TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Very nice accommodations with some nice amenities. But the worst part of staying there was easily getting from our room to the pool, restaurants, etc. Because of the trams, there's only one set of elevators that take you where you really need to go. Signage is not clear. We ate at two of the restaurants, the Lagoon Grill and Kamuela Provision Company (KPC). Lunch was okay at the Lagoon Grill but the birds were annoying, and nearly every chair had bird droppings in it. We ate at KPC for dinner and watched the sunset. We ordered light - a couple of appetizers with drinks which was very good. I was able to use points for my stay which made the price reasonable. Otherwise I think it's pricey for what you get. Also, there's ample parking but then again, it's not very clear how to get to your room.

We stayed in a Makai Ocean View room with a seven-year-old child during our summer vacation. We received no acknowledgement, upgrade or anything as a Hilton Honours Gold. We had to pay the regular fee for the room upgrade. The Makai Tower has an awkward strcuture and forced us to go around the building to walk a fairly long distance and take elevators every time we go to the beach, the pools, the restaurants and the parking. There is a gate for the Makai Tower toward the back of the parking so make sure you park deep down and use the Makai gate. We used the online check-in which was handy, but on a later day we found out that there were a few things we needed to receive physically at the front desk - such as wrist bands, map and a few more useful information pieces. I think they should advise their guests about this in advance. Apart from these hustles, we enjoyed the resort - all the restaurants were excellent and very-well served, pools were fantasitic and my child loved it, and the lagoon and the dolphin quest were something that we can't forget. The only regret was that the boat was not in service for the entire period of our stay. I felt many things were a bit overpriced and the rooms and buildings were dated and unfriendly to guests, but my child loved the pools, dolphins and restaurants and that concluded we had a great time here at this resort. We stayed in the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort after we checked out the Hilton Waikoloa, and the Oahu Hilton was nowhere closer to the Big Island Hilton in any aspect.

Here for a dance conference so didn’t choose the location personally, but had it chosen by conference organizers. This resort is way too expensive and not practical for families. All restaurants are outrageously priced but because of location, it’s hard to find other options. Due to the time table we had because of dance workshops, it was more difficult to find food for the kids during breaks in their workshops. Not only that, places close crazy early. Took the kids to get Dole whip when they were done, got there before 4:30 and the place was closed. Why the heck would a place that is close to the pool and serves ice cream close that early???? Not only that but every restaurant but the most expensive close at 5 so means if you aren’t leaving the property you get to feed your teenagers 50-70 entrees. That’s just beyond insane. The rooms are very dated and the beds are very uncomfortable. Not only that, I booked two queens, was told I had two queens on check in. Get to the room and they are definitely smaller than queens; more like 3/4’s. The back of the bathroom door has been dirty since we arrived as well. To get anywhere on property takes forever to walk. They say they have trams and boats but the boats aren’t always running and the one tram takes forever to get where you want to go. This is supposed to be one of the top resorts in Hawaii; if that’s the cause the worst must be down right scary. Would not stay again and suggest if you want to enjoy your vacation and eat without spending a month’s grocery budget on a meal, stay away and choose somewhere else.

Underwhelming hotel, especially for the price paid. Pools were beautiful and our Makai room felt new and comfortable. But many of the things we expected at the resort simply weren't there. Only 1 of 3 trams is running, so if you miss a tram, you'll have to wait 20 minutes for the next one. The canal boats--which we had looked forward to--were out of service. Both Orchid Marketplace and Shaka Cones were "closed for the season," so we could not get snacks and ice cream like we had hoped. There is no daily housekeeping unless you request it at least 24 hours in advance--so people were just leaving trash in the hallway outside their rooms to be collected. Most of the vending machines and washers/dryers were broken or didn't work well (our laundry was soaking wet out of the washer and needed 3 dryer cycles to dry). It just did not feel like the high-quality experience I expect with a Hilton name (and price tag).

The staff treated us wonderful from the moment that we arrived. Our room was extremely comfortable and the property is family friendly and simply amazing. Great sunsets and we looking forward to future stays. Excellent food choices and activities for the family.