Big Island
Hawaii


The Experience

Mauna Kea, built by Laurence Rockefeller in 1965, is the Big Island’s grandam, now somewhat faded from its years as Hawaii’s in spot for the rich and famous. The 60-acre resort has one of the best beaches on the island, a white-sand bay set between black volcanic rocks. The modernist architecture is offset by 1,600 pieces of Asian and Pacific art, some of which are antiques, ranging from Buddhas to tikis. For many, many years Mauna Kea was the only place to stay, but the competition now includes the Four Seasons Hualalai, a tough act to beat. The Japanese-owned Prince Resorts opened the sister Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel next door in 1994, and now the shuttle-connected resorts share restaurants and facilities.

The Rooms

Rooms at Mauna Kea are outdated and coasting on the beauty of the resort as a whole. Many loyal repeat visitors don’t seem to mind, but the last renovation was in 1995. Standard room furnishings are rattan, and wood-shuttered doors slide open to either terraces or balconies. The rooms are good-sized, from 545 to 589 square feet, including the balconies, while suites run from 680 to 1,360 square feet. None can compare with the rooms at newer or better-kept-up resorts down the coast. It’s as if the owners prefer to present Mauna Kea and Hapuna Beach Prince as a whole, pushing the more modern rooms at Hapuna rather than investing in Mauna Kea.

The Service

One of the joys of staying at a legendary spot like Mauna Kea is encountering staff who’ve been with the resort for years. The long-term staff keep things moving smoothly and efficiently, and make you wish you were one of the repeat visitors, who are greeted like family. Service here is warm and personal.

The Highlights

Mauna Kea has many virtues to offset the neglect, and from the start of the long, looping drive into the resort from the highway, you begin to feel you’re entering an oasis of privilege (Mauna Kea still sees its fair share of visiting celebrities). There’s an impressive art collection, a highly regarded Robert Trent Jones golf course and a beach that has to be seen to be fully appreciated, both for the quality of the sand and its expanse in an age when more and more beaches are being eroded into narrow ribbons. Go snorkeling right in front of the resort—it’s surprisingly good—and relax around the old-fashioned oval pool; built long before the days of lagoons, waterfalls and infinity edges, it’s nonetheless set in beautiful gardens and cooled by breezes.

--Laurel Delp

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