Thread: Kona Condo - any suggestions?

We are going to the big island of Hawaii next month (we decided this would be a Christmas gift to each other) and I am in the process of searching for a condo to stay at near Kona.

We have been there several times, but we always stayed at nicer resorts. This time I don't want a fancy place...I want a condo so we can have a kitchen along with a casual homey atmosphere, where we can walk in to town and generally pretend like we're locals.


There is no shortage of places to find lists of Hawaiian condos on the internet. I have looked at all the Expedia, Travelocity, etc. I have found a few sites that specialize in just Hawaii. There are zillions of them, including some property managers listing nothing but Kona condos.

Most of them sound just wonderful....but that's the problem. They ALL sound too good to be true. I have been there before, and I remember seeing a lot of nice places alongside some places that look like cheap run down 2-story wooden apartment buildings from the 1950's. Almost every single ad says their place is the ideal tropical paradise. And some even have nice pictures. But photos can be misleading...hell...give me a palm tree and a Hawaiian sunset and I can take a photo to make anyplace look like a tropical paradise too!

What I was hoping to find was somebody here in CLF that's actually stayed at a condo near Kona or has seen one and remembers thinking it looked nice...maybe you can tell me what you liked or didn't like...or anything that might help me with my search.

Any ideas?

Mahalo!

hi Julie, good question. Try sending a PM to daWoods. He goes to Hawaii alot and has a lot of knowledge regarding condos in different areas

I do have some suggestions, and I'll PM you. My real concern would be about getting one at this late date.

It took a lot of searching, but I found the perfect condo!

I actually changed my mind a few times on where to stay. We were going to stay at the Seacliff, then Casa de Emdeko, then we considerd the Reef. They are all nice in their own unique ways. But we wanted was a real ocean front foom near town, and that's hard to find. It seems different people have their own ideas of what ocean view or ocean front means. Some people who are renting out these places think if you can stand on a chair on the balcony and lean out and see a sliver of water way off to the side, then that's called "ocean view".

But then I found something right on the water, I mean practically hanging right over the water. And it's so cute...nicely stocked and decorated...and a very short walk to town.

Check out this view from what will be our own personal lanai (balcony) in the condo. When they say "on the water" they really mean it!

PS - Anybody going to Hawaii looking for a condo or info about the place, feel free to contact me. I now have a HUGE file saved of everything to do with the big island, including hotels and condos, music, things to do, beaches, sea life, food, etc.. etc.

Great picture. Looks like a nice place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner....or all 3. The view is very familiar. This is from our lanai.

Joe, if we were there at the same time I think we could all wave to each other from the lanais!

Do you have photos you can post here showing the interior of the unit you're getting?

Joe, your lanai photo is gorgeous, but it's so huge it's making me scroll to read text on my screen! LOL!

Originally Posted by Texashorselady

Joe, if we were there at the same time I think we could all wave to each other from the lanais!

Do you have photos you can post here showing the interior of the unit you're getting?

Try this link.


VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner - Remember to come back

I found your unit Julie. It's in the Hale Kona Kai, the complex we were in two years ago. We didn't like our unit, but there were several we did like, and the corner units were the best. I had tried to get unit #313. just above you, but it wasn't available. You are truly "oceanfront" there. Enjoy.

It's just amazing how one unit can be so diffrent from another within a complex. But that that's the joy of looking for a condo! They are owned by individuals, right, so each one is naturally going to be in a different state of repair and with totally different decor inside. I looked at the Reef, and some looked nice but they were booked. The only units available had not been updated for ages.

I went to TripAdvisor, Yahoo Travel, and a section that has in-depth reviews of all condos on Kona. I checked out all the Hale Kona Kai reviews and saw that plenty some oceanfronts were available, but the reviews made it sound like some were really nice and some were just so-so, but as I read along I kept seeing this reoccuring theme saying one particular unit...# 213 was THE one to rent.

After I read that, and saw a bunch of real photos from individuals (not the generic website photos in the ad, which I always wonder about) I then talked to the owner herself (she really is super helpful and pleasant). I actually changed our vacation date to match the unit's availability. Check these reviews to see what other people said:

We could not believe our luck getting unit 213. We read amazing reviews on this unit but it surpassed everything we read. The lanai hands over the ocean and we saw, heard and sometimes felt the ocean all of the time. Turtles and reef fish were spotted all day long, even dolphins. The sunsets were really orange like you imagine them to be, just sinking into the pacific... Inside the unit is so nice. Granite counters, tile floors, amazing art, new furniture, the owners think of everything and everything is special, even the mugs and glasses. Gosh it was like hitting the lottery. We rented from Adeline, such a doll, and she manages over 20 units at Hale Kona Kai. She has been updating them like crazy and let us see some of the other units.

#213 is the best. only one of 3 units with wraparound lanai (more than double size of other lanais) with oceanfront and lagoon. Turtles swam by every day just below our feet! Accomodations were top notch with new king bed and queen sofa bed. Lots of special Hawaiiana touches including beautiful old local wood. View of harbor is always changing. Waves lulled us to sleep!

We have stayed in Kona for 20 years in oceanfront places; this was by far the best view, with a great convenient location near restaurants and nightlife, but on the only quiet sidestreet in Kona off Alii Drive! It doesn't get better than Hale Kona Kai. #213 has more details at e-pix.com. And a great bargain as well! Prices are less than average with perhaps the best location and view on the whole island!

We actually based the time of our vacation on when we could have unit 213 at the Hale Kona Kai condos in Kona. I did alot of research to find the best for the money. The unit is oceanfront with a wrap lanai and reasonably priced (compared to others) The owner lives in MA, but is at the condo often. She is extremely helpful and super nice to talk to. Trip Advisor and Yahoo both had glowing reviews on that particular unit.