Originally Posted by
travelinmanS
I completely disagree with DJ Iceman about the Mauna Kea. It is the best hotel on the big island with one of the best beaches in the world. The Marriott Waikoloa pales in comparison to the Mauna Kea...not even worthy of a comparison really. One is a convention type hotel that is on a man-made beach in a touristy shopping mall area. The other is a resort hotel on Hawaii's finest natural beach.
As much as I disagree with DJ about the big island is as right as DJ is about Maui, the Ritz Kapalua is an awesome hotel.
That said, I'd happily spend a whole week at just the Mauna Kea. I wouldn't want to do that at any other Marriott property in Hawaii.
Well, I'll disagree with your disagreement. Agreed?
I like both the Mauna Kea and the Marriott Waikoloa, but for different reasons. As you mention, the Mauna Kea is on a fantastic beach and is great for a few days of pure relaxation. However, the location is a bit isolated and there's not much to do in the immediate area, so unless you're into hanging on the beach or playing a very expensive round of golf you'll be a bit disappointed. Waikoloa's beach and facilities are OK, but there's more to do in the immediate area, and it's closer to more of the sights/activities the big island has to offer.
For Maui I've never been fond of the Ritz. It's a nice property, but the weather on the west end of the island can vary and there are a lot of cloudy/rainy days. The Marriott Wailea has excellent weather and is MUCH closer to most of the the sights/activities of Maui (especially considering the sometimes awful traffic around Lahaina).