“surf tv”

The ocean side rooms at Kona Bali Kai provide constant entertainment watching surf, surfers, boats and dolphins pass by. 2 miles from great snorkeling and 2 miles from downtown shopping and restaurants. 3rd stay here and I will come back.

“wONDERFUL OCEAN VIEW CONDO”

A wonderful beautifully appointed condo on the waterfront. However it is advertised as smoking on Expedia, and when we arrived we were extremely disappointed to discover it is not. Woulr NOT have booked there had we known.

“4 time visitor”

Condos are getting a little dated, but still provide great value. We changed room third day to get ocean front bedroom - don't like the units with small bedrooms / no view. 2nd room was more recently upgraded - wonderful room with stunning view. All rooms have beautiful views, although some have palm tree in view. You'll always see turtles in the tidepools out front. Need more attention to room cleanliness and details. Both rooms I put socks on to walk around after noticing my feet getting black from simply walking across rug in first room and tile in second. First room clocks not set right or not plugged in. Opened bar of soap left in bathtub. Would definitely return.

“Decent but could be better”

The particular condo we had was in Building 6, across the road, partial ocean view. For that kind of money I would have expected a clean basic room. And it was almost so, except for the fact that the bath tub was filled with a bit of water and lots of hair - somebody had been trying to repair the rusty/cracked bath tub by painting it, and left the job half-done. The general cleanliness was ok otherwise, except for a musty smell in the carpet. Because of the air humidity I am willing to give it a pass. Apart from that, a kitchen full of cookware - more than I have at home (who comes to Hawaii to cook anyway?!). Decor is a matter of preference so it makes no sense to discuss it. Location is ok for the money, a short drive/long walk from the restaurants and shops on Ali'i Drive. There is a small beach nearby, it showed promise driving by 'cause it had sand and not just the lava rock. Overall, I think budget-conscious travelers have few choices in these expensive islands. So this complex is a reasonable choice, even given the risk of surprises like the one above. But IMHO management has to get involved and inspect things before travelers arrive.

“run down and too expensive for what you get.”

I was in a hurry when I booked this place, hoping for 2 decent beds and a kitchen. My first disappointment is that the second bed was a 'couch bed' that gave absolute no support, and slouched at a weird angle. I felt bad for my children who slept in it. Peeling pain, holes in the walls, broken closet doors, and mostly cheesy or overworn equipment. The main bedroom had updated bed cover, the linens were clean, it included a small clothes washer and dryer, and it was in a convenient location- that is all that was good about it. It absolutely was not worth the cost. You can find much better on the same street for less.

“enjoyable stay”

The condo was quiet,very confortable. The staff were very friendly, they were very helpful with sight seeing tips and directions. I will be sure to check with them next time I go to Hawaii.

“Just what we were looking for.”

We were looking for an ocean front condo that wasn't too "tourist-y" and this location was just that. It was very private and the ocean was just a few feet from our lanai. We frequently saw sea turtles and spinner dolphins. There were no shops or restaurants close to us, which was fine. This was not a good place for swimming, which we would have enjoyed. The price includes weekly maid service, but daily service is available for an additional fee.

“Suprisingly disappointing (and with preliminary lowered expecations)”

We wanted to be spontaneous at the Big island, and we knew we'd be forced to "pay a price" in terms of hotel vacancies. we reserved a room at the Kona Bali Kai on the same day we were getting there via expedia. When we came there, the room looked very spacious, but other than that, quite "cheap" looking. we were willing to overlook that, because of the price we paid, which was relatively ok to the standards. HOWEVER, what was surprising to learn, was that we moved 3 times (in 1 hour) only to ask to cancel the reservation in the end, because we didn't know whether to laugh or to cry: I specifically asked for a room with internet. ANY internet, because of the nature of my work. we came to the 1st room (btw, no elevators.. so if you're above #1 floor, you're screwed). NO INTERNET. we came up to the front desk (quite a walk back). she gave us keys to a different room. THE KEYS DON'T WORK. she tried herself, but failed. then we marched again (with our bags, mind you), and tried a 3rd room, which was on the 3rd floor, apparently, and with a total of 150lbs luggage could be quite difficult. At least they were fair enough to let us cancel our reservation free of charge.

“Cannot beat oceanfront location”

Overall, Castle Kona Bali Kai is in an excellent location right on the ocean. It was nice to go to sleep to the sound of the surf, You can watch the surfers and ocean activity right from your nice sized lanai. Unfortunately, the unit I stayed in was dated and tired looking and definitely in need of updating. The resort met my needs for a few days but I would not have wanted to stay for a lengthy period.