Ann W.
June 2023
we enjoyed the sunsets every evening and it was great to be able to walk to restaurants and shopping. property was clean and exactly as pictured. would recommend to others for a great Kona condo.
Ann W.
June 2023
we enjoyed the sunsets every evening and it was great to be able to walk to restaurants and shopping. property was clean and exactly as pictured. would recommend to others for a great Kona condo.
Stuart W.
December 2022
Regular Kona visitors, enjoy staying along the coast, just south of restaurant row on Ali'i Drive. Whenever possible, we try to stay in an oceanfront unit, not always an option when booking relatively close in, unwilling to pay a huge premium.
First stay in Hale Kona Kai, after several recent stays at Kona Reef. Hale Kona Kai is smaller, quieter (less street noise), with reserved parking. 1 br units at Hale Kona Kai have bigger bedrooms but smaller living space.
Unit 411 is clean, well maintained, reasonably equipped but a bit dated, slight moldy smell when windows are closed, A/C is on - which fortunately was rarely required during our stay. Balcony is on the side of the building, so we did not have a sunset view (in December), stairs at the end of the hallway were blocked off with yellow tape, apparently for safety reasons.
Only real beef is with the management company. They will spam you constantly to buy insurance, activities and other extras. They have some of the latest check in times ( 4pm), earliest check out times (10 am), will text you prior to arrival to extend both even further. As our flight arrived before noon, we asked if it would be possible to drop our luggage (in the room) prior to 4pm, received a snarky response. We decided to stop by around 2 pm, on-sight crew were very friendly and accommodating.
Stuart W.
December 2022
Regular Kona visitors, enjoy staying along the coast, just south of restaurant row on Ali'i Drive. Whenever possible, we try to stay in an oceanfront unit, not always an option when booking relatively close in, unwilling to pay a huge premium.
First stay in Hale Kona Kai, after several recent stays at Kona Reef. Hale Kona Kai is smaller, quieter (less street noise), with reserved parking. 1 br units at Hale Kona Kai have bigger bedrooms but smaller living space.
Unit 411 is clean, well maintained, reasonably equipped but a bit dated, slight moldy smell when windows are closed, A/C is on - which fortunately was rarely required during our stay. Balcony is on the side of the building, so we did not have a sunset view (in December), stairs at the end of the hallway were blocked off with yellow tape, apparently for safety reasons.
Only real beef is with the management company. They will spam you constantly to buy insurance, activities and other extras. They have some of the latest check in times ( 4pm), earliest check out times (10 am), will text you prior to arrival to extend both even further. As our flight arrived before noon, we asked if it would be possible to drop our luggage (in the room) prior to 4pm, received a snarky response. We decided to stop by around 2 pm, on-sight crew were very friendly and accommodating.
Nancy S.
November 2022
The condo we rented was beautifully decorated, the kitchen was stocked with everything you could possibly need (and it was all very good quality), the furniture was beautiful and comfortable! The property managers Ryan and Angela were both VERY friendly and helpful! We loved our stay there and hated to leave! We will definitely will book there again for our next visit to Kona!!
Nancy S.
November 2022
The condo we rented was beautifully decorated, the kitchen was stocked with everything you could possibly need (and it was all very good quality), the furniture was beautiful and comfortable! The property managers Ryan and Angela were both VERY friendly and helpful! We loved our stay there and hated to leave! We will definitely will book there again for our next visit to Kona!!
Carol T.
May 2022
We enjoyed our 10 days in unit 411. The location is superb, if you love watching dolphins in the bay, listening to the waves on the shore, and enjoying the fantastic Kona sunsets. It's also a short walk to town, restaurants, and shops as well as Honl's beach just south of the building.
While the unit could use some upgrading, we found it clean and reasonably well supplied. There were fewer "extras" that are typically items bought and left by previous renters, but I expect that's a result of Covid issues. We were greeted with a welcome gift of chocolate covered mac nuts and a starter pack of detergents, paper products etc. Lots of snorkel and beach gear in the closet, and puzzles & games if you are ever bored (we weren't!). There were a few ants in the unit, but probably fewer than we've had in other condo units in other buildings! While there was air conditioning, we turned it off and enjoyed the ocean breezes. Even at night (in April) we were comfortable.
We spent a lot of time on the lanai enjoying our morning coffee or evening beverage along with the ocean and lagoon views - with our binoculars, we could see the fish and honu in the clear water of the Royal Kona's lagoon. We actually found the beach chairs more comfortable than the plastic chairs on the lanai.
The building was clean, the pool area was well supplied with loungers and umbrellas, the pool was clean and heated! Parking was easy - although you may have to look twice to find your stall. Check-in was a breeze and we had a follow-up call to make sure everything was in order the morning after we arrived. We'd stay again!
Donna Y.
March 2022
My wife and I thought location was very good. Easy access to what ever one needs
The unit could to be updated.
The first thing was the bedroom curtains that needed to be replaced. This should of been taken care of before we ask to have it done. The bathroom tub, sink, toilet all need to be replaced. Also the the deck furniture needs attention. The area that was okay was the kitchen.
The supplies were very skippy for a two week stay.
I know this will help for future renters. If these areas are addressed this would be great.
Brigid C.
January 2022
We stayed here for a week in December - great location in walking distance of the touristy shops and restaurants in Kona- Kailua. Clean and they left cookies for us. Gorgeous view from the lanai - loved spending time there with morning coffee. Parking is tight but assigned spots for the units. Coin laundry is very close by on the same floor and easy to use. Management group was very responsive when we needed more dishwasher soap. Kitchen is decently stocked with what we needed to make some basics. Sofa bed and master bed were comfortable enough -we slept well. A/C was broken while we were there, only reason I knew was looking at reviews before we arrived. However the room A/C unit in the master bedroom and having the doors open kept it comfortable enough at night - we were rarely there during the day. Shower head has crazy intense water pressure. Some peeling around faucets. Some beach equipment - chairs, boogie boards. Plenty of beach towels and linens for our family of three. Plenty of family board games. We went for several runs in the morning on Ali’i Drive. Did not use the pool or the tv so can’t comment on either. Overall was a great place for what we needed - would definitely go back.
Ben H.
October 2021
Your enjoyment of staying here will depend entirely on what you want and expect.
The Good:
Location! Hale Kona Kai is within walking distance of tons of shops and restaurants. It's perfect in that respect. It's also right on the water overlooking the lagoon for the hotel next door. The balcony is great for watching and listening to the waves crash ashore. You can also enjoy the music from the luau next door.
The Bad:
The condo is dated with uncomfortable furniture and mediocre mattress. The bathroom sink is peeling and rust comes out of the tub faucet when first turned on.
The Unfortunate:
When the governor asked people to not visit Hawaii due to a Covid spike, we were 6 days past the 100% refund date for this location. The owner of the other place we stayed on the Big Island was very accommodating and was willing to give us a full refund (minus VRBO fees). The owners of Hale Kona Kai refused to budge saying we would still owe the full price of the stay because the governor's request wasn't an official travel ban.
Also, the air conditioning broke on our last night which made the condo very hot. There are ceiling fans, but not a lot of air movement. When we called, we were told it was an issue for the whole building and it would be fixed the next day. However, when we were packing up to leave the next day, we talked to people staying in another unit that said they were told it would be several days and they had found another location to stay. Whether we were lied to or they just had more up to date information, we'll never know.
If you are looking for a place to lay your head at night, there are worse options than Hale Kona Kai. But if you are going to spend a lot of time in the condo, there are better options as well.
Brian L.
September 2021
I stayed in #411 for a week and there are some good things but overall, I had second thoughts after staying here for a few days.
Here is what is nice about this condo.
The kitchen is very nice! It has plenty of pots, pans, kitchenware, condiments, etc. I was pleasantly surprised how nice the kitchen is.
The living room was nice but new furniture is definitely needed. The recliner looked like it came from the 1970’s, and the cushion is definitely worn down. The Vizio TV goes off an on about every 20 minutes when you are watching a show. That was annoying.
The bedroom is a mess. There is plenty of space and a decent dresser to put your clothes in but the closet is stacked from the floor to ceiling with an overabundance of stuff.
The bed itself is a disaster. The mattress is old and needs to be thrown out. The bedsheets and comforter also need to be thrown out as they are old and worn out. Costco is 20 minutes away and sells mattresses, nice sheets, and comforters for a reasonable price and so go there and buy a bedroom. Put some effort into a redoing the bedroom.
The bathroom was 10,000% disgusting! The wood veneer on the bathroom sink is coming off around the faucets (I have pictures), and that is only the beginning.
The bathtub is stained and rusty (I have pictures of that too). When you turn the water on rust appears in the tub. Finally, the paint is chipped and it looks like it is a matter of time before more paint starts to fall off. This bathroom needs a MASSIVE remodeling.
I will be returning to Kona but I will not be staying at this location given the poor impression it made on me.
Going forward, I will be asking for recent pictures of ALL areas of the rental before I book it. This is due to my experience with this condo.
Joan S.
March 2020
The Hale Kona Kai property is lovely, with breathtaking ocean front experiences. Unit 411 had a well appointed kitchen, comfy bed and living room although we spent most of our time on the Lani. The drying rack on the Lani was really helpful since we spent all day snorkeling at various places south of Kailua Kona. The one draw back is due to humidity there was a musty smell that comes with being in Hawaii. The ceiling fans and screened windows and doors helped alleviate the odor. There was laundry (coin operated) and garbage/recycling on our floor. We would watch the sunset from either the pool area or the park just to the south of the units.
Wilbur V.
March 2020
THOUGHTS ON HKK411
Over the years we have stayed at HKK411 rather than at any other unt in the complex. Primarily this is because of the view from the lanai. Alice loves the green lawn and the weddings, etc. which take place there. She can also sit outside most of the day and not be in direct sunlight. She loves the warmth but is sensitive to the direct sun because of her medications.
The layout of the condo does not differ significantly from the other units in the complex .and is adequate for the two of us.
That being said, the unit is somewhat shabby, compared to other units we have visited in the complex. The rug is stained and no amount of washing will clean it. The shower door is installed backwards. The faucets in the sink are worn and corroded. The sink drain is not installed. correctly and does not work.. The sink countertop is peeling around the faucets.
The bedroom window curtain is not well fitted and the unit hangs up when you try to close it. The bedroom TV was not installed properly and would not work initially.
Thekitchen has an abundance of pieces, many of which are not useful - the pitcher has no correct top, and the top has no corresponding pitcher. We have purchased many of the useful pieces over the years. The faucet is cumbersome to use and not a good design in the first place. There is a “Dust Buster” screwed to the cabinet which has never worked, likewise the under-counter CD player, but still they remain.
The living room furniture is adequate but old, though it was nice to see the couch had been recently been recovered. Thhe lanai furniture is old, cheap and dirty. While it works. It does not give the feeling that the owners care very much for the unit.
Mark R.
March 2020
Check in was a breeze. Within walking distance of shops and restaurants.
Beautiful view. Plenty of snorkel and beach equipment as well as kitchen items. Very clean and well kept with the exception of the non carpeted floors.
While going barefoot indoors only I noticed my soles were getting dirty.
No biggy and other than that I would highly recommend.
Thanks, Mark.
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