Holualoa Inn — Hotel in Hawaii

While planning for a once in a lifetime honeymoon on the Big Island, we came across the Holualoa Inn, after researching the top luxury accommodations on the island with great reviews. We are very experienced travelers with vast hospitality knowledge in the family (having owned and operated a top boutique hotel in Los Angeles for close to 40 years). ||We wanted to have an intimate setting for this special trip and thought a high-end bed & breakfast would hit that mark for us. We are big fans of B&B’s in general, since they are usually super well kept, and you spend time with the hosts and learn more about the area than in an anonymous big hotel. We have stayed in B&B’s in almost all continents, and it has been always a great experience. ||Prior to arrival, we were contacted by the hosts asking about dietary restrictions and if this was a special occasion. We shared that I am mostly plant-based and my wife gluten-free. And, of course, that this is our honeymoon. Given the nightly rate of $750, we thought that this would be the perfect place for us.||Upon arrival, we were greeted with a lack warmth and zero acknowledgement of our honeymoon. We thought that was strange but continued the tour of the property and our room. The main house is beautiful, well-appointed, and looks like the pictures on the website. In stark contrast, the cottage was dated, not well-appointed and did not reflect the price point of $750/ night. It looks more like a 3-star hotel. Specifically, the bathroom was gross, looked like a college dorm bathroom and could only fit one person at a time. The bathroom products looked and smelled like they were purchased at the $0.99 store, kept in a cheap plastic dispenser. There was no bodywash, but instead a cheap bar of soap. We didn’t think of it much, but in the room description on the website there were no pictures of the bathroom. Given the price, we didn’t think of it much. But now we know why. ||The living area looked specifically cheap and dated. There was no charm or any thought put into the setup for living room and kitchen area. ||If there wasn’t such a strict cancellation policy, we would have left immediately after one night, but we couldn’t afford to lose almost $3,000. ||At breakfast the next morning, it was the same picture (and the mornings after), there was no warmth of the staff whatsoever. It almost felt like the guests are a burden to the staff. There were no questions about how the first night was, what our plans for the day were, and if we needed anything. The breakfast options are limited, as stated on their website. What we didn’t expect was that, after asking about our dietary restrictions beforehand, the plant-based options were toast, jelly, and yoghurt (!!?). Luckily, I am not a strict vegan, but it was disappointing to see how unprepared the staff was. They knew I was eating plant-based and talked about it in the first morning but didn’t prepare anything. ||The last day, we decided to use the hot tub with the stunning view. My wife wanted to treat us with cold drinks which are kept in the main house. After the asking the staff about it, they only pointed in the direction of the fridge, didn’t offer help or tell us where the glasses are stored. Reluctantly, they gave us the glasses with the remark “don’t break them.” Again, every incident itself is tiny (not the accommodation), but for $750/ night, expectations for service and hospitality increase. What we got was a room worth max half the price, indifferent staff, and an absolute lack of warmth. ||We might have overlooked some of the shortcomings if we would have felt more welcomed. For $750/ night there are many beautiful hotels, even five-star accommodations if you plan well, and when we return next year, we will stay at one of those. We hope this review helps others to spare them from such a bad experience. ||Don’t be fooled by the positive reviews and the website imagery, because in actuality, this place is way over-priced for what it...

While planning for a once in a lifetime honeymoon on the Big Island, we came across the Holualoa Inn, after researching the top luxury accommodations on the island with great reviews. We are very experienced travelers with vast hospitality knowledge in the family (having owned and operated a top boutique hotel in Los Angeles for close to 40 years).

We wanted to have an intimate setting for this special trip and thought a high-end bed & breakfast would hit that mark for us. We are big fans of B&B’s in general, since they are usually super well kept, and you spend time with the hosts and learn more about the area than in an anonymous big hotel. We have stayed in B&B’s in almost all continents, and it has been always a great experience.

Prior to arrival, we were contacted by the hosts asking about dietary restrictions and if this was a special occasion. We shared that I am mostly plant-based and my wife gluten-free. And, of course, that this is our honeymoon. Given the nightly rate of $750, we thought that this would be the perfect place for us.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with a lack warmth and zero acknowledgement of our honeymoon. We thought that was strange but continued the tour of the property and our room. The main house is beautiful, well-appointed, and looks like the pictures on the website. In stark contrast, the cottage was dated, not well-appointed and did not reflect the price point of $750/ night. It looks more like a 3-star hotel. Specifically, the bathroom was gross, looked like a college dorm bathroom and could only fit one person at a time. The bathroom products looked and smelled like they were purchased at the $0.99 store, kept in a cheap plastic dispenser. There was no bodywash, but instead a cheap bar of soap. We didn’t think of it much, but in the room description on the website there were no pictures of the bathroom. Given the price, we didn’t think of it much. But now we know why.

The living area looked specifically cheap and dated. There was no charm or any thought put into the setup for living room and kitchen area.

If there wasn’t such a strict cancellation policy, we would have left immediately after one night, but we couldn’t afford to lose almost $3,000.

At breakfast the next morning, it was the same picture (and the mornings after), there was no warmth of the staff whatsoever. It almost felt like the guests are a burden to the staff. There were no questions about how the first night was, what our plans for the day were, and if we needed anything. The breakfast options are limited, as stated on their website. What we didn’t expect was that, after asking about our dietary restrictions beforehand, the plant-based options were toast, jelly, and yoghurt (!!?). Luckily, I am not a strict vegan, but it was disappointing to see how unprepared the staff was. They knew I was eating plant-based and talked about it in the first morning but didn’t prepare anything.

The last day, we decided to use the hot tub with the stunning view. My wife wanted to treat us with cold drinks which are kept in the main house. After the asking the staff about it, they only pointed in the direction of the fridge, didn’t offer help or tell us where the glasses are stored. Reluctantly, they gave us the glasses with the remark “don’t break them.” Again, every incident itself is tiny (not the accommodation), but for $750/ night, expectations for service and hospitality increase. What we got was a room worth max half the price, indifferent staff, and an absolute lack of warmth.

We might have overlooked some of the shortcomings if we would have felt more welcomed. For $750/ night there are many beautiful hotels, even five-star accommodations if you plan well, and when we return next year, we will stay at one of those. We hope this review helps others to spare them from such a bad experience.

Don’t be fooled by the positive reviews and the website imagery, because in actuality, this place is way over-priced for what it...

Wow, I knew from looking at the pictures of this B&B that it was going to be lovely but nothing compares to actually arriving there. The innkeepers were all so kind and accommodating. I don't think I've ever felt more welcomed at a hotel.

We asked if we could drop our luggage off at the desk early on our check in date as we were going to volcanoes national park and they generously and kindly accepted our request and even moved our luggage into our room prior to our late arrival. We arrived back at the inn late that evening and saw the most beautiful starry sky, outlook over Kona, and the ocean in the background. It was glorious. The view from the inn night and day is indescribable. The inn is so quiet and calm at night I had the best night's sleep ever! That being said, I would not recommend children or loud partiers to this inn. It is purely about relaxation and recuperation and everyone is mostly quiet and respectful.

The beds are so comfortable, I'm still missing the amazing sleep I had while there. Our room had a king sized bed a tub/shower, and a outdoor private hot tub which still provided great views overlooking kona and the ocean.

The breakfasts every morning were incredible! Started the day off with some delicious freshly ground and brewed Kona coffee grown on the plantation, followed by the freshest orange juice I've ever tasted and a yummy fresh fruit plate, all grown on the plantation or gathered from local farms. The breakfasts changed every day, but they were all incredible, healthy, and unique.

For lunch & dinner the innkeepers can give you recommendations in Kona which is about a 15-20 minute from the inn. We rented a car, but we also Uber-ed one night and found it easy to get an Uber there and back. There are also some small snack shops and stores within walking distance of the inn.

We were able and encouraged to explore the entire place. We were even allowed to take and eat fruits that we found. I love to do yoga and the inn supplied yoga matts as well as beach towels and beach supplies.

There are so many positive things about this inn, I think I could write a whole book. I am so thankful we got to spend a portion of our honeymoon and the only con about this place is that we couldn't stay longer! We will definitely return...