The Big Island of Hawaii - Hawaii with Kids - page 172

The best deal for families is the “Twice as Nice” package which allows families
to book a second room at 50% off rack rates, and which includes a breakfast
buffet for two and two complimentary Activity Passes per room. The Orchid
Court and Brown's Beach House offer kids' menus and a relaxed family atmos-
phere. They also have recently installed barbecue areas, called Mesa Grills, which
are available for families to barbecue their meals by the ocean.
The Keiki Aloha program, for kids ages 5 to 12, features supervised activities
like watersports and Hawaiian cultural activities. The resort has added an evening
program on Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9pm that offers the kids dinner and
a movie (so the adults can be alone for a few hours).
1 N. Kaniku Dr., Kohala Coast, HI 96743. & 800/845-9905 or 808/885-2000. Fax [phone]. www.
fairmont.com. 539 units. $299-$669 double; from $729 suite. Resort fee $13 for local newspaper, local phone
calls, bottled water, access to fitness center, use of snorkeling gear, tennis clinics, and 10% off at selected
shops. Extra person $75. Children 17 and under stay free in parent's room. Cribs and rollaway beds free. AE,
DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $10. Amenities: 4 restaurants; 5 bars (w/evening entertainment in the Pan-
iolo Lounge); large outdoor pool; 2 championship golf courses; award-winning tennis w/10 tennis (Plexipave)
courts (7 lit for night play); well-equipped fitness center; outstanding spa; 2 lava rock whirlpools; watersports
equipment rental; bike rental; year-round children's program ($40 for a half-day and $60 for a full day, which
includes lunch); concierge; activities desk; car rental desk; business center; shopping arcade; salon; 24-hr.
room service; babysitting; same-day laundry service/dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV, dataport, minibar, hair
dryer, iron, safe.
Hilton Waikoloa Village This is not just another beach hotel (it actually
has no real beach)—it's a fantasy world all its own, perfect for those who love
Vegas and Disneyland. Its high-rise towers are connected by silver-bullet trams,
boats, and museum-like walkways lined with $7 million in Asian/Pacific repro-
ductions. The kids will love it, but you may get a little weary waiting for the
tram or boat to take them to breakfast (sometimes a 20-min. ordeal or a mile-
long walk). The 62 acres feature tropical gardens, cascading waterfalls, exotic
wildlife, exaggerated architecture, a 175-foot water slide twisting into a 1-acre
pool, hidden grottos, a river pool with a current, a sandy-bottom children's pool,
and man-made lagoons. The biggest hit of all (for some) is the dolphin lagoon,
where you can pay to swim with real dolphins.
The contemporary guest rooms are spacious (530 sq. ft.) and luxurious, with
built-in platform beds, lanais, and loads of amenities, from spacious dressing
areas with comfy bathrobes to a second phone and second line in all units. There
are nine—yes, nine!—restaurants to choose from, serving everything from
Japanese food to family-style buffets, and all with kids' menus.
There are plenty of complimentary family activities: a stargazing program,
petroglyph trail tours, fish feeding, resort tours, and pickup basketball and vol-
leyball games. There's also Camp Menehune, for kids ages 5 to 12, featuring
activities from ocean sports to a night camp during the dinner hours. Laundry
facilities are in the Lagoon and Ocean Towers. (Book these towers if you need a
washer or dryer, or it will be a long, long walk with your laundry.) Children's
programs are available on the TV screen menu.
425 Waikoloa Beach Dr., Waikoloa, HI 96738. & 800/HILTONS or 808/886-1234. Fax [phone]. www.
hiltonwaikoloavillage.com. 1,240 units. $199-$689 double; from $1,030 suite. Resort fee $18 for local phone
calls, coffee in room, use of safe, use of spa for 2, and $25 credit towards beach rental and tennis. Extra per-
son (rollaway bed) $40. Children 18 and under stay free in parent's room. Cribs free, rollaway beds $40. AE,
DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $11. Amenities: 9 restaurants; 8 bars, many w/entertainment; 3 huge outdoor
pools (w/waterfalls, slides, and even a quiet adults-only pool); 2 18-hole golf courses; 8 tennis courts; 25,000-
sq. ft. spa w/cardio machines, weights, and a multitude of massages and body treatments; Jacuzzi; water-
sports equipment rental; bike rental; fabulous children's program; game room; concierge; activities desk; car