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Floradise

A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

Our Stay at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort in Hawaii

Hilton Waikoloa Resort, Big Island, Hawaii

We’re typically low-key travelers who prefer affordable places to stay that are easy to get to and conveniently located near the activities we enjoy. However, the booking of our Hawaii trip was a bit last minute because we had to cancel our Puerto Rico plans. That meant that almost all the Big Island hotels in the Kailua-Kona area were near capacity and we had to book whatever was left. We decided to venture a bit farther north to the Waikoloa area because we had skipped that part of the island on our honeymoon trip in 2014. We had heard there were some beautiful beaches nearby that we wanted to check out. With the help of Ebates and Priceline I was able to find a deal on a stay at the Hilton Waikola Village Resort, so we went for it despite the slightly higher price tag than we are used to paying. (Use my referral link to get started on Ebates; you’ll get $10.) Today I want to share the pros and cons of staying at the Hilton Waikola Village Resort.

Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort in Hawaii

Waikoloa Village was like a small village. (Actually someone we met in town called it their Disney World.) We had to take a tram to our hotel room tower and walking to the lobby from the room could take up to 20 minutes (if you’re preggo like me). Overall, though, we enjoyed our stay at the resort. This was where we waited in the basement during the false ballistic missile alert in Hawaii, too.

Hilton Waikoloa Resort, Hawaii

Hilton Waikoloa Resort, Big Island, Hawaii

 

Pros

  • Activities are plentiful.
  • Nice views from the rooms.
  • The lagoon was convenient and perfect for V to swim in. There are plenty of lounge chairs to use and you can rent kayaks, paddleboards and other equipment. You can also snorkel and see fish and turtles!
  • Just about everything you need is available.
  • Close to Hapuna Beach.
  • Spacious, comfortable rooms.
  • The walkway to lobby was also a museum with incredible artwork.
  • You can take a tram or boat to your tower.
  • The resort is gorgeous.
  • Nice shops.

Hilton Waikoloa Resort, Big Island, Hawaii

Hilton Waikoloa Resort, Big Island, Hawaii

 

Hilton Waikoloa Resort, Big Island, Hawaii

Cons

  • Not convenient to leave the resort.
  • Parking was $20-something per day for self-parking. Also, parking is far from your room.
  • Dining prices were higher as to be expected.
  • Resort fee was $20-something per day.
  • Construction near our tower was an eyesore.
  • Waikoloa is a bit of a drive (30 minutes or so) from Kailua-Kona and seems a bit isolated.  We didn’t like having to drive so far for more food and activity options.

What kind of accommodations do you prefer when you travel?

Watch our videos:

 

RELATED POSTS:

EXPLORING HILO, HAWAII
PU’UHONUA O HONAUNAU NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK IN HAWAII
Unforgettable Beach Day: False Ballistic Missile Alert

 

Best Pool Floats for Summer

** This post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission on purchases made through these links.



If I could change one thing about my home in Chicago, it’d be that it would have a swimming pool. If you have a pool, do you know just how lucky you are? No, really,  do you? The lake isn’t exactly conducive to floating on a large tube sometimes, and in fact floats aren’t allowed. Some rebels like to bring their floats after the lifeguards go home, but I am not so brave. A girl can dream, right? While I attempt to find a pool to float in this summer, I’ll be daydreaming about lounging on one of these floats. (A theme lately on this blog has been wanting to escape on a getaway. Have you noticed?) I’ve rounded up the most fun pool floats to make those long summer days more entertaining/relaxing.

My picks:

  • Watermelon: The fruit screams summer and it’s a unique pool float your friends will want to borrow.
  • Rainbow: Brighten up your day with this fun float.
  • Banana palm leaf rope: Palm prints are a hot trend right now. Plus, this is made to hold two people. Or keep it all to yourself. I won’t judge.
  • Pineapple: Who doesn’t love pineapples?
  • Pegasus: It’s a popular float for good reason.
  • Toucan/tropical bird: Just as fun as the unicorn float, but more colorful.
  • Swan: For the diva among us.
  • Pizza slice: Because yum.
  • Mermaid tail: This is one of my recent favorite pool floats because you can pretend to be a mermaid.
  • Shell: This is another fun sea-themed float.
  • Red lips: A sassy pool float.
  • Cactus: This speaks to the Arizona girl in me.

Which float is your favorite? Will you be lounging on a float this weekend?

 Shop the floats**:

Stay at the Islander Resort | Islamorada, Florida Keys

When searching for an affordable, beachfront hotel option in the upper Florida Keys, I came across the Guy Harvey Outpost Islander Resort. The photos caught my eye, and the resort had decent reviews on Booking.com. I booked a three-night stay for us to explore the Keys during our recent trip.

(If you’d like to try Booking.com, consider using my link.) 
When we drove up to the resort, an outdated sign greeted us. I didn’t remember seeing that in any of the photos, and the rest of the resort was in better condition. The lobby was decorated nicely and the front desk agent was super friendly and energetic. She informed me that we were in a poolside suite, which according to her is the best option. 
We drove up to our unit and opened our door with a good old-fashioned key (no hotel key card). Our room had a full kitchen, something I appreciate because it helps save cash by allowing us to cook some meals. There’s also a screened patio area and lounge chairs outside.

We typically request rooms with two beds so we don’t have to share with our toddler. The room contains a large closet and drawers with plenty of room. (That’s where I found the safe, which wouldn’t open. I didn’t bother asking the front desk for help.) As I found out during our stay, the poolside location is nice, but it does get a bit noisy sometimes during the day. It was convenient when we wanted to go to the pool, restaurant or beach, though.

Have a seat and admire the view from the pier. 

The A/C in the unit was also a bit loud at times, but it wasn’t an issue. We weren’t in the room that much anyway and we only needed it one day.

The laundry came in handy. I was able to do laundry one day for $1.50 per wash and $1.50 to dry. There is no detergent vending machine, though. I bought a $1 bottle of detergent at a nearby dollar store. 
I enjoyed both restaurants at the resort, especially breakfast at Bonefish Flats. The service was great at the latter. (See my previous post for more details on the food and prices.)
Was Islander Resort the fanciest option? No. But it was comfortable and not too expensive. The amenities were nice (You can rent kayaks and other gear at the beach!) and the location was convenient for us. Nearby we found many parks, the scuba diving museum and lots of shops and restaurants. It was about 40 minutes from the Turtle Hospital in Marathon and about an hour and a half from Key West. I would stay here again.

Have you visited the Florida Keys?

Staycation at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Graham and I have been together for 3 years! We wanted to celebrate, but a trip was not possible — we are trying to cut back on spending in preparation for our wedding.

So we did the next best thing: a staycation!

We booked a stay at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Neither of us had ever stayed there, and we were excited to spend a weekend at its pool. We were hoping it wouldn’t be teeming with children, and it wasn’t! Most of the kiddos were at the East Pool, which has two slides and a water ride.

And really, is there any better place to be on a hot Valley day?

The South Pool on a Sunday.

I sipped on a frozen Amaretto sunrise, worth every penny.

The sprawling property has retail shops, restaurants, a spa and multiple pools, but my favorite part was the bunnies scurrying about. If only they weren’t so quick to run away when I tried to snap a photo. …

Fireworks — held every Saturday night — helped us celebrate our special night.

https://www.youtube.com/v/oQCfeHE1WhE?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata

Relaxing at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa

 A recent day at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa opened my eyes to the staycation possibilities.

My cousin invited me over to her spa suite and to relax at the pool for her birthday. A highlight was the view of Praying Monk on Camelback Mountain. It made me want to spend my own relaxing weekend at a Valley resort. If only my birthday weren’t amid the busy (and pricey) tourist season …

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