Where to Stay in Waikōloa: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Review

While many of Hawaiʻi Island's hotels and resorts are beautiful and iconic, only one can claim to be the first. Founded by conservationist and venture capitalist Laurance S. Rockefeller, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection opened its doors in 1965. At the time, the $15 million build-out made it the most expensive hotel ever built in the world. In 2015, the hotel officially joined Marriott’s Autograph Collection, and in 2024 it began a renovation of more than $180 million to usher in a new era of luxury.

Common spaces and all 252 guest rooms and suites have been modernized, and a new hot tub and five cabanas were added to the family pool. My favorites are the new infinity lap pool, fitness center and spa.

Mauna Kea Beach, where the hotel resides, is exceptionally safe and secure, with a security booth limiting access to guests and those accessing Mauna Kea Beach through a small parking lot. This makes it nice for solo travelers, elderly travelers and multi-generational families. The grounds are easy to navigate without a lot of stairs and elevation changes, and features like the Rockefeller art collection, ʻulu garden and boutique row, along with the comfort and elegance of the guest rooms, appeal to mature, discerning travelers.

That said, it's also great fun for kids. Exploring the grounds and finding hidden treasures like the suspension bridge that leads to the treehouse, the family-friendly beach and the Keiki Club all help to keep kids entertained. My nine-year-old spent a few hours at the Keiki Club (this costs an additional fee) where he made crafts, played games and hung out with other kids his age. While he was occupied, my husband and I enjoyed some much-needed alone time at the adults-only pool and spa.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel's sister property, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, is a little over 2 miles away — a quick drive or about a 20-minute walk along the beach. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel guests have some privileges and shared use here, including access to beach chairs and activities. To pay for meals and drinks, you can sign everything to your room here, just as you would at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.

At-A-Glance

Star Rating: 5-star luxury resort

Price Range: Rooms range from $1,200 to $8,000 or more per night, with no resort fee. For the best rates, visit during shoulder season: January through February and September through October.

Pros: Easy access to Mauna Kea Beach, world-class golf course and annual events like Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival

Cons: The family pool is on the smaller side, the bay can become turbulent in winter months

Drive from Kona Airport: 35 minutes

Drive from Hilo Airport: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Location & Getting There

To get to Mauna Kea Beach Hotel from Kona International Airport, drive north on Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway (Highway 19) for about 26 miles. Just past Waikōloa, you'll see the turnoff for mile marker 68, or Mauna Kea Beach Drive. Turn left into the property. Though the hotel is in a somewhat isolated area, it's only a 20-minute drive to Waimea, a 15-minute drive from Waikōloa Beach Resort and a 27-minute drive to Hāwī — a charming former plantation town with restaurants, boutiques and galleries.

Nearby Activity & Tour Recommendations

• Tour Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park with pick-up in Waikōloa
• Family photo shoot on the beach
• Go snorkeling with manta rays
• Enjoy a sunset sail with cocktails and light bites included
• Swim under waterfalls
• Take a whale watching tour

Room & Accommodation

Room & Accommodation

There are two options for rooms. The Beachfront Wing sits directly in front of the beach with easy pool access and adjoining rooms for family stays. The Main Tower has easier access to most of the hotel's amenities, including restaurants, spa, front desk and boutique shops. All freshly renovated rooms feature a spacious lanai with either an ocean, garden or golf course view.

During our most recent stay, we had the perfect room for our family — a Beachfront Suite on the fourth floor that overlooked the family pool and beach. This made it easy for our kids to go to the pool and hang out on the main lawn while we could still keep an eye on them from our lanai.

Amenities

Pools

There are two pools. The Family Pool, located near the beach, is a fairly small, circular pool with limited chairs and cabanas. It's nice to spend some time at this pool, but it was one of the least exciting features of the hotel for us, since Mauna Kea Beach, or Kaunaʻoa Bay, with chairs, umbrellas and complimentary rentals at the Beach Club was just steps away. On the other hand, the new adults-only infinity lap pool is absolutely outstanding, with some of the best ocean views that the hotel offers. It's easy to spend an entire day here, with food and drink service available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Spa

The new spa includes 11 treatment rooms and suites, including indoor and outdoor suites. Gender-separated purification gardens include cold plunge, hot tub and steam and sauna rooms. In the middle of it all is a pool and relaxation area, which will make you want to spend an entire day there. A limited spa food and drink menu means you don't actually have to leave until the spa closes. I had the chance to experience this incredible retreat, and it's truly an evolution in spa facilities and well worth the splurge — I had one of the best massages of my life here, and I can't wait to return with some friends for a full day of pampering.

Golf

Besides the beach, golf is the crown jewel of this property, with two world-renowned courses inside the Mauna Kea Resort complex. Both the Mauna Kea golf course and the Hāpuna golf course have recently been updated to refresh fairways, greens and bunkers. Avid golfers won't want to miss Mauna Kea's signature third hole that requires a shot over the ocean or the stunning coastal and mountain views that highlight the Hāpuna course.

Tennis and Pickleball Court

Bocce Ball Court

Fitness Center — A new, state-of-the-art 2,500-square-foot fitness center overlooking the ocean was part of the hotel renovation.

Keiki Club — This amenity offers opportunities for kids to play games, including putt-putt and foosball and make new friends.

Cultural Activities — Weaving, poi pounding and Hawaiian language lessons are just a few of the weekly activities that the hotel offers.

Book a Stay

Dining & Drinks

Manta Restaurant

We started every morning of our recent stay saying "hi" to the parrot perched outside of Manta Restaurant, while taking in views of the ocean. We enjoyed the breakfast buffet, which includes local fruit, pastries, an omelet station and a variety of hot dishes that included a fish option my picky son was actually excited about (moms, you know how thrilling this is). We loved the little touches at breakfast, like fresh fruit granita dropped off by our server. At night, Manta gets more elegant with a primarily seafood-focused menu, an award-winning wine list and live jazz three nights a week. After dinner, just a few steps below the restaurant is the viewing platform where manta rays swim to the platform's light to feed on plankton — watching them glide through the water at night is one of my favorite things to do at the hotel.

6:30 to 10 a.m. daily breakfast | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily cocktails and bar lunch | 5:30 to 9 p.m. dinner (closed Sun. and Mon.)

Copper Bar

For a lively dinner, Copper Bar has a variety of offerings including sushi, small plates and pizzas. When we tried to eat there on our first night, it was very busy, so we ordered our food to go and ate on our spacious lanai. This was the perfect option for dining as a family that night, though Copper Bar is a great spot to hang out and eat, particularly since they showcase live hula and music from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. every night.

Open daily 4 to 10 p.m. for cocktails | 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner | 9 to 10 p.m. late night cocktails

Hau Tree

Our favorite dining experience, by far, was at Hau Tree. For lunch, it offers casual dining with burgers and salads that don't take you too far away from the beach. At night, it transforms into the newly revamped Hau Tree Cantina, where chef Miguel Soto has created a contemporary Mexican-inspired menu. This oceanfront restaurant offers that picture-perfect toes-in-the-sand dining experience that you probably imagined while booking your Hawaiʻi vacation. After dinner, we watched the sunset, then sent the kids up to the room so my husband and I could enjoy a romantic dinner together. The highlight was Chef Miguel coming out to our table to explain his dishes, including the Ostiones (oysters on the half shell), ʻahi tostada — which was so tasty and refreshing, I could have eaten it for every meal — a 16-oz. bone-in ribeye and a whole roasted local chicken, raised by Puna Chicks on Hawaiʻi Island, prepared with scratch-made mole that completely turned my world upside down. The chicken was so much food that I ate it again the next day, and it was still incredible. By far one of the best mole sauces I've ever tasted. I will for sure be returning for that and the ʻahi tostada.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily lunch | 5 to 8 p.m. dinner (closed Wed. and Thurs.)

Mauna Kea Market

Grab-and-go coffee and sandwiches.

Open daily, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Mauna Kea Lūʻau

The quintessential Hawaiʻi dinner and a show experience.

Tuesday and Friday evenings.

Engawa at Islander Sake Brewery

Once you have checked out all of the restaurants at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, head to Engawa at Islander Sake Brewery, located on the top floor of the Hāpuna golf course clubhouse at The Westin Hapuna Resort, via the hotel's complimentary evening dinner shuttle. Here, you can either do a sake tasting or enjoy a Hawaiʻi-inspired Japanese omakase dinner paired with Islander Sake, brewed on-site.

Special Events

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is also home to two signature events: the annual Hawai'i Food and Wine Festival, which has hosted an oceanfront grand tasting event in October here for many years (and recently added a golf competition), and the Big Island Jazz & Blues Festival in May.

Service & Staff

While every encounter we had with hotel staff was a positive one, it was our pleasant interactions with the staff at Manta during breakfast that really set the tone for the day. The service was always warm and welcoming, without being overbearing.

Value

While room rates are at the high end of Hawaiʻi Island hotels, the recent renovation and the location on Mauna Kea Beach make it worth it. Mauna Kea Beach is one of the best beaches in Hawaiʻi, and thanks to limited public parking, it rarely feels crowded. Staying at this hotel means you don't have to worry about snagging one of its coveted parking spots.

Who It's Best For

I recommend Mauna Kea Beach Resort for couples celebrating something special (both young and old), families, athletes and laid-back loungers who enjoy taking advantage of resort amenities.

Book a Stay

Address: 62-100 Mauna Kea Beach Drive, Waimea

Check-in: 4 p.m.

Check-out: Noon

Pet policy: Pets are not permitted, with the exception of service animals

Parking fees: Self-parking and valet are $40 per day

Airport Shuttle service: Not offered, but concierge can assist with booking private transportation