Kolea at Waikōloa Beach Resort — Attraction in Hawaii

Horrifying Health Hazard – Stay Away from Unit 7D at Kolea (Waikoloa Vacation Rentals) We rented Unit 7D for 9 nights, a 3-bedroom, 3-bath, ground-floor condo at the Kolea Beach Resort through Waikoloa Vacation Rentals. The location was beautiful — steps from the beach, great pools, and a scenic, walkable community. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a dream vacation became a complete health nightmare. Shortly after turning on the air-conditioning, I started to feel ill. By the end of our trip, both of our toddlers and our 3-month-old baby were sick — coughing, congestion, headaches, and respiratory distress. At first, we thought it might be a coincidence or a change in environment, but things worsened quickly. We discovered the cause: black mold contamination throughout the entire HVAC venting and duct system. Not surface mold — deep mold inside the ducts, blowing through the unit's air supply. We have photos and videos that prove just how serious and widespread it was. We immediately contacted the property managers at Waikoloa Vacation Rentals. Their response? Shockingly irresponsible: •    They offered to clean the vents — a superficial and dangerous fix that would only stir up mold spores into the air, potentially making things worse, especially for our infant. •    They then offered to move us to another unit, but followed it with an alarming statement: "99% of our units probably have the same issue."

Let that sink in: the employee openly admitted mold contamination is likely present across nearly all of their units. This is gross negligence.

Hawaii Law: They Knew Better Under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-42 (Landlord-Tenant Code), all vacation rental operators are required to: •    Maintain the unit in a safe, habitable condition •    Remedy any health hazards promptly upon notice Additionally, under HB 210 (2023–2024), landlords and rental managers are now legally required to disclose any known presence of mold before occupancy. None of this was disclosed to us, despite management clearly being aware of a widespread issue. Renting out a mold-infested unit — especially to families with infants and small children — is more than negligent. It's dangerous, and possibly illegal.

The Only Positive: Location •    The Kolea Beach Resort grounds are stunning. •    Pools and beach access are top-tier. But all that means nothing if your family gets sick just by being inside the unit.

Final Word: Stay Far Away We left sick, disappointed, and furious. Our vacation was ruined, and we’re still dealing with the aftermath, including my wife, mother-in-law and children being sick and respiratory concerns for our infant. Do not rent Unit 7D — or any unit from Waikoloa Vacation Rentals — unless they publicly address this mold issue, remediate all affected units with certified professionals, and comply with Hawaii law. The health risks are real. Their acknowledgment that most of their units likely have mold should be a red flag to every potential renter. We will be filing a formal complaint with the Hawaii Department of Health and making sure other families know the risks...

BAD COCKROACH INFESTATION!!

We stayed here for 5 nights in Aug 2025 and unfortunately our experience was ruined by a persistent roach infestation inside our unit.

On the very first night, we killed six live roaches indoors. Over the next two days, we encountered several more inside--including one crawling near my foot while we were eating at the kitchen table--which terrified my children. We also saw many on the patio, along with ants along the wall near the sliding doors. We were unable to use the patio or keep the doors open for fresh air.

Management sent pest control to spray, but the cockroach sightings continued. They offered less than 10% partial compensation, but it didn't make up for losing the ability to relax or feel comfortable in the unit for the majority of our stay.

We understand Hawaii has tropical insects, but this went far beyond the occasional sighting. This was a recurring and disruptive issue that affected our enjoyment of the vacation.

Management said it's "normal" for Hawaii. Well, I've been coming to Hawaii for decades and I can confidently say this is a bad infestation because I have never before experienced anything like this. Especially at resort (supposedly) of this caliber and price point. And management's response was slow and unsatisfactory.

I do NOT recommend this resort. Proceed with caution--especially if considering a...

We just stayed one week in Kolea 15C with two young kids and had an amazing experience! They have thought of absolutely everything. This is by far the most stocked, well thought out rental we’ve ever stayed in. They had beach chairs, coolers, sand toys for kids, board games, and even a beach bag! The kitchen had every tool and dish you can think of and even had all the grilling equipment. The view was perfect every day, and everything was so well furnished and clean. A-Bay was around a 5-10 minute walk with beach chairs and coolers. The pool is 2 minutes away by foot and so quiet and perfect for kids. We also loved that this was managed by Waikoloa Rental company because they were so responsive and helpful with everything. We even got a Hilton Waikoloa amenity card during our stay so got to use all of the Hilton pools, water slides, pool bars, and lagoons. I also liked that everything was high-quality - from the coffee, to the toilet paper, and the unit had plenty of everything. All you need to bring is a suitcase (and there’s a washer and dryer in the unit too). We will definitely be back...