Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection
Hawaii
Reviews
Outstanding hotel that exceeds every expectation. Staff: top notch professionals who excel in providing a great guest experience. Shout out to Greg, Beach Director and Dawn in Housekeeping. Dinning: Recommend Copper Bar for dinner and Manta for breakfast. We traversed the Big Island in past visits, so we spent all 5 days at Mauna Kea property to make for a perfect vacation.
Currently on the beach here as a guest. Ordered two mango smoothies from the beach bar at $48 plus tip for $60. Worse drinks ever. Went back to the bartender to tell him there was absolutely no mango in the drinks. Apparently he forgot to add it? Didn’t admit the error. The prices are nutty so you expect the best. Sorry no photos as I already threw both drinks away. Make sure you get what you pay for…
What a beach. The renovated rooms are stunning, and same goes for the fitness center and spa facilities. That’s probably where the clear positives end for me. The rest is a mix of FYIs and no-gos, which hits differently when they’re charging near-Four Seasons prices. Service is on par with a Westin, the adult pool closes at 5pm, shuttle service is not on time, and Moana is astonishingly expensive for what is pretty average food. The clientele is a mix of 80+ year old regulars giving you the side eye and your standard Marriott Bonvoy crowd. There’s no real programming here, you just come for the beach and maybe the luau if that’s your thing (very old school white people resort energy). Beach equipment like paddleboards and snorkel gear is complimentary, which is nice in theory, but capped at one hour which feels a little stingy at this price point. And no beach chair setup? At a resort charging well over $1200 a night? Sure. I get that they’re trying to reinvent themselves, and hopefully they get there.
This was our second stay at this resort, this one post renovations. Beautiful views, and rooms were fantastic. I love the conservation efforts, we were given metal water bottles to use during our stay (and to take home) and there are filtered water taps in the rooms! Beach equipment is FREE to use for guests (snorkle gear, stand up paddleboards, surfboards, etc.). Beach is amazing - places to snorkle right there by the rocks, and you can go snorkeling with manta rays right off the beach (resort will help you book). Staff is lovely, so friendly and helpful. Breakfast was amazing - Bonvoy Elite members...this will spoil you for all other free breakfasts! There were tons of activities to do at the resort for free (Ukelele lessons, learning to speak Hawaiian, yoga, etc.). We took our 2 teenagers with us and they had an amazing time. I will say that while I'm sure you could bring younger kids and do fine, this is best for older kids & adults.
