GoSh4rks

You can walk there (just under a mile on a trail), or if you are nice enough about it, you might be able to convince the bell guys to give you a ride over on a golf cart.

All Hawaiian beaches are public.

samosa

There is also a nightly shuttle.

bsdstone

The beach at Mauna Kea is great. The pool is pretty far set back and nothing special. If you're going for the beach...it's great. Don't waste your time for the pool. If you do go over, go for breakfast and get the banana bread...YUM!

youngjkl

Thank you... yes the idea was to get beach chairs or a cabana at the Mauna Kea beach one day. I wanted to stay at Mauna Kea originally but like I said above made the call to stay at the Westin based on points and their superior pools. Thanks to the great information in this thread (and Mauna Kea thread) that helped me make that decision!

tattikat2

There are 3 cabanas at the pool.

The pool also has food service ( say "Hi" to Rose)!

The beach is amazing and the Hau Tree beach bar and cafe is a great place to have lunch or dinner.

You may wish you'd taken the points hit and stayed at the Mauna Kea!

Kacee

I love the beach but we found the beach bar vastly overpriced and they served us fish that wasn't fresh. We've not eaten there since.

We can't imagine staying anywhere on the Big Island but Mauna Kea with the fantastic beach and the sounds of the surf at night.

graupel22

Just back from a 5-night stay at the Westin Hapuna on points and it was great, so I wanted to share a few details.

I'm Lifetime Platinum and had 5 SNA's to burn so applied them to a very wide selection of upgrades, after booking a partial ocean view with 2 queens - which we would have been very happy staying in.

3 days before arrival the app told me we were upgraded to full ocean view (great!) and then on arrival, we got upgraded to a Premiere Ocean Suite (!!!) which was a lovely, 850 square foot or so room. It meant the kids were on a sleeper sofa rather than a bed but no complaints as it was wonderful. No telling if it was an SNA or status, or what that landed this upgrade but it was very much appreciated.

We were there over Ironman weekend so on race day we simply did not leave the hotel. If you are coming to the BI in October be aware of this weekend as it complicates things with 2200 athletes on the Island and a huge road closure on race day itself, causing great pains for people with flights out that day.

The Platinum breakfast was quite nice and honestly, too much food for 2 people, though I'd love to see them add a protein option. You can add an egg for $5. The real deal at breakfast is the kids menu for 12 and under, if you have kids definitely take the time to order off it, or get the buffet for kids for $22.

We got two of the metal water bottles in the room and used them throughout the stay.

The food was good overall, with Meridia being great and Hau Tree at MK being our least favorite.

The 25 umbrellas at the beach went quickly and the resort could use double that number - they did say they are waiting on a shipment of additional beach umbrellas.

Overall, a great trip and a great place to stay, and we'd go back for sure.

seawolf

I'm guessing it is SNA. Lifetime Titanium here and stayed twice and definitely didn't get anything above ocean view from base room.

samosa

my data point is that I was there this summer on points for 5 nights and had snas rejected but still got a suite without asking.

escapefromphl

Peak is late June to roughly mid August, outside of these dates it should be easier. September and October is low season relatively.

kutzsche

Staying during Thanksgiving week which is a busy week Platinum. No room upgrades, just got what we paid for which is Partial Ocean view room. Room is nice, no complaints. I have been coming here for 15 years and never in my life got an upgrade, whether I was Gold or Platinum.

The Platinum breakfast is a joke - choice of oatmeal or yogurt parfait. The oatmeal is okay, the parfait is borderline inedible. Can't substitute for anything else other than the $25 buffet upcharge.
I am a Hyatt Globalist so my expectations are ... different. Marriott free breakfast is a total joke and quite frankly an insult. If you are that cheap, just give me nothing. Don't treat your elite members like coupon clippers.
Hyatt gives you free breakfast for 4 people - literally whatever you want.

Forgot to mention, every morning at breakfast they say no word about the elite breakfast and I have to personally remind them. I hate such things. I hate asking for things thay should be offered for free. They'd prefer you don't know or forget or whatever and instead order from the regular menu.

seawolf

If you think that it is joke, be thankful it was not a Hilton, you get 2x$18 credit. Not even enough for a bowl of oatmeal per person due to tax/tip.

IMO the buffet is over priced. After three mornings we went out to a coffee shop or L&L for breakfast instead.