Kona Village: Insider's Tips And Best Way To Book With Travel Advisor Benefits (2026)

The Perks

Rosewood Elite benefits at Kona Village

The program benefits are the same at every hotel. What changes is what they are worth. This is how each one works at this property.

Breakfast for two at Moana

Daily breakfast for two, taken at Moana, through in-room dining or at Kahuwai Market. Moana serves breakfast, including a buffet, from 7:00 to 10:30 am. Sources for the program put the allowance at up to about $75 per registered guest. If you book the Advance Purchase rate, which already includes breakfast at Moana, we tell you so and compare it with a flexible rate.

$150 resort credit per bedroom

At Kona Village the Rosewood Elite credit is $150 per bedroom, so $300 in a two-bedroom kauhale and $600 in a four-bedroom. It is spent on the restaurants, bars or Asaya Spa. Two cocktails at Talk Story Bar and a sushi dinner at Shipwreck, or most of a massage, is a fair guide to what it covers. We confirm the exact credit on each booking.

Upgrade on arrival

A complimentary one-category upgrade on arrival, subject to availability. At Kona Village it is given at check-in rather than confirmed at booking. Most hale are the same 850 sq ft (79 sq m) including the lanai, so an upgrade here usually means a better position, such as Garden View to Lagoon View, or Ocean View to Ocean Front.

Early check-in and late checkout

Early arrival and late departure when the resort can offer them on the day. Otherwise the resort sells guaranteed early check-in and late checkout for a fee, and it has changing facilities for guests who arrive early or leave late.

Welcome amenity and VIP recognition

A welcome amenity, a note from the managing director and Elite status on the reservation. Because the hale are spread across 81 acres, we send the resort your location preferences in advance: near the centre, near the family pool or as far from it as possible.

Combines with More Rosewood

Rosewood Elite benefits can be combined with Rosewood's own More Rosewood offer when it is available, which gives a third, fourth or fifth night free on qualifying stays. Rosewood's other offers, such as Advance Purchase and Suite Sojourn, cannot be combined with other offers, so we compare them with an Elite booking for your dates.

Advisor Picks

Best rooms to book at Kona Village

There are no buildings of rooms. Every hale is a free-standing, single-storey bungalow with a thatched roof, an oversized lanai and a soaking tub, and the categories are named by what they look onto: gardens, the mountains, the lagoons, the ocean or the beach. The standard hale are all 850 sq ft (79 sq m) of combined indoor and outdoor space. Kauhale are the suites, and the four-bedroom villas are gated, with private pools and butlers.

Best value

Garden View and Mountain View Hale

The entry categories, 850 sq ft (79 sq m) with the lanai, with one king or two queens. Mountain View looks inland to Hualalai and Mauna Kea. These hale are the furthest from the sea, but you are still a few minutes' walk or a bicycle ride from the beach. A queen-queen hale takes two adults and two children.

Quiet and shade

Lagoon View Hale

The same layout set along the resort's natural lagoons, in a greener and more sheltered part of the property. A good middle ground for couples who want calm without paying oceanfront prices.

Couples who want the water

Ocean Front and Beach Front Hale

Ocean Front hale look over Kahuwai Bay. Beach Front hale sit a few steps from the sand. Both are 850 sq ft (79 sq m) with the lanai, and select hale have an outdoor rain shower. Some Beach Front hale are about a 10-minute walk from reception and the restaurants. These categories are excluded from the Advance Purchase offer.

Guests who knew the old Kona Village

Ocean Front Legacy Hale

Restored hale from the original resort, on the oceanfront with open views of Kahuwai Bay. At 540 sq ft (50 sq m) they are smaller than the new hale and take two guests with one king bed.

A view over the resort

Tree Top King Hale

Raised on the hillside among the palms, 850 sq ft (79 sq m) with a vaulted ceiling, a suspended daybed on the lanai, an outdoor rain shower and views over the resort to Kahuwai Bay. Two guests only, and no rollaway beds.

Families

One- and two-bedroom kauhale

One-bedroom kauhale are 1,570 sq ft (146 sq m) and sleep two adults and two children. Two-bedroom kauhale are 2,420 sq ft (225 sq m) and sleep four adults and two children, with one king and two queens or two kings. The two Black Sand two-bedroom kauhale, 1,325 sq ft (123 sq m), sit above a small black-sand beach, and the Beach Front one has a staircase straight down to it.

Multigenerational groups

Four-bedroom villas

The 'Ohana Pool Four Bedroom Kauhale has 6,500 sq ft (604 sq m) of indoor and outdoor space, a private pool, a hot tub and a fire pit, and sleeps 12. The Maheawalu Kauhale, on Maheawalu Point, has 8,500 sq ft (790 sq m) and a chef's kitchen. The Kumukea Kauhale comes as four bedrooms or as a two-bedroom of 2,700 sq ft (251 sq m) with a private pool. All have butler service. At the Maheawalu and 'Ohana Pool villas, stays of three nights or more include a $1,000 daily food and beverage credit.

Children aged 17 and under stay free in existing beds. A third adult aged 18 or over costs $200 plus tax per night, and one rollaway bed per hale is available for the same charge. Location within a category is a request, not a guarantee, so tell us whether you would rather be close to the centre or tucked away.

Before You Go

Advisor tips for Kona Village

Kona Village is not Four Seasons Hualalai

The two resorts share the Ka'upulehu coast, and Four Seasons Hualalai begins at the southern edge of Kona Village. They are different places. Kona Village has 150 single-storey thatched hale with no televisions, and a $95 nightly resort fee. Hualalai has two-storey bungalows, eight pools, a golf course and no resort fee. Guests at Kona Village can walk south along the shore to eat at the Four Seasons restaurants.

Budget for the resort fee and close to 19 percent tax

For bookings made from 1 December 2025, a resort fee of $95 per night plus tax is added. It covers the Kilo Kai ocean equipment and canoe outings, the spa's sauna, steam room, cold plunge and hot tub, the fitness centre, tennis and pickleball, the keiki club, cultural classes and bicycles. The room rate carries 11 percent state accommodation tax, 3 percent county tax and 4.712 percent general excise tax. We show the full total in our quote.

Choose your end of the resort

The hale are spread over 81 acres, and the walk from the outer hale to the centre can take 10 to 15 minutes on sandy paths. Families usually want to be near Moana and its family pool. Couples who want quiet should ask for the lagoon side or the far ends. Bicycles are free, and the resort will leave children's bikes at your hale if you ask before arrival.

Book Island Roots and the canoe paddle early

Island Roots, the communal dinner on the imu grounds, runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 6 pm, costs about $270 per adult including tax and gratuity, and is the one meal that needs a reservation. The free 7 am sunrise canoe paddle takes five guests per boat and fills quickly. Shipwreck Bar & Sushi takes no reservations.

Know the cancellation terms

Standard bookings must be cancelled 21 days before arrival to avoid a two-night charge. Four-bedroom villas need 30 days. For the festive period from 18 December 2026 to 2 January 2027, a 50 percent deposit was taken at booking and the balance became non-refundable on 1 October 2026, so plan festive dates a year ahead.

Expect resort-only dining prices

There are two restaurants, a sushi bar, a market and two other bars, and every meal is at resort prices. Reviewers find portions small for the price, which is why the breakfast and the per-bedroom credit add up over a week. Children aged five and under eat free from the children's menu or the Moana breakfast buffet.

Where the Credit Goes

Dining at Kona Village

Dining is spread between two restaurants, a market, a sushi bar and two other bars, with in-room dining around the clock. Much of the produce comes from the resort's own farm, Kahiko Mala'ai, which guests can tour. Parties of six or more pay a 20 percent service charge, and corkage is $100 a bottle.

Pacific Rim-to-table, breakfast and dinner

Moana

The main restaurant, an open-air pavilion at the centre of the resort beside the family pool. Breakfast runs from 7:00 to 10:30 am and dinner from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. This is where the Rosewood Elite breakfast is usually taken, and the evening view over the bay is the resort's sunset setting.

Kiawe-fired paniolo cooking

Kahuwai Cookhouse and Market

A menu built around Hawaii Island's cowboy tradition, cooked over kiawe wood. The Cookhouse serves lunch from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and dinner from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. The Market next door opens from 5:30 am to 9:00 pm for coffee, snacks and grab-and-go food.

Cocktails and sushi in a restored schooner

Shipwreck Bar and Sushi

Built from the New Moon, the schooner of the original resort's founder, beside the adults' pool. The bar opens at 9:00 am and closes at 6:00 pm on Sundays and Mondays and 9:00 pm from Tuesday to Saturday. Sushi is served from 5:00 to 9:00 pm, Tuesday to Saturday, with no reservations.

The original beach bar

Talk Story Bar

Rebuilt on its original spot at the edge of the beach, open from 3:00 to 11:00 pm daily, with classic cocktails, sunset views and whales offshore in winter.

Poolside drinks and live music

Moana Cocktail Bar

Next to Moana and the family pool, open from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm daily, with pizza at weekend lunchtimes and live music on Friday, Saturday and Monday evenings.

Communal dinner on the imu grounds

Island Roots

A set feast under the kiawe trees, cooked by local chefs from Hawaii Island and farm produce, on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 6 pm. It costs about $270 per adult including tax and gratuity, and must be booked. Private Celestial Dinners can be arranged on the beach and at other spots around the resort.

On Property

Beach, pools, spa and culture at Kona Village

Most of what fills a day here is covered by the resort fee: the ocean equipment, the canoe outings, the keiki club, the cultural classes and the spa's heat and water facilities.

Kahuwai Bay

A sheltered bay with a sandy beach at the centre of the resort, a floating dock a short swim out and small black-sand beaches to the north, where the water is calmest for snorkelling in the morning. The sandy stretch is small, so this is a bay for snorkelling and paddling rather than long beach walks. Green sea turtles are common.

Kilo Kai ocean programme

Snorkel gear, boogie boards, paddleboards and kayaks are free to borrow. A sunrise canoe paddle goes out daily at 7 am, a guided snorkel runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9 am, and the traditional sailing canoe is complimentary. A 30-minute outrigger paddle costs about $75 per person and an outrigger snorkel about $100.

Pools

The Moana Family Pool has an infinity edge, two hot tubs, a sand-bottomed keiki pool and complimentary cabanas. The Shipwreck Adult Pool steps down in three tiers, with an infinity hot tub and a 25 m lap pool. Pool service runs from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Asaya Spa

Built into the lava field with open-air treatment rooms, a couples' suite and views of Hualalai. Treatments draw on Hawaiian practice, including lomilomi massage and the Lokahi Ceremony, with Dr. Barbara Sturm and Evidens de Beauté facials. The sauna, steam room, cold plunge and hot tub are included in the resort fee. Open daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Vogue named it one of the 100 best spas in the world in 2026.

Rosewood Explorers Keiki Club

Complimentary for resort guests, for children aged five to 12, Monday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. Days include fishing for invasive tilapia in the lagoon, beach walks, coconut weaving, lei making, shave ice and feeding the resort's ducks, with family film nights after dark.

Ka'uluola Cultural Center and the petroglyphs

The cultural centre runs hula, ukulele, lei making and tours of the resort's archaeological sites. The petroglyph field holds 440 documented carvings, about three-quarters of them visible from the boardwalk.

Fitness, tennis and pickleball

A 24-hour fitness centre with indoor and outdoor equipment and a movement studio, plus tennis and pickleball courts set in the lava field. Yoga, sound baths and tennis clinics are charged separately.

Timing

When to visit Kona Village

The Kona Coast is the dry side of the island and warm all year. Price, crowds and the whales decide the timing more than the weather.

Mid-December to April: Peak season and whale season, with humpbacks often visible from Moana and Talk Story Bar. Christmas and New Year carry deposits and long cancellation terms, and sell out early.
Late April to May: Quieter after the spring holidays, with the same weather. The best time to look for an upgrade and for More Rosewood free nights.
June to August: The family season. Book kauhale and the four-bedroom villas well ahead, and reserve the sunrise paddle and keiki activities as soon as you arrive.
September to mid-December: Calm and good value. The Ironman World Championship fills Kailua-Kona each October, so book flights and hire cars early for that week.

Travel

Getting to Kona Village

Kona Village sits on the coast north of Kona airport, at the end of its own drive off the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. The transfer is one of the shortest in Hawaii.

From Kona airport (KOA): About 15 minutes by car. Taxis wait at the kerb and cost about $30. The resort's concierge can arrange a private transfer for an extra fee. The Suite Sojourn offer includes one round-trip transfer.
By hire car: All the major hire companies are at Kona airport. A car is the easy way to reach Kailua-Kona, the beaches and the rest of the island. Ask us for the resort's current parking rates.
From Hilo (ITO): About two hours across the island. Only worth it if you are starting or finishing at the volcanoes.

Beyond the Hotel

Things to do near Kona Village

The resort can arrange most outings through the concierge. These are the ones to plan before you travel.

Manta ray night snorkel

The Kona Coast is known for its manta rays, which feed after dark. The concierge books private boats.

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Next door to the south, reached on foot along the shore. Its restaurants add variety to a long stay.

Mauna Kea and the night sky

The resort runs its own stargazing sessions, and the concierge can book guided summit and stargazing tours on Mauna Kea.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

A full day by road, or a helicopter flight, both arranged by the concierge.

Kona coffee country

Coffee farm tours in the hills above Kailua-Kona can be arranged by the resort.

Good to Know

Kona Village FAQs

What is the best way to book Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort?

The best way to book Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort is through a Rosewood Elite travel advisor. The advisor books the official Rosewood rate, with no booking fees, and the reservation adds daily breakfast for two, a $150 resort credit per bedroom and upgrade priority.

What are the Rosewood Elite benefits at Kona Village in 2026?

Daily breakfast for two at Moana, through in-room dining or at Kahuwai Market, a $150 resort credit per bedroom ($300 in a two-bedroom kauhale, $600 in a four-bedroom villa), a one-category upgrade on arrival when available, early check-in and late checkout when available, and a welcome amenity with VIP recognition. The benefits can be combined with More Rosewood free-night offers when available. We confirm the exact benefits for your dates before you book.

Is Rosewood Elite an official Rosewood program?

Yes. Rosewood Elite is Rosewood Hotels & Resorts' own program for selected travel advisors. The benefits are confirmed by the resort on the reservation, not added by a third party, and the rate is the official rate Rosewood publishes.

Travel advisor vs Amex FHR vs booking direct: which is best for Kona Village?

Kona Village is in Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR), which adds breakfast for two, a $100 credit, noon check-in and an upgrade when available, and guaranteed 4:00 pm checkout. FHR needs an Amex Platinum or Centurion card and a booking through Amex Travel. A Rosewood Elite booking needs no card, and at Kona Village its credit is $150 per bedroom rather than $100 per stay. Virtuoso advisors can book Kona Village with the same core benefits, but Rosewood Elite is Rosewood's own in-house program, and its bookings get higher priority for upgrades and recognition. Booking direct at rosewoodhotels.com costs the same as Rosewood Elite and adds none of these, because Rosewood has no points programme. One booking can carry only one of these benefit packages.

How much is the resort fee at Kona Village?

$95 per night plus tax, for bookings made from 1 December 2025. It covers the Kilo Kai ocean equipment, sunrise canoe paddles and sailing canoe outings, the spa's sauna, steam room, cold plunge and hot tub, the 24-hour fitness centre, tennis and pickleball, the Rosewood Explorers Keiki Club, cultural activities and bicycles.

What taxes are added to a Kona Village booking?

Room rates carry 11 percent state transient accommodations tax, 3 percent Hawaii County tax and 4.712 percent general excise tax, about 18.7 percent in total. Other charges carry the 4.712 percent general excise tax.

Is Kona Village part of Four Seasons Hualalai?

No. They are separate resorts run by different companies on the same stretch of the Ka'upulehu coast, and Four Seasons Hualalai begins at the southern edge of Kona Village. Kona Village is a Rosewood resort of 150 single-storey thatched hale and charges a resort fee. Four Seasons Hualalai has two-storey bungalows, a golf course and no resort fee.

Which hale should I book at Kona Village?

Couples who want the water should book an Ocean Front or Beach Front Hale. Lagoon View is the quieter, greener choice at a lower price, and Garden View and Mountain View are the best value. All of these are 850 sq ft (79 sq m) including the lanai. Families do better in a one- or two-bedroom kauhale, and the Ocean Front Legacy Hale, at 540 sq ft (50 sq m), is a restored hale from the original resort.

Is Kona Village all-inclusive?

No. Rooms, meals, spa treatments and paid excursions are charged separately. The resort fee covers the ocean equipment, the keiki club, the spa's heat and water facilities and the cultural classes, and a Rosewood Elite booking adds daily breakfast for two.

Is Kona Village good for children?

Yes. The Rosewood Explorers Keiki Club is complimentary for children aged five to 12, Monday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. The Moana Family Pool has a sand-bottomed keiki pool, children aged five and under eat free from the children's menu, and children 17 and under stay free in existing beds.

Do the hale at Kona Village have televisions?

No. In keeping with the original resort, the hale have no televisions. They do have air conditioning and Wi-Fi.

When did Kona Village reopen?

Kona Village reopened as a Rosewood resort in July 2023. The original Kona Village Resort opened in the 1960s and closed after the tsunami of March 2011. The rebuilt resort has held Three MICHELIN Keys in 2024, 2025 and 2026, and is the only Three-Key hotel in Hawaii.

Does it cost more to book Kona Village through Rosewood Elite?

No. The Rosewood Elite rate matches the rate the hotel publishes itself, and we charge no booking fees. The benefits are added at no extra cost.

Can Rosewood Elite benefits be added to a Kona Village booking I have already made?

Usually, yes, if you booked directly with the hotel. Send us your confirmation and the benefits can be added with the dates, rate, room type and cancellation policy unchanged. Bookings made through an online travel agency cannot be moved.