four. Our unit was a two story townhome with two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. The community is quiet and well-maintained with one outdoor dedicated parking spot and a garage. The fitness center and pool aren’t open 24 hrs but they are both well-maintained. In terms of location, it’s an easy walk to the historical lava falls that are inscribed by early indigenous Hawaiians and the nearby resorts.

ildiInPDX (Portland, Oregon) 03/04/2018

We booked the townhouse rental through HomeAway and the property was managed by Kona Coast Vacations. Rental was great, well equipped and clean, very comfortable and relaxing. Kona Vacations was great as well, they followed up before the trip a few times and then checked in during the trip as well. Great service from them but the service from the property itself was pretty average. Luckily, we didn't need to worry about that! The hot tub was closed due to a leak but fixed the following day. We'll definitely be back.

Cori M (Las Vegas, Nevada) 08/02/2018

Overall I was extremely pleased with the hotel! There were some nice very nice aspects such as the home like environment. We stayed in a two bedroom condo. It was very nice to have a kitchen as well as a washer and dryer. We are a family of 5, it slept 4 very comfortably and the 5th got the sofa couch (which I would only recommend for young children that don’t care where they are sleeping). The resort doesn’t have lots of amenities. They have a pool and spa then another area with community grills, so you can cook outdoors. You cannot access the ocean from the hotel. You are on the water, but no beach that you get too. I think that may be more of the norm on this island though. The problems that we had was the dishwasher drain was not connected so when we started the dishwasher a massive flood happened. Thank goodness we didn’t start and leave, and we were able to stop the dishwasher. My husband fixed the drain issue and no further problems. Also the washer did not work. We had them come look at that. We never got notification that it was fixed, but after trying it a few more times it eventually worked, so I assume they came back and fixed it. Lastly the doorbell didn’t work, which doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it seemed most people used used that so they would just wait at our door. The housekeeper would use it, and when we didn’t answer she would come in. Of course we were still there. One time she continued to clean, which was a little odd and halted us getting ready to leave for the day. Overall the place was nice. Needs a little maintenance done, but I understand how things could be missed. I wish they had a log that could be filled out during your stay so you could report maintenance problems, so the next vacationer doesn’t have the same problems. Lastly, we book excursions through an Expedia rep that was next to check in. Don’t do that! I didn’t realize that they did not work with the hotel and when we had a problem they had packed up and left to another hotel. We had to hunt them down to get our refunds. The individual companies could not refund us because we booked through Expedia. I would get the information from them, then boom yourselves. No benefit for booking through them. Also we found that they gave us some misinformation, so if we would have called ourselves we would have booked some different trips.

55steve55 (Illinois City, Illinois) 07/31/2018

You can't swim right next to the hotel because of the strong surf and jagged rocks, but there's a fun salt water pool that the ocean fills as well as a fresh water pool. The best part about the hotel is its location between a couple of great beaches though. Its also walking distance to the main Kona strip for shopping and restaurants. Beware that the only separation between the master bedroom and the living room is a divider without much sound or light protection.

575ken (Sonora, California) 07/23/2018

The hotel is in need of some renovations, but it has a great location next to the ocean, cliffs and natural swimming holes. Lots of locals hang out near the rocky shore line, lots of surfers as well. Great pool area and extremely friendly staff who can help schedule trips around the island. Would be four-stars with a little update. I would use the hotel again. Good value.

jenntimcass (Clermont, Florida) 07/08/2018

If you want a relaxing vacation that feels like home, this is your place. The views are absolutely amazing and the service is excellent! We highly recommend these apartments. Not far from the bay and lots of activities and shopping.

WGC_Carpman (Welwyn, United Kingdom) 06/25/2018

Given the amazing view of the ocean from our condo I would like to have rated this property 5+, unfortunately the condo it's self was out dated and a bit shabby. On the positive side it was clean (although on arrival we did find a clump of hair in the shower drain which I had to dispose of). Coffee, milk pots and cleaning products are provided and the condo is very spacious. The balcony is very spacious and provides a 4 place table, 2 dining chair, 2 chairs with swivel and spring laybacks and a full length sunbed. Ideal for breakfast while watching the ocean waves crash on the shore. Our balcony was not overlooked by other residents, another plus when eating breakfast in your PJ's. The kitchen ware (pots, dishes and cooking implements) are very old - badly worn non-stick pans. The oven had a brown stain around the glass door. Closer inspection reviled this to be rust not dirt. The complex provides a pool, hot tub, plenty of sunbeds, table and chairs. 3 BBQs are provided for guest use. No breakfast or catering facilities are provided but when you are holiday it's nice to eat out so this was not a problem. We did a shop for a few essential and managed well enough. Garage parking was plentiful. The staff are very accommodating. A trolley service passes by taking you into Kona where there is a variety of shops, restaurants and other attractions. We tended to drive, if you do and decide to park in Coconut Grove, the park attendants are on you in a minute if you over stay the 2 hours. Best to go to the other end of the high street where you will find a free park. So, be prepared for a magnificent view, nice pool and plenty of sunning but don't build your hopes up too much for the condo although most importantly, it is clean. Overall reasonable value of money.