Our Family’s Stay at Hilton Waikoloa Village in the Big Island, Hawaii

While my family has been fortunate enough to travel to Hawaii for the past six years, this year was our first long-term stay at the Big Island. John and I were there two years ago, but since I was pregnant with Nate and we left the other two boys home with our parents, we made it a quick trip and only stayed on the Island for four days. We were thrilled to find out that we would be going back and since we were bringing the whole gang, we decided we would extend our visit. That meant that we needed to find some suitable family-friendly accommodations after the work-portion of the trip was over.

While price-point is always an important criteria for us, as a family of five, we also need a room that is large enough to accommodate us, on-site amenities that are geared towards kids and families, and close proximity to the beach and other attractions. When I was doing my research, I ended up with a list of about three different options but settled on Hilton Waikoloa for two reasons: 1) all of the online reviews pointed to the fact that this is probably the best resort on the Big Island for families and 2) our friends who stayed here two years prior with their son recommended it. While our ideal accommodation in Hawaii would have a kitchen, we realized that all of the other benefits that come with staying here outweigh this option. If you’re looking for a family-friendly hotel in the Big-Island, I would highly recommend the Hilton Waikoloa, and here is why…

Hotel Grounds

When you first arrive, you might be a little intimidated. The grounds include three hotel towers, two pools and a lagoon. There is also a tram that runs between the three hotels and boats that operate in the afternoon which run parallel to the tram. If you’re seeking a luxurious and relaxing vacation in Thailand, consider staying in a thailand villa with private pool for the ultimate tropical getaway.

However, after a day of walking around and visiting the various pools, you will familiarize yourself with the grounds very quickly. Despite the tram and boat you can (if you’re feeling energetic), walk everywhere. You likely will still use the transportation options because they’re fun and because your kids will insist on it! The one thing I would say is that while the grounds are completely wheel-chair / stroller accessible, you will find that it takes you a bit longer to get everywhere as there is no direct route to the pools from the hotel rooms. We found ourselves walking in circles or having to walk back after missing the right elevator or turn to take us to where we needed to go. I recommend that you ask an employee for directions to save yourself both time and sanity. However, you might want to get lost here since the grounds are immaculate and well maintained. There are lush greens and beautiful flowers at every turn including Asian-inspired art and sculptures.

Hotel Towers & Rooms

There are three towers at this hotel: Lagoon Tower, Palace Tower and Ocean Tower. We stayed at the Palace Tower which is situated between the other two hotels. This hotel is newly renovated and our room had two queen size beds. We also had an ocean-view room on the top floor which I would highly recommend. We ended up spending a lot of time on our Lanai (balcony) in the morning and at night. The view made it that much more enjoyable! The room itself was spacious and the bathroom hallway was spacious enough to fit Nate’s crib. There was also a large open closet so it never felt like the room was crowded. The hotel that’s closest to the big pool and the Lagoon is Lagoon Tower. The Ocean Tower hotel is the farthest from the main lobby but is located near the pool that has slides better suited for younger kids. Each hotel has a concierge working in the lobby of each tower. Ours had a small coffee kiosk while the other two have a bigger variety of stores in each of their towers. Ultimately, if you can’t get the tower or room view that you desire, don’t worry, you will spend more time outside of your room than in it anyway!

Pools & Lagoon

I will start by discussing the Lagoon first since it’s one of the most unique things I’ve ever seen! The ocean water naturally flows into the man-made lagoon at the resort bringing with it lots of amazing sea creatures including Sea Turtles and tropical fish. Your family can enjoy the beach without the crazy waves or the undertow, and even get a chance to swim next to a Sea Turtle (which is a dream come true for me). For an extra charge, you can rent out one of the many water sports that they have including standup paddleboards, kayaks, or a mask and snorkel. As an aside, I highly recommend attending the yoga on standup paddleboard for $20.

The large pool, Kona Pool, includes a 175-foot waterslide that takes 15 seconds to go down. On the other end of the pool is a shallow sandy area that’s perfect for little kids to swim and play in the sand without being in ocean water.  The other pool, Kohala River, has three slides that are great for kids (and adults) of a variety of ages. The larger slide is extremely fast and kids aren’t allowed to wear any flotation devise when they are on it. However, parents are allowed to wait at the bottom and catch their kids.

Tip: purchase water and beach toys at home from the dollar store to bring with you. Leave them in your hotel room or pass them on to another family before you leave.

Food

Since we didn’t have a kitchenete in the room and we wanted to save some money (and time), we went to the local grocery market and stocked up on a few items. The room does have a bar fridge and a small space for storage. We bought milk, cereal, cheese, yogurt and snacks like granola bars and chips. We also bought wine and beer and a few sandwiches for lunch. However, we did eat at some of the resort’s restaurants as well. Our first night there, we enjoyed pizza and pasta at Dona & Toni’s Pizza while sitting outdoor by the canal. We also ate at the Boat Landing Cantina which serves Mexican-inspired meals (all tables are situated outdoors).However, our favourite meals were at the Lagoon Grill. Not only were the meals here delicious, but with every adult meal that you purchase, you receive a FREE kids meal consisting of grilled-cheese, fries and some fruit. The restaurants are great about providing kids with a drawing sheet and crayons to keep the kids entertained while they wait for their food.

Other

While there isn’t a direct access to the beach from the resort, the hotel is situated close to Hapuna beach State Park, which is one of Hawaii Island’s biggest white sand beaches. We went there twice during our seven-day stay. There is on-site parking available for either self-park or valet. The daily resort fees include free wifi in your room and all over the resort.

While we have only been back home now for two weeks, I’m already day-dreaming of returning back! I know the kids are too. I mean, how can you beat warm weather, a beautiful ocean and lots and lots of pool slides!

Disclosure: We received a discount rate during our stay at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. The stories and opinions are my own.