Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kailua-Kona
 

Just a short note to say we had a brief day stay (booked it as we are doing red-eye so needed a day room).

Location in Kona is good and quiet. Rooms are all new and seems we were upgraded as Plat.

Room had fridge and microwave and comfy new king size beds and lots of work area/space. Small pool and grass area would be ok for short stays.

Not a fan of Kona itself and stay up the coast in Kohala but if you need to stay here, it is one of the best in my view. Staff were accommodating and friendly.

Can't comment on breakfast as we only stayed for the daytime until 8 PM.

Can recommend if the price is right and would go again.

Hotel needs a better sign on the road to find it--sign is on the front which faces a side street not the main highway (it is back from the main highway but visible from it--recognize by new HIX colors of the building)

Just finished a 3-day stay here, can confirm the comments. Place was brand new, everything nice and modern. Also got upgrade, room was spacious. In the middle of Kailua-Kona, everything in walking distance.

The most interesting part is booking on points is a great deal compared to the Marriott Courtyard King Kamehameha a few blocks away. The Holiday Inn is 20,000 on IHG points, vs 60,000(?) on Marriott points for the King Kam. The Marriott Courtyard is also cheaper to book paid nights vs the higher regular rate for the new Holiday Inn Express.

Also, no free breakfast at the C/Y. Wonder where the Starwood property fits into this scheme?

CY is 30k and sheraton is 10k spg (with 5th nt free both) - comparable given their oceanfron location...
Nothing against hi but imho it only makes sense for a night or two if you plan to wonder around the island all the time or need a bridging night for late arrival to save $

My thoughts exactly - our June AA 247 LAX-KOA gets in at 8 pm local time - that's kind of late on my clock to drive to the mean streets of Waikoloa :D for an expensive hotel night.

When booking with points and staying as a plat do you get free breakfast?

I assume you would as it is a HIX and I thought that all guests get free breakfast, but I have not an award stay at a HIX.

Pardon me, yes it's only 30k. I kept on thinking about the quote for 2 nights for some reason. On a different note, the showers at the CY drains very slowly the last time I was there.

Went there to see the Manta Rays. Supposedly they shine a large light from the building which attracts microoragnisms and in turn the rays, but there's Manta Ray viewing boats all over the place making sure the rays never come near the building. Place also felt a bit dated (last renovation 2005?).

Everyone had free breakfast.

Thanks for the information. I heard that it is a great dive excursion, though.

I think that is done just offshore KOA, where the rays also gather. The way the boats by the Sheraton do it is either sitting on the boat which has a large light aimed downwards at the water, or everyone gets off the boat and floats holding onto an even larger light aimed downwards which gives you a pretty good view, I'm told.

That's good to know. I like the Big Island -- one of my favorites and it is always nice to have more reasonably priced options there.

I'm confused by the point redemption options at this property.

When redeeming points, you're only allowed to list two occupants for the room, because they only offer a king room or a double room slated for no more than two.

Surely they aren't suggesting that a family of two adults and one child are not allowed to stay on points?

I would call, but I'm not sure who the best point of contact for this would be...the hotel, IHG customer service, some other department?

We are IHG platinum. TIA for any clarification or suggestions.

Bump. Any recent reports on this property? Note it's been changed to 30K points/night, and thus is now more balanced between point and cash costs.

I have always enjoyed staying here. It's small enough to be friendly yet professional: rooms are large and comfortable, facilities just fine, and the position couldn't be better for people who want to be in town, rather than in a resort.

Desk staff are helpful; rates are reasonable. It isn't fancy at all - but it's comfortable, secure and well looked after. $10 a day parking is annoying, but there you are - it's a city centre location.

I don't enjoy resort stays at all, so I'm biassed :D

Based on our June stay there (5 nights on points, nothing special done for Spire), I fully second IAN-UK's points above.

One thing to add is that we had a bug problem (small cockroaches) in the room that maintenance seemed to be aware of. Some spraying after we pointed this out did nothing to relieve this. Going by the comments on TripAdvisor, we were not the only ones ...

Personally, however, I would happily return for a night or two.