TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

I was excited to return the Royal Kona, but when I arrived it looked like it hadn’t been updated since I was there over 25 years ago. The check-in area and restaurant are OK, but in need of a paint job. The views from the restaurant bar are amazing, and the servers were all extremely friendly. The staff at the check-in desk were not that friendly though, and there was no concierge service. Also, the lagoon was closed, but there was no information on when it would reopen. This was disappointing because we had seen it on the website and there was no information on the website stating it was temporarily closed. As soon as you go to the elevators to go to your hotel room you know you are not going to get what you expected from the photos on the website. The elevators are scuffed up and the doors close so fast you can barely get inside without the doors closing on you. Once you get to off the elevators you quickly realize that all the charm and decor you were expecting is absent. The walls along side the elevators were scuffed up and dirty, and the hallway to the room was stark off-white, dirty, and creepy. There is no decor AT ALL in the hallways, and the walls are dirty. Our room was the last one in the hall, so we had to wheel our mom all the way down this creepy hallway several times a day. Before we even entered the room two things stuck out. 1. There is an exit door to the stairs that goes all the way down to the street outside the hotel that was propped open with a rock. Even when we removed the rock the door wouldn’t close and latch. It’s a safety hazard to have a door that isn’t locked from the outside that is public facing. 2. The threshold into our ADA compliant room had a large entry bump that was extremely difficult to get the wheelchair over. This was an ADA room, so it should be flat. The room itself was a slight step up from the hallway, but it was also pretty stark and boring with only a couple of pictures not the walls. The furniture was scuffed up, and the bathroom was something out of a motel 6. I also noticed a long dark hair on the bathroom floor and one on the bed sheets after the room was cleaned our second day. It was extremely disappointing because my mom wanted to go to Hawaii and stay at this hotel again as the last overseas trip of her life, but the hotel was so run down and shabby it wasn’t the trip she was expecting.

Horrible service. We booked the top floor corner ocean view. Called and asked if we can get a lounge chair on the large lanai, and they refused. You look down below us on the cheaper, lower rooms, and they all have lounge chairs. The staff is extremely rude, especially if you're not from the islands. Avoid this place and go to the king kami. At least the marriott has standards.

Rooms are tired looking, just two chairs on the patio, the staff is hit and miss on 'service with a smile". We attempted to book January 2025, certain tower and type of room at the front desk. The only response I got was negative, "well you can book through reservations next month, but there is no guarantee on room type or tower when you check in...11 months later. Believe she could have worded that better. I topped the guy storing bags at the desk, never made eye contact or even a thank you. I will remember that next year. The location is terrific, that is why we would return. Lots of great eateries and ABC store across the street. If you plan on staying in town, you don't need a car. Love the town!

We had been to the Royal Kona before, several times, most often to hear Hawaiian music on Thursday nights in the Don the Beachcomber bar/restaurant. We love it! Right on the ocean, open to the beautiful sunsets. But this was our first time staying in the hotel. We had a very good time! Now the challenges. First, the hotel desperately needs a renovation. (Which they have started in one of the towers.) Right now it's a 2-star hotel in a 5-star location. Our room was in the Bay Tower, the northernmost. RIGHT on the ocean. Which was great. But also directly overlooking Huggos-- so you can hear their nightly music in your room even with the sliding glass door closed. I feel like they should warn people renting these rooms. But it didn't bother us, we liked being right on the water, and within easy walking distance of the town. We will definitely be back. My only fear is the price will shoot up 100% when the renovation is down.

We were in the Bay Tower (north most), room 385. The room was just okay. It's a bit dark and a bit dated. The problem was what was going on outside. All the rooms on that southeast corner of the tower have a direct line of sight to the hotel receiving and maintenance yard. All kinds of noise. One day, some worker had his radio blaring as he worked. Another day, some maintenance guy was banging on metal with a hammer. Also, there is a ton of street noise, including drunk people, all night long. I asked to be moved, which the front desk lady said she could do for an added $80/night pushing our daily charge past $400. On day 5 of 7, we noticed the room was over 80° F with the AC on. The next day, we called, and the front desk said, "Yeah. We had an AC emergency repair, which will last 3 more days." What? Were they thinking we would not notice? They did not notify us. I had just climbed Mauna Kea and was hot, dirty, and tired. The front desk called back, and they gave us a room in the Alii Tower. This was not handled professionally. We felt like they tried to dupe us.