The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows

Our 40th anniversary celebration trip to Auberge Mana Lani in Kona HI could not have been any better. The property, staff, food and on site excursions were awesome. We were treated like VIP’s the entire stay.

Beautiful hotel on lovely beach in Kona. In addition to gorgeous beach, many other amenities to keep you busy. We made use of the two lovely pools—both long enough to swim laps (with poolside service and enough chairs with shade). A great gym (and apparently, another one!). We didn’t use the golf course or tennis or pickle ball courts. Food on site in three restaurants and a market. Like many at fancy resorts, the food was pricey but good and well served. Canoe House is the fancier—at the beach where you can watch the sunset. The vegetarian menus could be better, but there was enough to eat and it was good. We had trouble finding walking trails other than the beach—they must be there for runners but were poorly marked (the maps weren’t right) and no one could give us directions but that was a small thing in an otherwise fabulous (if very expensive) experience. Will dream of returning!

The hotel design was incredible. Everything from the furniture to the plants was spectacular. The beach here is amazing and the pool as well. Breakfast in this hotel was extremely enjoyable. My only comments is that service was a little inconsistent during our stay. Nothing bad happened but some days had phenomenal service and others didn’t.

We recently stayed at Mauna Lani and overall had a wonderful experience. The setting is absolutely stunning - the beach is one of the most beautiful we’ve ever seen. Protected by a lava barrier, the water stays calm, making it perfect for swimming and relaxing. We loved spotting the turtles along the shore; it was so special to see them up close in the wild. The pools were fantastic as well, especially the adult pool for some quiet time, and the grounds throughout the property are truly gorgeous. A huge highlight of our stay was the staff at the beach, pool, and surf shack. They were consistently warm, attentive, and made those experiences extra enjoyable. That said, for a 5-star property, we felt the overall service could be stronger. Everyone was kind, but it often seemed like the staff was overworked, which made it hard for them to deliver the personal touches we’ve experienced elsewhere - especially when comparing to the Four Seasons. We did run into a few issues worth noting: 1. The more senior staff, including the concierge and beach service manager, were surprisingly unimpressive. It felt like they played favorites, and hospitality didn’t seem to be extended equally, even when paying for extras. It created a somewhat odd atmosphere. 2. Our room was an adjoining room, which we generally don’t prefer, but we were assured it wouldn’t be an issue. A few days into our stay, very loud neighbors arrived, we could hear entire conversations word for word, and at one point my mom even said “bless you” through the wall because she thought a sneeze was mine. On top of that, children in the room above us were stomping and jumping, which woke us up in the mornings. For a property of this caliber, it didn’t meet the level of quiet and comfort we expected. All in all, Mauna Lani is a gorgeous property with incredible natural beauty, lovely grounds, and standout staff at the beach and pool areas. With more consistency and polish in service, especially from senior staff - it could truly live up to its 5-star promise.

It was a completely lovely stay. Recommend renting a car to explore the island. Canoe House was incredible!! Everyone was very nice and we cant wait to go back.