Hilton Grand Vacations Club Kings’ Land Waikoloa

The hotel itself is lovely, and everyone we’ve met, including the bar staff, has been great. Our room was beautiful when we arrived on Monday. My complaint is really with Hilton Timeshare. I reluctantly agreed to a 45-minute owner’s update because the offer of 100k HH points seemed too good to pass up. We told them we were happy with what we already had, but they kept pressing. Then they asked if they should mark us down as bankrupt as the reason we were declining. I wondered if mocking people who are struggling financially was really Hilton’s policy. I’ve never been spoken to that way at Westin Vacation Club, where we also own. The update ended up taking 2.5 hours. Walking away from it, we decided Hilton won’t get another dime from us. They’ve made it easy to turn down every future owner update.

We spent a week here after trading through RCI for a two-bedroom unit. The layout was spacious, with a big living area, and we made good use of the kitchen. Its equipment seemed fairly new, was easy to use, and covered almost all our cooking needs. The fridge was massive, which came in handy for all the Costco groceries we bought. We did wish we’d brought salt, pepper, and seasonings from home instead of buying large containers. The main pool near the lobby is impressive, with several smaller sections and a quiet adults-only pool. It could have been cleaner, though. I saw leaves in it at the end of the day when I went for a sunset swim. There’s also a small gym and an on-site restaurant, but many guests are owners who cook in their units. Our master bathroom was almost too big. I didn’t like that a curtain, rather than a door, was the only divider between it and the master bedroom, so sound and light carried through. The second bedroom had two twin beds and a bathroom across the hallway, and didn’t have that problem. Shuttles to Waikoloa village and the shopping centers are easy to figure out, but take a while because they stop quite often. Parking is included across the Hilton properties as part of the high resort fee. The sidewalks were comfortable to walk on, though it can get a little dark without street lamps.

The resort is fabulous, and it probably has the best beach on the island. What would keep us from returning is the difficulty and cost of eating there. We’re not really breakfast people, and only went to the $50/person brunch once. The poolside restaurant had a limited menu and food that was mediocre overall. A few things, like the burgers, were done well, but other dishes weren’t very good for the prices. Because of my health issues, I couldn’t find food there that felt safe for me to eat. Going off resort for a meal means a significant round trip drive. As wonderful as the place is otherwise, we’ll likely stay somewhere else next time.

We’ve stayed at Kings Land twice now, and both visits were amazing. Building six was a lucky draw for us, right by the pool and main lobby. The pool area is large, and at times it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. The full kitchen and washer and dryer make it a great spot for families. Every employee we met was friendly and helpful, from the bartenders to the people driving the golf carts.