Great resort that has recently been renovated. The staff was amazing and happy to have us there! The Canoe House is a must. The sunrise canoe trip was a great way to start the day. The concierge gave us wonderful hiking suggestions as well.
After watching the renovations through their Facebook page it was incredible to see it in person. Coming back after 8 years was worth the wait. The service was warm and made us feel special. The new design of the renovations is truly amazing and they did an incredible job combining the open air, gardens, and the grounds with the hotel. In theses times nothing is easy but the Mauna Lani made testing and even my travel arraignments simple and in the end it’s was all worth it once you got here. It was like coming to visit a long lost friend. Thank you.
This was our second visit to the Mauna Lani since the renovations, and the first since their COVID closing/reopening. We've lived on the Big Island five years now and stayed at all the resorts for weekend breaks and this was no exception. As before, the renovated rooms are comfortable and what you'd expect. Other than lacking an electric toilet seat and minibar, you have pretty much anything you'd want. Kidding on the toilet seat though, having a heated bum massage is a bit over the top for us. Beach is not the best but their pools are quite nice and the adult only infinity pool is a stand out. Because vacancy was perhaps fifty percent there was no problem getting beach chairs or pool chairs even with the social distancing of same. Getting restaurant reservations can be a bit more challenging than you might expect due to local condo and home owners in the area booking and with fewer tables the possibilities are less. This visit we ate at the pool bar, which has a nice seating area and the food is quite good. Particularly enjoyed the chocolate brownie with ice cream and carnalized banana. That with chips and sliders, and a couple glasses of wine, hit the spot tremendously. The near fist fight ... we went to Canoe and sat at the bar one evening and were told we could order dinner there. They have two seats next to each other with appropriate pandemic spacing between each pair of chairs. All well and good. Except unfortunately it seems that the space between the seats was looked upon as an invitation to come up and stand at the bar next to the seated patrons by some, who insisted mask wearing was not for them nor respect for the distance set up by the local health authorities. This led to a confrontation and the male bartender kinda hit out and the female server looked terribly embarrassed by it all. Management needs to step in and help when entitled, boorish guests insist on flouting these regulations and putting others at risk. This then is my core complaint about the hotel. The rooms, food, staff and facilities are top notch. The beach is just ok but there are activities and efforts to maximize opportunities for the guests to enjoy it. But we saw over and over, to the horror of local staff, the disrespect and general entitled, boorish attitude by some of the guests that detracted from the experience. I also wish there was a more Hawaii-centric vibe ... yes, there are some decorations and artifacts (glad they got rid of the African mud cloth) but reggae and country western music? No local musicians? And their phone message mispronouncing Mauna Lani? Not cool. So ... bottom line, you are a wealthy Californian wanting to get away to Hawaii, want to talk loudly with your friends at the bar and poolside, don't really care about public health measures because hey, they shouldn't apply to you, want to feel catered to by staff who pretend not to notice your behavior ... you'll love it here.…
We had a wonderful stay. The attention to detail at the property was outstanding. The rooms and amities were fantastic. Each member of the staff did a great job of making you feel cared for and heard. Above and beyond in every way!
Every aspect of our stay at Mauna Lani was great. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, the rooms and property were in great condition and the food was delicious. So many activities for our kids as well. We will be back.
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing