Waimea, Big Island
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
An Autograph Collection Hotel
What it is
A 252-room oceanfront retreat opened by Laurance S. Rockefeller in 1965, with Hawai’i’s first golf course, 4 restaurants, and a pristine white sand beach.
What it isn't
Lacking anything. The resort has it all, from a seafront tennis club to lei-making classes.
What we think
Generations of families have beelined to Mauna Kea—the first resort on the island of Hawai’i—to soak up what can only be described as nirvana. On these lush and leafy 60 acres, you’ll find activities to suit every sort, whether you want to ply the waters by night in a glowing canoe or hit the links on their 18-hole championship course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1964 on a former black lava field. Guest rooms are adorned in a simple, beachy palette of blondes and neutrals, each one with nightly turn-down service, a hidden flatscreen TV, L’Occitane bath amenities and a private lanai (balcony) that’s ideal for sipping your morning Kona coffee in your bathrobe and slippers. Repeat guests rave over the 9th-floor, 1,252-square-foot Hualalai Suite, which has two (!) balconies, a soaking tub and wall-less shower, and a Bose Stereo system for blasting your Israel Kamakawiwo’ole tunes.
You're here because
You’re all about ease on vacation, the love that the hotel has four on-property restaurants to choose from (plus private and in-room dining). On the dinner menu at the locally-sourced, open-air restaurant Manta: Kona white shrimp tagliatelle and cornbread with Mauna Kea honey jalapeno butter.
The Moment
The iconic seafront Mauna Kea Luau may have been dreamt up for Newsweek magazine in the 1960s, but its campy wonders still thrill—especially fire dancers. But it’s the thoroughly authentic food you’ll be craving until your next visit, including poi and a kalua pig, cooked underground in a bed of banana leaves.
Restaurants & Bars
Mauna Kea Restaurant - Offers Sunday brunch, traditional lu'aus, clambakes, etc.
Number 3 - Thirsty Golfers seeking a mid-round oasis, will love the tasteful new look and tasty menus
Hau Tree - Right by the beach, with views to match tasty menu items
Copper Bar - With sweeping views of Kauna'oa Bay and fine cocktails
Manta & Pavilion Wine Bar - Creates an incredible wine experience along with creative cuisine
Location
On a postcard-perfect inlet of Mauna Kea Beach, just up the road from Hapuna Beach State Park and, in the other direction, Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site, where you can eyeball black-tipped reef sharks and humpback whales in Pelekane Bay.