Kaui/Big Island

[sharky60]

Hey all!

considering Kaui or the Big Island this spring, ( Late April), any suggestions on dive ops and economical places to stay? condos or hotels will do, we usually like to have a kitchenette in Hawaii so we can make our own breakfast before catching a dive boat.

Mahalo

 

[bluemagoo]

It's been quite a few years since I've stayed there but the Kona Seaside did have kitchenettes (refrig and sink for sure but I'm foggy about there being a stove/oven) in the high-rise portion of their property -- the adjoining low-rise section belonged to the old Hukilau chain and is backdoor to the Oceanview Inn which is front-and-center to the Alii Drive seawall. The rates were very reasonable for Hawaii residents ("kamaaina" rates), especially considering the location right in the heart of Kailua-Kona town; it's guaranteed that they'll be higher for gringos, maybe a third more or so.

 

[WileEDiver]

Dive Ops? Go with Kona Diving Adventures (AKA DiveTek Adventures). You'll be glad you did. Tell Keith that Dan said "Hi."

 

[kelpmermaid]

Earlier this year, we did a last minute trip to Kona with a Pleasant Holidays package - air, hotel, and car. Stayed at Outrigger Royal Seacliff, and our studio had a full kitchen. We enjoyed our stay.

We dove with Jack's one day and Dive Makai the next. Both were good operators as well.

P.S. I forgot to add - the Royal Seacliff condo also had a washer/dryer in it, which was a good thing because we packed really light... all in all, I thought the package was reasonable, particularly in comparison to the price of lodging, flight, and car separately.

 

[pigletfish]

We've stayed in condos on both islands and have had good experiences renting directly from the owners on these boards:

www.vrbo.com

www.cyberrentals.com

We've had the most experience with the Kona Islander Inn (studios with kitchenettes right on Ali'i Drive in town for about $350 per week) and with White Sands Village (across from White Sands beach), 2-bedrooms with full kitchen for about $750 per week. We've seen a number of units at each complex -- we've been to the Big Island 3 times in the past 4 years, and the most recent trip was for our wedding, so guests were scattered throughout both (plus in house rentals and at the Kohala resorts). If you're interested you can PM me and I can tell you the exact owners/units we would recommend, because they do vary!

On Kauai, we had a good experience at the Prince Kuhio condos in Poipu Beach; I can't remember the exact cost, but probably ~$500 per week for a 1-bedroom.

Cheers!