I had a really pleasant stay at the Mauna Kea Hotel over the weekend, thanks to a tip from FTers. My evaluation of the hotel would be that depending on your preferences and needs the hotel sits anywhere from very good to outstanding.

I booked a Beachfront room on points plus $150 a night, which for someone used to SPG earn and burn levels was a steal. I was then upgraded to a Premier Oceanfront Deluxe which is the highest non-suite category level (from what I can tell was a 3 category upgrade). The hotel is full of life-long returning customers who are very demanding, so I would recommend booking the room you want to be in.

The positives:
- I loved the architecture of the main building. It deserves its place in all the awards it's won over the years. Incredibly cleverly done, with a lovely breeze throughout and lots of interesting features
- The beach is beautiful, as are the views in general
- The staff are considerate, competent and helpful, with quite a number having been with the hotel since the early 1970s
- Lots of thoughtfully placed chairs and benches around the place give the resort the impression of somewhere a bit special
- My room had an extraordinary view (see below) with direct ocean and beach views from both the bedroom and also the large bathroom. I'd strongly recommend people to try to get an ocean facing room in the main building on any of the top 3 floors (6-8)

The less positives:
- I would not describe the hotel as a conventional modern luxury hotel. I presume the high prices of today ($400+ for an entry level room, much more than that for the nicer ones) came as their baby boomer customers acquired massive wealth over the last 30 years. You do not get the level of intimacy and service you get in smaller hotels, but the staff try hard and it does feel very clubby for the regulars who come back year after year
- Just as I loved the main building, I really disliked the Beachfront building. I didn't see any of the rooms, but the vibe was part 1970s porn movie, part 3* Spain package hotel
- I'm not sure what level of F&B to expect in Hawaii, but overall we felt the food wasn't quite up to the standards we would have liked. The breakfast buffer was fine and we didn't try the fine dining restaurant (Manta), but the bar and beach food would ideally have been better for the cost. Do go to the luau for some kitsch Hawaii dancing, but eat beforehand and avoid the buffet!

I'll be going to the St Regis Princeville in 2 weeks, so I'll be curious to compare the two. At this stage I think the St Regis will have to work pretty hard to come out on top, despite their rates being even higher than those of the Mauna Kea (base rooms in Nov coming out at $720+ taxes).