How high is too high? That number has not yet been set, as demonstrated in the pricing of the about-to-reopen Kona Village Resort.
The resort, once frequented by Steve Jobs, has just opened reservations starting in July 2023, and the prices and amenities are both eye-popping, to be sure. Perched on the south Kohala Coast on the Big Island and neighboring the Four Seasons Hualalai, it is a much shorter drive to Kona Airport than most other resorts.
One week at Kona Village will cost from $15,000 to 29,000 or more.
On checking reservations, the fall of 2023 has the lowest priced stand-alone garden view hale starting at $1,850 per night, with a total of over $15k for a 7-night stay. When we thought we were getting used to higher Hawaii hotel prices, something like this changed our perception once again. By the way, rooms go up to about $20k per night. And, for example, a 410 square-foot oceanfront hale will set you back over $3,5k/night in low season or $29.3k/week.
The property is on 81 acres with 150 iconic guest “hales,” each replete with a thatched roof, private lanai, and outdoor shower. Some are very large, while others are not. Originally opened in the 1960s, the resort closed following tsunami damage over ten years ago. Some of its iconic venues are returning too, like Shipwreck Bar and Talk Story Bar. More details remain to be revealed as the resort gets closer to opening.
Resorts on the Kohala Coast.
The first resort, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, by Laurance Rockefeller, opened further up the coast in 1965. It was followed by its sister property, the Hapuna Beach Hotel, then the Mauna Lani, the Fairmont Orchid, and the unusual Waikoloa resorts.
Will you be reserving a stay at the new Kona Village resort?
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Will your policy be “all inclusive” price like old Kona village?
Sad to see how much it cost to stay at the place we were married 42 years ago. We stayed at Kona Village at least 12 times! Uncle Leon blessed the new pool including us in the blessing. Kona Village was family to my wife and 2 girls. There is no way we will be able to return with the prices you are quoting. We were hoping to stay at the Village for my 70th birthday. Great memories, sad you have priced out so many people
Hell it’s to expensive it’s only for the richest people. 👎🏼
In a word: no
Thanks
How hi is to high?
The Big Island has become this playground for the super rich!
It’s very unfortunate that a person that makes a 100k a year can’t even come close to afford to stay their!
How high is too high.
To stay there.
Curious about the “unusual” Waikoloa resorts. What makes them unusual?
I Can’t Wait for Kona Village Resort to open, the Exclusivity and Peaceful Quiet will undoubtedly be Enjoyable. I’m Surprised by the Pricing, I had heard that it was to be more Exclusive than it Shall be but understanding that Profits Demand Certain people be included, I can lock the door! Possibly another Resort will offer better Clientele and the Discretion that is necessary for an Exclusive Stay. For the meantime I will be sleeping in on the Beach, using rest areas like they were home and food pantries like they were my own! Ciao.
In 1969 we were living in Hilo and had family coming from mainland so wanted to do something really special. At that time the luau at the Kona Village was highly recommended. So we splurged and bought 5 $25 tickets. Way too expensive to stay overnight and too far to drive back to Hilo so we slept on the beach at Hapuna. It was legal then. Good times but how the pricing has changed! Thanks for the update
The super wealthy are stealing the island.
The only thing important is more and more tourism and bring only super wealthy to take over and destroy our island culture! Locals here can’t afford to live here anymore ! That’s why there aren’t enough people to work in town. People can’t afford to pay huge rent increase so they have to move further and further away and having to pay the high price of gas. Enjoy the poor service or no service.
It sounds very nice; some people will love it and feel it is worth it for them. The allure of this type of luxury resort is not a thing for me personally, but I wish them well.
Do the rates you cites include meals as they did in the past?
Meal and show were included in tickets
To high. It’s funny how nothing is mentioned about desecration of native hawaiian land and that these “Hale’s ” are not a hawaiian hales nothing iconic about then, not to mention there butted up to the kings trail like literally you could jump out the window and be on the trail ,you couldn’t pay me to stay there, and participate in contaminating a practically virgin area of the coast.
Sorry, my current financial situation does not allow me to spurge on luxury hotel accommodations. I’d have to win the lottery!
Well, there you go friends and locals of the Big Island! How to keep those pesky houles back on their farms: Charge ultra-exorbitant rates! Good to see some ‘leadership’ here on the Big Island. Now, if we can only get the other islands to fall in line, we can fix the problem of mainland tourists overrunning Paradise! Some (a lot) of folks may be out of a job, but sacrifices must be made! Aloha!
I would love to stay at Kona Village Resort again but not at those prices. I stayed at Kona Village in September 1984 for 3 nights as part of the third island tour after Oahu and Maui of my 10 day honeymoon visiting from NY. It was a bit of a splurge back then too but my spouse and I were only 2 years after graduation from college. 1982 I had seen an ad in Bride’s magazine. My son and I drove past the gated construction area this past August at my second return to Hawaii since 1984. I wish I could return! Please
Why pay 15k a week when you can stay for a while year at a place closer ?
Lol…let me count my pocket change. See if I have enough!!
Seriously, even if I were a billionaire, I would not pay that much for basically a place to shower and sleep!! My life begins once I walk out the door to enjoy the beauty, not inside vegetating.
By chance, had you ever looked at the Kona Village Resort prior to the 2011 tsunami. It was anything but a place to sleep and shower. Many guests never left the resort; pretty much all of the activities you might want to do was right there. Pool, beach, snorkeling, kayaking, sailing all included. Scuba was available right there as well, for a nominal charge.
It remains to be seen whether the new KVR will match up with the old one, as the old was exceptional. It was an amazing experience to be able to lock your wallet in the room safe and truly experience Hawai’i without having to get into a car.
My question to whoever it is that owns this new & improved Kona Village Resort: will all of your employees be paid a living wage? Not just the middle managers in the air conditioned offices behind the reception, but also the servers and busboys in the restaurants, the aunties cleaning the bathrooms and making the beds, the uncles raking leaves and trimming the hibiscus bushes in the gardens, the workers who valet the cars and maintain the swimming pools? Will they get medical and dental benefits and a retirement account? Will they?
All valid points. We know where all those bucks go, and they don’t go to the people who are responsible for making their operation work and encourage people to come back. As these ‘power brokers’ are prone to jeer, “Be lucky you have a job!”
Hi Rob +Jeff. Even if I won the Powerball lottery, I wouldn’t go there. For luxury “fake primitive” amenities like thatched roofs and outdoor showers. Really!!! It is now solidified that the ‘rich haoles” are replacing the island locals with their disgusting greed for Money!!! When you also consider that this is happening on the Big Island, even though there is a lot of land, it’s just getting outrageous the lengths these Hotel chains will go to to suck people’s hard earned money and wallets dry. It will be interesting to see in a year, how many visitors have quit going over there. Aloha
The Kona Village for $15,000 per week is obviously for those with more money than brains … certainly not for the bread and butter crowd that fuels the overall Hawaii economy. Cater to the $500 + per night crowd which is fast approaching with today’s Waikiki hotel rates … and then to add insult to injury … a “resort fee ” is added . Now a $50 tourist fee is being considered … well goodbye tourism. A room for the vast majority of people is a safe / clean place to sleep and it’s ridiculous to pay multiple thousands for a week of Hawaii … I assure you that the new warm vacation spot will be Mexico , Florida or Arizona …
Was hoping that the article would include more details. Kona Village used to be all inclusive with incredible meals, no WiFi or TV, and a fishing boat and catamaran in its harbor waiting to serve the guests. Repeat visitors always outnumbered new guests at about $400/night as I recall. Was our favorite staycation destination, but not in the market for a second mortgage so I guess Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg will have to bunk together at these prices.
I bet there is a resort fee and charge for parking.