The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort- Big Island, Hawaii

Whenever we book a hotel, we rely heavily on pictures. So, when we pull into the property, we always have our fingers crossed that the reality lives up to the pictures.  One thing everyone should know about resorts in general on the Big Island. They are isolated compared to the rest of island and where locals live. Driving into the hotel was an experience. It is located within the gated area of Hapuna Kea and once you enter the community, it is a good 3 minutes to the main entrance of the hotel. Those few minutes at night seem like FOREVER. Picture this:  A dark road (Hawaii NEEDS to work on lighting the roads, no joke it’s a mess) and on your left and right you are surrounded by long swaying plants. We kept joking that this is the PERFECT horror story murder spot. During the day it’s picturesque and night, not so much. After a solid drive you see the entrance to the hotel. As soon as you step inside the hotel, you realize IT WAS WORTH IT. The property doesn’t make you wait to see the stunning ocean. As soon as you walk in WHAM! The billion-dollar view.

The un-obstructed ocean views are incredible. We really appreciated that the hotel made the most of this prime real estate and had PLENTY of seating areas and nooks where visitors can relax. We were a little disappointed at the lackluster welcome. Safe to say, The Marriott Wailea in Maui had set a benchmark for us in terms of the welcome. We were expecting our traditional lai ceremony and welcome drink. We received neither. We ended up asking for our lai’s after we checked in and saw other guests walking around with them. It was an oversite on their end since some guests were getting them and others weren’t. It may seem like a small issue, but when you are paying a premium, the small details really do matter. What added salt to the wound was when we checked in, the front lobby was empty and there was no rush of guests that could divert the attention of the front desk staff.

If we could offer one piece of advice to anyone traveling to an island destination it is this: PLEASE invest in an ocean front room. You will thank us later. Yes, they are pricey, but if you are planning anything ocean related, the view really makes all the difference. We requested a higher floor and ended up on the 8^th floor and our view was SPECTACULAR. We can forgive the fact that our room was wayyy off to the far right of the resort and at night the walk to our room was eery. All for the views. The room we stayed in was a Premier Ocean Guest Room King with balcony. The room was a nice size with enough space for us to walk around comfortably. There was a small “L” shaped sofa off to the side of the bed which was great for in room dining (or late-night vacay snacking.) The true hero of this room though was the balcony. There was a nice lounging sofa as well as a bar height table with high stools and boy, did we utilize this space. If we were not out and about exploring the island or the resort, we were enjoying the balcony views. The PERFECT place to enjoy your morning coffee, or Zen out during the sunset. Even early mornings were not a trial because we were waking up to some stunning views. The bed was nice and soft and the room had a standard mini fridge, coffee maker etc. There was nothing extra ordinary about the interior, it was the view and the balcony that made this room really special.

While the interior of the room was nice, the bathroom was a real treat. A rain shower AND a deep soaking tub. HEAVEN. A dual sink so we didn’t have to share on vacation. BLISS. A toilet with a heated, massaging bidet = LUXURY! We fell in LOVE with this bidet. We committed to installing one in every bathroom in our home. That’s how serious our devotion to this magical toilet is. If you are curious, it was a Brondell Swash bidet with all the bells and whistles. The water pressure in the shower was great. Lots of hot water to wash of sand and refresh yourself before heading out to your next adventure. We are not sure if it was due to covid, but they did not have dental kits available. This was a bathroom for bathroom connoisseurs. 10/10 (plus one for the beloved bidet)

When you are traveling to a destination that is not super developed (most islands), you are at the mercy of the on-site resort amenities for a certain amount of entertainment. We STRONGLY recommend looking into what your specific resort has to offer before you book. We took the time to really research this specific location and we found that for your needs (2 adults – no children) this resort was great. This resort isn’t the largest on the island (the Hilton property has a TRAM that goes through the property, no thank you) but it was well equipped for our needs. The selling factor for us was the private beach access. There are 2 pools on site plus the beach. The infinity edge adult pool is small. We were lucky the hotel wasn’t full and we were able to enjoy this pool. This would NOT be enjoyable during peak summers when this property would no doubt have way more traffic. The family pool was nice and large. It was right next to their casual on site restaurant and bar Naupaka Beach Grill. We really, and I mean really, enjoyed hanging out in this pool since we had easy access to food and still had stunning ocean views. a BIG factor in our overall enjoyment and utility of the amenities was that the hotel was not at full capacity. If we were to visit in summers, we have a feeling we would be frustrated because the room to amenity size ratio is not up to par.

What is an island vacation without delicious drinks and snacks by the pool? Heck, we don’t even need to be on an island to want drinks and snacks on vacation. It is a huge plus. As soon as we boarded the plane, we were already dreaming of all the refreshing virgin pina coladas we would be inhaling. Safe to say we ended up drinking 2 a day – each. The poolside service was excellent. In true Hawaiian spirit, the staff was friendly and always willing to “talk story” (Hawaiian slang for chatting). We also tried some snacks including Cheese Fries, Poke Nachos, and of course, Kona Pie. Taste wise everything was good. Obviously, everything was pricey. We spent about $10 on a virgin pina colada and around $15 on basic cheese fries. Yup. Food in Hawaii in general is not cheap, add the premium of eating at a luxury resort. So, for us, totally worth it. The first day though, in our excitement we were upsold on having our drinks upgraded to a fresh pineapple bowl. While it was pretty it really added nothing to the drink or flavor. For the rest of the trip, we stuck to enjoying drinks in regular cups. We enjoyed taking our drinks and walking to the ocean to enjoy them (since they were nonalcoholic, we were allowed to drink on the beach, please don’t try to take your alcohol to the beach you will be heavily ticketed and fined, plus its dangerous.)

We will be the first to tell you that sometimes the hype and ambiance of a beautiful hotel are not matched by the quality of food. We always approach hotel dining with a LOT of caution and moderate expectations. The resort has 3 on site dining options and a coffee shop/bar as well as in room dining. We sampled all the dining options except their sit-down dinner spot, Meridia. We HIGHLY recommend grabbing a coffee creation at Piko Coffee + Bar. Having a vanilla latte made with Kona coffee will change your world. The views from behind the coffee bar are priceless.  Savoring authentic Kona coffee with pristine blue waters in front of you is the epitome of relaxation. On our last day we enjoyed breakfast at the Ikena Landing. This used to be a buffet but is now a la cart due to covid. The food was delicious, the made to order waffles were light and crispy. Sophie ended up mistaking the sweet whipped cream for softened butter so the waffle ended up being extra sweet.  We also ordered the egg white frittata and it was not the usual Italian omelet we are used to seeing. It came topped with a massive mound or arugula drizzled with a vinaigrette. We also enjoyed the room service one day for breakfast and the portions were great. Our food arrived hot and at the exact time we requested. Besides the on-site dining options, The Westin also offers a complimentary shuttle service for guest to hop over to their sister property the Mauna Key (about a 10-minute shuttle ride.) On our first night we hopped over to the Mauna Key and had some delicious sushi and fresh fish at the Copper Bar. The service was outstanding! The relaxed pace, water facing table, and luxurious vibe was just the best way to spend a dinner on the island.  After 6 days of indulging in all sorts treats, we are happy to report that you will not go hungry staying at this resort. Your wallet might complain but your tummy is in good hands.