Monthly Archives: April 2014

Yoga can be relaxing, but when your view is whales playing in the ocean, it can become hard to concentrate. But I wouldn’t trade Oceanside yoga for any other option.

We stayed at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows near Kona, Hawaii, on the Big Island in January 2014. A few of the mornings, the locals were cold when the temperature was in the 70s. Coming from the Polar Vortex epicenter in Michigan, 70 degrees felt like a mid-summer 90s.

We had an ocean-view room, which had a great lanai for morning coffee while listening to the waves. The rooms were spacious and had a color scheme that reflects the local area. Getting to the actual room was different than most hotels, because you have to either take an elevator or stairs to a different level than the entrance, walk across another section and then take another elevator or stairs to the hotel area near the ocean. Although a small inconvenience when you have your luggage, it’s a great route during the day to see all of the views of the interior and exterior of the complex.

The hotel has an open concept, with a river meandering through the interior courtyard, stocked with various types of fish. The hotel offers a walking tour for guests to learn about the different types of Hawaiian sea life.

Walking in, one of the first views is a koi pond, and the interior gives you a relaxed vibe with a waterfall cascading over panels of glass. Starting your day with breakfast at Bay Terrace is a great way to linger over a cup of coffee while looking out over the ocean. The breakfast buffet had a large number of choices, including a traditional Japanese breakfast section.

I also ventured out to the fitness center. It’s a little ways away from the hotel itself but makes for a nice morning stroll. Shuttles also take you to the center or shopping areas in the complex. After a pilates workout, I took the path through the Hawaii Mauna Lani Historic Park to walk through the petroglyph fields. It’s a scenic walk and the best way to travel back to the hotel and oceanfront. The walk near Mani Lani also includes fish ponds, where I was able to see an eel playing hide and seek under the bridge.

The pool was nice and cool, a perfect refresher for a hot Hawaii day. Mani Lani also looked to have a new pool under construction, so more swimming options would be available in the future. The trails along the ocean are perfect for strolling or exercising, and you can’t beat the view.

Disclosure: I traveled with my husband for this trip and was not compensated for this post.