This resort is AMAZING! It is so beautiful, and as long as you can walk without a lot of pain, then this could be a very very romantic place. If you go in the winter months, make sure you check out Buddha Point to see the humpback whales on their yearly journeys. OMG, there were so many. If you can take binoculars awesome, binoculars with the ability to record video (if those exist) you could get some awesome shots! If it's just a camera, by the time you see them, chances are they'll go back under and you've missed your chance if you're not recording video. The lagoon is really cool, and it's pretty affordable for a cabana for the day. Even if you don't do the Dolphin Quest experience, definitely go watch them. They do not seem ill treated or out of their element. They are shallow water dolphins that were rescued. If they were so miserable one of them wouldn't be 52 years old imho. The pools look well cared for and inviting. We didn't have a chance to try them as we spent too much money for other things and you'll want to want to plan on spending all kinds of money to do awesome stuff. But definitely do the Sunset Cruise on the Spirit of Aloha if you don't have kids with you! That crew is freaking awesome! But I do want to warn you of...This resort is AMAZING! It is so beautiful, and as long as you can walk without a lot of pain, then this could be a very very romantic place. If you go in the winter months, make sure you check out Buddha Point to see the humpback whales on their yearly journeys. OMG, there were so many. If you can take binoculars awesome, binoculars with the ability to record video (if those exist) you could get some awesome shots! If it's just a camera, by the time you see them, chances are they'll go back under and you've missed your chance if you're not recording video. The lagoon is really cool, and it's pretty affordable for a cabana for the day. Even if you don't do the Dolphin Quest experience, definitely go watch them. They do not seem ill treated or out of their element. They are shallow water dolphins that were rescued. If they were so miserable one of them wouldn't be 52 years old imho. The pools look well cared for and inviting. We didn't have a chance to try them as we spent too much money for other things and you'll want to want to plan on spending all kinds of money to do awesome stuff. But definitely do the Sunset Cruise on the Spirit of Aloha if you don't have kids with you! That crew is freaking awesome! But I do want to warn you of some things: If you can't walk much then you might want a place easier to get around this resort can be difficult. The reason I gave the Hilton Waikoloa 4 stars instead of 5 is the staffing levels and lack of food options at a decent price as well as how early everything closes. If you are an early bird and want to wake up at the crack of dawn to go do things and go to bed at 9 or 10 this is your place. If you want a decent breakfast, make sure you get to the breakfast buffet or Nui by 10 a.m. If you go to the buffet, plan on the most expensive breakfast you've ever had if you're like us and aren't used to such high prices. One blogger site reviewed the place in 2019 for $28 plate, it's $50 now, with only basics. So if you like IHOP or Denny's basics for a way cheaper price, you'll be disappointed by scrambled eggs, purple pancakes, bacon and lukewarm plain diced potatoes. Unless you'd prefer to to pay $50 for fruit and cereal per person. At Nui, the breakfast sandwich is cheapest, largest, and filling, but nothing else is included. Nui is the latest closing restaurant of 3 (we didn't do the reservation one, way too expensive and they close at like 8). Nui closes @ 9. Definitely get the pizza, so yummy, and relatively affordable if you're used to delivery! Or if you like not great bar food you can go to the Kona Tap Room, that will get you by until 10 or so. If you're lucky they will stay open till 11 or midnight. If you don't get breakfast by 10 a.m. then you can't eat until 11 unless you like overpriced Starbucks like basics and like to walk quite a ways if you are staying at the Palace Tower to get it (or wait a long time for a tram (which one broke just past Palace Tower on it's way toward Ocean View about 3 days before we left). My boyfriend has a bad back so it was painful for him to get around. If you don't eat by 10 a.m, next place to open is the Lagoon Grill by the Dolphin Quest area. If you haven't eaten a lot and you're starving, an hour is a super long time to wait. Plan on a $28 basic cheeseburger and Carl's Jr. level fries (after door dash has delivered them after 3 other drop off's) . If you don't have a car (book one well in advance or pay the price as well as a hefty overnight parking price) the earliest the shuttle goes to the 2 shops in the area starts @ 12 p.m. and it runs till 9. If you stay at Palace Tower, you get 2 vending machines. Everything else is a long walk or long wait if you don't time the tram right. When we were there the beverage machine was broken, so either stock your Barbie fridge with soda's, water, etc. from the ABC market @ Queens Market. Parts, for fixing things, take a long time to get there so chances are it won't be fixed soon. Like I said, the place is beautiful, it deserves 4 stars for that and that alone, but if you are a night owl, have mobility issues, and want somewhere to eat at any given time, you might want to look up reviews elsewhere. Oh, and no real beach access, somewhere else would be good for that. This place is awesome, like I said, but you have to be prepared if you want to be on vacation and get up when you want, go to bed when you want and not be deprived if you aren't on an early bird schedule. OH, the artwork if you can walk all the way from point to point is freaking amazing!!!! Oh, don't forget to say "Hi" to the family of ducks if they grace you with their presence. More
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