King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel Kailua Kona

Super 8 Motel, meet Kona. And don't worry, Super 8, your loitering drug dealers will still hang around outside you.

Sadly, the King Kamehameha Hotel has plummeted since I was a kid. Years ago, my family would stay at this hotel on weekend trips to Kona. It was always a treat. The rooms were nice, the lobby was full of stores, and the dinner buffet was excellent. I even attended a convention at this hotel several years ago, and was very impressed with the services, accommodations, and friendliness of staff.

However, in December 2007, I made my first visit back to the hotel in at least four years. I was appalled! The rooms are dirty, grungy, and just dismal. The carpet felt clammy, the bathtub and sink were cracking, the artwork was faded, and the beds were creaky and flimsy. It literally felt like a Super 8 Motel. The chairs on the balcony were old and dirty, and looking out from the balcony, I could see pizzas, tacos, and all sorts of other rotting fast food remains littering the roof of the lower level. Disgusting!

The lobby is huge and has room for at least a dozen different shops. But there's maybe one or two little shops still open. The Kona Beach Restaurant has a dinner buffet, but the food was completely tasteless and unimpressive--especially for the $35/person pricetag! The crummy little beach in front of the hotel is just depressing.

And the big kicker? NO INTERNET ACCESS!!! I can't survive without being connected to the world!!!

There are superior hotels in Kona. Actually, just shell out the extra $40/night and stay at Waikoloa--it's a much classier resort area than Kona itself.

The King Kamehameha Hotel had plans to renovate in 2008 or 2009. I hope the renovation brings desperately-needed improvement.