North Stars:

Energy Efficiency

Water Management

Heritage Value

“My purpose for being here is to protect this island.”

The Azure Road Take

The original Kona Village resort opened in 1966, but was wiped out in 2011 by a tsunami. After more than a decade and careful restoration, the sacred land once more welcomes visitors, reopening in 2023 as the only Rosewood resort in Hawai‘i. The dramatic lava flow landscape and spacious individual hales set the tone for an unforgettable stay that prioritizes low impact luxury.

Who’s it for?

Families looking for an island getaway. Couples seeking a languid escape. Solo travelers wishing to reconnect with themselves and nature.

Sustainability Chops

“My purpose for being here is to protect this island,” says Kona Village’s director of engineering, Dan Kimura. He leads a team of nearly twenty employees in the engineering department. They work to minimize the resort’s carbon footprint when it comes to water and waste management and maintain the 8,432 solar panels that supply the resort’s energy.

“Water is like gold on the island,” Kimura says. Kona Village has its own wastewater treatment plant that can process 70,000 gallons each day, along with four reverse osmosis wells for brackish water that can desalinate more than a quarter million gallons a day. While not potable, the water meets all irrigation needs on the property. The resort has a robust chef’s garden that grows everything from lettuce, eggplant, and tomatoes to pineapple, mangoes, and guava. Kimura says that about 70% of the landscaping consists of indigenous plants.

Instead of building a large hot water plant like most resorts, Kona Village opted for on-demand tankless water heaters for each guestroom. This reduces gas usage needed for hot water. Rather than diesel fuel boilers, they use electrically run heat pumps, which can run off their own solar energy.

Location

This 81-acre resort is located on the shores of Kahuwai Bay, on the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawai‘i, and less than 20 minutes north from Kona International Airport. If you’re interested in exploring more of the Big Island beyond the resort, it’s best to rent a car, but if you’re content to spend all of your time at the resort (and there’s plenty to keep you busy), the hotel can happily arrange airport transfers for a fee.

One neat feature of the property: petroglyph fields sit on the grounds and are a must-visit during your stay. This is the highest-density collection of Hawaiian petroglyphs in the world, with rock carvings that date as early as the 1790s. Take a self-guided tour with a map that points out various drawings, including crab claw sails that indicate Kona Village began as a fishing and sailing village.

Rooms

All 150 guest rooms here are standalone hales (Hawaiian for house) with king or double queen beds. The most notable difference means choosing between a lagoon or ocean view. Both are beautiful, so you can’t go wrong. Every hale has an oversized furnished lanai, including a table for four and a comfortable chaise lounge. I did yoga on the lanai and there was plenty of space to stretch out. The thatched roofs are made of recycled plastic, and engineered bamboo is used for exterior decks.

Bathrooms have black basalt deep soaking tubs with scented bath salts and double sinks. Many hales have that most luxurious of tropical climate amenities: outdoor rain showers. The minibar features locally made snacks, while the room decor showcases functional art and paintings of local flora and fauna by Hawaiian artists.

Food & Drink

There are two main restaurants – Moana and Kahuwai Cookhouse. Moana offers breakfast, including a buffet with tropical fruit and build-your-own avocado toast, then transitions to a more elegant vibe for dinner. The fresh local catch is always a good choice, but my favorite dish was a vegan hasselback heart of palm, with macadamia nut and cilantro gremolata, yuzu caramelized shallots and local citrus.

Kahuwai Cookhouse is a more casual atmosphere, serving lunch and dinner with large communal tables where you can dine with your toes in the sand. Steaks, whole fish, huli-huli chicken and cauliflower al pastor are all cooked over a kiawe wood-fired grill.

Shipwreck Bar sits in a sunken sailboat, serving frozen cocktails, smoothies and sushi several nights a week. A family-style Island Roots dinner is offered twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with chefs cooking over an imu, a traditional Hawaiian earth oven. This dinner is a great chance to meet other guests if you’re feeling social.

Staff and Service

The team includes several Rosewood veterans, including managing director Daniel Scott, who was previously at Rosewood Mayakoba. Service is friendly and laid-back, and several servers and bartenders are avid surfers if you need any surfing tips.

Upon check-in, the resort texts you a welcome message, and using text messages remains the best way to get in touch with questions or requests. The front desk team is fairly responsive, although sometimes it can take them a while to get back to you. Golf carts are available upon request and usually arrive promptly for pickups, although the entire resort is walkable. Bikes are available, too.

Spa and Swim

At Asaya Spa, cross a 300-year-old lava flow to get to the locker rooms while admiring a sculpture by John Koga, evoking flowing water, along the way. Request Kerstin for an excellent lomi lomi massage, and allow time to enjoy the sauna, steam, hot tub, and cold plunge amenities. Resort guests have access to these amenities without a spa service. I returned every day for a cold plunge dip, which felt refreshing in the humidity.

There are two pools, including an adults-only pool near Shipwreck Bar with first-come, first-served cabanas. However, the resort’s proximity to the ocean makes it an ideal spot for a refreshing dip. The beach is a little rocky and rough, so just be mindful of where you’re stepping.

Kilo Kai is the resort’s ocean activity center, where you can rent paddleboards, snorkel gear, kayaks, and more. Complimentary sunrise canoe trips head out each morning. I recommend booking one, perhaps on the first morning, when jet lag has you rising at dawn. Enjoy the beautiful and calm Kahuwai Bay and learn more about Hawaiian culture from a local. You’re in the canoe with several other guests and a guide, so expect a calm morning activity as opposed to a rigorous workout.

Accessibility

There are 17 ADA-compliant hales and golf carts are available to take guests anywhere on the property.