Hotel first impressions are often made long before guests make it to their room. The Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel got my attention before I made it to the front desk. A huge convention group was in town and the lobby was bustling with activity. All hands were on deck to make sure things ran smoothly. As I turned the corner to check-in, a gentleman offered me a cold glass of juice and a smiling Aloha. He was a great greeter, but it wasn’t his normal job. His name tag gave it away. It’s not every day you meet a hotel general manager in the lobby welcoming guests.
All Rooms Face the Beach
It was just the first of many delightful details that I noticed during my stay at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. With 350 rooms and suites situated on 32 oceanfront acres, it’s not a small hotel. It offers all the great amenities of a big resort, without feeling like a place where you will get lost.
Bright & Airy Guest Room
Averaging 600 sq. feet or more, the guest rooms are the largest you’ll find on the Big Island’s sunny Kohala Coast. That’s a nice amount of space to stretch out, especially if you’re traveling with kids. All guest rooms face Hapuna Beach and have a private lanai or balcony. With a table, chairs and a chaise lounge, my family of four could have comfortably fit on the balcony at the same time.
It took a while to look at anything other than the ocean view, but eventually a number of small, but not so small details began to win me over. A good example would be the closet doors. Instead of opening out, they slide, so when the closet gets left open (it always does), it doesn’t take up room space or get in the way. There were also plenty of outlets to plug in my assortment of travel electronics. All rooms have a refrigerator and a coffee maker with a Kona coffee blend that is replenished every day.
Beachside Pool
The outdoor infinity pool looks at Hapuna Beach and is just steps away from the surf. Chairs and umbrellas are available around the pool and along the sand. Beach games like croquet and corn hole are scattered throughout the hotel’s ocean front yard.
Croquet anyone?
The 18-hole championship Hapuna Golf Course is just across the street from the hotel. Along with a Pro Shop, there’s a complimentary fitness center with a large selection of equipment, a steam room and sauna. Fitness classes, like beachfront yoga are also offered for an additional fee.
Meals with a View
Numerous on-site restaurant options make it easy to please every budget and taste. Have a gourmet sit down sunset dinner at Coast Grille, try one of the specialty buffets at the Ocean Terrace, dine poolside at The Beach Bar or grab and go from the Café Hapuna. There is also a complimentary evening shuttle to the hotel’s neighboring sister property, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, adding even more choices to an already long list. Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel guests have reciprocal signing privileges at the Mauna Kea, so there’s no need to carry a wallet.
There’s no resort fee at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. There are a number of free internet hotspots, but in-room internet comes with a daily $11.95 charge. As much as I disagree with the practice of charging fees for internet access, the hotel offers guests an option called the Splash Pass. It’s a pretty good deal, especially if you have a car to park. $24 plus tax per day includes parking, WiFi, daily bottled water, daily coffee from the Hapuna Café, an hour use of snorkel gear and numerous other discounts throughout the property.
Rates at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel range from $225 for a room with a partial ocean view to $799 for an ocean front one-bedroom suite. You can also make your reservation through one of the many booking sites such as Hotels.com, Expedia, Booking.com or Booking.com.
Dana’s stay was hosted by the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, but as always her thoughts and opinions are her own.
