• What resort did you book? 

We exchanged to the Kona Coast Resort, a premier-rated resort in Kona. Kona is located on the west side of the island of Hawai’i, also known as the Big Island. We own at the Grand Lodge on Peak 7, which is elite-rated, so the quality was a little lower, but the location was fantastic, the rooms were large and nice- we felt like we made a good choice by exchanging to this resort.

• What accommodations did you book? How many people did your unit sleep?  

We exchanged into a two-bedroom unit, which could sleep up to six people. There was a king-sized bed in the primary bedroom and two queen-sized beds in the second bedroom. Our unit had a fully-equipped kitchen and dining table, so we didn’t have to dine out every meal. There was also a table large enough for everyone on the lanai (balcony), so we had several meals and drank our morning coffee outdoors.

• What amenities were available at the resort?

At the resort there were two swimming pools- one was a family/kid-friendly pool and the other was a quiet, relaxation pool. There were several hot tubs and a sauna as well. We didn’t partake, but we saw that there were tennis and volleyball courts, outdoor shuffleboard, and other outdoor games. They had daily activities you could participate in like hula lessons! There was an on-site restaurant that was convenient for some poolside drinks. Directly next to the resort is an 18-hole golf course- the Kona Country Club.

• Was it difficult to find availability through Interval International?

The Kona Coast resort was readily available through Interval- we didn’t even need to set up a waitlist. We called Owner Relations and spoke with Caroline, who had previously visited this resort, and followed her advice. We were not disappointed!

• What was Kona and Big Island like? 

We had previously been to Maui and found that the Big Island was much less “tourist-y” and more laid-back- which we loved! Like all of the Hawaiian Islands, the west side, where the resort is located, is dry and sunny whereas the eastern and northern sides are lush and get more rain. There is so much to do on the Big Island, we could have stayed for a month! There are beach and ocean activities to do, of course, but there is also plenty of hiking and exploring to do as well.

• How did you get to your resort? Do you recommend a rental car?

We flew from Denver to Vegas, then to Kona (KOA). Flights were surprisingly reasonable for the distance- about $500 round trip. I would definitely recommend a rental car! If you are just wanting to stay at the resort you may not need one, but we wanted to explore the whole island, and it would be difficult to rely on public transportation or Uber.

• What types of things are there to do at this destination? 

There is so much to do on the Big Island! The snorkeling is incredible- I would recommend Two-Step, Kealakekua Bay, and Carlsmith Beach Park. If you want to check out unique beaches, check out some of the black sand beaches, such as Punalu’u and Kehena. Big Island is the “youngest” of the Hawaiian Islands- it is still volcanically active- so the beaches are more lava rock versus sand beaches that you find on the other islands. If you like hiking, definitely pay a visit to the East (Hilo) side of the island- Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls, Pololu Valley were our favorites! Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is definitely worth a visit for unique landscapes and incredible stargazing. There are plenty of other activities to do as well such as visiting a coffee farm (Greenwell Farms), an apiary (Big Island Bees), an animal sanctuary (Big Island Animal Sanctuary), and more. One of our favorite activities of the trip was night snorkeling with giant manta rays!

• Is the area family-friendly or more adult-oriented? 

Kona and the Big Island in general are very family-friendly! There isn’t a ton of nightlife and plenty of options for families to explore the island environment. You could have an active vacation or spend your week laying in the sun! We did a little bit of both.

• Any restaurant recommendations?

Absolutely! Here are a few of our favorites that we visited throughout the week.

• The Coffee Shack
• Foster’s Kitchen
• Pineapples (Hilo)
• Punalu’u Bake Shop
• Ono Loa Grill