Royal Kona Resort

Big Island, Hawaii

Virgin rating

Don's Mai Tai Bar
Ocean View
Standard Room
Ocean Front Room
Corner King Room
Don The Beachcomber
Don's Mai Tai Bar
Ocean View
Standard Room
Ocean Front Room
Corner King Room
Don The Beachcomber

The hotel

An established resort hotel, the Royal Kona is surrounding by 12 acres of tropical landscape, just steps from the sea. Its laid-back ambience ensures a relaxing stay with amenities such as an oceanfront swimming pool and a private swimming lagoon to tempt you. There are also tennis courts for those who’ve remembered to pack their whites and a fitness centre for keeping trim. A hot favourite we think will be the Mai Tai Bar, not only serving 10 types of Mai Tai’s but set in a spectacular location, against the backdrop of Kailua Bay. The Breezaway Lounge is also idyllic, with sofas and armchairs strategically placed to offer full ocean views. Grab yourself a seat, a Mai Tai (of course!) and admire dazzling sunsets night after night. At Don the Beachcomber, the dining is as sumptuous as the view, fusing Asian inspiration and European technique to create the most delightful of dishes. Not to be missed is the Lu’au — a feast of tropical delicacies, song and dance celebrating the legends and lore of Polynesia, the dramatic Fire Dance finale is breathtaking!

Amenities

  • Tennis
  • Bar
  • Evening Entertainment
  • Fitness Centre/Gym
  • Internet Access
  • Laundry Service
  • No Smoking
  • Restaurant
  • Safety Deposit Box
  • Spa
  • Swimming Pool
  • Beachfront location

Where is it

On the Island of Hawaii, beside the sea in Kailua-Kona, in the historical district and close to Hulihee Palace.

Hotel information

436 rooms and suites in 3 ocean front towers. All with air-conditioning, balcony, satellite TV with pay-per-view films, telephone, WiFi*, mini-fridge, coffee maker, safe, hairdryer, iron and board. Standard Room with 1 king-size bed or 2 double beds, sleeping maximum 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.

Partial Ocean View Room with 1 king-size bed or 2 double beds, sleeping maximum 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.

Ocean View Room with 1 king-size bed or 2 double beds, sleeping maximum 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.

Ocean Front Corner King offer full panoramic ocean views with 1 king-size bed or 2 double beds, sleeping maximum 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.

Don the Beachcomber Restaurant, Don’s Mai Tai Bar, Don’s Breezaway Lounge. Ocean front swimming pool, private swimming lagoon. Fitness centre. 4 floodlit tennis courts. Ocean front Voyagers of the Pacific Lu’au* (select evenings). Weekly Hawaiian Music Legends Concert Series. Regular live music. Activities desk. Hair salon*. Spa and Massage Centre*. Laundry self-service*. Shops. Self-parking $12 plus tax per day (payable locally, subject to change).

This hotel has a resort fee of $25 plus tax per room, per day (payable locally, subject to change)

Resort fee, tax and inclusions are subject to change - please see hotel check-in for current inclusions available to you upon arrival.

*Denotes local charge.

Rating summary

  • Location Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Sleep Quality Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Rooms Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Service Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Value Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Cleanliness Image of the Tripadvisor rating

Traveller rating

  • Excellent (1786)
  • Very good (2070)
  • Average (939)
  • Poor (411)
  • Terrible (287)
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Best hotel in Kailua-kona, been staying there for years.

Dec 22, 2024 Daydream45300075272 Anaheim, California

The best place to stay in Kailua-Kona.Close to Huggo's restaurant, close to shopping, great view of the ocean from the terrace. Right on Alii drive where all the action is. Outstanding Luau. Rooms are spacious, they have great amenities.. Spa, massages, facials, manicures, hair salon. Everything you need for a first class. Hotel..
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Best place to stay in Kona

Dec 21, 2024 Sandi K

From check in to check out everything was awesome. The grounds are beautiful, the staff is friendly and welcoming. You are within walking distance to almost everything you could want or need. The on site restaurant and bar is the best location you can find right on the water. The food is amazing and restaurant staff friendly and efficient. We live… Read more
From check in to check out everything was awesome. The grounds are beautiful, the staff is friendly and welcoming. You are within walking distance to almost everything you could want or need. The on site restaurant and bar is the best location you can find right on the water. The food is amazing and restaurant staff friendly and efficient. We live in Kona and this is where we go a few times a year. Always love it and never disappointed.. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Best location

Dec 21, 2024 Brenda C

We really enjoyed the Royal Kona. The grounds are super pretty and our room was spacious and comfortable. I believe we were in one of the renovated rooms. The furniture seemed new and the carpet was definitely new. However, the bathroom could definitely use an update. Beds were comfy, water pressure was great and we had a view of the lagoon… Read more
We really enjoyed the Royal Kona. The grounds are super pretty and our room was spacious and comfortable. I believe we were in one of the renovated rooms. The furniture seemed new and the carpet was definitely new. However, the bathroom could definitely use an update. Beds were comfy, water pressure was great and we had a view of the lagoon and we enjoyed watching the tennis and Pickleball courts from our balcony. The building is under renovation and we did hear noise, and see the construction workers throughout the day, but it didn’t bother us much. They were all very friendly and did their best to stay out of our way. The restaurant has the prettiest view in the whole town and the breakfast was really good. The only complaint is that the hotel serves cheap coffee at the restaurant and in the rooms. You would think being in Kona, they would serve the best coffee around. Anyway, the service was good. The pool is small, but the view is beautiful and we never had a problem getting chairs or towels. The location is the best. You literally can walk everywhere to shop, eat, drink, etc. Parking was $25 per day, but it is in a gated lot and we never had a problem finding a spot, even on the very busy times of the day. Our only complaint was when we first arrived, the young girl at the front desk wasn’t the nicest. As soon as we walked up to check in, she didn’t even say hello. She asked for an ID without a smile. Collected our information to charge the 8 days of parking, gave us a map and showed us which direction to our room. Never said thank you or anything. Must’ve had a bad day, I guess. Fortunately, our 8 days at the Royal Kona were wonderful and we wouldn’t hesitate to return. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Good Location But Noisy

Dec 16, 2024 AeronauticalEngineer Irvine, California

We stayed at the Royal Kona for 3 nights. The Royal Kona is only a 15 minute drive from the Kona airport. The check-in was quick and the hotel had plenty of parking. The hotel charges for parking. We had a two double bed room. The room was spacious and clean. The bathroom was fully stocked and they cleaned the room every day. The hotel has a pool… Read more
We stayed at the Royal Kona for 3 nights. The Royal Kona is only a 15 minute drive from the Kona airport. The check-in was quick and the hotel had plenty of parking. The hotel charges for parking. We had a two double bed room. The room was spacious and clean. The bathroom was fully stocked and they cleaned the room every day. The hotel has a pool but no beach access. We stayed on the 4th floor and it was always loud inside the room at night. The walls and sliding glass door do not block any noise from the outside. Dumb people drive around on the street at night with loud music in their cars and you can hear it like it's in your room. They are renovating the hotel but they really need to use dual pane or triple pane sliding glass doors to block the noise. The beds were not comfortable either. Pros: Excellent Location with many restaurants within walking distance. Cons: Too Noisy in the rooms. Try getting a room that faces the ocean and not the street. Would I stay here again? Probably yes because of the location. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Most terrible smelling hotel ever

Dec 15, 2024 Yvonne F

We chose this location based on the photos and location. When we first arrived we were very impressed by the upgraded check in area outside. As we got to our room though we knew something was not right. The ceilings were low and the halls smelled musty. As soon as we opened our hotel door the overwhelming musty smell hit us like a ton of bricks… Read more
We chose this location based on the photos and location. When we first arrived we were very impressed by the upgraded check in area outside. As we got to our room though we knew something was not right. The ceilings were low and the halls smelled musty. As soon as we opened our hotel door the overwhelming musty smell hit us like a ton of bricks and almost knocked the wind out of us. The carpeted floors were moist to the touch and the bedding was damp and musty smelling. My husband went down to the front desk and talked to the manager where we’re were informed that all rooms they could move us to would be very similar in condition. We left moments later and went to Courtyard, where we had a magnificent experience. We tried to get our money back or at least part of it and were denied. Vacationer beware. Read less