Mauna Lani Resort , Puako

This resort is excellent, from the top down. From the moment you arrive, the staff and management makes sure you have the entire Hawaiian experience. We were greeted with leis and Hawaiian drinks at valet, walked to the front desk and seamlessly checked in. William Apa, one of the resort managers that happened to be at the front desk, also took the time to walk us to our room and showed us the various facilities. Our ocean front room was exceptional. The room is very clean and everything is brand new and renovated. It didn't lack a single thing. The bathroom supplies are perfect, and the outdoor patio area is amazing. The pool and staff are also incredible. The pools are beautiful, well kept and clean. They have great outdoor games like corn hole, and plenty of equipment to enjoy the day (snorkels, footballs, etc.) We didn't bring our 3 young kids, but it's certainly a kid-friendly hotel. Their food is also far-above average and exceptional. Often times resorts lack in their food quality, but not this resort. The Canoe House is one of the best restaurants in the world - and we've visited numerous throughout the world. The room service and other restaurants and bars are also fantastic. Overall, this place can't get much better!

Where to even begin; this place is Heaven on Earth. From the moment you arrive, you are treated like a familiar face and welcomed into the warm embrace of hospitality-with-heart. The staff is amazing from top to bottom. If you're a fan of design, the attention to detail will blow you away. This is luxury with elegance, not opulence. I could go on and on but do yourself a favor and just book a stay if you're thinking about it. The people are genuine, the beaches are beautiful, and the big island has so much to explore between the stretches of resort living.