Kona Islander Inn Hotel — Hotel in Hawaii

If you are looking for eateries/pubs within a stone throw of where you’re staying, this could possibly negate other features, but unlikely. The property promotes being opposite the water (although you can’t swim along this stretch). Accommodation in the surrounding area and adjacent streets are just as convenient and far better as we had family staying in a condo one street up. Apart from having a place to eat/drink in your ‘backyard’, there were no other redeeming features to justify the exorbitant 5* hotel costs and zero service and amenities for this accommodation. False advertising and disingenuous service.||||We stayed in Kona for what was the record attendance Ironman World Championship this year. Worth noting on TripAdvisor (regretfully in hindsight), we found other travellers who had experienced exactly the same issues that rated their experience 1 out of 5 as well – 57 1-star ratings going back to 2014, not to mention the many 2 star ratings for this property. As far as a decade (and further back than that), these hosts continue to provide substandard service, amenities and accommodation. ||||Ironman community, please plan ahead and book elsewhere. To quote some reviewers: “run”, “be wary”, “stay away”, “never again” – you pay the maximum price to get what you get.||||To start, the whole compound is supposed to be non smoking: 1) Upon arrival at unit number 120, the smell of tobacco was in the air which triggered asthma and breathing problems 2) The room was also musty 3) one toilet roll was provided for 12 days; after a few days two rolls materialised after contacting the owner, however it was necessary to purchase our own supplies 4) The room is not serviced and any requests are charged 5) Accommodation was infested with insects and bugs in the kitchen and on surfaces and tiled floors in the living and sleeping areas where luggage was kept; it was necessary to live out of our suitcases which were kept shut at all times due to the infestation 6) No bathroom basin; the kitchen sink had to be used for brushing teeth (photos shown on website deceptive and look like a bathroom, not a kitchen 7) A sliding door in the kitchen separated the toilet/shower which was musty and claustrophobic, so food is prepared on the other side of the toilet 8) Front security screen door was broken and did not shut or lock 9) No lock on the back security screen door 10) Back sliding glass door security bolt was damaged and hazardous when trying to lock using both hands, which were hurt in this attempt 11) During the day the room could not be aired to get rid of the musty smell due to no locks/security 12) Underlying concern over safety and security at this site 13) Hot tub is communal for the whole of the compound/false advertising 14) No washing machine/dryer in the room, only communal, or guests can send out linen/towels for cleaning service that is charged 15) Bed had an old memory foam mattress that was highly uncomfortable, causing backpain and impacted sleep, especially for the individual competing in ironman 16) Reserved carparking on site was potluck, or park on the other side of the road or streets away risking fines. ||||Owner was contacted by email on a few occasions resulting in one return email offering promises of further investigation and apologies, but no forthcoming response on any of these issues until the last day. We had no alternative but to vacate these premises losing a large sum of money, due to the appalling conditions, especially the lack of confidence in safety and security at this site. The grounds are accessible to anyone. Visiting family were also shocked at these conditions so we stayed with them in their condo 2 nights and the welcome safe haven of the Holiday Inn Express which offered pristine white sheets/towels/breakfast for 2 nights (cannot highly recommend enough and staff exceeded our expectations to make our stay as enjoyable and comfortable as possible, without any requests). ||||This falsely advertised "luxurious accommodation" (i.e. Kona Islander Inn) compared to other accommodation in the area that priced comparatively is one to avoid at all costs. ||||It is clear no inventory is done on these premises regarding maintenance, the room required a pest exterminator to eradicate the insect life that was abundant (see photos). Guests have no option but to put up with such conditions at this time, as all accommodation is booked out - the Ironman community usually block out a minimum of 10 days accommodation to secure a place to stay while training leading up to the event. ||||We requested to be located to another room. No response. No offer of compensation as a result of the horrendous conditions with owner refusing to acknowledge any issues claiming that the room is completely maintained.||||A highly distressing, disappointing and never to be repeated experience. Just don’t even consider here for your own mental and...

THE MOST HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD!! My entire experience at this stay was a COMPLETE DISAPPOINTMENT. First of all, when I booked the room hidden fees were never disclosed. The original final price was $398 and after checkout I saw that I was charged OVER $700 for TWO NIGHTS!!! After this I immediately contacted the hotel to explain that this was not disclosed properly to me at the time at checkout and I never would have booked if I knew this room was going to be DOUBLE the amount I anticipated. They basically told me so sorry you missed that and said no cancellation policy and I would be charged if I cancelled my stay. I was completely shocked at their lack of customer service or understanding. I called IMMEDIATELY after booking it was not as if I waited a week before I realized the price was double what was originally stated. During these times of the pandemic I have seen many businesses blatantly try and trick customers into stealing more money from them and this is exactly what Kona Islander Inn Condos did to me. So disgusting and disappointing. Once we got to the room I was at least expecting it to be very nice and comfortable but NO. After $700 wasted our bed pulled out of the wall with sharpie written on it to be careful how we open it so the bed remains stable and doesn't fall after we pull it out and they only had two flat pillows. The sofa felt as if it was made of stiff hay and was also extremely uncomfortable. And to top it all off one of the additional fees that were never disclosed was a cleaning fee of $150, yet there were signs in the kitchen that if we left any of our trash cans full or dishes out WE WOULD BE CHARGED ADDITIONAL FEES. WHY ARE WE PAYING A CLEANING FEE FOR US TO CLEAN UP AFTER OURSELVES? After booking the room it was also approved that we would have an ocean view and we certainly did not, we were staying on the inside of a back ally way. I could not be less satisfied with my stay, and I have let all of my friends know to never stay with Kona...

Fantastic location. Very close to great restaurants and cafés. As people have mentioned previously, each unit is owned individually. Therefore it’s totally up to each owner how they keep their place. Therefore, you get totally different reviews about different units here. My unit was great. Lovely decor. It’s been renovated recently. So it’s really nice, clean and pleasant. Comfortable bed. I enjoyed my breakfast on the lovely terrace. There are great equipments for going to the beach provided by the owner of the unit although I never had a chance to use them. There are BBQ facilities by their poolside and a spa in the middle of the complex. They all seemed well maintained. I never got to use them as I was busy with my friends’ wedding events. My unit owner was very quick to respond to my messages and was very nice, I only got to know one receptionist who was there for my check-in and the last day when I checked out. She was also really lovely. Overall, this is a very comfortable and perfect place for me. I would stay here again.

Disliked-The air conditioner was noisy. But I understand it’s a standard one for this complex. I had it turned off during the night till late morning. So it was nice and quite. Then I heard lots of birds singing in the morning. With the air conditioning on, you wouldn’t hear them.

On the other hand, a couple I know got another unit on the same day. As they arrived the unit, they found some dead cockroaches and one half dead on the floor, mouldy coffee in the coffee machine and someone’s drink bottle on top of drawers. They checked out within 15 minutes and cancelled the unit immediately as there were health hazards. However, the owner only returned 50% of their 5 nights payments. So really depends on each owner. When you have problems with your unit, you need to deal with the owner directly, not the receptionists. Receptionists are basically there to give (for check-in) and receive (for check-out) keys...