It's been a minute since I've written a review on TripAdvisor, but I felt a review was necessary for this resort, primarily to highlight how unique and amazing this particular hotel is for families. This reviews a long one so if you want the TLDR, feed it into whatever AI model you prefer to give you a summary (if TripAdvisor isn't already doing this). This is a raw, human-generated review.
1) Dolphins, right on the property--This location has dolphins (yes plural) ON SITE that you can can see swimming around and doing various tricks/flips with their Dolphin Quest trainers. On our first day, we ate at the Lagoon Cafe along the water and we were all excited to see dolphins swimming by us. I mean this is something Sea World charges you to dine with animals while you eat. There's also seating space around the Dolphin Quest area where you can just sit and watch the dolphins all day. Again, this is an amazing treat for your kids if they're into marine animals.
2) A saltwater lagoon connected to the open ocean--This resort offers a lagoon that's literally connected to the ocean so you see the ocean's wildlife as you swim in the lagoon. I'm talking about sea turtles, monk seals, eels, endless varieties of fishes, and even crabs on the rocks. Simply rent or bring your own snorkel gear to enjoy the presence of wildlife. You could literally spend all day snorkeling since different wildlife flow in and out of the lagoon. If you get bored of snorkeling, you can rent (varying prices charged by the hour) kayaks, paddle boards, water trikes, and floating cabanas. There's seating space available all around the lagoon so you can pull up and relax the entire day. Oh and I forgot to mention--there's a waterfall area in the lagoon where folks can walk under or swim around.
3) Two pools built for families--One pool is by the Ocean Tower and has a small water slide and is designed to be a pseudo lazy river. It's more narrow than the other pool but my kids had fun swimming around in it. The large main pool is by the Makai tower and is huge. This is where the resort offers the longer water slide which was honestly a lot better than I expected. My kids really enjoyed this pool, but when you have a lagoon available to you, the kids defaulted to the lagoon.
4) Dining that beats most family resorts we've visited--The dining options at the hotel impressed us more than the other resorts we've stayed at. Nui Italian is a great option since it balances the kids palate with adults wanting more than just chicken nuggets or mac and cheese. Kids under 12 eat free so your meal will only be as much as what the adults indulge in. We ate at the breakfast buffet 5 out of the 6 days we were there and we (the adults) got the acai bowls for the days we didn't want the breakfast buffet while the kids ate the buffet.
5) Getting around: tram or a scenic walk--A tram shuttles guests between buildings, and while TripAdvisor has plenty of complaints about tram wait times, honestly the walk between buildings isn't bad at all — it's shaded, ocean-facing, and lined with art and statues. That said, if the tram takes too long (about 15 minutes if you just miss one from the start or end of the route—I actually timed it after reading so many complaints), and you're not up for walking, this resort might not be the best fit. It's a massive property, so some walking is inevitable if you want to experience everything it offers. The walk itself is scenic though — following the outer path past the lagoon, dolphin quest, chapel, and main pool gives you sweeping ocean views, and on a clear day you might even spot Maui in the distance. Great photo opportunities with the family.
6) Unbeatable location near shopping--The location for the hotel is prime since it's right by two shopping centers (King's Shops and Queen's Marketplace). Island Gourmet is where you'd go for all your food needs (they have a daily prime rib special). Original Big Island Shave Ice Co is there if you want to enjoy some really good shaved ice or ice cream. Starbucks for those who can't live without their Starbucks and Island Vintage Coffee for those wanting something other than Starbucks.
7) The communication with staff was stellar. I sent a bunch of texts to the chat for all our needs including housekeeping and they're super responsive--definitely take advantage of this service and use it. Everyone from the wait staff at the restaurants to the bell desk folks were amazing. We received a lot of great recommendations for local eating spots, farmers markets, and beaches (pro tip: dial 52 and ask for Gene).
Finally, general manager Nicholas Kuhns personally welcomed us and made it clear we could reach out with any concerns during our stay. We never had to, honestly, because the entire team was so attentive. We will be staying at this resort again since it has so much to offer for the family without ever having to leave the resort.
