Keauhou Punahele

We've been coming to Keauhou Punahele for about ten years now, and we're big fans of this condo. It's so quiet here that we can really unwind during our stay. Getting to Kailua Kona, Captain Cook, or the Kona coffee belt road is easy too.

D205 had a lovely outlook over the golf course, with the ocean in sight, and we got some fantastic sunset photos. The condo seemed freshly remodeled and came with cooking gear, towels, bedding, and the beach items we needed. We were there for a week during Ironman, and although the complex was nearly full, it stayed quiet. Kona is about seven miles away, around 15 minutes by car in normal traffic or 25 when it's heavy. One thing to know is that most units don't have A/C. We managed comfortably with the ceiling and floor fans and the windows and doors open.

The place felt really rundown, and the windows wouldn't close properly. There were no A/C units either. We came for our honeymoon, and this was the least enjoyable stay of the trip. The property has a retirement-home feel, with negative signs everywhere that don't match the island at all. I saw an older man tell kids to stop playing in the pool, where the rules ban Marco Polo and any kind of “horseplay.” I didn't have kids with me, but the rule seemed pretty stiff. Other resorts nearby made a lot of noise at night, which clashed with the quiet environment management seems to expect from tenants. We met several couples who were also unhappy with management.

Why am I on the hook if something gets stuck in the carburetor? That sounds like bad plumbing and a poor design on your end. And if there's no A/C, the beds really need to be better. The mattress feels like a WWI military cot. I'm 23 and slept worse than I ever have. Just sitting at one end can make my body weight tip the mattress over.