There’s been a movement in Hawaiʻi’s visitor industry since the Islands reopened again to travelers early last year, and it has taken on the name of “regenerative tourism.” Major hotels and resorts have begun working with non-profits and charitable causes to create initiatives and programs to help make the Islands a better place—thanks to the […]
Being on Hawai‘i Island is unique in its own way. The largest of its island brethren, Hawaiʻi Island—often referred to as the Big Island—has so much to see, thanks in large part to its massive and ever-growing size. And among the lava fields, tropical rainforests and volcanic foothills are a myriad of fun and unique
Hawai‘i has long had a reputation for top-notch hospitality, with great service, friendly smiles, attention to detail, and, of course, the spirit of aloha. Enter SCP Hilo Hotel, a newly renovated 128-room property, which steps up hospitality to the max by focusing not only on its guests, but on the community and even the planet.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Since the publishing of our 2021 Readers’ Choice list, Kealakekua Bay Bed & Breakfast and Waipi‘o Rim Bed and Breakfast have closed their doors permanently. The familial comforts of a proper bed and breakfast—or inn—are hard to beat. Instead of feeling like you’re on vacation—a vibe that hotels and resorts are perfect
Guess who’s getting a multimillion-dollar makeover? The already luxurious Four Seasons Resort Hualālai on Hawaiʻi Island. The redesign—helmed by San Francisco-based design firm BAMO and BrightView Design Group, which did the landscape architecture, design and construction—comes as the property celebrates its 24th anniversary, and is the most significant renovation the resort has undergone since its
If you’re not looking for Waipiʻo Wayside Bed and Breakfast, you’ll probably miss it. That’s the kind of place this reclusive accommodation is. Tucked away amid the neverending flora of Hawaiʻi Island’s northern coast, this quaint five-bedroom house opened in 1988 and, at the time, was the second legal bed and breakfast on the island. Over 30
For more than three decades, the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows on the Kona-Kohala coast of the Big Island has been a mainstay and oasis in the middle of the lava landscape that makes this island such a draw. It’s secluded and tranquil, with a gorgeous stretch of coastline that faces the sunset. Management
Upgrading your stay at a hotel or resort can mean a lot of things. Often times, you’re moving to a better room. Sometimes you get free breakfast. But upgrading to the MAKAI at Lagoon Tower at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawaii Island means so much more. Just staying at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, one
If you’re ever on the Big Island’s Hilton Waikoloa Village property and see a surf-themed bar on wheels heading your way, don’t worry, it’s not a dream. What you’re seeing is one of the Hilton Waikoloa Village”s newest amenities: the Kohala Beverage Cart. The resort is describing it as an “adult ice cream truck,” maybe because the cart plays jaunty
I first spot them as I rumble along the long gravel road. The soft, bristled flowers are like mini red fireworks dotting the forest. I’m in Mountain View, a small town about 15 miles east of Hilo, visiting a tucked-away property called the Lyons Estate. True to its name, Mountain View is known for its scenic
It feels like I’m living inside a postcard, lying on my banana-yellow stand-up paddleboard in the middle of the gorgeous, clear-blue Kaunaoa Bay that fronts Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. I close my eyes and let the calm water drift me this way then that, satisfied with the simplicity of the moment and wish I could
Peering over the edge of Kilauea Caldera, I instantly feel dwarfed by the mammoth landscape in front of me. I’m at the Jaggar Museum Overlook and the sun has just set, turning the puffs of smoke and ash emanating out of the 3-mile-long Halemaumau Crater into pretty hues of pink and orange. Now huddled with
