Posts Tagged ‘kailua kona condos rentals’

• Eating out and discovering great spots is one of the special pleasures of being on vacation. I don’t know about you, but Bonnie and I savor our restaurant experiences and hate to be disappointed. When at our condo we do often eat out and have many favorite places and opinions on food, service and the overall dining experience. A hidden gem is the Holualoa Café (76-5901 Mamalahoa Hwy, Holualoa (808) 322-2233). The drive along Mamaloha Hwy to Holualoa is itself like going back in time to older Hawaii. We go for either breakfast or dinner but mainly breakfast (see below for other breakfast recommendations). Good food and a lovely tropical patio. Traffic noise from the nearby Mamalohoa Hwy detracts a bit. We have also experienced very slow service on occasion. So take it easy, relax, and enjoy the location and moderate prices.
• A favorite place of ours, for at least one dinner visit while at the condo, is Jackie Rey’s Ohana Grill (75-5995 Kuakini Hwy,. Kailua-Kona, 808.327.0209). I would characterize it as a small family style place in a tiny strip mall. No tropical setting, no ocean view. It is best seen at night when it’s open wooden window shutters gives a kind of Hawaii Back Country feel. The food is good and the prices are reasonable..I like their attitude. They are plugged into the local community and care about it. Sign up for their news letter and when you are back home you will be an occasional memory aid of your visit when the newsletters arrive in the mail.
• For a really fine dining experience, Bonnie and I always pick the Pahu i’a. This restaurant is located in the Four Seasons Resort (72-100 Ka`upulehu Drive Kailua-Kona (808) 325-8000). The restaurant is very upscale and with prices to match as you would expect from Four Seasons. We have had breakfast and dinners there and have always felt that the whole experience was worth the price. Actually the experience begins at the entrance to the Four Seasons Resort property. The drive to the front lobby through the idyllic golf course (greens set in lava fields) sets you up for a walk through the lobby building. Splurge and leave your car with the valet. The lobby building, for me, epitomizes the tropical architecture style (perhaps Polynesian more than Hawaiian with it grand open-to-nature feel. Then walk to the Pahu i’a where you can take a table at the ‘rail’ and be nearly at the water’s edge. This is luxury setting with creative fusion cuisine. Impeccable service too. No question that the Four Seasons beats the Kona Coast for style and nearly everything else (as it should for the price). But when I look at those room units (at about $400/night), I think, you know they don’t even compare to the quality and value and livability of our condo. After a lovely special meal it is great to get back to our condo and the comforts of home.

Kona Coast Resort Condo # 7-106
Bonnie and Fred’s Condo

We offer complimentary Secured Wi-Fi for the Vacationer who has to stay in touch with the rest of the world. It’s included in your stay at our condo at Keauhou Gardens at Kona Coast Resort, unit 10-201. Whether you work while sitting on the lanai in the lounge or at the bar or at a desk in the bedroom, you can still view the ocean. We have a March 20^th – 27^th week Special Rate available now.

When renting a vacation condo in Kona on the Big Island such as Na Hale O Keauhou L-4 at the Na Hale O Keauhou Resort don’t just shop for food at the big national chain food stores.  In the center of the town of Kona, at Alii Drive and Hualalai, there is a wonderful Farmers Market that operates Wednesday through Sunday.  There are other Farmers Markets in Kona but we think this one is the best.

At the Farmers Market you find booths selling all kinds of fresh Big Island grown fruits and vegetables.  You will find different varieties of mangos, papayas, avocados, pineapples, guavas, passion fruit, bananas and many other kinds of fruits and vegetables.  You will also find locally grown Kona coffee, flowers, honey and nuts.

We like to buy an assortment of tropical fruits from the Farmers Market and make a salsa out of them. We put this salsa over fresh, off the boat, Mahi Mahi or Ahi that we buy at the fish market in the boat harbor north of town.  This makes a great dinner to eat on the lanai of Na Hale O Keauhou L-4 as we watch the sunset over the water and enjoy our panoramic ocean views.

In addition to food you will many many other booths selling great locally made crafts such as jewelry, art and clothing all at reasonable prices.  I usually take home some of the well made but inexpensive jewelry for my assistant and some of the ladies in the office.  They love it!