Where to Stay in Kona, Hawaii

Kailua Village runs along Alii Drive, a flat oceanfront strip where you can walk to dinner, coffee, and the pier without ever starting the car. Base yourself between Hulihee Palace and Kailua Pier and you have Daylight Mind Coffee, Umekes Fish Market, and Don the Beachcomber within five minutes on foot. The farmers market on Alii Drive runs Wednesday through Sunday. Snorkeling at Kahaluu Beach Park is a 10-minute drive south. Surf at Banyans is right there. Rooms with a true oceanfront balcony cost more, but watching the sunset from your lanai with a Kona Brewing Longboard is the whole point.

Best for

First-time visitorsfoodiesanyone who wants to ditch the car at night

Walk times

Kailua Pier 5 min
Alii Drive farmers market 3 min
Hulihee Palace 7 min

Skip if: You want a quiet beach resort or a long sandy beach right outside your room

Local tip: Book a room above the third floor on the makai (ocean) side of Royal Kona Resort or Courtyard King Kamehameha. Lower floors get street noise from Alii Drive on weekend nights.

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$202per night

Keauhou

Resort calm five miles south of the action

Luxury $220-$450/night

Keauhou sits at the end of Alii Drive, about a 12-minute drive south of downtown Kailua. The whole pocket is built around Keauhou Bay and Kahaluu Beach Park, which has the best easy snorkeling on this side of the island. Sheraton Kona and Outrigger Kona Resort dominate the cliffs above the bay, both with manta ray viewing platforms after dark. The Keauhou Shopping Center has a small grocery (KTA Super Stores), Kenichi Pacific for sushi, and a movie theater. It is quieter than downtown by 9pm. Trade walkability for tide pools, sea turtles at Kahaluu, and a real shot at swimming with manta rays from your hotel deck.

Best for

Familiessnorkelersmanta ray seekers

Walk times

Keauhou Bay 8 min
Kahaluu Beach Park 15 min
Keauhou Shopping Center 5 min

Skip if: You want bars and restaurants within walking distance after dinner

Local tip: The free Keauhou Resort Trolley used to run to downtown but service has been spotty. Confirm with your hotel before booking if you plan to skip a rental car.

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$246per night

Holualoa

Coffee country at 1,400 feet, ten cooler degrees than the coast

Mid-range $160-$320/night

Holualoa is a one-street art village in the middle of Kona coffee country, a 15-minute drive uphill from Kailua on Hualalai Road. The whole town is maybe four blocks long, anchored by Holuakoa Cafe, Kimura Lauhala Shop, and a dozen small galleries. Holualoa Inn and Lilikoi Inn are the only real lodging options. Mornings are cool and misty, afternoons are blue and dry, and you can drive to the beach in 20 minutes when you want sand. Coffee farm tours at Greenwell Farms or Hula Daddy are a 10-minute drive. This is the move if you want trade winds through the windows instead of air conditioning.

Best for

Couplesslow travelersanyone who wants cooler nights

Walk times

Holuakoa Cafe 4 min
Holualoa village galleries 2 min
Hula Daddy Kona Coffee 12 min

Skip if: You need beach access from your room or want nightlife

Local tip: Bring a light jacket. Evenings at this elevation drop to the mid-60s and most inns do not provide heating, just extra blankets.

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$179per night

Kohala Coast (north of Kona)

Resort row on the white sand stretch toward Waimea

Luxury $450-$200/night

The Kohala Coast starts about 25 minutes north of Kailua, past the airport, on a stretch of black lava that hides the best beaches on the island. Mauna Lani, Mauna Kea, Hapuna Prince, and Four Seasons Hualalai sit on Hapuna, Kauna'oa, and Kukio beaches. This is real luxury beach resort territory, not the urban Kona pace. Restaurants are on-property or at the Shops at Mauna Lani, where Tommy Bahama and Foster's Kitchen draw crowds. Drive 20 minutes inland to Waimea for paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) country and Merriman's. You will pay double what downtown Kona costs, but you also get an actual sandy beach 60 seconds from your room.

Best for

Honeymoonsbig-splurge family tripsbeach-first travelers

Walk times

Hapuna Beach 5 min
Shops at Mauna Lani 10 min
Kauna'oa Beach 3 min

Skip if: You are on a budget or want to walk to dinner off-property

Local tip: All beaches in Hawaii are public by law. Park at the resort beach access lots (Mauna Lani has a free public lot off North Kaniku Drive) and use the resort's beach with a paid day pass to a chair if you want.

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Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

$504per night