Originally Posted by
DeweyCheathem
If it's in your budget, with either points or cash, IMHO, Mauna Kea is as nice as any place in Hawaii, and I prefer the Kohala coast of the Big Island to Kauai. Also, the two places couldn't be more different. Kauai is mostly a rain forest, the Kohala Coast is much drier.
I had a pretty lackluster stay last year, and honestly don't see what the fuss is about the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Yes, it had a nice beach, but the hotel itself is very average and the staff below average. They appear to be living off of a reputation earned long ago that may no longer be deserved.