Hawaii may be the “Big Island,” but you could drive through all of it in as little as two days. But you won’t want to rush it. The longer you stay here, the more you will uncover Hawaii Island’s many secrets and surprises.
Breathe deep, and take in the fresh air. Feel the magic in the volcanic mountains, deep valleys, hot springs, and cascading waterfalls. Observe the peculiarity of ancient petroglyphs and green sand. And let the ever-growing, lava-flowing shores bring something new for you to explore each day. This is an island that never gets old. Literally.
Hotel sits right on the rim of the volcano. Although there is no visible lava there is still a lot see in the park. This hotel is great for driving and waking to the park. The hotel itself is rustic and average but it’s location is excellent and it means you make an early start to exploring the many volcanic sites across a very large area. Food is good and buffet breakfast is good.
Kiluea Caldera Lunch
531JimB
(Belleville, Canada)
We recently visited Volcano House restaurant at the Kiluea Crater. The panoramic view from our table by the window was incredible. From this view the volcano seems quiet and inactive. The food was great and the staff were very friendly. Our waitress Stacy showed us pictures on her cell phone of the active rift zone located near her house. We could tell from her story that it was a scary experience.
Stunning location, great service
k808a
(Honolulu)
We had stopped by many times on around-the-island trips, but this was our first overnight stay. The building dates to the 1940s, so no one should be expecting glam resort treatment, but everything was totally comfortable, clean & functional. We were served complimentary mimosas on check-in, and the free morning coffee was excellent. The staff was friendly and helpful. There are no TVs (by design) but the Wi-fi was at least as good as many city hotels. Our room had a safe, but no refrigerator -- you must go down to the bar to get ice. As the only hotel inside the park, it's a short walk to the visitor center and Volcano Art Center and an easy hike to Steaming Bluff and Sulphur Banks. And of course Kilauea caldera -- with Halema'uma'u crater vastly expanded by the summer 2018 collapse -- is literally a few feet away. We came away thinking about our next visit.
Best place to stay in the park
Suz116
Volcano House had just reopened, and the staff was clearly pleased, and went out of their way to make sure everything was good for us.
The room was nice, clean a great view of the currently dormant crater, and quiet.
The perfect place to stay for seeing the park, although some areas are still off limits for safety reasons.
Thanksgiving Dinner with friends. Kinda perfect.
MaxHall
(Volcano, Hawaii)
This hotel and restaurant are so unique. They offer a dining experience that is beyond wonderful. The view of the steaming crater alone is worth the visit alone. Great meal preparation and presentation. And the staff is all about Hawaii. A local place for us since we live in the area. But this should be a must stop on any visit to Volcano.
Aston Staff Are Superb & The Grounds Are Wonderful
yes2travel
(Atlanta, GA)
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!!
Beautiful, gated community that felt like home
Janie4359
(Round Rock, Texas)
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
Redoak1977
(Jamestown, Pennsylvania)
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.
Great home away from home
vegewalk
(Santee, California)
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.
Units are good; location is touristy
John H
(Fullerton, California)
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.
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.
HAWAII VACATION #7: LAST MINUTE ACCOMMODATION AT THE BIG ISLAND
Gerald R
(Oakland, California)
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.
Great beach services
tarajog
(Visakhapatnam, India)
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.
First time visit
Buttons560
(Beaverton, OR)
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.
A great option considering space, cost, and location
snowseekerWA
(washington)
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.
This property is in a great position on the beach and a 10 min walk into Kona shops. You pay extra to stay on the beach and this is as close as you get. Surfing only at this position, the beach is too rocky for swimming. You need to make the effort to return each day in time for the sunset and if you are lucky dolphins cruising past. The apartments are possibly individually owned so the furnishings and kitchen appointments are variable and may be dated. Just the right size for a family needing a kitchen, dining and living area for their stay.
Best kept secret
Leslie C
(Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada)
Amazing oceanfront views. Great location. Well equiped kitchen. Will come back for sure. Clean and accomodating staff. Close to surfing, swimming and shopping. Think about Kona as much quieter than Maui.
Great location
Talitha44
Good sized condo right on the water. Not too many units which is nice as it doesn’t feel too busy. Small beach but not one you would want to swim from. The pool is nice to have although it can get noisy with kids or large family groups. The location is great for accessing different parts of the island, also a quick drive into downtown Kona.
Nice suprise
Travelabundance_77
(Austin, Texas)
We have stayed at 3 Aston properties for this Hawaii trip and this authentic place was nicely surprising and we got a great unit 211 with lots of wooden local art, updated kitchen & bathroom. Ocean front and our first day visited by a green sea turtle eating her lunch. Im very impressed with this property, it’s not a fancy resort but you definitely get great value for your money and staff is very courteous and nice. View is amazing and walking distance to liquor store and great breakfast & craft market.
Great condo unit for adults.
aljeant5
We have been visiting this condo unit for about 10 years and it is always well maintained and clean. It is right on the ocean so the views are fantastic. All family members are welcome, but we have noticed that it is mainly adults, so very quiet. Easy to have quiet time around the pool.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the hub of Hawaii’s volcanoes. Head there to see the erupting Kilauea up close, and discover how the islands were made.
The Kona Coast is sunny and delicious. The land is rife with coffee, fruit, macadamia nuts, and cocoa, and there’s top-notch snorkeling off its shores.
Hilo is Hawaii Island’s doorway to discovery. You’re never far from enchanting parks, elegant gardens, and exciting happenings in this historic city and district.
Hawaii Island’s beaches are generally rugged and rocky, but A-Bay (Anaehoomalu Beach) and Hapuna Beach have soft sand, gentle shores, and classic Hawaiian beauty.
No matter when you visit, it’s time for a celebration. The Merrie Monarch Festival (week after Easter) and the Big Island Film Festival (May) are two shining examples of the festivities that are happening year round.
There are health risks related to exposure to high altitudes and volcanic fumes. Please be careful if you’re pregnant, under 16, or have breathings issues.
There are 8 distinct climate zones, and different weather patterns across Hawaii Island. If you’re heading out on a road trip, check the weather at your destination and bring appropriate clothing.
Puna and Hilo are the rainiest districts on Hawaii Island; Kona is the driest.
Must Do
Farm & Brewery Tours
Go (macadamia) nuts on a tour of Hawaii Island’s many farms and breweries. You’ll sample delectable goods like Hawaiian chocolate and Kona coffee, and learn all about how Hawaii Island’s tasty treasures are harvested.
Ancient Hawaii
Add time travel to your itinerary. History buffs will love delving into the history of Hawaii Island’s sacred grounds, and the mystery of its ancient petroglyphs.
Green Sand Beach
You’ll be seeing green when you head down to the olivine shores of Papakolea Beach. You won’t find another place like it in Hawaii (or the the entire U.S.).
Touring Expedition
Make a mad dash down Hawaii Island’s coastlines on an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle), soar through hard-to-reach places by aircraft, or unwind on a horseback tour through awe-inspiring valleys. Every seat is a good seat.
Napua Okimoto
“I find the Big Island to be the most amazing place on the planet. The unique diversity of climates… and the warm inviting people make it feel unlike any place I have ever been. It is like being called home.”
Breathe deep, and take in the fresh air. Feel the magic in the volcanic mountains, deep valleys, hot springs, and cascading waterfalls. Observe the peculiarity of ancient petroglyphs and green sand. And let the ever-growing, lava-flowing shores bring something new for you to explore each day. This is an island that never gets old. Literally.
