Hotel Review: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

Brooke
May 18, 2016
4 min read

Each year for my birthday, Ben and I go somewhere. The "where" is usually a favorite place of mine, such as Maui, or Kauai. Sometimes it's a little grander, like last year's trip to the Cook Islands.

This year would be a little different, as my in-laws were flying in the day before my birthday, and sadly, my birthday happened to fall on a Monday. However, our island was hosting the Charity Walk on the Saturday morning before my big day, so we opted to get a room much closer to the event as a sort of early birthday outing/not having to wake up so much earlier to drive an hour away from the event.

The selection? The beautiful Mauna Kea Beach Hotel along the Kohala Coast.

The view from the hotel of gorgeous Kauna‘oa Bay at sunset

Perched above one of the Big Island's most attractive beaches, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel offers guests incredible views, comfortable rooms and friendly service. Opened in 1965 this hotel is one of the state's oldest resorts, and was orchestrated by Laurence Rockefeller to be as unobtrusive to the natural surroundings as possible.

Though Ben and I had previously eaten at the delicious Copper Bar (see my story here), this was our first time staying at the resort.

Our room was tastefully decorated with island-inspired decor, and blessed with an enviable view of the blue Pacific. We loved the size of the room, which came with a foyer, a spacious walk-in closet, and a giant, oversized bathroom.

Have you ever had a bathroom with your own lanai and sitting area before? I haven't! What a wonderful way to start your day, as you shower in front of the gorgeous view of Kauna‘oa Bay.

I love the fact that this hotel uses L'Occitane lotions, shampoos, and soaps, which are some of my all time favorite products.

The room features amazing little details, such as a cute little tea pot and cups, along with the mid-century modern ice bucket that we've been attempting to score for ourselves since we first locked eyes on it. There are all of the connections to the hotel's past, like the bright orange flower logo all around the space, that really tie the room and hotel together.

All of the tea and coffee accoutrements came in little tea tins, adding an extra layer of style and sense to the room.

That fabulous ice bucket. Yes, I get excited about mid-century modern products in contemporary spaces. :)

Our comfy bed for the evening

A nice bottle of bubbly provided by the hotel for my birthday

But we can't forget about the view. While I'm sure that the mountain view rooms have pleasant vistas of the surrounding hillside, foliage, and perhaps even the glorious golf course, splurging on an ocean front room at this hotel is totally worth it.

One of two beach loungers on our lanai (not including our bathroom lanai's lounge chair)

Morning view from our lanai

Being able to sit on your lanai and read while listening to the birds chirping and the waves crashing is such a relaxing experience. It's also helpful to keep an eye on the beachfront seat selection before the crowds descend on the beach. (Pro Tip: If you want front row beach seats, get out there by 8AM TOPS).

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel's pool

The pool at the Mauna Kea seemed nice, but with such a beautiful beach beckoning right beyond it, the pool took a back seat. To the beach we were heading.

Our front row perch for the day

For those who are not sure whether or not it is worth getting up early to grab a front row seat, I promise you that you won't regret it. If you're like Ben and I and plan on being there all day, who wants to stare at the back of some other person's front row seat? If you have an ocean front room, you can know how early you have to get there, but I saw about half of the front row taken by around 7:30AM. When I went down around 8:15, there were not many left, but I managed to score two in this small little section seen above.

The bar/restaurant on the beach, Hau Tree

Once you head down to the beach and grab your ideal beach chair, it's time to totally unwind. Bring a book, your sunscreen, and maybe even a snorkel set - this is the perfect place to while away a day.

The perfect vacation cocktail - the Pahoehoe

Of course a day at the beach isn't complete without a few libations to wash away all of the stresses of lounging in the sun on a beautiful beach. My favorite drink at Hau Tree, the Mauna Kea's beach restaurant and bar, is the Pahoehoe, made with light rum, passion fruit, lime, and a splash of grenadine - the perfect vacation cocktail. Others prefer the famous Frederico, made with light rum, whiskey, POG and pineapple, for those who prefer their beach cocktails on the less sweet side.

The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel stands guard over Kauna‘oa Beach

On calm days, the surf gently roles into shore

One of the nice things for guests of this hotel, and a disadvantage to living here, is the limited access to the beach that is allowed to outsiders. The resort offers just a few parking spots for outside visitors (that means us kama'aina, but also other hotel guests) who want to have a beach day at this glorious location. For hotel guests, that means that the beach is hardly ever crowded, and leaves you with more space to spread out and enjoy this fabulous location.

Ben and I stayed the whole day, camped out on our beach chairs, hopping in the ocean on occasion. With dinner the night before at Copper Bar, and lunch there again (have I mentioned that I really enjoy their food?), we had a fantastic time at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Our room was spectacular, the food delicious, and the beach was truly relaxing. What a perfect way to spend an almost-birthday!

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Details

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