How The Other Half Lives: The Hilton Waikaloa on the Big Island
Well, AlteCocker usually stays in budget digs when she travels. In fact, she is so cheap when the subject of hotels is raised, that she generally home exchanges to avoid paying for hotels at all. AlteCocker usually doesn't spend much time in the room anyway, as she's busy schlepping around to all the sites.
She did, however, make an exception to her budget policy many years ago when she received a nice check after one of her law cases finished. AlteCocker decided to spend some of the extra cash on a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. She and SonKvetch stayed at the Hilton Waikaloa Village, if not the most expensive resort on the Big Island, certainly up there with the big guns.
Now, this Hilton ain't just any Hilton. This is as deluxe as it gets. YentaKvetch got a package for her and SonCocker, but certainly, even at the package price, the room was well over her normal budget. AlteCocker did not ask for a price breakdown. Had she known how much it really cost, she probably would have had a heart attack.
When she entered the lobby, which is open to the oudoors, AlteCocker's jaw immediately dropped open. It did not shut for the 6 days she was there.
One does not schlep one's luggage to one's room at the Waikaloa. One takes a monorail or a boat. Now, this type of atmosphere got AlteCocker to kvelling right away. As for SonCocker, he had died and gone to heaven.
SonCocker was perfectly content to amuse himself on the property by himself, and being of the age to be safely left, AlteCocker ditched him and went to see some of the sites herself. This feature alone was worth the price of admission.
As some of you may know, this hotel offers the opportunity to swim with the dolphins. SonCocker was offered the opportunity to enter the lottery for the swim by AlteCocker, but it was not guaranteed that he would get a slot and SonCocker decided to pass it up. Slots are more easily obtainable for young children, something that they do not tell you about before you go. It is also possible to enter the lottery, or register children for the dolphin swim if you are not staying at the hotel.
Children (and TeenCockers like SonCocker) will enjoy two tastefully landscaped pools on the property with waterfalls, slides, and tasteful Hawaiian decor. They will also enjoy the presence of other TeenCocker and entertain themselves running in and out of the pool and checking out hotel guests of the opposite sex. There are areas for YoungCockers as well.
When ChildCockers get bored jumping in and out of the pool (and spending money in the overpriced snack bar), there is the tidal pool. There AllCockers can snorkel and observe the turtles in the area. AdultCockers can often be found there sleeping in hammocks or reading.
There is a pool reserved for adults as well.
The Waikaloa really has no good beach, but it has so many other amenities that the Cockers did not miss its absence. Additionally, very good snorkeling is not to be found on the property. For that you have to take a day trip--either organized through the hotel or out of Kona.
There is golf on the property as well as lots of golf courses all over the Kohala Coast area, and many golfers go from course to course during their stay. Since AlteCocker does not golf, she has no idea of the quality of the golf courses. They all, however, are located amidst some of the most spectacular and bizarre scenery AlteCocker has ever seen. The Big Island was, after all, formed as a result of volcanic eruptions.
Insofar as food at the Waikaloa is concerned, it is spectacular--but so are the prices. The Cockers did not want the deluxe buffet breakfast (at deluxe captive audience prices) every day. So, they did sneak out to an adjacent shopping area which had some cheaper options. In fact, the place was full of refugees from the Waikaloa at breakfast.
If you want to avoid the high prices in the Waikaloa restaurants, you really do need a car to drive to Kona--which is what the Cockers often did. Many people, however, never left the resort. It was AlteCocker's first trip to the Big Island, and she felt obliged to see most of the sites that were on her "must do" list. If she ever stays at the Waikaloa again, she resolves to spend more time just relaxing on the property with perhaps another stay at the Volcano House near Madame Pele's fireworks.
Further information can be found on the Hilton Waikaloa here.
Hmm. Might be a nice stop if AlteCocker ever goes to Australia again--if someone else is paying.
She did, however, make an exception to her budget policy many years ago when she received a nice check after one of her law cases finished. AlteCocker decided to spend some of the extra cash on a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. She and SonKvetch stayed at the Hilton Waikaloa Village, if not the most expensive resort on the Big Island, certainly up there with the big guns.
Now, this Hilton ain't just any Hilton. This is as deluxe as it gets. YentaKvetch got a package for her and SonCocker, but certainly, even at the package price, the room was well over her normal budget. AlteCocker did not ask for a price breakdown. Had she known how much it really cost, she probably would have had a heart attack.
When she entered the lobby, which is open to the oudoors, AlteCocker's jaw immediately dropped open. It did not shut for the 6 days she was there.
One does not schlep one's luggage to one's room at the Waikaloa. One takes a monorail or a boat. Now, this type of atmosphere got AlteCocker to kvelling right away. As for SonCocker, he had died and gone to heaven.
SonCocker was perfectly content to amuse himself on the property by himself, and being of the age to be safely left, AlteCocker ditched him and went to see some of the sites herself. This feature alone was worth the price of admission.
As some of you may know, this hotel offers the opportunity to swim with the dolphins. SonCocker was offered the opportunity to enter the lottery for the swim by AlteCocker, but it was not guaranteed that he would get a slot and SonCocker decided to pass it up. Slots are more easily obtainable for young children, something that they do not tell you about before you go. It is also possible to enter the lottery, or register children for the dolphin swim if you are not staying at the hotel.
Children (and TeenCockers like SonCocker) will enjoy two tastefully landscaped pools on the property with waterfalls, slides, and tasteful Hawaiian decor. They will also enjoy the presence of other TeenCocker and entertain themselves running in and out of the pool and checking out hotel guests of the opposite sex. There are areas for YoungCockers as well.
When ChildCockers get bored jumping in and out of the pool (and spending money in the overpriced snack bar), there is the tidal pool. There AllCockers can snorkel and observe the turtles in the area. AdultCockers can often be found there sleeping in hammocks or reading.
There is a pool reserved for adults as well.
The Waikaloa really has no good beach, but it has so many other amenities that the Cockers did not miss its absence. Additionally, very good snorkeling is not to be found on the property. For that you have to take a day trip--either organized through the hotel or out of Kona.
There is golf on the property as well as lots of golf courses all over the Kohala Coast area, and many golfers go from course to course during their stay. Since AlteCocker does not golf, she has no idea of the quality of the golf courses. They all, however, are located amidst some of the most spectacular and bizarre scenery AlteCocker has ever seen. The Big Island was, after all, formed as a result of volcanic eruptions.
Insofar as food at the Waikaloa is concerned, it is spectacular--but so are the prices. The Cockers did not want the deluxe buffet breakfast (at deluxe captive audience prices) every day. So, they did sneak out to an adjacent shopping area which had some cheaper options. In fact, the place was full of refugees from the Waikaloa at breakfast.
If you want to avoid the high prices in the Waikaloa restaurants, you really do need a car to drive to Kona--which is what the Cockers often did. Many people, however, never left the resort. It was AlteCocker's first trip to the Big Island, and she felt obliged to see most of the sites that were on her "must do" list. If she ever stays at the Waikaloa again, she resolves to spend more time just relaxing on the property with perhaps another stay at the Volcano House near Madame Pele's fireworks.
Further information can be found on the Hilton Waikaloa here.
Hmm. Might be a nice stop if AlteCocker ever goes to Australia again--if someone else is paying.
