Help me pick a Big Island hotel

Been to Big Island several times. Obviously budget is key - if it’s within your range, Four Seasons Hualalai has consistently been ranked as one of the best hotels in the world. And many consider it the best FS in Hawaii for sure.

Kona is all about the laid back vibe...for me Hilton Waikaloa is the epitome of what I don’t want to see in Hawaii. Any resort that has its own train system is not going to be relaxing. It is very similar to Hilton Hawaiian village on Oahu.
Besides FS Lanai, which I love for its quaint charm, Hualalai definitely takes the cake. If you can swing it, do it! The outdoor shower is ridiculously amazing.
 
If you want to do Volcano National Park, I would fly into Hilo and spend at least one night and day there. I would rent a car for that and then drive to the Kona side.

We always stay at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort as we are Marriott Vacation Club members. We do walk to the shopping center for food. The ABC store is great there and prices aren't that bad for food for your room. The Lava Lava Club is fun and has good food. We do not find the kids to be bothersome at the Marriott.

If you want to spend a night in Kona, I would stay at the Marriott right there on the beach. It's close to the downtown area.

I would then fly out of Kona.
 
I traveled solo on the Big Island not too long ago for 2 weeks and rented a car and never felt unsafe. It is easy to navigate around the island. I traveled the entire island and never had any worries as a woman traveling solo. In my opinion, just buy a good travel book and ditch the tours.

I personally would recommend the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - I stayed there for 5 nights. It is pricey, but definitely worth it if you can swing it. Also, I was not a fan of the Kona area at all - very touristy. I stayed 1 night at the Kona Seaside - it was nice, but I would have preferred to have spent an extra night elsewhere.

To visit the south part of the island, you will need more than 1 day. Volcano National Park can easily take more than 1 day. It really depends what you like to do. If you're into hiking and outdoor activities, then you're going to want to spend more than 1 day.

Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions or want additional info.
 
I traveled solo on the Big Island not too long ago for 2 weeks and rented a car and never felt unsafe. It is easy to navigate around the island. I traveled the entire island and never had any worries as a woman traveling solo. In my opinion, just buy a good travel book and ditch the tours.

I personally would recommend the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel - I stayed there for 5 nights. It is pricey, but definitely worth it if you can swing it. Also, I was not a fan of the Kona area at all - very touristy. I stayed 1 night at the Kona Seaside - it was nice, but I would have preferred to have spent an extra night elsewhere.

To visit the south part of the island, you will need more than 1 day. Volcano National Park can easily take more than 1 day. It really depends what you like to do. If you're into hiking and outdoor activities, then you're going to want to spend more than 1 day.

Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions or want additional info.

I might take you up on the offer to DM! While I have been talking with people to travel with, so much is up in the air and I was considering going solo, and as a woman a little voice in the back of my head is worried that this would be unsafe. I think my main concern would be if there was an issue with the car rental and I was left alone on the side of the road. I know much of the island is rural and a lot is spread out, so I would be little afraid of being stuck alone while waiting for service.

I probably wouldn't want to spend much time in Kona, but for a few hours it seems worth checking out, even if it's super touristy. I was also thinking about staying at the Kona Seaside for a few nights. My thought is that if I am out away from the hotel all day, I might as well get something cheap. I'm not super into hiking (I'll do it to see parts of the park or to get to a waterfall) but I'm not a super outdoorsy person.
 


I might take you up on the offer to DM! While I have been talking with people to travel with, so much is up in the air and I was considering going solo, and as a woman a little voice in the back of my head is worried that this would be unsafe. I think my main concern would be if there was an issue with the car rental and I was left alone on the side of the road. I know much of the island is rural and a lot is spread out, so I would be little afraid of being stuck alone while waiting for service.

I probably wouldn't want to spend much time in Kona, but for a few hours it seems worth checking out, even if it's super touristy. I was also thinking about staying at the Kona Seaside for a few nights. My thought is that if I am out away from the hotel all day, I might as well get something cheap. I'm not super into hiking (I'll do it to see parts of the park or to get to a waterfall) but I'm not a super outdoorsy person.

Don’t be afraid to travel solo, I do it all the time and agree with the OP that the Big Island is safe. As always, you do need to be aware of your surroundings and take precautions. You will need a car to get around because most attractions are spread out. The main areas of the island that people visit are: Kona/Waikoloa, Hilo/VNP, and Waimea. VNP is definitely the farthest away from Kona. If you don’t feel comfortable driving there, book a Circle Island tour and let someone else drive. As long as you rent a car from a reputable agency (Hertz, Alamo, National, etc) at the airport you should be fine. Some car rental companies have restrictions against taking Saddle Rd to get to VNP, so check with your car rental agency ahead of time. There’s a lot to do on the Big Island that involves only a moderate amount of walking. Enjoy!
 

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