The following executive summary is based on a comprehensive and impartial AI analysis of guest reviews. Keep in mind that all units are individually owned, and review scores among units can vary considerably.
Guests overwhelmingly describe Wai‘ula‘ula as a serene, upscale home base with space to spread out and unwind. Condos and villas are spotless, beautifully furnished, and designed for indoor–outdoor living: wide lanais for sunsets, sliding walls that open to breezes, and many units with private plunge pools, hot tubs, and even outdoor showers. Kitchens are a standout theme—frequently called the best-equipped guests have seen—making cooking and entertaining easy. Layouts with multiple suites and ensuite baths are ideal for families, multi‑generational trips, or couples traveling together, and hosts/property managers earn consistent praise for fast, friendly communication. Many reviewers are repeat visitors.
Location is a quiet hillside above two of the island’s best beaches at Mauna Kea and Hapuna. Most guests recommend purchasing the optional resort amenity package for convenient parking, beach chairs and towels, pools, golf/tennis/pickleball, kids’ activities, and charging privileges at both hotels; others are happy with the community’s own infinity pool, hot tub, and gym and the ample beach gear provided. It’s an easy base for Kohala Coast beaches, golf, Waimea, and day trips, with frequent shout‑outs to whale watching in season, mountain breezes, grazing goats on the hills, and nightly postcard sunsets.
A few practical notes: you’ll need a car, as beaches and restaurants aren’t walkable and Kona town is a drive away; groceries are a short drive too. The resort pass is an added cost (policies sometimes require it for the full stay), but many feel it’s worth it for hassle‑free beach days—without it, public beach parking can fill early. Private pools tend to be smaller plunge pools (heating and spa controls vary and may carry extra fees), and a handful of homes closer to the highway report some daytime road noise. Occasional maintenance hiccups (AC, grills, spa controls, pool cleaning) do pop up, but are typically handled quickly by responsive managers. Overall sentiment is strongly positive, with guests frequently saying they’d return.
This summary is based on a comprehensive analysis of 613 reviews
The house was great. Great views, plenty of space for a family, and well taken care of
Stephan E.
January 2026
Always love this location and have stayed at several units in here. Community poolVery private and not busy. Unit is quiet and private.
Danielle C.
December 2025
Great house. Clean. Responsive. Everything worked great.
David A.
December 2025
Beautiful development and layout with nice features. Unit has some wear and tear and was lacking some of the basic stock items. Excellent customer service from the renting agency that was responsive to our requests.
David F.
December 2025
This place had everything and was very nicely furnished. We loved the location and all the amenities. Really couldn’t ask for more. The property manager Donna is the best PM I think I’ve ever had. Very responsive, knowledgeable and helpful.
Eric G.
December 2025
Beautiful home with a beautiful view! Only wish we had spent more time there. We would definitely stay here again.
Eric S.
December 2025
We had an amazing stay at Mauna Kea Waiulaula Villa 329 and couldn’t have been happier with the experience. The home is beautifully furnished with upscale finishes and an incredible ocean view that we enjoyed every day. The location is fantastic, quiet and private, yet super convenient with easy access to the Westin and nearby resort amenities.The kitchen was very well stocked with tons of amenities, which made cooking and spending time at the villa easy and enjoyable. Everything felt thoughtfully set up, comfortable, and welcoming, truly a place you can settle into and relax.Donna was an incredible host; friendly, responsive, and helpful from start to finish. She made the entire stay seamless and stress-free.We loved our time here and would absolutely stay again. Highly recommend this villa to anyone looking for a beautiful, well-located place at Mauna Kea.
Mikaela J.
December 2025
The kitchen had everything we’d wanted and so much room for our family to relax and spend a long holiday together. I highly recommend this say for a relaxing trip especially with resort access for all the additional amenities.
Hélène T.
December 2025
Donna was very helpful throughout the stay. Beautiful home and great communication.
Olivier H.
December 2025
Outstanding ! The condo is beautiful the views are amazing ! And the team is so helpful !
Valentine F.
December 2025
house was in perfect condition
Roman D.
November 2025
Beautiful spacious villa with great views. Large bedrooms with large bathrooms as well. Kitchen was well equipped with everything we could ever need. Host was very responsive to all our requests.
Rick S.
November 2025
Beautiful home and relaxing place to spend a vacation.
Susan D.
November 2025
Our stay was most excellent! Unit was very clean and well stocked with more than we could have asked for! Location was convenient for our adventure's around the island.
Thomas P.
November 2025
We absolutely loved staying in this condo! The location was ideal, the rooms were so roomy and comfortable, and the kitchen had everything we needed. Having the hot tub and pool just steps away was such a bonus—but what we loved most were the sunsets on the lanai. Every evening, we couldn’t wait to be home in time to watch them. We’ll definitely be back! Donna was great to work with
Christina S.
November 2025
Great place to stay with the family, extremely clean and well kept!
Caryn H.
October 2025
Home was as pictured in the photos. Kitchen had top of the line appliances and was well stocked for at home meals. We spent most of the time outdoors on the lanai and in the pool/hot tub, as well as at the beach and pool at the Mauna Lani. Only downside was Internet was unstable for work, TV.
Lauren U.
October 2025
Our group had a fantastic time at this property! Ample room for everyone to spread out, and the well-stocked kitchen made meals easy and enjoyable. The location was perfect — close to everything but still peaceful. We also loved the high-quality beach towels and gear provided, which made beach days a breeze when we left the resort.Read the binder thoughtfully prepared by the owners. Great recommendations and answers to all questions that arose. The only minor issue was spotty Wi-Fi. Most guests probably won’t mind, but we had to rely on cellular data for work check-ins. I suspect this is an easy fix with an updated router.Overall, a wonderful stay.
Julie G.
October 2025
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Positives: Kitchen was well-appointedhouse was laid out nicely. It would be great for two couples because two of the bedrooms are fairly equitable so everyone would get a good room. Negatives: Property management wasn't great. Pool was non functional (controls from house didn't work and the heater was broken) and when repair man came he said they knew it was broken but weren't able to get anyone out there to fix it. We weren't told this ahead of time. They did compensate us for this which was nice. The disposal didn't work, so the sink was clogged for three days and we had to do dishes in the laundry sink. The communication with the property manager wasn't great. Everything took two calls before we got it resolved. On day 3 we finally got in touch with someone who acted on the issues and tried to get everything fixed. Thanks, Asi for doing your best to help us. Other recommendations: We purchased the resort access which was nice to have. I would recommend doing that if you stay here.
Linda F.
October 2025
This is a lovely condo in a lovely community. I highly recommend this property.
Florence A.
October 2025
We had a great stay! We were ready for some time on the water as well as rest and relaxation. We got both here - both with access to some of the islands most beautiful beaches as well as use of this beautiful property. The unit was immaculate and spacious. We come again in a second..Mahalo to the Owner and property manager!
Frank A.
October 2025
Exceeded expectations, the lanai is spacious and the views are even more beautiful than the listing pictures.Kitchen was well stocked and the beach chairs, boogie boards and welcome basket were a nice surprise.Would absolutely recommend this property to anyone!Erin
Erin S.
October 2025
Backyard pool really small and property is old
Vinny H.
October 2025
Lovely home. Fully equipped equipped kitchen. Comfortable beds, plenty of towels. All things in working order. The view was nice.
Lisa F.
October 2025
What an awesome property! It was spacious, fully equipped with everything we needed, comfortable furniture, private, quiet, - I could go on and on! We had a wonderful stay. We even had time to complete a puzzle!
Dori H.
October 2025
Wonderful unit! Well-equipped kitchen, comfortable beds, high-quality art, furniture, sheets, and towels. Luxury!
Jodi S.
September 2025
Wonderful property. Great location and would rent again.
Clark S.
September 2025
Beautiful home. Perfect stay!
Jamie K.
September 2025
We are a family of 5 with older kids and this home was perfect for us! Well stocked kitchen, excellent communication from Michelle and Kailua, beautiful neighborhood and access to the resort is a plus. 5 stars all around!
Liz C.
September 2025
Beautiful house. Great view. Close to Hapuna Beach. Communication with Lorena was excellent. We even got to go drive and go see Kilauea erupt whilec we were there.
Tom M.
September 2025
This property was perfect for our 3 families to celebrate my fathers birthday from a neighboring island.
Elaine S.
September 2025
Property was lovely.
Lauren L.
August 2025
We had a wonderful time at this gorgeous home. Everything about the house has the comfort of guests in mind. We appreciated the access to the Mauna Kea Beach Resort. It was a quick trip over to Waimea for a fabulous dinner at Merriman's. We loved the convenience of having lunch at the beach.
Betsy G.
August 2025
Spacious, luxurious house, thoughtfully and tastefully decorated. The kitchen is the best-equipped and best-organized kitchen of any rental property I have visited. Lovely lanai with gorgeous views of the ocean and landscape of the Big Island. The Sonos sound system provided the perfect ambiance during our stay. Overall it was a wonderful, memorable visit to the Big Island for my family.
Jason L.
August 2025
A perfect family getaway!
Wesley M.
August 2025
Great property. 2nd time visiting!!
neil s.
August 2025
Very nice accommodations with beautiful views of sunsets. Only complaint: Had to get tv tech to see how TVs operate and one didn’t work at all. We were provided a loner
Richard N.
August 2025
Beautiful views! Roomie, well appointed open spaces….and every supply you could need to make a beach vacation the best. The elevated location was perfect for views but within 5 minutes of Hapuna beach and the Mauna Kea resort beach option was nice. It’s private and comfy and the VIEWS! THE VIEWS!
Mark F.
August 2025
Our family all agreed it was the best Hawaii vacation home we’ve stayed in! The house was well equipped with all the amenities we needed and communicating with Michelle and Kailua was the best.
Jasmine C.
August 2025
This is an outstanding property matching the description. The views from the lanai are amazing. Location offers easy access to the resort area north of Kona and nearby beaches. The property is set up for entertainment and relaxation. This is by far the best equipped kitchen in any rental home we have used. Donna is a world class property manager. Her communication and personal attention was excellent and highly valued. Special thanks for Donna’s assistance during check in process when our flights were delayed a day and we had trouble finding the property late at night. Our family highly recommends this property and would stay again if in the area.
Jerry M.
August 2025
Our family had a wonderful time. The home was beautiful, clean and had almost everything we need! The pool was also very convenient for our children and we cooked almost every day. The concierge and owner were very prompt in responding to our needs and requests. We will definitely be back!! Thank you!
Kai P.
August 2025
Had a wonderful time. Everything was as expected. Gorgeous views including the roving goats!Tried to eat all of our meals out on the fantastic lanai to enjoy the view and the breezes. Kitchen was very well stocked. Easy drive to both resort hotels. We all spent hours enjoying the ambiance there. Suggestions for a few improvements: nightlights for the bathrooms, a few additional pots in kitchen, check the hot water in the master bath shower (could be fiddly).
Matt K.
August 2025
We were extremely satisfied with everything, especially Donna. She was incredibly helpful and thorough. The condo was beautiful, clean, and well stocked with everything you would need.
Beatrice M.
August 2025
Home was in excellent condition. Very clean. Very well stocked. Everything by was perfect.
Michael F.
July 2025
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Overall we were thoroughly impressed with the property. It had nearly everything we needed. Management group was quick to communicate, friendly and helpful. When we had an issue with a night stand light, the local manager had it switched out immediately. The view was priceless!! I enjoyed many afternoons lounging on the hammock. Obtaining the key cards and info for the Mauna Kea Amenity package was challenging. The property rental management group is different than the Mauna Kea group that owns/manages the amenity package. While this is fine if there aren’t issues, when we DID run into problems we found it difficult to get answers from anyone. Many people indeed tried to help but nothing could be done until the next day. Would advise anyone doing the package to pickup your package at the Westin before they close at 6 pm and to confirm they have everything they need 48 hours in advance. While we did have difficulties obtaining our package at the start of the trip, we did believe it was worth the money for easy access to beach, chairs, towels and pools. Overall, we loved the rental property and would definitely stay again. Many thanks!!!
Ciara O.
July 2025
Oh my goodness what an amazing property. The home itself was worthy, and then adding in the clubhouse and especially resort access to both Mauna Key and Hapuna resorts was the cherry. Fortunate to spend July 4th here and seeing the local fireworks from the beach. Super well furnished and appointed. Beyond comfortable. Our host went above and beyond to support us on this trip. 100% recommend.
Paul D.
July 2025
As advertised—beautiful home and communication and responsiveness was very good.
Gabe C.
July 2025
Great property. Great location. No issues with the house.
John O.
July 2025
Wonderful! Close 10 min drive to Hapuna and Mauna Kea resorts/beaches!Appreciate portable cooler for outingsWell stocked kitchenRecommend daily resort access/pass
Tara M.
July 2025
Our family had a wonderful relaxing vacation staying at this Hapuna Beach Villa residence in Kona. The house is perfect and even more beautiful than the pictures. We especially enjoyed adding on the Mauna Kea Club Membership for access to the two hotels during our stay. We enjoyed the beaches, pool, golf and had many meals at the hotels. Karen and Steve were very prompt in all communications as well as the on site property manager. We wish we could have stayed longer!
Christina F.
July 2025