Castle Hali'i Kai at Waikoloa

Safe Self sufficient stay

We received an email a few days before our arrival with gate code and door code, which was great because we would be arriving after the office closed at 6. We were pleased with how the property looked as soon as we drove through the gate. The buildings and landscaping looked well maintained and beautiful. We went to the office the next day to formerly check in (required) and get a key card for the gate and pool area. We also requested some beach towels to use during our stay and these were provided. Our 2 bed/2 bath condo (unit 13b) was on the ground floor and had an amazing front row ocean view. We enjoyed the view our entire stay. Our unit was very clean, the beds were comfortable, and it was very spacious. The living room furniture was a little old, but nothing was damaged or anything. The kitchen had nice appliances and was fully stocked with dishes and pots and pans and everything we needed. We also found a closet outside of the entry door that had beach chairs, beach mats, beach umbrella, and pool noodles. I'm sure every unit is different, but it was so convenient to have these items to borrow for our beach days. The restaurant and pool were right next to our building which was really nice. We ate at the restaurant 3 times during our stay and the food was delicious and we had great service, not to mention the amazing sunset views. We used the pool and hot tub almost every day of our stay for late evening dips and to enjoy the sunset. I would stay here again gladly!!

The listing photos show a spacious two-story unit with stairs leading to upstairs bedrooms, decorated living rooms, and a lanai off the master bedroom. However, upon arrival, we were placed in a single-story, darker unit beneath the main condo. The space appeared older, somewhat run down, and had outdated furniture. It did not match the photos or expectations set by the listing. When I contacted the office, I was told we booked a “villa” and that Hotels.com had used incorrect photos. I then spent about an hour on chat with Hotels.com trying to resolve the issue. During this time, I had to send numerous photos as evidence showing the discrepancy between the listing and the actual unit. Hotels.com also attempted to contact the Hali‘i Kai office, but they were not able to reach anyone. I was given a direct number to call, but the Hotels.com representative later said they were placed on hold by Hali‘i Kai and eventually hung up on. After more than two hours total trying to resolve the issue, I requested Hotels.com follow up once it was fully reviewed. Overall, I was very disappointed with the accommodation. For the same price or less, we would have preferred Kings’ Land, which is better maintained and more accurately represented. I was also disappointed with the staff response, which seemed dismissive despite the clear mismatch between the listing and the actual unit. I would not recommend staying here given the price and inaccurate representation.

Rooms were great, exactly what we expected from the photos, one thing to consider is parking, there is only one parking spot at the room, visitors will have to park else where, depending on location it may be a walk.

WiFi was a big problem. We informed management but they were not able to resolve the issue. They kept telling us it was because we had too many devices. This was not true as the WiFi password kept saying the password was wrong. Further if it was device issue, the apartment was for 6, and we had six devices. The WiFi should support that shouldn’t it? The management was only available 10-6, so if you check in after 6 pm- you don’t get the pool/ gym card until the next day at 10am. Not ideal for people who are vacation and on a timeline. The unit owner keeps the AC locked. Fortunately there are very good fans that helped keep us comfortable. The pullout bed was filthy. Fortunately the management had left us an inflatable bed which was used instead of the pull out couch. Positive: The property area is safe and pretty and convenient. The water in the shower was hot.