FF Kona Hawaiin Resort vs. HGVC Bay Club Waikola

[djyamyam Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close djyamyam]

Which one is better? I currently have a reservation for Jan 2008 for KHR but with the new posting of the Bay Club, should I cancel and try to ge the Bay Club? Realistically, will I be able to cancel and rebook at the Bay Club using the week that I booked KHR? I got it as part of the bulk banking sometime last year so I'm not even sure I could. Comments or suggestions?

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Which one is better?

That, for me, is an impossible question to answer. Reason is, they are two different locations, both of which have their pluses (neither I would say have any minuses, ). We love staying in both Kona and the Waikoloa resort area. I would keep what I definitely had.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

A bird in hand.....

[calgal Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close calgal]

Kona is a funky little town, and KHR is close enough to walk into town. Bay Club Waikoloa is in an exclusive tourist enclave, part of a large upscale resort complex. Very different experiences. If your goal is a hang on the beach experience, the beaches near Waikoloa are better. If you like adventure, snorkeling, exploring - Kona is a better base. We stayed in KHR and loved it, but it is not a fancy, hang out at the resort all day kind of place. We drove up to Waikoloa twice and spent one day at the Hilton hotel lagoons/pool/Dolphin Quest and one day at A-bay which is a mellow pretty beach in that complex. It is not a very long or hard drive. If you stayed at Waikoloa you would probably drive down towards Kona at least that many times to see the historical sights/ snorkeling beaches/ town experience. I, too, would stick with what you have and enjoy.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Gord,

The 2 bedrooms at the Bay Club go like hotcakes, and the one bedrooms all face the parking lot (we fled after one night and ran to FFKHR).

I thought Bay Club felt a lot like Orlando mega-resorts, very manicured, prefab, spread out; nothing really Hawaiian about it-- the area is so dry nothing grows without extensive irrigation; yes the pools are nice, etc... it is also pretty isolated once you leave the hotel area; but FFKHR feels like Hawaii was supposed to feel (at least to me); Tommy Bahama decor, sacred ruins on the grounds, lush foliage. And the proximity to Kona was great. If Bay Club were ON a beach I might hesitate, but you have to drive to the best beach(es) anyway... if you are going with young kids and want to stick to the resort pools, etc., then maybe, but not if it means giving up FFKHR and rolling the dice... jmho

[djyamyam Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close djyamyam]

We'll keep what we got

Thanks for the all the feedback everyone. It sounds like we have the right choice. When I heard "big tourist trap" that made up my mind. While I don't dislike a nice resort, we aren't laze around beach folks. We'll be exploring the island, go to Mauna Kea, etc.