The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort

The staff took such good care of us, from check-in and concierge to the restaurant teams, housekeeping, pool attendants, and bellhops. A shout-out to Amy and the Ikena landing staff. Everyone was unfailingly kind, and I suspect the GM follows Simon Sinek. We booked through Delta Vacations and got a great rate. Mahalo to the team! The Westin Hapuna Beach is a fantastic Hawaiian hotel. It’s large but not overwhelming, beachfront, and close enough to other places. The grounds and staff are immaculate. The rooms are standard Westin, with remarkable views. It isn’t a modern hotel, but it has what you need. The pools were clean and just the right temperature, and the gym was excellent. We didn’t use the spa, though its recent upgrade was clear: spacious locker rooms and a quiet, shaded deck with good views of passing whales. We enjoyed the trail between here and Mauna Kea, and drove two very hot miles south to more secluded beaches. We’re a couple of young professionals, and guests seemed happy across the board, from retirees and families with little ones to honeymooners and business travelers.

The hotel is beautiful, and the staff seemed professional. We enjoyed the restaurants, which had great views, and breakfast was worth adding to the room. Room service was great, too. The room itself could have been cleaner, though. There were bugs on the bathroom ceiling. The main problem was the Marriott vacation club pitch. There was a welcome envelope in the room directing us to a lobby desk that acted like a concierge, offering trip advice. Then they brought out a sheet offering a free activity, like a helicopter tour, if we attended a club sales presentation. The club is basically a hotel rewards program in timeshare form. I looked it up and saw a 1.3-star rating, with no one happy with it. The pitch felt uncomfortable and high pressure. Fortunately, my wife and I are good at saying no.

We discovered the Westin during our last couple of nights on the Big Island, after deciding we didn’t care for the lava rock covering most of the area. Its beach was the nicest one we found. The service went above and beyond, and we’ll stay there again when we return to the island. The food didn’t wow us; it seemed like typical resort food, and the prices reflected that. But there were plenty of beach and poolside seats, with no one fighting over chairs at 7am. It was an amazing place for the end of our first Big Island trip.

We’re back at the Westin Hapuna beach for a second stay, and we’d recommend it to anyone visiting the Big Island. We didn’t consider anywhere else when planning this return. The rooms, lobby, pools, and beach are all phenomenal. I can’t speak for families with kids, but as adults we love the adults-only infinity pool and hot tub. The Hapuna team is always a pleasure to deal with, whether at the restaurants, valet, or in hospitality. Thanks for making this a great place to visit. The hotel also has a great laundry facility on Floor 6. As someone who hikes and spends time outdoors, being able to wash clothes quickly makes a big difference. We didn’t use the workout facility, but it looked very well equipped. You’ll need a car, though I’d recommend one wherever you stay on the island. Dining options around the property are more limited than in downtown Kailua-Kona, but with a little planning it’s easy to manage. It’s an awesome hotel and a great place to stay.