ALOHA!
So the first thing you want to decide in figuring out where to stay in Kona (or where to stay on the Big Island) is what type of Hawaii vacation you want this to be!
There are a few different ways you can do the Big Island.
1. You can base your stay in one area as much as possible.
This might mean extra driving time on the road, as it might take an hour or 2 to get to an activity on another part of the island.
But you get to go “home” to a familiar place at the end of the day!
2. You can move around the island and have different experiences staying in several parts of the island, switching accommodation as you make your way around the island.
This can mean less back and forth, and possibly less time on the road sitting in a car.
Or…
3. Something in between these 2! That could mean staying for 3 or 4 nights in Kona and make day trips or half day trips from Kona, and then maybe 1 or 2 nights on the other side of island and make other Big Island day trips.
👆 Map of where Kona is located in Hawaii. Kona is on the Hawaiian island called the Big Island. Explore the Big Island tourist map to see where on the Big Island the activities you want to do are located.
If you want to have resort time in Hawaii, the Kona side of the island is where you’ll want to spend most of your nights. This is the side of the island that has the resorts, along with most hotels.
If you do prefer to spend every night of your Big Island vacation in Kona, then maybe even the furthest must-do activity will be 2-2.5 hours away.
While 4-5 hours of driving in one day may seem like a lot, you may end up thinking that it’s fine if it’s just one day that you go for a further away activity.
So again, depending on what you’re looking for, it can be completely reasonable to make all your overnights in Kona.
There are plenty of things to do along the Kona coast, and here are some more things to do on the Big Island.
All that said, if your accommodation is just a place to rest your head for you, do consider staying in different parts of the island!
Although, remember this does mean packing and unpacking a few times.
For the quick list of the top hotels on the Big Island, see the Kona hotels map.
So…
What places to stay in Kona?!
Below is divided up into 3 general sections:
- Kona town hotels
- Kona coast hotels to the south
- Kona side resorts to the north (Waikoloa/Kohala coast)
For any of the hotel maps below (partner website with links too), you can zoom in and out for more hotel options and to get an idea of the cost of hotels in Kona. You can also have a look at this Kona hotels map that will show locations of activities around the Big Island.
If you know your dates, putting in your dates will give you an even better idea.
🌴
Amazing Big Island experiences you need to consider:
Read the reviews at partner website Viator!
- Night snorkeling with manta rays
- Mauna Kea summit (highest point in the Hawaiian islands!)
📌 Save this post for later! Save on Pinterest! 👈📌
Now…
Hotels and resorts in Kailua-Kona town
If you want to stay in an area that’s within walking distance of a good amount of bars and restaurants, then you’ll want to stay somewhere around Kona town.
For reference on a map, the best area to stay around Kailua-Kona town can include hotels from the area around Kailua Bay and the Courtyard Marriott on the north side to around the Royal Kona Resort on the south side.
Courtyard Marriott aka King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
This is the hotel that’s pretty much right near Kona’s iconic Kailua Bay.
There is a public beach right out front.
There’s also a beach shack where you can rent kayaks and paddleboards.
Also important if you are a triathlete…
The Courtyard Marriott is THE closest hotel to the Ironman start and finish!
Even if you won’t be in Kona around race day, it could be nice to stay near the iconic race’s starting line and finishing line! As seen on TV!
Kailua Bay is where the swim starts, and it’s right along here that the run (and race) ends. You can swim at Kailua Bay too… the same place as the world champions!
For a luau (Hawaiian food and entertainment), the Island Breeze luau takes place right at this hotel.
See more: King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel | price + reviews
Royal Kona Resort
This is a 1-2 minute walk from a number of restaurants and bars that will give you great ocean views as you eat and drink.
There is also a luau that takes place at this resort, the Voyagers of the Pacific luau.
You might even see them prepping the roasted pork (imu – traditional food that’s a part of a luau) in the morning at the outdoor “Hawaiian earth oven.”
See more: Royal Kona Resort | price + reviews
Map of Kailua-Kona hotels
More hotels near Kona town
A little further to the south (but still relatively close to town) are Aston Kona by the Sea and Royal Sea Cliff Kona by Outrigger.
- Aston Kona by the Sea | price + reviews
- Royal Sea Cliff Kona by Outrigger | price + reviews
These 2 hotels aren’t in Kona town, but staying at these hotels still will put you relatively close to town. You can walk 20-30 minutes one way.
Or you can do bike sharing in Kona to get to town. This means you can pick up a bike at a bike station close to your hotel, and then drop off your bike at a bike station in town. This would be about a 10 minute bike ride.
Similarly, as a reference point, if you can look for more places to stay in the area of these hotels and biking would be a good way to get to town too.
Hotels and resorts on the Kona coast
A big name hotel that’s a bit further down the coast to the south is the Sheraton Kona.
Overlooking the Sheraton
This is about a 10 minute drive from the start of the Captain Cook hike that leads to one of the most popular snorkeling spots on the island at Kealakekua Bay. And it’s likely less than 30 minutes from the Two Step Beach, another popular snorkeling spot.
Night snorkeling with manta rays is also popular on the Big Island, and one of the best spots for this is right near the Sheraton. So you won’t have to go far! (There are tours at a few different locations along the Kona coast.)
The Kona Country Club is also a 5 minute drive from the Sheraton if you’re looking for a golf course overlooking the ocean on the Big Island, or you just want to eat and drink with amazing ocean views at the restaurant/bar.
A few more resorts near the Sheraton are:
- Sheraton Kona | price + reviews
- Holua Resort | price + reviews
- Kanaloa at Kona Outrigger | price + reviews
- Kona Coast Resort | price + reviews
Overlooking the Kona Coast Resort
Right near these resorts is the Keauhou Shopping Center with a grocery store and some restaurants for some convenience.
This can be a good area to stay in Kona as you work your way around the island in the southern direction.
Once again, explore the map to see more options for hotel stays in Kona!
Map of Kona coast hotels to the south
Resorts to the north of the Kona side (Waikoloa/Kohala coast)
Aside from resorts mentioned above, most of the big-name resorts are located on the north side of the west coast of the Big Island (same side as Kona coast) near Waikoloa Village.
While this is technically not the Kona coast (there are 2 districts called North Kona and South Kona), this is what can be called the Kona side of the Big Island in tourist terms, and you may look to the north for some resort relaxation options.
Some popular spots in this area and the northern coast include Hapuna Beach for a white sand beach, Waialea Beach for snorkeling, and Pololu Valley for a hike to a black sand beach.
Depending on where exactly you’re staying in this area, it may be around a 45 minute to 1 hour drive to Kailua-Kona town.
In this area, some of the top resorts on the Big Island include:
- Four Seasons Hualalai | price + reviews
- Fairmont Orchid | price + reviews
- Kings’ Land by Hilton Grand Vacations Club | price + reviews
- Mauna Lani Point | price + reviews
- Mauna Kea Beach Hotel | price + reviews
- Aston Waikoloa Colony Villas | price + reviews
- Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort | price + reviews
- Hilton Waikoloa Village | price + reviews
- The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort | price + reviews
Map of Kona side hotels to the north
Airbnb on the Big Island
And if you’re a little bit more on a budget…
If you are open to staying at an airbnb in Kona, you’ll be able to stay at some places around the island at lower prices than standard hotels. (And you can save money on food too when you stay at a place with a kitchen!)
If you haven’t used airbnb before, sign up through my referral link to receive a discount on your first booking. (I’ve seen it say as much as up to $55!)
Things to do on the Big Island
And to see the best of the Big Island in 7 days, be sure to see this 7 day Big Island itinerary! It includes black sand beaches, white sand beaches, a green sand beach, lava fields, lava tube caves, waterfalls, hikes, snorkeling, Hawaiian culture, national park sites, state parks, TONS of scenic drives, and TONS of amazing views!!
HAPPY HOTEL STAY IN KONA!
Here are some ideas for your time on the Big Island!
Among the most popular things to do on the Big Island are Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Akaka Falls State Park, and Waipio Valley!
For Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the main road to drive is Chain of Craters Road and it will take you to see the best lava fields in Hawaii! Before that though (or after!) you will want to make a stop for the Thurston lava tube. You can also hike into a former lava lake by doing the Kilauea Iki Trail!
Other Big Island activities you may want to make time for are the best black sand beaches in Hawaii (including Punaluu black sand beach to see turtles maybe!) and the Papakolea green sand beach of Hawaii.
Volcanoes in Hawaii
There was a time in December 2022 that 2 volcanoes were erupting in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
This was a special occasion because even in the past few years, there was a quiet period where there was NO active lava to be seen anywhere in Hawaii.
As the National Park Service says, it was the first time in nearly 40 years that TWO volcanoes were erupting in Hawaii at the same time!
But what seems like nearly just like that, they stopped erupting.
As it goes with volcanoes, things can change in an instant!
So be sure to check National Park Service updates when your Big Island trip gets closer: What's going on with the volcanoes?
Spotted yesterday at #MaunaLoa – a lava boat rides the waves! On Dec 7, a lava boat was spotted floating down channel. Lava boats can form when portions of the cone or lava channel break away & are rafted downstream. Hot lava cools to its surface to create that smooth exterior. pic.twitter.com/D9gdoFolfq
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) December 9, 2022
👇 Explore the Big Island map on google maps!
See the list:
- Things to do on the Big Island (for VIEWS!)
- Things to do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Things to do in Kona