Hawaii Island, sometimes referred to as the “Big island,” is full of big volcanoes, volcanic rock, big beaches and big fun. And a great place to make your home base when visiting is the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.
Of all of the resorts we visited on our trip, the Marriott ranks first for family-friendly fun. The complex includes an infinity pool, a pool with a waterslide and a pool with a beach sand zero entry point, in addition to a couple of hot tubs. With the beach just a few steps away, this is a perfect location for any water-loving family.
Out of the water, but right next to it, are some great paths to explore Anaeho’omalu Bay beach and ancient fish ponds. An ancient Hawaiian dwelling is partially preserved and in the evening, the fish leap through the air in the fish ponds.
The rooms at the Marriott are spacious. We enjoyed the extra space for a sitting area and the large balcony. We slept with the door open to the ocean, with the crashing of waves as our sound machine. The room came with a fridge to chill our wine and house some leftovers.
When checking in, we received a couple of coupons, which gave us a welcome Mai Tai and a discount for a meal. We had the Hawaii Calls buffet for dinner one night and it was full of seafood, a carving table, salad buffet and tons of dessert choices.
If swimming isn’t your choice, there are a ton of other activities right on site. The activity desk on the beach provides exercise (morning yoga beachside is worth it after a long flight), and the whale-watching tour on the catamaran had us in awe with the active whales who were flipping tails, slapping fins and breaching. A short shuttle ride away, or alternately a paved path through lava rocks, the Marriott spa and fitness center got me moving with pilates, and the tennis courts and lap pool looked like a great way to work off some of the wonderful food.
Speaking of wonderful food, the open air mall Kings’ Shops are across the street, with different restaurant choices and shopping.
We didn’t have our kids on this trip, but if we were go to back, this would be the choice. The resort amenities, location of other activities and spacious rooms would be the ideal location for a family.
Disclosure: I traveled with my husband for this trip and was not compensated for this post.
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- Waikoloa Marriott
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- Waikoloa Marriott hotel room
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- Waikoloa Marriott room
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- Waikoloa Marriott infinity pool and hottub
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- Waikoloa Marriott waterslide
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- Waikoloa Marriott pool
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- Ancient Hawaiian dwelling
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- Anaeho’omalu Bay
Tonja's Travels 