Kona Hawaii

Royal Kona from the ocean

Kona Hawaii is often referred to as the dry side of the Big Island. Then you hear that the tourists like it because it’s sunny. What I noticed first was that there are resorts, shops and restaurants everywhere along Alii Dr. Parking, if present at all, is at a premium. Walking or taking a trolley is the preferred method of getting around here. (With my bad back the walking was a problem) It reminded me of South Beach. Florida. If you recall I didn’t care much for South Beach and I was feeling the same way about Kona. My first day in Kona and I was already missing Sea Mountain. The loyal locals told me it was School Break which was why there were so many kids, families and young adults. I hadn’t even noticed that!

The Royal Kona Resort

When I booked this trip I was told I would be in a hotel room, not a condo. I agreed. I was also told that there were two restaurants. They made it sound like I wouldn’t miss a kitchen at all. Maybe if my name were Trump or Rockefeller. I wasn’t about to spend $22.00 for a breakfast buffet. It wasn’t even that special, just the usual eggs, meat (bacon & sausage,) maybe pancakes or waffles depending on the day. I had spotted a MacDonald’s on my drive in from the airport. Their breakfast was just fine with me and a lot less expensive. On the map above my room was overlooking the Lagoon Terrace.

The Smoky Aroma of the Imu

As I headed out to retrieve my car I recognized the unmistakable smell of a charcoal fire. The Imu for the luau is right near my room. The staff gets the fire stoked up bright and early so the fire can burn down to coals and the Imu pig be readied for roasting for the luau that night. Good thing I like the smell of charcoal!

The Big Island of Hawaii

After 11 years I’m returning to the Big Island of Hawaii. In many ways the Big Island is Hawaii to me. It’s more rural and it has active volcanoes. It was the first Island of the chain that I ever visited. It was time to see what had changed. And if I tell the truth I wanted to see the lava from Kilauea pouring into the sea. When we made the visit 11 years ago we stayed at Sea Mountain Resort on the wet side of the Island. This time I was staying at the Royal Kona resort in Kona, the dry side of the Island. We had a beautiful condo with a lanai at Sea Mountain. At the Royal Kona Resort I was in a standard hotel room. It had a big bed and the slider to the lanai were covered with sliding wooden panels rather than tacky drapes.

Basic Hotel Room

View from the Lanai

I didn’t get to see the view the first night since it was pretty dark by the time I located the resort. They also didn’t quite meet Diamond Resorts standards for service either. But after some pushing and prodding I managed to get a bell hop to assist with my bags. Parking was tough. Although they had a huge lot it was all up hill. The best I could do was to park on the grass next to the tennis courts. I had plenty of company parking there. My room was an ocean view on the second floor. I could hear the waves crashing on the shore. First thing the next morning I threw open the sliders to the lanai to a gorgeous water view. This was one room that was truly an ocean view. It was going to be hard to leave the deck to go exploring!