Kona Reef, Big Island

Kona Reef is an oceanfront condo resort in Hawaii, offering a local-style ambiance and a convenient in-town location within walking distance to shopping, restaurants, bars, and entertainment. The resort features an oceanfront saltwater pool, jacuzzi, BBQ grills, outdoor dining pavilion, and a well-maintained tropical common area with security patrols. Guests can enjoy the public beach right next door for swimming, snorkeling, and surfing, as well as the nearby Honl's Beach, one of the best white sandy beaches on the Kona Coast.

The resort provides ample parking options, including a rooftop parking area, street-level outdoor parking, and two underground levels of a covered parking garage. Kona Reef is not only close to Kona Town's attractions but also just one mile from the Ironman pier and two miles from the best snorkeling in Kona. With its oceanfront amenities, convenient location, and proximity to various activities, Kona Reef is an ideal destination for vacationers seeking a comfortable and enjoyable stay in Hawaii.

Kona Reef Average Rates


As of October 2024, the average price of a 1 bedroom unit at Kona Reef is $369. The average price of a 2 bedroom unit is $551. The average takes into account Hawaii's 18% accommodation tax as well as the cleaning and booking fees rentals charge. Also note that prices vary depending on the specifc unit and season (holiday rates are usally much higher). Visit the Kona Reef Rentals page to see specific unit prices for your dates.

Kona Reef's Best Rentals

View All 69 Kona Reef Rentals (with vacancy and search options)

What Do Guests Think? An AI Analysis of 1000 Guest Reviews


Reviewer Portrait

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 at the Kona Reef condo resort on Big Island have shared a range of experiences in their reviews, highlighting both positives and areas for improvement. Many guests praised the resort's perfect location, which is within easy walking distance to Kona's main restaurants and shops, and the joy of waking up to the sound of waves. The views from the condos, especially of the ocean, were frequently mentioned as a highlight, with guests enjoying watching surfers, cruise ships, and sunsets from their lanais.

Several reviews mentioned the condos being well-equipped with amenities needed for a comfortable stay, including kitchen supplies, beach gear, and in some cases, air conditioning. The cleanliness of the condos received mixed reviews, with some guests finding their units clean and well-maintained, while others noted issues with cleanliness and maintenance.

Some specific units received praise for recent updates and the provision of extras like welcome baskets, while others were noted as needing updates or repairs, particularly regarding furniture, appliances, and general decor. The resort's pool, hot tub, and BBQ area were generally well-regarded, adding value to guests' stays.

However, there were some criticisms, including issues with parking, noise from nearby construction or the road, and challenges with property management responsiveness in some cases. A few guests also mentioned difficulties with the check-in process or accessing certain amenities.

Overall, while most guests had a positive experience, enjoying the stunning views and convenient location, there were suggestions for improvements in maintenance, updates, and management responsiveness to ensure a consistently high-quality experience for all guests. This summary is based on a comprehensive analysis of 1000 guest reviews.

Recent Kona Reef Reviews


This is a beautiful oceanfront condo in a perfect location. Just a few minute walk into the center of town. I would definitely recommend staying here.
Scott W.
June 2024

My husband and I came to the big island for the first time to visit our daughter who is currently living there. The location was perfect; close enough to downtown that we were able to walk there multiple times a day if we wanted. The unit was clean and had plenty of amenities, not to mention the view of the ocean from the lanai where we spent most of our time. Conrad was very helpful and answered our questions right away. We will definitely stay there when we come again for a visit!
GWEN M.
June 2024

The location is absolutely gorgeous & the condo is just as nice as pictures indicate. The owner is the best too, fantastic communicator & wonderful to work with. I can't say enough good about the property or the owners. I have stayed at dozens of rentals & I give my highest recommendation. .
Marcia M.
June 2024

Great place to stay with an incredible ocean view!
Alene P.
June 2024

Nice condo that has been updated. Very clean and had everything we needed. Comfortable bed. Just as advertised. Building is older but still nice. Beautiful view of the ocean but other building blocks the view of the sunset from balcony. Could see it great down by the pool. Fun to watch the surfers in the morning. My only issue was furniture on the balcony was a high top table/chairs. We couldn't sit out there because of accessibility issue that prevented me from getting into a chair. Made dining in the condo difficult. The table/chairs was very nice just not accessible.
Amy W.
June 2024

We had such a wonderful stay! The condo is clean and comfortable. We found the location to be so convenient to town and we walked there every day. And the VIEW! Breathtaking. We have already started planning our next trip!
Elizabeth H.
June 2024

Wonderful as always. We will be back!!
Rosemary V.
June 2024

We loved this unit, perfect location with an easy walk to restaurants. We also loved sitting on the lanai and watching the surfers and sunsets.
Jennifer L.
June 2024

This was our third time staying at D8 and it was just as magical as the first two visits! We enjoyed sitting on the patio and watching the beautiful sunsets over the ocean! There was plenty of room for my family of 4 to be comfortable. We used the beach chairs, towels, and coolers that were provided for our daily outings to the beach. There were snorkels and fins in the unit for our snorkeling trip to Captain Cook. We were able to walk into town for shopping and dining every day!
Chantel T.
June 2024

The condo overall was cozy and clean, with the windows exception of the bathtub. It’s dated and doesn’t look very cleanable. The most frustrating thing was we were given 3/4 roll of toilet paper with no extra so had to run to the store. There were no coffee filters, so again ran to the store. The seasonings were also old and mostly unusable.
Stacie A.
June 2024

We enjoyed our stay here. Condo was nice, parking was easy. Would stay again
David M.
June 2024

We truly enjoyed our stay. The communication was wonderful. Thank you for everything you did to make us feel comfortable during our stay.
Lisa L.
June 2024

Great location condo, view of the ocean was amazing. We had coffee on the patio every morning while watching the surfers and the waves crash. Easy and short walk to downtown Kona. Parking at the complex was easy, unit had everything we needed including beach items. Would stay here again.
Christina P.
June 2024

Our son got married in Hulialai the week prior, my wife and I wanted a week to relax and recover. This unit was immaculate, well stocked, with an incredible view. We have stayed at Kona Reed many times, the property is nice, with great amenities and close to town. We look forward to coming back next year!!
Michael A.
June 2024

The location is great, just a 10 minute walk into town. The condo was very clean, which was what was most important to me. The only downsides were there was no hand soap, we were unable to figure out the TV in the bedroom, and the couch could use a steam clean. Honestly, it was a great stay. These things are minor, I only mention it so that the next guests have everything they need.
Cayla P.
June 2024

Beautiful condo! Great location and view. Excellent for sunset view. Bed comfortable and ACs worked great. Highly recommend. I would definitely stay here again!
Megan F.
June 2024

Close to beaches, dining, and shopping. Great view from the balcony. Only complaints are that the towels are old and thin and smelled rather musty and the bed is pretty rickety. Otherwise, this wa s great place and very conveniently located.
dustin q.
June 2024

What an amazingly beautiful condo. Great views, beautifully furnished and beautifully decorated. Fantastic owners. Perfectly located for all activities in the surrounding areas. If I was grade this beautiful rental on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it a 100+. Highly recommend this beautiful rental. Thank you to the wonderful owners.
Stephen E.
June 2024

Everything as described. Perfect location, easy walk to shops and restaurants. Wonderful view & sunsets. Would highly recommend.
Ruth W.
June 2024

Stayed for a couple nights in Kona. This place was perfect!. Walking distance to restaurants and shops. Comfortable bed. Everything working well in the condo, lots of amenities. Great for 2 adults and maybe a couple kids. Free parking with easy access to the pool, jacuzzi, and BBQ'S and ocean front area to enjoy the sunset. I would definitely stay here again.
Julie R.
June 2024

Absolutely loved the view right on the water from the front deck. Enjoyed the location: such a short walk to Kona town Went to a luau at Royal Kona, which is a short walk from there Enjoyed the unit except the floor was very very dirty.
Pamela H.
June 2024

Great location. But unit was very dated and could use a deep cleaning. Especially the bathroom and floors.
Pegi D.
June 2024

We really enjoyed our stay! The apartment is very large, cozy and tidy. The view from the balcony is simply fantastic and we would come back anytime! Many thanks for that!
Amelie F.
June 2024

The condo was exactly as described. The view of the waves hitting the shore and the surfers was amazing. The ability to walk to restaurants and shops was perfect!
Teresa V.
June 2024

We had a wonderful time and loved this place! Stunning ocean view from the private lanai, pictures don't do it justice! Great for sunsets too. The unit was extremely clean and well stocked with lots of amenities. Great location on Ali'l Drive with easy parking and close enough to walk to dinner and shopping in town. We will be back!
Michael D.
June 2024

We live on the island and this was a 5 night combo work and staycation. We could not connect to the wifi on arrival. The network and password listed in the info book was different from the one in the emails we had received. Neither were correct. I contacted Sandy the property manager who was abrupt and rude and told me “bear in mind you’re in Hawaii”. Nevermind I live here but that has nothing to do with the incorrect information. Finally I figured out that the listed password contained capital letters when it was supposed to all be lowercase. The bathroom flooded. Workers were in and out repeatedly. The unit below us flooded which it turned out after many maintenance people in and out drilling into walls and getting mud and water all over the unit, was the result of the water heater that needed to be swapped out. Sandy called us once to yell at us about how it was an emergency and we had to let in the maintenance people in right away, but they had already come and gone repeatedly. We were out of hot water for 24 hours. Sandy was again rude but offered what we had paid for two nights to move us to a hotel. There was no way we were going to get two oceanfront rooms last minute at a decent hotel for what we were paying plus moving would be a huge hassle. The furniture, mattresses, linens, all cheap and uncomfortable. We left behind a couple of things which they refused to even look for because ‘there are guests in the condo’ for weeks. Do not recommend.
Shea G.
June 2024

Beautiful condo with fantastic views and sounds of the ocean! We truly enjoyed the lanai and sitting out there to relax. I can't say anything about the pool or hot tub, since we didn't use it, but it looked awesome! I wish the bed was comfier. I wish the bedroom had windows that could be closed. It's weird that the majority of windows I saw at the complex had window slats that were always open. It'd also be nice if the shower had a removeable shower head, and some cooking spray would be a good addition. It was nice to have some extras at the condo, such as boogie boards (which I enjoyed using at the ocean), pool noodles (which came in handy when we practiced snorkeling), beach umbrellas, beach chairs (which we never used), reusable bags, a beach bag, a Brita pitcher to fill waters, a hair dryer, and other random things! Management was great and had the cleaners bring us another roll of toilet paper and a new tissue box since there was only one roll of toilet paper and one tissue in the box - they came the same day I called. We loved having a washer and dryer, and the AC was wonderful! Hawaii is very humid, and can get very hot. The two separate AC wall units were fantastic! The large tv was awesome. The DVD player didn't work (we even tried putting some new batteries in, but the remote wouldn't work still - not a big deal). Super close to downtown restaurants. Easy check-in & check-out process. We are happy that we picked this beautiful condo after lots of research!
Amelia W.
June 2024

When we arrived we had an issue and it was promptly and professionally handled by property management company. We arrived late and were able to contact via cell phone and they sorted it out promptly. Was very pleased how it was handled. Unit is very clean, great amenities (all the spices, compliances, new washer dryer), extremely comfy bed! Complex is a condo association with a lot of rules, if respectful of others there should be no issues!!! Pool and hot tub was excellent and had nice grills of you want to grill out one night. The location and view was fantastic, close walk to all things Kona.
Wade G.
June 2024

Great location. Walking distance to everything. Surfable beach. Marni very responsive, even over the weekend.
Simon P.
June 2024

This was a fantastic condo. Gorgeous views, thoughtfully stocked and decorated...it had everything we needed (and more!). I will definitely stay here again if I ever return to the island. This was the best VRBO experience I have ever had (and the pictures don't actually do it justice!)
Jennifer S.
June 2024

Terrible communication, owner emailed us the night before we were leaving to inform us the a/c wasn't working. Found out they new about the a/c for at least 10 days! We should have been called and/or sent a text about this issue sooner and then we would have had time to make a change. 3 portable a/c units were put in the unit which we would have dealt with but they didn't work because the breaker kept tripping. The units blocked our view and we caused blinds to not close properly letting bright morning sun to come in 3 sleeping areas. Owners being on east coast didn't pick up the phone because they are sleeping when we are having an issue; while we can't sleep because it's too hot. There are two bedrooms not three. l would not recommend dealing with these unprofessional VRBO owners. We requested some compensation/refund but didn't receive anything. We spent 2 nights without a/c, an extension cord was left at the door on 3rd day. Between the 3 big noisy units and extension cord we had to deal with, the situation that was not ideal. Owners should have done the right thing and refunded us some of the money for our inconvenience.
matty t.
June 2024

Super happy with our choice to stay here! Place itself is great! Renovated kitchen and living area looks nice and had space for the 4 of us to separate a bit from each other, with lots of windows and natural light because corner unit. Amenities are plentiful. We planned to, but never made it to the pool since we were out on excursions or preferred to sit on patio and watch the waves or sit in the sun. Location was great for walking to get Acai bowls for brunch, Snorkel Bob's rentals, shopping, or dinner. Only used car for excursions. Parking in garage kept car cool and secure. Side windows of condo face Honl's Beach with activities to participate in or watch, such as yoga, boarding competitions, and regular beach activities. You can also watch the waves, boarders, and surfers out front. We didn't let our inexperienced son board in that area because of all the rocks under water, but it was an almost constant activity of locals riding the waves all day and evening. The waves themselves were wonderful to watch and listen to. The sunsets from the patio were also beautiful. Communications were clear and everything was great, didn't need to contact owners/management for anything. We stayed in 3 condos and this place was all of our favorites. Being right on the water, next to an active beach, and walking distance to restaurants and shopping added to the fun of our visit. I highly recommend!
Chris T.
June 2024

This is a great location that is also next to Honl's Beach. I love how the unit is on the ground floor, making it very convenient to walk out the patio and onto the beach. Highly recommended property
Hai N.
June 2024

This property is in a fantastic location...bottom floor looking out on one of the most famous beaches on Hawaii! Pool area is fantastic, and people were using the grills a ton, and they seemed to be very happy with it. The unit itself is well stocked with everything you need: soap, paper products, beach gear, kitchen tools, ice chests. Before you go and buy things, check in and see what is there. It is a very complete package indeed. The hosts are also marvelous and are very accommodating. We will come back again and again. Thanks M and P!!!! Kev C
Kevin C.
June 2024

Rating Details: The property manager was very helpful. The vacation rental was spotless. I was very happy with the location. I was very satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental. Overall, I recommend this vacation rental. Reviewer Comments: We were very comfortable, the one bedroom was perfect. The condo was clean and spacious. The kitchen was well equipped with pots, pans and silverware. The ocean view was spectacular. We enjoyed breakfast and lunch on the lanai. We also had afternoon naps on chaise lounges. Customer service was excellent, they found my sunglasses, notified me and made arrangements for their return. The proximity to Kona was good. Overall this condo D-26 made for a great vacation. I would recommend it as a 10 out of 10.
Glenn M.
June 2024

This gorgeous two bed two bath apartment was spacious with a beautiful lanai facing the surfers. The kitchen is huge and well-appointed. The master bedroom is really large with a smaller second bedroom. Really enjoyed the hot tub and pool as well.
Linda-Jane I.
June 2024

The best part of this condo was watching the surfers while eating breakfast on the Lanai.
Walter W.
June 2024

It is a great complex to enjoy not only the condo but the pool, bbq, the surf and sounds. It is perfect to walk to all sites at Seaside Kona, which has to offer! Love it here and will stay here again! If you want to have vacation and still feel you have a home here! This is the place! All the amenities were great! A/c was central and worked great! It has a good hawaiian feel as you come to understand the Hawaiian way and how to adjust to your vacation. Had many great nights at the bbq and pool and then walk a short way for some gelato or shave ice! I will definitely come again and to this unit D 31! Thank you!
Robert S.
June 2024

Perfect for lounging and enjoying the waves, pool was a plus, kids typically out by 8pm, to get a few hours of adult time each day.
Heidi K.
June 2024

Excellent for a multi-generation family stay. Very well equipped for self catering. View is lovely. We have stayed here three times now
Jennifer H.
June 2024

This condo was in an ideal location. The only complaint I have is that it was dirty. The windows had to be opened so we could see out and get the gorgeous view. I doubt the condo has been dusted in the last six months and the dining room chair seats were soaking wet when we arrived. (on Sat). They were still damp on Thursday. I don't know if the cleaners washed them? I understand the owner is not local but he needs to get a property manager to oversee the condo and the cleaning. Also, might consider hiring different cleaners. Other than that, we enjoyed our stay and the great location. We would come back if the cleaning issue gets resolved.
Anne D.
June 2024

Condo is located right off the ocean shore! Amazing views, easy to walk to many Kona activities, calm atmosphere. Clean, had all amenities we needed. Pool was great. Would definitely stay again!
Tricia R.
June 2024

The view of the ocean and sunset is awesome, with the addition of being able to watch the boogy boarders and surfers off to the left from the lanai when the surf is up. The condo was very clean, nice and had everything we needed, from a fully stocked kitchen to snorkel masks. The location close to town and restaurants was great, my wife and I enjoyed being able to walk to many dinner spots, especially two of the restaurants within a 5 minute walk for Happy Hour. Stephanie responded quickly to messages and the check in process was very easy. We had a great time and we couldn't ask for more in a condo!

June 2024

We only had a three night rental but our stay was comfortable and nice. Ample parking and great location.
Jackie D.
June 2024

The lanai is wonderful and is where we spent our time when in the condo during our 8 night stay. King bed comfortable. Plenty of fluffy white towels and 4 beach towels for 2 people. Essentials in the kitchen and we grilled fresh fish several evenings (recommend KTA grocery stores for fish). Some dishes in the kitchen were dirty and had to bleach the coffee mugs because they were so crusted. The condo was clean but needs a deep clean (very dusty behind furniture, top of drapes in bedroom, pantry shelves). Really appreciated the portable chairs, umbrellas, binoculars and The Big Island Revealed book. A must have for driving around the island. Plenty of parking. Pool area clean and lots of chairs. We would stay again. Mahalo!
Vicki B.
June 2024

Easy to communicate with management. Friendly people. Close proximity to activities. Priced well.
Victoria
June 2024

Beautiful location off smaller beach, fun to watch surfers and visitors every morning. Smaller set up inside condo but perfect for a couple. Bed was comfortable but windows above bed had lights that were pretty bright at night. We ended up not having toilet paper or paper towels stoked so had to grab ourselves from the store. Close walking distance to several shopping area’s and restaurants. Overall we had a good stay.
Amber J.
June 2024

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Kona Reef. The unit had a great view right on the water. Liked sitting out on the Lanai and listening to the sound of the ocean. Unit was fully equipped with anything you could need. Lori was a gracious host and kept us advised of maintenance/management folks who might drop by. Location is very convenient to several good bars/restaurants. highly recommended. .
David S.
June 2024

Wow!! We loved sitting on the lani every morning and evening watching the boogie boarders and surfers. The porximity to the water is amazing. Our kids enjoyed playing catch out infront of the condo every night. We have stayed at multiple VRBO's this one is hands down the most stocked kitchen, great knives, and spices. It also has beach chairs umbrellas, toys, and snorkle gear. We had wonderful stay.
Sarah R.
June 2024

We were fishing out of Kona, and it was very convenient to the harbor
David G.
June 2024


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