The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort

This is going to be our sixth stay at this incredible resort, and every visit feels just as special as the first. Each time I step into the vast, open hotel lobby, I’m greeted by a breathtaking view of the ocean. I love finding a comfortable chair to sink into and simply take in the scenery. I’ve come to know many of the front desk staff by name. They’re genuinely friendly, attentive, and consistently wonderful—always going out of their way to make us feel welcome. The housekeeping team is equally fabulous; some of the housekeepers even remember me by name, which adds such a personal touch to our stay. Our go-to room is the Premier Ocean King. It’s spacious and modern, with comfy beds—and of course, the ocean view is absolutely spectacular. Snorkeling: The snorkeling here is phenomenal! I usually bring my own snorkel gear, but the hotel also offers masks and fins if you need them. The water is clear, warm, and a joy to explore. I’d recommend heading out early—well before 11:00 a.m.—since the water tends to get choppier later in the day. Hotel Beach: The beach is wonderful, with plenty of lounge chairs available. One of the things I love most is how close it is to the hotel grounds—just grab a towel, take a short stroll, claim a lounge chair, and settle in under one of the beach umbrellas provided by the resort. Nearby Restaurants: On daydreaming when we don’t feel like driving, we head to Meridia, the on-site restaurant within easy walking distance of the hotel. The staff is excellent, the food is terrific, and there’s nothing quite like enjoying a Hawaiian sunset from an outdoor table. Gym: As someone who loves to work out, I really appreciate the hotel’s gym. It’s well equipped with free weights, top-notch machines, and pull-up bars, and it’s always clean, spacious, and well maintained. All in all, staying at the Westin Hapuna Beach is wonderfully relaxing. It never feels crowded—you can always find a quiet little spot to perch with a book, gaze out at the beautiful ocean, and simply soak up the warmth, spirit, and aloha of Hawaii.

My wife and I recently celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary at the Westin Hapuna. From the moment we got out of our rental car, it was a wonderful experience. We were greeted wonderfully by the lobby check-in staff. They immediately gave us warm towels knowing that we most certainly just got off a plane and a glass of the best juice I think I've ever had. We later learned it was a passion fruit and orange juice mixture. Next, they presented my wife with a beautiful lei and presented me with a Kukui Nut lei. Our thanks for making us feel so welcome. The Hotel: The hotel is modern, clean, and expansive. There were no issues with wait times for elevators, and many of the floors are interconnected with stairs in the main area of the hotel. Restaurants: All three of the in-house restaurants were exceptional. Early in the morning, the kind folks at the Piko Coffee Bar were always kind, smiling, and happy to provide whatever you needed. It was a great way to start the day. I appreciated that the staff puts out coffee in the lobby at 0530, which is before the coffee bar opens at 6am, so for us early risers, it was a nice convenience. Our thanks to the entire staff at the Ikena breakfast restaurant; everyone we made contact with was pleasant and happy to assist. The buffet was impressive, and the very nice lady behind the omelet bar was always smiling, no matter how busy she was. The Piko bar transforms to the main bar in the evenings, and we have to comment on how great the flatbread pizzas we had were. Freshly baked right in front of you was exceptional. Our thanks to the pizza makers, as they really outdid themselves. The room: We reserved a high-floor, full-ocean-view room and weren't disappointed. Our room was on the 9th floor, which sounds high but is actually just one floor above the lobby due to the architecture of the facility on a hillside. This ocean view and the sound of the surf from the balcony were spectacular. Our room was spacious, clean, and well-appointed. Of special note was a dish of chocolate-covered strawberries and a bottle of chilled Prosecco, as they recognized we were celebrating our anniversary. There was even a towel creation of two swans on our bed. It was those kind of touches and gestures that made this a special vacation. One of the features of the hotel is filtered water dispensers throughout the facility, as they are trying to be environmentally conscious and not utilize plastic water bottles. So in the room they provided really nice metal Westin water bottles for use at the dispensers, which are conveniently located throughout the hotel. The housekeeping staff did a great job, including putting a bucket of ice in our room every night. The hotel doesn't have any type of ice dispensers, so if you want ice, you need to have it delivered to your room or go down to the bar where they will give you some. The valet staff was courteous and professional. The shuttle service between the Westin Hapuna and the Mauna Kea Hotel was a really nice touch. Knowing that we could just jump on the shuttle to go to another hotel to see the manta rays at night, or just to have food at the Mauna Kea restaurants, was very easy with the shuttle. Finally, a few words about the lobby staff, particularly Virgil, Anita and Kenji. Our return flight to Denver didn't leave Kona until 730pm on the night we were to check out, so we had some concerns about what to do after normal checkout time at the hotel. Never fear, Virgil, Anita and Kenji worked some magic and even moved us to another temporary room where we could hang out until 4pm the night we left. That level of commitment to customers is truly, truly impressive and greatly appreciated. Many thanks to the entire Westin Hapuna staff for making our 10 days there feel extraordinary.

Fantastic resort experience! We stayed here for five nights and enjoyed every aspect of our stay. From the morning yoga on the bluff to the evening entertainment at the bar, the adult pool and the relaxing beach huts, it was all excellent. I was impressed with the wellness offerings, especially the free yoga (with great instructors!), the fitness classes, and the morning cultural ritual we did on our first morning - wow... that was unexpectedly moving and memorable. The resort was quiet overall, which was nice - having an adult pool to avoid the kids is key. The rooms (North Tower, top floor) were modern, clean, quiet, and very comfortable. The view is over the top of the residences, which is a minor annoyance. I did miss having more amenities in our room (I eventually found them in the fitness club), and the room lighting was a bit hard to figure out. But everything else made up for it. We ate at both restaurants and the bar... all was great. Fantastic cocktails! We also appreciated the nightly shuttle to the Mauna Kea resort (would also recommend doing the ocean-side hike at least once, but it's more challenging than I expected). Service throughout the resort was always friendly and welcoming. We'd definitely return here!

Just returned from a trip to the big island for the second time. We booked two rooms at the Westin for us and our teenage sons. We stayed at the Fairmont previously but decided to do the Westin this time and we really enjoyed it. It was not overcrowded, which surprised me. Having an adult and kids pool was very nice - neither was full any of the days we were there (adult pool was especially tranquil). The beach was full most days, but again, not over crowded. We stayed for 4 nights and then switched to a condo at the Mauna Lani Point for 4 nights (which was also wonderful). The Westin's rooms were satisfactory - in good condition with nice large balconies facing the ocean. Water pressure was really good and we liked that they provided reusable water bottles and had plenty of filling stations. We were most impressed by the staff and the beach. The beach was truly an amazing spot to swim. Warm, crystal clear, gentle waves, shallow and safe for all ages. We appreciated that the resort fee included all water rental items - a lot of other resorts charge even more on top of their resort fee. The surf shack was well equipped with anything you needed and everyone who worked there was super great with giving snorkeling tips. They also do a few complimentary outrigger canoe rides each morning which was a huge highlight of our stay. The guys who take you out are so knowledgeable about the ocean - it was a true pleasure to get the chance to be shown the coast by them! Snorkeling in the cove next to the main beach is outstanding as is the trail to Mauna Kea - just spectacular. Breakfast Buffett was great each day as was the coffee/ cocktail bar. Pool side restaurant was what you'd expect - nothing special but good enough. We ordered room service one night and that actually was pretty good and fast. Head to Waikoloa Village for great off resort food options. Big Island Fire and Pueo's Osteria were outstanding. Both golf courses were great but Mauna Kea course was the better of the two. Golf staff was also great. Overall an amazing stay, we'd definitely choose to stay at the Westin again if we go back.

The Westin Hapuna is one of the top hotels on the Big Island. It has it all: Great building, landscape, rooms. Fantastic staff, amazing facilities, the most sunniest of weather and one of the best beaches in the world. It has a wonderful golf course and convenient shuttle system between the Mauna Kea Resort, its sister facility just a mile away. If you can spring for the 8th or 9th floor for the full ocean view,. It is my top luxury resort in Hawaii.