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.
We rented a 2 bedroom ocean front condo and had requested an updated unit. The unit we were given was dated and worn. While the kitchen and bathrooms were clean other areas were not. Most of the unit was carpeted and the carpet was very old and dirty. The couch and love seat were old and dirty with sagging, stained cushions. Our enjoyment of the of the balcony overlooking the ocean was diminished by rusted furniture with old and mildewed cushions. The microwave turntable did not work and kitchen implements were limited. The beds were comfortable and the sheets were clean. The pool area was also clean. Overall it was not worth the price we paid
Low quality for the price - wouldn’t stay there again
tlauer123
(Seattle, Washington)
Carpets were dirty, kitchen implements cheap, dishwasher didn’t work, bath fans very loud. Overall cheap and dated. The price was much too high for the quality level.
Pool was nice, hot tub didn’t seem clean.
Island Hopping
theresam829
Literally just checked in. We are island hopping and spending a few nights on the Big Island. Heading to a B&B near the volcano after this so just two nights here. Wanted a great view and this place delivers. Mixed on the rest though. As soon as we walked into our unit, my husband says, “wow, a real 70’s vibe”. Seems clean but, ugh. The carpets! Seriously?!?! Gross. Keeping my shoes on. The furnishings are worn. As in really worn. Tired. No. Just no. Bathrooms seem fine. The views, however, are amazing. Like I said, views. Ocean waves. Grounds are nice. I don’t know. I would probably scour vrbo? Seems to be rentals next door or nearby with equally amazing views. These views ARE amazing. Our unit not so much.
Great View! But that's about it
Luvpot637
I was really excited to come here and celebrate my husband's milestone birthday! We came from Honolulu from a spectacular hotel! Unfortunately I couldnt' say the same for Aston Kona by the Sea. For the price that we paid for - it was VERY outdated - something from the 80s. I learned that some units are updated and most are not - they are ALL individually owned. Hardly any lights - dimmed, faucets are old and barely turning, Painting is scuffed up - The tubs were rusty and the second bathroom did not work at all.
ALL IN ALL - I would probably have spent that kind of money on another hotel that was more up to date. WORST of all is at night - there's all kinds of roaches roaming around the facility!!! :(. The texting system worked great - when they had asked if we were celebrating anything - I responded but nothing special was done or anything so why even text and ask? Hope this helps some people make a decision when booking.
Always a favorite
Porschetravel
(Pasco, Washington)
We have always enjoyed staying with Aston. This was our third trip to the Kona property. We love the privacy and view. Only issue with this stay was we were NOT given an oceanfront room which we reserved. Instead, we were given a tired room with only partial view. The hotel tried to correct most of our issues, however we believe we should have been refunded some of our cost since we had to stay in a cheaper room.
We absolutely loved our condo at Waikoloa Shores. Possibly the best VRBO we have ever had! 322 had everything we could have wanted. Quiet, great views, comfortable furniture, fully stocked kitchen, and balcony supreme. Did we mention A-1 parking spot?
Thanks to Peggy with Waikoloa Realty. Peggy was with us throughout our process. We had multiple COVID-19 related changes. We had a seamless transition throughout!
Nick and Lori
Henderson, NV
Do not stay here. Very disappointed.
Coastal45854206169
(Choctaw, Oklahoma)
This place is horrible. The pictures that are posted are deceiving. They look nice and very updated but in actuality this place hasn’t been updated since the 70s. We were put on the third floor with stairs and the elevator was broken. We both are disabled and they had nothing else. The bed is dated back at least twenty years. Mattress very hard. No air, very hot. No cooking pans, no dishes. Limited towels, no tv. Shower was very hard to get into. No handicapped parking . Huge cockroaches. Awful awful awful. All lies. Would have given it a zero but that wasn’t an option.
Good for the price.
Mikaela C
(Rochester, Minnesota)
The condo itself was really nice- large open space with high ceilings, big kitchen, nice big patio/lanai. The kitchen has good utensils and new countertops. There were lots of towels. But the furniture was really worn out and old. The linen was scratchy and there was only one thin ugly blanket. I brought a beach blanket that I ended up using on the bed because the one provided was so poor.
Not what we expected
loritC5745UB
We stayed there thing it would be a nice place . Our room was nice enough bu the pool and surrounding area were so hot, you could not walk on stones surrounding the pool . Forget about going in the pool it was like a hot bath . I felt like we were a Floating Petri dish . We went in for less than 1 minute . Not sure what you can do to cool down maybe some umbrellas ??
Lovely property
Lucinda B
(Norton Shores, Michigan)
We enjoyed this property. We have stayed at other Ashton's and we're impressed by the grounds of this one as well. This one does not have the office on property so influenced the score a bit. The condo itself was nice but a little more dated then others I have stayed at. The bathtub/ shower has a huge step in and out with no grab bars. There is no cleaning service included in the stay without an additional cleaning fee. Towels are in abundance and cheerfully delivered. The dishwasher had something awful in the bottom that we reported. The Lanai was beautiful and beds clean and comfortable. It seemed like this unit hadn't been used for awhile as the plants and end tables were dusty and there were a few bugs (this is the tropics). The beds were comfortable. Over all the stay was great and I would stay at an Ashton again. All three of us enjoyed our stay here. We especially enjoyed our evening visits to the pool and hot tub. Very convenient location. Quiet property which suited our needs. Grills scattered throughout property for use. Gated community with a code for entry. A different code for pool and fitness center. I would stay again.
First of all...this is not a resort nor hotel. Huge disappointment. Our 3 bedroom 802 villa was fithy...Gross and disgusting. The kitchen sink has some kind of gross mold growing around the edges. So out dated, the coffe maker was straight out of the 80s. The glass dining room table had finger prints covering it, like it wasn't even cleaned for our arrival. The out door furniture was so old and weather you couldnt sit in the chairs without getting a splinter. All the baseboards have a thick layer of dust. Windows, glass doors dirty. Our upstairs shower was leaking down a vent into the half bath downstairs. The beds in each room were the most uncomfortable and wrapped in some kind a plastic coving the matress. The grounds are beautiful, but of course it's Hawaii. I can't understand after staying here why it's a 4 star..
Not impressed
Rob7039
I’m not 100% sure the staff assigned us to the correct
Room. There was a baby crib in the room when we checked in . The next day the staff called to see if they could go in the room to get it to which I said use, They them called three more times and emailed twice! This isn’t how I wanted to spend my first day of vacation.
They were not very generous with supplies either- I think there was one extra roll of toilet paper and one extra
garbage bag. The sofa bed was old and in pretty bad condition. We ended up purchasing an air mattress because there was no way anyone was going to get any sleep on that thing.And i was really unimpressed when we got locked a few days before we were due to check out. .The door code had got changed without notifying us. I wondered what would have happened if we had come back to the unit after office hours?
Not impressed anyway- wouldn’t recommend.
Quiet and beautiful
maicoman1
(Waikoloa, Hawaii)
I have been to the Big Island many many time and Colony Villas is the best place we have ever staye 2 pools and nice excersise facilities, and a very nice tennis court to boot. I would come here again without hesitation. Also felt very secure and safe
The Big Island 2019
Lucretia L
Property was beautiful as was the 3 bedroom villa we stayed in.....couldn't have asked for a better location. Home was well appointed and we did not lack for anything! Centrally located for all of our activities and with a pool and restaurant on property you really didn't need to leave if you didn't want too.
Poorly Managed
Hugemaniac1
(San Jose, CA)
These are lovely Villa style units which have fallen upon disrepair. We stayed in Unit 801 which has a great floor plan and nicely furnished. The unit though is showing signs of aging which was apparent in broken blinds lading to the patio. The management company is doing a very poor job: on check in we were missing all sorts of items such as kitchen dish soap, no sponge, a single trah bag, no soap for the dishwasher, a single partial roll of toilet paper in the bathroom among other issues. The blender smelled as if something died inside of it. On the positive side, the sleep experience was good, quiet with good bedding. The fairway views are quite lovely and the grounds are well maintained. These units have great potential but are suffering as the result of management which seems a bit indifferent.
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.
