canyonwalker: Hangin' in a hammock (life's a beach)
canyonwalker ([personal profile] canyonwalker) wrote2022-04-16 07:18 pm

Getting Settled in Waikoloa

Hawaii April Travelog #20
Waikoloa - Tue, 12 Apr, 2022, 4:30pm

It was an easy drive up to Waikoloa from Kona this afternoon, just 30 minutes or so of driving past lava fields. We arrived a bit after 2pm, and our room wasn't ready yet. Once the front desk confirmed our reservation details and checked us in they told us we could use the pool while we waited. We took them up on that offer.

Pool at our condo in Waikoloa (Apr 2022)

This resort doesn't have the truly massive pool area I was expecting— more about missed expectations later— but it was attractive, with several pool areas, several small waterslides, a few waterfalls you can dunk yourself under (as shown in the pic above), and several hot tubs.

Enjoying the pool in Waikoloa (Apr 2022)

The water in the main swimming pools felt a bit cold for enjoyment so we spent most of our time in the other pools. Above, Hawk is peeking out from "cold" plunge pool. I quote cold because it was clearly warmer than the main pools. They really should call it the Tepid Plunge Pool, but that sounds kind of disgusting.

We got tired of the pools around 3:30. The front desk insisted our room couldn't possibly be ready until the official 4pm checkin time, so we went grocery shopping. At a grocery store a few miles away we rang up quite a tab, an eye-popping $100. ...And that was just on breakfast for tomorrow plus snacks for the next couple of days!

A text arrived just as we finished loading our $100 of groceries into 2 bags. Our room was finally ready. We returned to the resort and picked up the keys.

Our condo in Waikoloa (Apr 2022)

Our room at the resort is a basic one-bedroom suite. We have an open-plan kitchen/breakfast nook/living room straight in from the entry door. Off to the left are a reasonably sized bedroom and bathroom that's much bigger than it needs to be.

The amount of space here is a great change from our cramped room in Waikiki.

Balcony at our condo in Waikoloa (Apr 2022)

And we have a nice balcony! We've got a lovely third-floor view of the parking lot, mind you, but trees and other greenery and birds flitting around and chirping make it hands-down, far-and-away the nicest parking lot view I've ever had in a hotel room. 😂