Big Island Revealed – Resort Reviews

Where to Stay in Big Island

Here are some of the Big Island Resorts that we have reviewed. Each review is unbiased and based on our personal visits. Our team regularly visits these resorts and reviews them for your benefit. You can also find Big Island resorts in our app for free! There you can filter them the way you want to find your perfect place to stay.

Featured Resorts

Hilton Waikoloa Village

Where do we start? How about wow! This is the one you’ve probably heard about. This resort spread over 62 acres, is the most elaborate of them all. (By the way, despite its name, it is not located in or next to the town of Waikoloa Village.) Three separate towers...

Grand Naniloa Hotel

The Grand Naniloa underwent renovation in 2016, but we have a feeling that the $30 million changes are just the beginning for this snazzy resort, and we look forward to their future with… curiosity. The hotel is clean, spacious and modern (though many things have...

Royal Kona Resort

This resort has a nice oceanfront location in downtown Kona. Of the three buildings, the Lagoon Building is the quietest in terms of human activity. Because of the layout of the building, most rooms have a view of the ocean. (Of course, just because you can see the...

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

This was the first resort to grace the Kohala lava desert area, and a large part of their business is repeat customers. Built by Laurance S. Rockefeller in 1965, it set the standard for all that came afterward. The Mauna Kea has traditionally been one of the most...

Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa

This resort is best described as sophisticated, understated, islandy designs scattered throughout, but a bit stark with lots of concrete. It does, however, embrace its oceanside location. (But there is no sand beach here, and they could use more plants in the...

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

This resort shines, even among its superb competitors: 37 one- and two-story bungalows in several crescents with six to eight rooms per building, including a few golf course buildings. They used a lot of local materials, giving the resort a very Hawaiian feel. All...

Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i

We try not to blather on about a resort—it hurts our credibility. But when it’s right, it’s right. The Fairmont Orchid has an intoxicating richness that permeates everything. The lush grounds have a very sculpted and precise feel. Nothing is out of place. The...

Colony One at SeaMountain

This condo property on the south side of the island is a long way from other towns. The condo complex is mostly timeshares (though you won’t find any salesmen around) in the heart of SeaMountain, a very remote region in the southern part of the island. The grounds...

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

A three-story resort sitting right in Kona town. This is a familiar brand, and the one here is no different except they used a slightly more Hawaiian color palette in their modern room design. A couple of room features we really liked were the soft and firm pillow...

Waikoloa Beach Marriott

This resort, located directly across from the Kings’ Shops, went for a modern look they call “contemporary elegance.” The effect isn’t very Hawaiian—more like a 1950s retro-style with abstract patterns in colors to match the surroundings—but it’s bright, fresh,...