Kona Islander

The rooms were clean and had everything we needed for a great beach vacation. We loved our stay. There's a pool, hot tub, and lots of plants and trees on the property. The location is great, close to Kona downtown, with a small beach access across the street and tons of nearby restaurants. Highly recommend this place.

I could have been more forgiving at £40 a night, but at £105 a night, and outside summer, it wasn't good enough. The bugs were a major problem. There were cockroaches and other insects in the room. I know bugs can be an issue in hot places, but I'd stayed at four hotels in Hawaii, five in LA, and five in Australia before, and never had a cockroach indoors. I'd seen plenty outdoors, so I think this can be managed. One whole wall of exterior wood panelling was missing from my flat, which probably explains how they got in. On two of my three nights, someone woke me around 8:30am using power tools outside. I understand work has to happen, but 8:30 at a holiday resort? On the last day, I overslept, possibly because the cockroaches kept me up and the workmen woke me early, and missed checkout. I understand that was annoying. The cleaning lady knocked, I explained, apologized, and said I'd get my things and leave. Ten minutes later she came back with a manager, who aggressively demanded that I leave immediately. I was just asking for time to pack. They said the room had to be ready for the next customer, yet it was still listed for that night on air bnb. The flats are privately owned and the resort just manages them. When I told my host about the bugs and noise, he said there was nothing he could do.

The only thing that really worked for us was the location. The unit was neat and organized when we arrived, but the floors were quite dirty, and it didn't feel as clean as a basic hotel. The pool and jacuzzi were decent, nothing special, and the price felt high for such a budget-style stay. We booked through Vrbo. It's useful to know this is more like a budget condo or motel than a hotel. There was no room service, daily cleaning, or pool towels, and we had to take out our own trash. The layout felt uncomfortable: the bathroom sink is beside the toilet and shower and also serves as the kitchen sink, which didn't seem very sanitary. No surface wipes were provided, so cleaning spills was difficult. They do lend out boogie boards, snorkel gear, and beach mats, which was a nice touch. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're comfortable with motel-style accommodations. For us, it was well below the standard of places like La Quinta or Holiday Inn.

Parking was a headache from the start. There are 150 units and only about 50 spaces. You get a paper permit at check-in, and if it tears while removing it from a rental car, there's a $25 replacement fee. Since the lot is nearly always full, parking on the street from the beginning may be easier. The property is a condo-hotel with privately owned units, and unit quality varies a lot. Even a partly updated unit had a persistent musty smell. The AC was very old and loud, making it hard to sleep. Guests are encouraged to switch it off when leaving, so returning to an 82 degree, damp room was common. Bathrooms have no exhaust fans, leaving moisture, humidity, and smells inside. The window AC doesn't reach the back of the layout. The kitchen and bathroom areas are also uncomfortably close, which didn't feel hygienic. The building shows its age, and the amenities felt weak for the price. The pool is tiny, more like a kiddy pool than a resort pool, the hot tub is a basic residential-style tub, and laundry costs $2.50 to wash and $2.50 to dry. The excellent location was the main draw, but this leasehold property left me wondering whether there's much incentive to invest in major infrastructure or modernize the facilities, since the individual unit "owners" don't own the land and the lease has a set expiration. It feels like a place being "run out" rather than maintained to a three-star standard. Unless you're booking strictly for the location and have a very communicative private host, you may be disappointed. With the price and parking hassle, paying a bit more for a standard nearby hotel with guaranteed parking and modern ventilation may be a better choice.