Big Island Retreat Review: Hawaiʻi's Best Budget Hotel

An honest review of Big Island Retreat, one of the best budget friendly boutique hotels in Hawaiʻi.

Surrounded by palm trees, Big Island Retreat stands in the sunshine. The buildings are open-air style with balconies and lots of windows.

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Are you looking for peaceful and authentic accommodation in Kona for your next Hawaiʻi vacation? Well we might have found the perfect place for you. The embodiment of island living, Big Island Retreat is an open-air oasis. Bursting with Aloha spirit, Big Island Retreat’s two boutique guesthouses offer beautiful and affordable accommodation, surrounded by nature and three minutes from one of Big Island’s best snorkelling and surfing beaches. Offering self-catering kitchenettes and a communal outdoor kitchen, Big Island Retreat is one of the best budget hotels in Hawaiʻi and perfect for those travelling Big Island on a budget. We tried two different rooms during our most recent trip to Hawaiʻi and are going to share all about why this could be the perfect base for your next vacation too in this Big Island Retreat Hawaiʻi hotel review.

An old rusty reads "Beach" and depicts a lady with a parasol at the seaside. — Big Island Retreat is a short walk from one of Hawaiʻi’s best snorkelling and surfing beaches

About Big Island Retreat

Big Island Retreat is an open-air tropical retreat located in the south of Kona. Featuring two boutique guesthouses and an outdoor kitchen gazebo, Big Island Retreat is the perfect accommodation for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of day to day life. Located in a quiet Hawaiʻian neighbourhood, Big Island Retreat is the antithesis of a crowded chain resort. The property is surrounded by nature, with palm trees making you feel like you’re in the middle of the rainforest, while a variety of native animals can be seen around the grounds.

POV: You open a hotel room door to a bright white space with colourful blankets and towels. — There are a variety of rooms at Big Island Retreat from budget to suites

Where is Big Island Retreat?

Big Island Retreat is nestled in a small Hawaiʻian neighbourhood about 4 miles (6.4km) south of Kailua Kona town. It is located about one block from the shore and three minutes’ walking distance to Kahalu’u Beach Park, one of the best snorkelling and surfing beaches on Big Island. The hotel is a real oasis, surrounded by nature but still easily accessible via a short uphill driveway. It is the perfect base to explore the rest of Big Island, or head into Kona town to enjoy the many bars, restaurants and shops. Big Island Retreat is also only one mile north of Keauhou Shopping Center, which is great for buying souvenirs, clothes and groceries if you don’t want to go as far as Kona.

Night time at Big Island Retreat. The white and green building is light up with spot lights and the whole structure is surrounded by palm trees. — There are two boutique guesthouses at Big Island Retreat

What rooms does Big Island Retreat offer?

Big Island Retreat features eleven unique rooms across two houses: Mauna Kea House and Mauna Loa House, named after Big Island’s two iconic volcanoes. Rooms differ in size from compact to spacious, so there’s something for every budget. The largest of the rooms, the Aliʻi Suite, features 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 living room, a full kitchen and oceanview balcony.

POV: You're relaxing on a comfortable bed with clean white sheets, colourful turtle pillows and admiring a large print of an underwater turtle photo on the wall. — Each room is uniquely and beautifully decorated

We had the pleasure of staying in one of the larger rooms, the Seaside Suite, and one of the smaller rooms, the Honu Room, at different points in our trip. Whichever room you are in, you can hear the sound of the sea and feel the ocean breeze. Some rooms feature partial to full ocean views and have balconies. We found the Seaside Suite to be one of the most spacious rooms we’ve ever stayed in (and we’ve stayed in a Viennese Palace), while the Honu Room, which is considered one of the smallest rooms in the hotel, also provided ample space and even a walk-in wardrobe.

An impressive wooden four-poster bed stands on clean white tiles. A standing fan can be seen in the corner. — The beds at Big Island Retreat are king-size and very comfortable

What’s in the rooms at Big Island Retreat?

Each bedroom features a super large and comfortable bed, desk area or table and chairs, luggage storage, closet, hangers and shelving, as well as a TV. Certain rooms have balconies, some with ocean views – the perfect place to enjoy a cup of Kona coffee in the morning or glass of wine in the evening. If the ocean breeze isn’t quite enough for you, there are ceiling and standing fans.

A close up of a sea-themed wreath. We see starfish and shells intertwined with thin white branches. — Big Island Retreat’s rooms have everything you need for a comfortable stay

Big Island’s Retreats rooms are unique because of their open-air style. All rooms feature jalousie windows, a style that’s inhabited Hawaiʻian homes for generations. Resembling Venetian blinds, jalousie windows are slanted to protect your privacy, while letting the ocean breeze cool down the room (don’t worry, there are screens to keep any bugs out!). There’s no air con, but there’s really no need for it and this helps to reduce water and electricity usage, putting less pressure on Hawaiʻi’s resources too. This style of open air living really embodies the Aloha spirit you want to feel on a vacation to Hawaiʻi.

We see a vanity with a large mirror and a wicker chair. In the mirror, the Jalousie windows are clearly visible. — The jalousie windows are authentically Hawaiʻian and invite in the Aloha spirit

All units except one have an ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower, refillable toiletries, towels, face cloths and a hair dryer. The luxury suite actually offers a bath too. Every guestroom also boasts well-equipped kitchenettes or full kitchens – more on this in the next section!

We see a large tub of assorted snacks resting on top of a black fridge-freezer. There are several cupboards close by as well as a coffee maker and microwave. — Self-catering is a great way to save money if you’re visiting Hawaiʻi on a budget

What facilities are there at Big Island Retreat?

As hosted accommodation, breakfast is not included at Big Island Retreat. Each unit instead has a well-stocked kitchen area with fridge/freezer, coffee maker, microwave, skillet cooker (or full hobs), kettle, toaster, crockery, cutlery and glassware. Self-catering is a great way to save money when you travel, so you have more left over for epic experiences (for us that’s whale watching and diving!). There’s also a stainless steel sink and drying area, as well as washing up facilities. This is totally sufficient for catering for the whole of your trip, but there’s also a communal kitchen we’d recommend taking advantage of too.

A small communal area has a patchwork wooden table, a comfy armchair, and three large painted surfboards mounted on the back wall. — The communal areas at Big Island Retreat are large and quiet spaces

The outdoor kitchen gazebo is a large, open air space with a grill BBQ, gas stove, slow cooker and dining area. It’s also stocked with cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery so you have everything you need to prepare your meal. The veranda is surrounded by palm trees and you really feel a part of the Hawaiʻian rainforest. A benefit of the hotel offering a few bespoke rooms is that there aren’t many guests, so we often had the outdoor kitchen all to ourselves. But if you do time your cooking while other guests use the facilities, it can be a great way to meet other like-minded travellers and pick up tips and recommendations for the rest of your vacation on the island.

In the golden light of the afternoon sun we can see an outdoor cooking and grilling area. There is also a large table with enough room for six or more people. — Big Island Retreat’s outdoor kitchen gazebo is great for cooking your main meals

There are three free, private parking areas onsite. Mauna Kea House is also the communal hub of the property, featuring an indoor garden and reading area, communal lounge and laundry facilities. There’s also a large shelf full of books, beach and snorkel equipment, body boards and useful holiday bits and pieces that guests are free to borrow. We curated a perfect morning by borrowing body boards and fins (we own dive masks and snorkels but there were some available to borrow too), heading down to Kahalu’u Beach Park and snorkelling in the bay. As a hosted property, management are available 24/7 by call, email, text or WhatsApp.

A hanging egg chair sits in front of a small open garden space. — There are plenty of facilities at Big Island Retreat and guests can borrow beach equipment too

What wildlife can you see at Big Island Retreat?

We’ve mentioned how Big Island Retreat feels totally surrounded by nature – and with nature comes wildlife. Perfect for animal lovers like us! Around the property, you’re bound to see Gold Dust Day Geckos, cute and tiny green lizards that are considered a sign of good luck. They’re usually found on walls and we saw quite a few around the outdoor kitchen beams. There were many species of native birds in the trees too and the birdsong was lovely to listen to. We saw a Northern Cardinal and a Java Sparrow. Our animal highlight though was how many Indian Grey Mongooses we saw on the property! We spotted them from our balcony and from the outdoor kitchen. Unfortunately, Gold Dust Day Geckos and Indian Mongooses are invasive species to Hawaiʻi, but it’s still pretty special to see such unique animals in the wild.

An Indian mongoose sticks its little face out from behind a tree. The sunlight glints off its right eye. — Indian Mongooses can be seen around the grounds of Big Island Retreat

How much does it cost to stay at Big Island Retreat

The price per night for a room at Big Island Retreat will depend on the room type you choose. Typically, rooms go for $149 to $269 USD a night, which is an absolute steal. Big Island Retreat is one of the most affordable hotels in Hawaiʻi. You’ll be really hard pressed to find cheaper accommodation on the whole of Big Island. The average cost of a room in a Hawaiʻian resort on Big Island is about $300-600 a night.

A group of towels arranged in a bathroom. One of the towels has the word "Hawaii" printed on it. — Big Island Retreat is one of the most affordable hotels on Big Island

Prices will obviously fluctuate with the season. The most popular time to stay in a Hawaiʻi hotel is at Christmas and New Year. The months of December-March are the busiest season when prices are higher, while travelling off peak can see much cheaper prices. Travelling in April to June or September to November can be a great way to secure a cheap hotel room in Hawaiʻi, as this is off-peak.

Big Island Retreat also often runs discounts on their room rate. These can be found on their website. A recent offer saw last minute bookings get 10% off the room rate, when the stay was within 10 days of booking.

Check Big Island Retreat Prices Directly

Check Big Island Retreat Prices on Booking.com

A bright red bird stands out in amongst thick greenery. — There is so much wildlife to see from Big Island Retreat

How to get to Big Island Retreat

Big Island Retreat is located just off Aliʻi Drive, about 4 miles (6.6km) from the heart of Kona Town. It is about 15 miles (24km) from Kona International Airport (KOA – Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole). This is where most visitors to Big Island start their trips and we’d recommend picking up a hire car here.

From the airport and the north of the island, head south on Queen Kaahumanu Hwy (Route 19) for 6.5 miles (10.4km). Turn right onto Palani Road, which curves left at the waterfront in Kailua-Kona town and turns into Aliʻi Drive. Follow Aliʻi Drive for about 5 miles (8km). At St. Peter’s Catholic Church (at Kahalu’u Beach Park), turn left onto Kahalu’u Road. This is a small private road marked by a blue sign for Big Island Retreat.

Hiring a car is one of the best ways to get around Big Island

From the south of the island, head north on the Hawaiʻi Belt Rd (Highway 11). Take the road straight onto Māmalahoa Bypass Rd/Napoopoo Rd for around 5.5 miles (8.8km), then continue onto the Aliʻi Hwy for another 5 miles (8km). At the junction, turn left onto Aliʻi Drive until you reach St. Peter’s Catholic Church at Kahalu’u Beach Park. Turn right onto Kahalu’u Road.

Once you’ve turned off Aliʻi Drive, follow the road uphill 175 yards/0.1 miles through the neighbourhood. Be aware that the speed limit here is 10mph. You will reach the driveway for Big Island Retreat on the right, clearly marked with a sign. Where you park will depend on which room you have booked and your check-in instructions will have detailed information about which of the three parking lots to park in.

A close up view of a pair of sunglasses lying on a colourful towel. — Big Island Retreat’s location is perfect for a Hawaiʻian vacation to Big Island

How to get to Kona from Big Island Retreat

Big Island Retreat may be a little out of Kailua-Kona, but there are still several ways to access the main town. The first is to simply drive there with your hire car, which takes around 15 minutes.

Finding free parking in Kona can be tricky so you might wish to leave the car behind. Or maybe you’re keen to try some of the many bars and restaurants and don’t wish to drive home. The best public transport option from Big Island Retreat to Kona is the Kona Trolley Bus (route 201 ). This free bus runs regularly up and down Aliʻi Drive roughly every hour. The timetable can be found on the Hele-On website and is viewable on Google Maps’ public transport feature. A Trolley Bus Stop is located three minutes from the hotel opposite Kona Town Surf Adventures.

A more immediate option is to arrange a local taxi. There are a few different companies to choose from and they can be found online – or ask a member of staff who will be happy to assist with recommendations and arrangements. Uber and Lyft also operate in Kona and arranging a ride is easy on the apps.

Read next: The Thorough Guide to Kailua-Kona

A bright pink and green bus stop sign stands out against the blue sky. — The Kona Trolley passes Big Island Retreat and goes to Kailua-Kona

Things to do near Big Island Retreat

One of the best things to do near Big Island Retreat is to head down to nearby Kahalu’u Beach Park and go swimming, snorkelling or surfing. If you really love discovering the underwater world, we’d recommend booking a snorkelling tour, which includes multiple snorkel spots that are best accessed by boat.

Visiting the historic town of Kailua-Kona is a great way to spend the day. There are lots of great restaurants and bars to choose from. It’s also a great place to pick up a souvenir from the Kona Shopping Village or Kona Marketplace. And the Kona Farmers Market is a great place to pick up some fresh, local ingredients to cook in the Big Island Retreat kitchen.

Sea turtles can be seen at Kahalu’u Beach Park

If you’re a wildlife lover like us, we’d recommend timing your visit between December and April and going whale watching, as this is when you can see migratory humpback whales. Or consider booking an Ocean Safari, where you can encounter several marine species in one trip, in and out of the water!

Big Island Retreat is also a great base to explore the rest of Big Island. Easy day trips include Puʻuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park, Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, the Captain James Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay and Waimea. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is also easily accessible after a couple of hours of driving and features lava fields, steam vents, petroglyphs and a sea arch. You may even be able to see flowing lava if you visit during a volcanic eruption. You could even drive over to the east coast and visit the charming town of Hilo in a day, although we’d recommend staying there a few nights too.

Snorkelling at the nearby beach is one of the best things to do at Big Island Retreat

Snorkelling & Surfing at Kahalu’u Beach Park

Located to the south of Kailua-Kona, and a short walk from Big Island Retreat, Kahalu’u Beach Park is a dark sand beach popular with snorkellers, surfers and families. Evidence of population in the bay stretches back at least the last 500 years with records of royal residences dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Kahalu’u comes from a Hawaiʻian word meaning diving place, which could be in reference to the coral reef which is great for snorkelling and freediving. Marine species you might see in the bay include octopus, moray eels and sea urchins, as well as reef fish like yellow tang, Moorish idol, bullethead parrotfish, racoon butterflyfish, Hawaiʻian spotted boxfish and flounder. This is also one of the best places to see turtles in Hawaiʻi, with pretty high chances of swimming with them too. Be sure to keep the designated distance from one if you get lucky. Kahalu’u Bay does have a northerly current, so it’s important to consistently orient yourself and not go too deep if you’re not a strong swimmer. And entry into the water involves traversing sharp lava rocks, so many visitors prefer to wear water shoes too.

The sky is changing from blue to orange and the cloud are a fiery red. Palm trees sway in the ocean breeze. — Kahalu’u Beach is a short walk from Big Island Retreat and a great place to watch the sunset

Book your stay at Big Island Retreat

Have we convinced you to try island living at Big Island Retreat? Book your stay using the information below:

Phone: 808-938-7988

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.bigislandretreat.com/

Booking.com: Big Island Retreat on Booking.com

Big Island Retreat also have a sister hotel: Kona Tiki. A stunning oceanfront hotel, Kona Tiki retains its Hawaiʻian charm and offers stunning views of Kahului Bay. Find out more about Kona Tiki in our Kona Tiki hotel Review here!