Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Autograph Collection

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

1880 reviews

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  Great peaceful resort, even in the “older rooms” that have yet to be renovated.

  My family and I loved staying at this resort for 5 nights in mid January on a long multi-hotel trip to Hawaii. Stunning beauty in the landscape, super helpful staff and concierge. A peaceful, rich and rejuvenating space. Booking: I booked very early in ‘24, and called the “legacy reservations desk” at the hotel to confirm connecting rooms for this special family trip. They did accommodate my request at the time, because I called and booked with them directly (one room with Marriott points online, and then paid directly for the other in regular resort view rooms). Diana at the desk was especially helpful with ensuring this part of the trip worked out for us. Stay: Before we arrived, I wondered most about the renovation disruptions, since there aren’t so many reviews about current conditions. When we checked in, we were upgraded to the beach wing, connecting king-double queen rooms. The rooms were the largest resort rooms I’ve ever stayed in, and had quaint balconies, not huge, but we had family dinner for 5 there. These were older, well worn rooms, and you can see it - but that being said, it was far from the main hotel and the direct construction being done on the rooms up there. The floors are tile, so it wasn’t like there was carpet coming up or anything, but nicks in the walls, shower heads were old, and sliding doors weren’t totally smooth and clean but totally functional. Obviously things I’d expect a renovation to fix, and understand them not attending to right now. There was construction occurring behind this wing, but we could not hear or notice it except when we exited and walked the hallway. Once you’re on the beach, pool deck, or at the restaurants, you don’t hear or feel anything. I’m sure this is different for the legacy people who have been visiting this property for many years, but this being our first time, I was able to look past the rough edges of the renovation, and look toward the beach side and not feel it staying in the beach wing. The front desk and concierge made my daughter feel so special, with a plate of cupcakes sent to our room for her birthday, and breakfast at Manta. The concierge Melanie and the team were so helpful communicating about the manta ray swim which was cancelled due to rough water, and then helping suggest and book a whale watching private catamaran with Kohala Blue. There were fun special things to do every day on the resort property besides for the day tours we took on our own - my teens and smaller kid enjoyed feeding the koi and pickleball clinics, seeing the sunrise service. The beachfront was not renting equipment due to rough surf, but jumping in the ocean, and watching the surfers was great. You could also just go shop for your own stuff to bring.

  Jan 28, 2025
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  Deny Public Shoreline Beach Access

  The Mauna Kea continues to deny the public a legal right to enter Mauna Kea beach to access the shoreline, which is very much illegal. After many years of coming to the Big Island, it continues to get worse every year here. Their gate attendants are rude and the worst liars I've ever witnessed if you are not a hotel guest (having a reservation to a restaurant puts you slightly above beachgoers). They simply put out the "beach parking full" sign all day, and don't bother to check the cameras (which by the way don't cover the whole lot). There is always someone coming or going especially between 12 and 4. I've confirmed this phenomenon at the gate by calling a friend who said there were many spots available (could see them on the camera as I drove by) yet the gate agents still said no! Criminal!

  Jan 02, 2025
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  A Major Classic that Keeps Renewing Itself

  This is a classic hotel that we've stayed at since 1980. It has always been a joy to be there, and it seems like coming home when one arrives. If one has been a previous guest at this great hotel you will appreciates the time there and won't quibble about the very minor inconveniences that one might experience at this time during renovation. It has a great loyal staff that joyfully recognizes you when you return and treats you accordingly. The property is an architectural gem. Those of us who have made it their regular vacation home on the Big Island will return again & again to make sure that no major changes have been made during any renovation. This is my first time back as a recent widower and I realize now more than ever that a part of my husband and I will never leave the Mauna Kea.

  Oct 25, 2024
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  Simply Heaven

  Amazing stay at the Mauna Kea as always, the entire staff was kind and helpful and provided everything needed for a fantastic vacation. Small service details like two luggage holders, ample towels, water bottles, morning coffee stations etc. made us feel at home. The beach crew was exceptional, Victor went above and beyond to help us get started with the SUPs and enjoy all the beach amenities. The beach equipment being free now is a huge plus for us, it really made it carefree to enjoy whatever activities we wanted, whenever we felt like it. We knew about the construction in advance and it didn't affect our stay too much. Yes the un-renovated room was showing its age but still clean and comfortable. Food was ok but the menus need updating with more fresh/healthy and grab/go options like the Westin. All in all the Mauna Kea remains our favorite hotel on our favorite beach in Hawaii and we can't wait to return!

  Oct 24, 2024
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  The Mauna Kea Experience . . As Good as Ever.

  My wife and I recently stayed 5 nights at the Mauna Kea to celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary. Most of the staff on property warmly wished us a Happy Anniversary, which was super nice. The hotel also greeted us with some special welcome amenities when we got to our room in the Beachfront wing. We had an ultra-relaxing experience, which is exactly what we wanted. The Mauna Kea was a favorite pre-pandemic destination for us. We knew the resort was being completely renovated and were not quite sure what to expect. During our stay the main tower, registration area, shops, and Copper Bar were closed for remodeling. The golf course was also closed for a refresh. To me, the hotel management was very clever recreating services for areas being renovated. The glass walled golf course restaurant got a makeover and became a new registration area. I actually like the temporary check in area better because it is more spacious than the original but is not located at the entrance of the hotel. We’ll see what the new registration area looks like. Next to the registration, the golf shop became the sole gift shop on the property. I would say it is adequate during the construction period but look forward to the variety of shops as previously. We went to the Westin Hapuna, a sister hotel next door, and shopped at the gift stores there. There are three dining options at the Mauna Kea. The Hau Tree is a beachfront casual dining (swimwear and sand ok) location. Think burgers and local fare. The Copper Bar is the casual dining option in the main hotel (shirt and shoes needed) and has a more upscale menu. I think the Copper Bar’s menu and food quality rivals many of the nicer restaurants on the Kohala Coast. Although the Copper Bar location was being remodeled, the restaurant was relocated to a glass walled banquet room not too far from the pool. There is some outdoor seating and the glass walls make the inside feel more open. I liked it and the food was excellent. I look forward to dining in the remodeled area. Lastly is the Manta Restaurant, the resort’s fine dining option. The Manta boasts a spectacular, elevated ocean view from an outdoor terrace dining area. It has a premium fine dining menu, however the Manta’s atmosphere is not stuffy. This is “casual” fine dining at its very best. I tried many dishes and all were very good to excellent. They also have an extensive wine list. The breakfast buffet is legendary and should be tried at least once. When making reservations try to get a package that includes the buffet breakfast. The entire hotel staff, from the restaurants to the spa, were very service oriented and accommodating. The iconic crescent shaped beach is the best on the Kona coast and great for kids. The ground floor Beach Front rooms open directly onto the broad lawn that runs along the beach. When the tower, new lobby, and shops are finished, then they will remodel the Beach Front wing. As we planned our trip, the reviews were mixed about going to the Mauna Kea while it is being renovated. It’s true that half of the rooms, the old gift shops, the lobby, and golf course were closed. However all three restaurants, spa, pool, beach, tennis courts, and Luau were open. The temporary registration and gift shop were adequate for the reduced number of guests there. My wife and I found the resort quite pleasant with half the number of guests in the restaurants, at the pool, in the recreational areas, and at the beach. We didn’t miss going to the old registration area, lobby, gift shops, or tower rooms. We didn’t mind the “construction appearance” of some areas and only heard construction noise once in 5 days. We enjoyed the beach, great meals, the spa, and great service. If you have never been to the Mauna Kea, then you might want to wait until the renovation is done to get the full experience. I get that. However, if you are like us and are familiar with the resort from previous visits, I think going during the renovation is an excellent idea. From our expectation, we did not lack anything during our stay. All the open areas operated with the usual great Mauna Kea service. We never went off property except for a quick trip to the Hapuna. Our goal was to have super relaxing time at a place with great hospitality. The Mauna Kea delivered.

  Oct 15, 2024