Hilton Waikoloa Village

This is a hotel that my partner went to, on a conference trip, about fifteen years ago. We've been talking about going for about ten years, and we finally made it. It was so inspiring, that I've even written it into my latest novel! What a beautiful place! So large that there is a little boat and tram to take you around. I will say that we enjoyed walking around the hotel, taking our time and embracing every moment. The food for breakfast was lovely, ample choice and you have the pleasure of listening to a ukelele player and singer too! Also, if you go around 8 am and sit by the window (that was correct at the time of writing), you will see the dolphins doing some laps in the lagoon. Yes, that's right – Lagoon. They have their very own man-made lagoon, filled with tropical fish, turtles, you name it. We enjoyed hiring snorkelling equipment and experiencing that – that was a true moment for me, so thank you. It's a family-friendly resort, so lots of families were around. Travelling as a couple though, I will say, it was still peaceful. The various pools were stunning. I loved the caves, especially at night when everything is all lit up – just truly, beautiful. The resort do all sorts of activities, we didn't take part in any of them, unfortunately, but everything from hula dancing to ukelele lessons! Our room was lovely with a view of the resort and the ocean. Comfy bed! I will say, we didn't eat at any of the restaurants for dinner, we opted to get take out at Island Gourmet Marketplace (see separate review) but they have a huge sushi bar. I'd recommend going for a walk at night (make sure you have bug spray though, I was bitten by a lot by mosquitoes)! The resort is at it's most beautiful at night, I'd say, plus if you walk around to it's most hidden spots, the view of the stars is amazing. There's self-parking. Super friendly staff wherever you go. A wonderful hotel. We will be back. Read less

This is the Disneyland resort of Hawaii and I’m saying that in a good way. It’s not for everyone, but if you have a family with kids that likes a lot of activities, this is a great place. Our kids loved taking the tram and boat around the resort. It was nice to take the boat at night and gaze at the stars while taking the tram made you feel like you were taking the monorail at Disney! The pools are massive with waterfalls, caves, and a water slide. The enclosed lagoon is also nice in that you can snorkel or ride a canoe in the calm water. We stayed at the Ocean tower during our trip and being a Hilton HHonors diamond member, we had access to the continental breakfast. We paid the upcharge to get the full breakfast buffet and thought it was worth it to get all the hot buffet items also. I have a full video review of the resort as well as our stay at the Grand Wailea in Maui if you do a search for Wearefamilee007 on youtube. The link is also on my profile too. Read less

In November 2017 wife and I walked 15 minutes from Bay Club at Waikoloa Beach Resort, carrying snorkel gear, fins and towels to use the lagoon at Hilton Waikoloa Resort. Loved it (the lagoon, not the walk), and vowed to someday stay at the resort. This is our 4th trip to the big Island in the past 9 years, having seen most of the sites of the island, including the glowing lava of Volcanoes national park multiple times. We did not rent a car, but came by Roberts Hawaii shuttle from the airport. We avoided the $33 plus tax daily self park fee at the parking lot, and the quarter mile+ walk from the parking lot to the front desk. $39 plus tax for daily valet parking plus tip for every time that they have to retrieve your vehicle from the parking lot. Hilton Hotels advertises $219 rooms. Add on a mandatory $40 daily resort fee, $33 daily parking fee ($39 valet parking), and 4.712% state sales taxes on all 3 costs, plus 10.25% hotel tax on the $219, and it's about $316 a day for a standard 20'x 12' HH room, resort view, AC, waist high refrigerator, and no microwave. As Hilton timeshare owners, we used our Hilton Grand Vacations points on the HGV web site to exchange for a timeshare unit, avoiding the $40 plus tax daily resort fee. The $40 daily resort fee covers the trams, the boats, waterways, three pools with slides, dolphins, flamingos, turtles, tropical landscaping, and maintenance. The Waikoloa Marriott down the street, charges $21 resort fee, and $30 for parking. Additional fees for tennis, golf, handball. Traveled light, with one day pack and one wheeled carry-on each. Half mile walk from the front desk to our room. The light rail tram saves effort, but it will not save much time, runs every 10 minutes, makes stops every 150-200 yards prior to my room, with top speed about 8 mph, jogging speed. And you have to make sure the train is going toward and not from your room. 90% of the rooms in the three towers are hotel rooms, outdated, built in the 1980s, small and dark, as windows only on one side, so no cross ventilation. Dorm size minifridge, with no microwave. Exterior corridors facing the trees on the inside gardens very prone to noise from birds chirping. Some 100 of the 600 rooms in the Ocean tower have been completely renovated and converted into timeshare condominiums. Last 3 days had a great time snorkeling at the lagoon. Brought my own mask and tube, along with river sandals. 7 minute walk from my room. Water murky, with a few dead palm tree branches on the bottom. Saw 2-3 turtles, 1 eel and countless colorful tropical fish, every day. No colorful coral, but then that's true everywhere due to global warming, and harmful sunscreen. Plenty of empty chairs next to the swimming pool, but then this is off season, with kids still in school. We've been here 3 full days and only once have I seen a canal boat running. Six gas engine canal boats permanently moored near the Grand Cantina, waiting to be replaced by electric engine canal boats. Eating is very expensive here. Designed to be an all inclusive resort, like Disneyworld with guests not having to leave the resort. $40 hot breakfast buffet, $50 seabass, $56 pizza, $140 Legends of Hawaii luau. The Marriott sunset luau is $117. Snacks are also inflated prices here: 20 ounce coke $3.79 plus tax, 2 ounce potato chips $2.99 plus tax. No grocery store on premises. Closest one is Whaler's general store in Kings' Market, with Island Gourmet supermarket in Queen's Market, a 40 minute walk. National car rental on premises, open 730am-4pm with rates about $139 per 24 hours. You can leave the car with the valet without paying the $33 overnight parking fee, if you turn the car in before midnight. Booked up weeks in advance. 5 hours round trip to Volcanoes National Park. $25 per hour per tennis court 7am-5pm. $40 per 30 minutes to use the aquai tricycles in the lagoon -more expensive than renting a real car. $35 to rent snorkel, mask and fins for half a day. Kids must be 42" in height to use the water slides. Waikoloa trolley, run by Roberts Hawaii, runs 10am-930pm from the resort, with stops in King's market and Marriott, before reaching Queen's market, every 20 minutes. $2.50 per adult, $1 for kids under 12. The driver gives change. Prominent restaurants outside include Roy's Waikoloa, Sansei, Kuleana Rum Shack, Lemongrass, and Lava-Lava Beach Club. Have a guest who wants to park his car? $6 per hour in the HWV parking lot. Or they can park where HWV employees park, in the Beach Access parking lot just beyond the HWV parking lot. Gate closes and locked from 8pm to 8am! People with kids who like elaborate swimming pool slides would love this place. But we retired people go to great lengths to avoid your kids. If you can avoid spending money on extraneous activities here, you can emerge from your stay without having to get a second mortgage on your house! Read less