Beach Hotels in Waikoloa, HI

Built on a lava field, Waikōloa Village is a small community of roughly 7,000 residents. A tiny town that packs a punch, it boasts some big attractions and some impressive volcanic terrain.

If you’re looking for a more relaxed vacation that’s off the beaten path, beach hotels in Waikōloa are the perfect choice. With its small village feel, this sleepy seaside enclave draws many visitors in for its natural beauty, volcanic landscapes and black sand beaches. Worth a visit is Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau National Park, where you can see an old Hawaiian village from hundreds of years ago called Kiʻilae Village.

Tourists visit Waikōloa Village, close to most beach hotels in Waikōloa, to shop at its many shops, eat at its restaurants and bars, or simply relax on the beach while enjoying views of Kona's lush green mountains peeking through clouds that cover parts of the island almost daily.

Home to two huge volcanic mountains, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, both are over 13,000 feet tall combined. Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano and stands some 4,000 feet above sea level. Its more massive neighbor, Mauna Loa, had its last eruption in 1984 and is still regarded as an active volcano. Recent seismic activity in 2022 has closed this summit to hikers.

The volcanic landscape of Waikōloa is a major draw for tourists, with lava fields that are home to a range of wildlife, including wild horses, mouflon sheep and endangered plants. The sparse vegetation here is also the perfect setting for stargazing at night. One popular spot is Widows' Walk Trail, which offers views of the sea below as well as the stars above.

Hiking is a great way to get up close and personal with the wildlife and convenient from most beach hotels in Waikōloa. There are four main trails on the Ko'olau Summit Trail: the 1.2-mile Hau'ula trail, the 2.5-mile Halemanu loop, the 3-mile Ulua Ridge trail, and the 8.7-mile Ka'au Crater Loop. If you want to see more than just mountains and trails, consider taking an ATV tour or horseback ride instead!

Waikōloa's beaches are another reason people come here: they're great places to swim in warm waters or walk along while watching dolphins frolic offshore. You can also take helicopter tours over the Kohala valley and get a bird’s eye view of the lush Hawaiian rainforest and waterfalls. As evening sets in, catch the sunset from a catamaran sunset cruise in Anaeho’omalu Bay.

While small, Waikōloa has some great shopping. The Shops at Mauna Lani is a shopping center with over 100 stores, including high-end boutiques and big-box retailers like Macy's and Nordstrom Rack. If you're looking for something more local-centric, check out Kukui Grove Center or Waikōloa Village Center—both offer plenty of shops with everything from locally made crafts to souvenirs from all over Hawaii.

Don’t forget to check out our beach hotels in Honolulu, Hilo, and Kapaa.