Explore796204 03/19/2019

Great place to stay overnight and look into the crater - cannot see the lava or glow at night, but lots of steam vents - watch the cloud form every morning above the crater - nice rooms - superb dinner and breakfast in the restaurant - many trails are closed due to recent activity.

barbarafC3931GL 03/18/2019

My husband and I stopped at Volcano house on a whim. It was a clear day and you could see right into the Kilauea caldera while dining on Hawaiian delights. I had a ginger shrimp with Jasmine rice in a sweet and sour broth. My husband had the Hawaiian sampler which was beautifully presented in a bento box. It contained poke, poi, fish, even haupia. The service was very attentive as well.

Jean246t (Ewa Beach, Hawaii) 03/17/2019

Perfect access to the volcano food and entertainment! The Hawaiian spirit and hospitality is on front and center at this beautiful location. It is obvious that the local community and the parks caretakers love and appreciate the land.

Tannenbaum10 (Saint Helena Island, South Carolina) 03/10/2019

We stayed in a crater-view room and enjoyed the view. There is no red glow anywhere anymore, but you can see steam vents all over, and on a clear day it is magnificent. The restaurant was good, and the pub was fine for a quick lunch.

Embracexperiencenjoy (Melbourne, Australia) 03/06/2019

We forked out the extra for a crater view room, I'm not sure why you would stay here if you didn't. Food was delicious in the restaurant and cocktails so so good. Service was good, once in a lifetime experience.

yes2travel (Atlanta, GA) 11/26/2018

I must begin by giving high marks to the Aston desk staff. Jenny Tolentino knows her business and how to make customers happy. I spoke with her before and during my stay and she went over the top to make things wonderful. If you stay here through an Aston booking don't hesitate to ask for her assistance if needed. You will not be disappointed. Our unit was a 2BR Garden View. The unit size was terrific and the balcony out of this world wonderful. The unit itself is privately owned and was very dated. There were patch marks on the walls, worn out cabinets and a general "1970's" type furnishings, sinks etc. The kitchen appliances and furnishings definitely need replacing and from something more upscale than Wal-Mart. Regardless of the shabby room disappointment we had a lovely time and will definitely return to the resort in the future. (Albeit requesting a different room.) The pool and grounds are fantastic. The tennis courts very well maintained. It is lushly landscaped and very quiet. Access to Waikoloa restaurants is easy and the nearby hiking trails wonderful. Wish I was there right now!!

Janie4359 (Round Rock, Texas) 09/26/2018

This is a lovely, gated community and the Aston management property employees were extremely friendly and helpful. Hailey was very nice and helpful with our check-in process. There's even a free movie rental box in their office to take some movies to your unit. We got lucky and were placed in a Villa (#18). Villas are grouped 4 together; 2 upstairs units and 2 main level. We scored an upstairs villa that had nice furnishings. Since these are privately owned properties, each unit will be different. The villas have a carport for one car for each villa. 2 separate carports for the building of 4 villas. If you can be lucky enough to get placed in a villa, you will have an ocean view overlooking the golf course. The lanai was very large with a table for 6, a couch and even had access from the Master bedroom as well as the 2nd bedroom. Each night we were treated to a beautiful sunset. This was a 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath condo. The extra 1/2 bath came in real handy with 4 of us getting ready. Both bathrooms were large with the master having a large, 2 headed shower and the other bathroom having a garden tub and lovely shower. Both bathrooms were double vanities. There's a safe in the master closet. You are close the the Kings Shops and Queens Marketplace as well as the Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. The only minor issue was some pesky sugar ants which the management company were quick to come and spray. Central air so it was very comfortable. We will definitely return here on our next visit.

Redoak1977 (Jamestown, Pennsylvania) 09/16/2018

We spent a week at the Shores. It was clean, roomy, and comfortable. A wonderful condo with beautiful grounds. The staff was very helpfull and friendly. If you are going to be on the Big Island, I highly recommend staying at the Shores.

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.

DarkMarmot (Bellingham, Washington) 10/28/2018

I was surprised by the size of the villas. Our family of 4 stayed in unit 403, which was very private and overlooked the 10th hole of the Waikoloa Beach golf course. It was a clean, 2 story unit with 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, a stocked kitchen, and a large, open living area with an additional fold out couch. There is a lanai off the master bedroom and a patio off the dining area with views of the golf course and blocked from other units. In the garage was beach and pool toys as well as 2 boogie boards. Other units in the complex are not as private, so note the location of the condo you rent. The villas are located close to the Hilton and the Kings and Queens shops. There is a garage attached to the unit and this unit also had a reserved parking space. Walking to the beach, restaurants, and Buddha Point is easy from the condo. It is a quiet, gated community with easy access to everything in the Waikoloa Beach area.

geraldr507 (Oakland, California) 08/19/2018

Prior to this past May I've never been to Hawaii. Last February my family and I booked our trip to Hawaii to attend my nephew's high school graduation in May. We planned to stay for five days at the Big Island. We were going to stay at Royal Kona Resort through a family discount. However two weeks prior to my Hawaii trip we ended up not getting the reservation. Desperately at the eleventh hour on Friday before Cinco de Mayo my cousin's girlfriend booked this place. Even though we were about 45 minutes away from our original destination to stay we had no choice but to book the reservation at this place as everything else was booked. Where you stay affects your itinerary. By staying here I had to change my itinerary. If things don't go as you plan you have to make the most of it. Even though I wasn't able to stay at Royal Kona Resort there were some benefits of staying here. First this place is about 2 minute drive away from Queens Market Place, which not only was the pickup destination for the Kohala Waterfall Tour but also there was grocery place Island Gourmet Markets and Starbucks that serves Kona Coffee, which you can't find at any Starbucks on the mainland. Second unlike the busy resorts full of tourists this place is separated from all the noise because you're staying at a condo. Third this condo is very safe as you don't have to worry about theft as this a gated facility. The house we stayed at was a two-story with 3 three bedrooms. In this facility there is a tennis court and swimming pool. During my 5-day stay here on the last week of May I had a relaxing, quiet time here. There are drawbacks staying here. First unlike the resorts that are situated next to a beach this condo isn't close to a beach that is walking distance. Second is this condo is more expensive than a resort. Third and the most important is you are responsible for cleanup through the usage of the kitchen and bathroom. By staying at a resort you don't have to worry about the cleanup. I'll be honest my rating had to do by not staying at a hotel and ended up by staying here at the last minute. This place isn't for everyone. If you're with family I believe a resort would be more beneficial. However if you plan to have a bachelor or bachelorette party this place would be more useful and convenient than staying at a resort. At the end it all depends on you where to stay.

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.

markjd4524 03/05/2019

The Aston is located right on the ocean and provided some great whale watching. When we arrived we received a room with a great view of the Lobby. Our request to move was granted immediately and the new room had a great view of the pool and the ocean. The staff were helpful and friendly. The rooms were clean and the grounds were mellow and not busy. Common bbqs were available and we used them one night for supper. A nice stay for 5 of us the Aston.

sharsoren (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) 03/04/2019

I found this hotel/condo last Spring through Trip Advisor after spending a week in North Kona (Waikoloa) and knew I wanted to stay south on Ali’i Drive. Through a little research at All Things Big Island Facebook group page, this establishment is a hidden gem. Upon checkin, we were hoping for the 4th floor but 2nd floor room was available. Lucky us!! Perfect views, updated room, 2 king rooms/2 baths and PLENTY of room to spread out. The lanai is a nice size complete with 4 chairs, table and lounge chair! Parking is easy, the building access is very secure for elevator, restrooms and pool areas. Daily maid service and replenishment of towels for bathroom & pool. Management has been very helpful and very friendly, especially Melody upon checkin.

JSWKingsfield (Seattle, Washington) 02/25/2019

We were looking for a place to rest and be lazy in the sunshine by the sea. Booked a two bedroom, two bath condo so that college aged kid on mid-winter break would have his own space. Great set-up -- kiddo got his own bedroom suite at one end of the condo, with his own TV and ability to slip in and out without bothering the parents. We had the large master suite on the other end of the condo. We prefer renting a condo for family trips, because we find it more restful to stock a kitchen with breakfast supplies from the local supermarket (cold cereal, bread for toast, butter, fruit, yogurt, milk), snacks, and some simple dinner ingredients. Kona by the Sea has 3 gas grills out by the pool, very handy for grilling burgers, steaks, fish (you might want to buy foil at the local grocery store). The granite counter-top kitchen was compact yet well equipped with plates, bowls, cups, glasses, mixing bowls, utensils, cooking tongs, toaster, coffee maker, microwave, large fridge, electric range w/oven, coffee maker, even place mats. There was salt & pepper, one daily packet of Kona coffee (enough for about 6 cups of drip coffee), some coffee service items. Full size dining table large enough for 8 was very welcome. Great to have a living room to enjoy a movie (free DVDs are available to borrow on site, plus there was a Playstation) or read in the evening. Even better place to read, was the deck facing the water. What a lovely spot to enjoy a glass of wine. A/C worked very well. Good wifi reception. Concierge was very helpful, as was the front desk when it was time to print out boarding passes for our departure flight. Very convenient to have a washer & dryer in our unit -- really needed that dryer after a day in the downpour on the Hilo side of the island. The grounds are well kept. Daily housekeepers were cheery (they do not service the kitchen, other than to empty the wastebasket and keep the coffee stocked). Pool and hot tub very welcome, with the background sounds and view of crashing waves. There is a sandy area to sit and read. The shore is black volcano rock, but fun to spot green turtles coming near to eat algae in the tide pools. My husband saw a whale spouting in the distance. On a particularly high tide day, surfers were out catching the waves (not the best spot to surf). Our unit was very clean, but clearly had some wear & tear, none of which bothered us particularly. Just happy to be comfortable in relaxing surroundings. This is not an "all services" resort. There is a convenience store two properties north. Limited places to eat in the area -- the Poke Shack is few blocks south, and there also is a BBQ place a little further south (closes at 5 p.m.). A vegetarian food truck and a shaved ice stand is in the nearby open air Marketplace that is open Tuesday - Sunday. Best to have a car with you -- the Safeway is a 10-mile drive north (towards the airport), has all the supplies you could want. There are a couple of KTS supermarkets nearby, our favorite being the one at the Keauhou Shopping Center which is 10 miles south off of Ali'i Drive. The Keauhou Shopping Center has a variety of good places to eat, plus a Saturday farmer's market. If you're looking for a big fancy resort to be fussed over and constantly entertained, go to Waikoloa or something like that. Kona By The Sea is for a restful, non-touristy, easy-going environment.

Marthadoe 02/10/2019

We were in the three story towers in a ground level one bedroom, Room 101. We asked for an upstairs unit but we were told that one bedrooms were all ground units. We could hear all of the plumbing from toilet flushing to dish washers and washing machine. You could hear neighbors foot steps and conversations. We could hear drawers, doors, windows and closets opened and closed. We will never book a stay with this property again. The problems appear to be related to poor design and sound installation.

Tankbou (Austin, Texas) 02/09/2019

My family booked a 2-bedroom condo at Aston Kona by the Sea, through Donna Bender of MauiCalls, for the week of Christmas 2018. My husband and three teen-agers thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing stay at this beautiful ocean-front location. Having lived in Hawaii in years past, I like to avoid areas which are too touristy, preferring a more low-key and relaxing location where we can experience the true ambiance of the islands. Donna booked a two-bedroom condo at Kona by the Sea, and it was clean, had daily maid service, and two things I hold near to my heart: a balcony where we can leave our door open to listen to the crashing waves at night, and a washer/dryer! Kona by the Sea is close to restaurants and shopping, yet still offers a beautiful place to watch the sunrise or sunset in quiet solitude.