The Big Island of Hawaii - Hawaii with Kids - page 171

night (3-night minimum and no more than three people per room). Plus, when
the kids check in, they'll get a bag of cookies.
In addition to their very complete children's programs (9am-3:30pm daily for
$45 for the first child, $35 for the second) and kid-friendly restaurants, this is a
great place for kids to explore. The saltwater stream that meanders through the
hotel and onto the property outside is filled with reef fish and even a shark. The
fishponds on the property are a great educational experience for keiki (children),
and the beach has plenty of room for the youngsters to run and play. Next door
to the resort are ancient Hawaiian petroglyph fields, where older kids can learn
about Hawaii's past. The hotel has just started a program for 3- and 4-year-olds,
one of the first resorts in Hawaii to do so.
68-1400 Mauna Lani Dr., Kohala Coast, HI 96743. & 800/327-8585 or 808/885-6622. Fax [phone].
www.maunalani.com. 350 units. $385-$750 double; $1,200 suite; $550-$1050 villa (3-day minimum);
$4,900-$5,600 bungalow (sleeps up to 4). Children under 17 stay free in parent's room. Cribs free, rollaway
beds $35. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: 5 excellent restaurants; bar; large outdoor pool; 2 celebrated 18-
hole championship golf courses; 10 Plexipave tennis courts; full-service fitness facility; range of massage
treatment at the spa; Jacuzzi; watersports equipment rental; bike rental; year-round children's program; game
room; concierge; activities desk; car rental desk; business center; shopping arcade; salon; room service; mas-
sage; babysitting; coin-op laundry; laundry service; dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV, dataport, minibar, cof-
feemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe.
Waikoloa Beach Marriott, an Outrigger Resort This resort has always
had one outstanding attribute: an excellent location on Anaehoomalu Bay (or A-
Bay, as the locals call it), one of the best ocean sports bays on the Kohala coast.
The gentle sloping beach has everything: swimming, snorkeling, diving, kayak-
ing, windsurfing, and even old royal fishponds. The resort isn't as posh as other
luxury hotels along the Kohala coast, but it also isn't nearly as expensive. The size
and layout of the guest rooms remain the same—perfectly nice, but not in the
luxurious category of some of the other Kohala hotels. Even in the units with
two double beds, there's room for a rollaway bed or a crib.
The resort offers child-friendly amenities such as a kids' sandy-bottom swim-
ming pool, a complimentary pail and shovel for playing in the sand when they
order from the kids' menu at Nalu's restaurant, a complimentary Island Explorer
backpack when they check in and, for kids under 5, free meals at Hawaii Calls
restaurant and at the luau.
69-275 Waikoloa Beach Dr., Waikoloa, HI 96738. & 888/924-5656 or 808/886-6789. Fax [phone].
www.marriott.com or www.outrigger.com. 555 units. $215-$535 double; from $965 suite. Extra person $40.
Children 17 and under stay free in parent's room. Cribs and rollaway beds free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet
parking $5. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar w/nightly live entertainment; 2 outdoor pools (a huge pool w/water
slide and separate children's pool); 6 tennis courts; small fitness center and spa; Jacuzzi; watersports equip-
ment rental; year-round children's program; game room; concierge; activities desk; small shopping arcade;
salon; limited room service; massage; babysitting; coin-op laundry; laundry service; dry cleaning; concierge-
level rooms. In room:A/C, TV, dataport, fridge, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe.
Expensive
The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii Located on 32 acres of oceanfront prop-
erty, the Orchid is the place for watersports nuts, cultural explorers, or those
who just want to lie back and soak up the sun. This elegant beach resort takes
full advantage of the spectacular ocean views and historical sites on its grounds.
The sports facilities here are extensive, and there's an excellent Hawaiiana
program (terrific for kids): The “beach boys” demonstrate how to do everything
from creating drums from the trunks of coconut trees to paddling a Hawaiian
canoe or strumming a ukulele.