The Kona Coast Resort Story
The Kona Coast Resort is unlike any other resort on the Big Island. It contains a mixture of privately owned units
(extremely large luxury condominiums) and many somewhat smaller units (but still quite large!) which are sold
as timeshares. Both timeshare owners and full-time owners share equally in the extensive amenities available
at this fine resort.
The Kona Coast Resort was built in the 1980s, originally as a "fee simple" luxury condominium complex.
Phase I, which comprises buildings #1 to #12, contained a variety of 1-Bed, 2-Bed, and 3-Bed units. Each
luxury unit is exceptionally large and spacious and comes with a garage! The 1-Bed units are 1100 sq. ft while
the 2-Bed units are over 1500 sq ft! In addition, each unit has a huge lanai - over 340 sq ft! Recessed lighting,
extensive wood trim, and built-in microwave and thermal ovens are some of the features which distinguish these
units as luxury condominiums and set them apart from most other condominium complexes in the
Kona-Keauhou area.
After selling only 44 of these units (to 44 lucky owners!), the management decided to convert the rest of the units
to timeshares. In the late 1980s Phase II was completed with the construction of 16 additional buildings,
comprising 195 timeshare units. Phase II units, while newer than Phase I units, are not nearly as large because
they were designed as timeshare units, not as fee simple luxury condominiums.
Vacation Rental Units at the Kona Coast Resort
Among the 44 privately owned units in Phase I, only about 20 units are offered as vacation rentals. These units,
located in buildings # 1 to #12, vary widely in quality and upkeep. Also, as shown in the map above, the
buildings in which these units are located are in different parts of the resort, with different orientations and
elevations, so they will have different views from their lanais. Generally, preferred units are the units located on
the ends of each building. These units are called "end-units", and have an additional set of windows along one
of the exterior walls. This can be advantageous because the extra windows facilitate the circulation of fresh air
within the unit. Especially preferred are the 2-bed end-units because they have exceptionally large windows
lining the exterior wall.
A note about 2-bed units: Some of the top floor 1-bed units at the Kona Coast Resort have attics that the
owner had converted to a loft with a bedroom. This technically makes the unit a 2-bed unit but the floor plan is
different than that of a true 2-bed unit. In a true 2-bed unit the master bedroom is located directly adjacent to
the lanai. We believe this is a huge advantage and is the primary reason why we purchased a true 2-bed unit
rather than a 1-bed unit with a loft. In 1-bed units the master bedroom is in the back of the unit, typically facing
the parking lot, which is much less pleasant than a master bedroom which fronts the lanai and is separated from
the lanai by an entire wall of full length glass windows and sliding doors!. In true 2-bed units, like ours, guests
can enjoy sleeping in the master bedroom with the glass sliding doors completely open to the lanai, allowing the
fresh Kona breezes to enter the bedroom the entire night!
Views from the Lanais: Views from the lanais of each unit at this resort can also be quite different. Since the
entire resort is built on gently sloping land the buildings furthest uphill naturally have the best ocean views from
the lanai. In the map above this means that units in buildings 1, 10, 11, and 12 have the best views since they
have the highest elevation and the lanais in these buildings directly face the ocean. In these buildings the
quality of the ocean view also depends on what floor the unit is located. First floor units generally do not have
good ocean views because much of the view will be blocked by the buildings in front of them. All second floor
units in buildings 1, 10, 11, and 12 have good ocean views, while the third floor units have the best ocean views.
Because of these good ocean views more than 50% of the original privately owned units are located in
buildings #1, 10, 11, and 12. All units at the Kona Coast Resort are numbered so you can tell what building they
are in and what floor the are on. For example, our unit is # 12-201, which means it is located in building #12,
and is on the 2nd floor. The remaining privately owned units, scattered throughout buildings # 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 8, offer mostly golf course, mountain, resort or garden views from their lanais. Building #5 faces directly
east and guests in the top floor units in this building enjoy wonderful views of the sun rising over the 16th fairway
of the Kona Country Club golf course each morning.
A note about top floor units and lofts: The lanais on the top floor units at the Kona Coast Resort are more
exposed to the sun compared with those on the 2nd or 1st floors. Since the sun in Hawaii is so intense, and
since heat rises, the top floor units (especially 3rd floor units) will tend to be the most difficult to keep cool. This
can be a problem in the summer months. Several years ago in August friends of ours stayed in one of the 3rd
floor, 1-bed units (with finished loft), and even with the continuous use of central AC the loft bedroom could not
be cooled adequately, so their children had to sleep in the living room instead. These top floor units, especially
those in buildings 1, 10, 11, and 12 have very good ocean views, but with these views comes additional heat
that can be a problem in Hawaii. After vacationing in our unit, a shaded 2nd floor end-unit in building #12, for
over 7 years, we now realize that we are very fortunate to own one of the nicest, most comfortable units at the
Kona Coast Resort. We enjoy good ocean views and beautiful sunsets from our lanai, yet our unit is shaded,
has many windows, and is easy to keep cool.
Central AC: Many vacation rental condos in the Kona-Keauhou area do not have central AC. We think this is
a big mistake. This first thing we did after buying our condo in 2002 was to have a high quality central AC unit
installed. We did this out of concern for our future guests. Even though our unit gets fantastic air circulation,
there are still days when the AC may be needed. Our advice to all visitors to the Kona-Keauhou area: Only
rent condos that have central AC. You may not always need to use it, but when the trade winds stop, many
condos can become uncomfortably hot without it. It's just not worth the gamble to stay in a condo without AC
and risk ruining your vacation!.
The Kona Coast Resort is unlike any other resort on the Big Island. It contains a mixture of privately owned units
(extremely large luxury condominiums) and many somewhat smaller units (but still quite large!) which are sold
as timeshares. Both timeshare owners and full-time owners share equally in the extensive amenities available
at this fine resort.
The Kona Coast Resort was built in the 1980s, originally as a "fee simple" luxury condominium complex.
Phase I, which comprises buildings #1 to #12, contained a variety of 1-Bed, 2-Bed, and 3-Bed units. Each
luxury unit is exceptionally large and spacious and comes with a garage! The 1-Bed units are 1100 sq. ft while
the 2-Bed units are over 1500 sq ft! In addition, each unit has a huge lanai - over 340 sq ft! Recessed lighting,
extensive wood trim, and built-in microwave and thermal ovens are some of the features which distinguish these
units as luxury condominiums and set them apart from most other condominium complexes in the
Kona-Keauhou area.
After selling only 44 of these units (to 44 lucky owners!), the management decided to convert the rest of the units
to timeshares. In the late 1980s Phase II was completed with the construction of 16 additional buildings,
comprising 195 timeshare units. Phase II units, while newer than Phase I units, are not nearly as large because
they were designed as timeshare units, not as fee simple luxury condominiums.
Vacation Rental Units at the Kona Coast Resort
Among the 44 privately owned units in Phase I, only about 20 units are offered as vacation rentals. These units,
located in buildings # 1 to #12, vary widely in quality and upkeep. Also, as shown in the map above, the
buildings in which these units are located are in different parts of the resort, with different orientations and
elevations, so they will have different views from their lanais. Generally, preferred units are the units located on
the ends of each building. These units are called "end-units", and have an additional set of windows along one
of the exterior walls. This can be advantageous because the extra windows facilitate the circulation of fresh air
within the unit. Especially preferred are the 2-bed end-units because they have exceptionally large windows
lining the exterior wall.
A note about 2-bed units: Some of the top floor 1-bed units at the Kona Coast Resort have attics that the
owner had converted to a loft with a bedroom. This technically makes the unit a 2-bed unit but the floor plan is
different than that of a true 2-bed unit. In a true 2-bed unit the master bedroom is located directly adjacent to
the lanai. We believe this is a huge advantage and is the primary reason why we purchased a true 2-bed unit
rather than a 1-bed unit with a loft. In 1-bed units the master bedroom is in the back of the unit, typically facing
the parking lot, which is much less pleasant than a master bedroom which fronts the lanai and is separated from
the lanai by an entire wall of full length glass windows and sliding doors!. In true 2-bed units, like ours, guests
can enjoy sleeping in the master bedroom with the glass sliding doors completely open to the lanai, allowing the
fresh Kona breezes to enter the bedroom the entire night!
Views from the Lanais: Views from the lanais of each unit at this resort can also be quite different. Since the
entire resort is built on gently sloping land the buildings furthest uphill naturally have the best ocean views from
the lanai. In the map above this means that units in buildings 1, 10, 11, and 12 have the best views since they
have the highest elevation and the lanais in these buildings directly face the ocean. In these buildings the
quality of the ocean view also depends on what floor the unit is located. First floor units generally do not have
good ocean views because much of the view will be blocked by the buildings in front of them. All second floor
units in buildings 1, 10, 11, and 12 have good ocean views, while the third floor units have the best ocean views.
Because of these good ocean views more than 50% of the original privately owned units are located in
buildings #1, 10, 11, and 12. All units at the Kona Coast Resort are numbered so you can tell what building they
are in and what floor the are on. For example, our unit is # 12-201, which means it is located in building #12,
and is on the 2nd floor. The remaining privately owned units, scattered throughout buildings # 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 8, offer mostly golf course, mountain, resort or garden views from their lanais. Building #5 faces directly
east and guests in the top floor units in this building enjoy wonderful views of the sun rising over the 16th fairway
of the Kona Country Club golf course each morning.
A note about top floor units and lofts: The lanais on the top floor units at the Kona Coast Resort are more
exposed to the sun compared with those on the 2nd or 1st floors. Since the sun in Hawaii is so intense, and
since heat rises, the top floor units (especially 3rd floor units) will tend to be the most difficult to keep cool. This
can be a problem in the summer months. Several years ago in August friends of ours stayed in one of the 3rd
floor, 1-bed units (with finished loft), and even with the continuous use of central AC the loft bedroom could not
be cooled adequately, so their children had to sleep in the living room instead. These top floor units, especially
those in buildings 1, 10, 11, and 12 have very good ocean views, but with these views comes additional heat
that can be a problem in Hawaii. After vacationing in our unit, a shaded 2nd floor end-unit in building #12, for
over 7 years, we now realize that we are very fortunate to own one of the nicest, most comfortable units at the
Kona Coast Resort. We enjoy good ocean views and beautiful sunsets from our lanai, yet our unit is shaded,
has many windows, and is easy to keep cool.
Central AC: Many vacation rental condos in the Kona-Keauhou area do not have central AC. We think this is
a big mistake. This first thing we did after buying our condo in 2002 was to have a high quality central AC unit
installed. We did this out of concern for our future guests. Even though our unit gets fantastic air circulation,
there are still days when the AC may be needed. Our advice to all visitors to the Kona-Keauhou area: Only
rent condos that have central AC. You may not always need to use it, but when the trade winds stop, many
condos can become uncomfortably hot without it. It's just not worth the gamble to stay in a condo without AC
and risk ruining your vacation!.
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| The Kona Coast Resort - Resort Map |
Entrance to Kona Coast Resort
