The Villages at Mauna Lani: great for a bigger group

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase through my links we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The Hawai’i Vacation Guide has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Hawai’i Vacation Guide and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Read about our affiliate policies here.

In a nutshell: Excellent for big groups, in a nice location.

Why We Love Mauna Lani

Mauna Lani is a planned development on the Kohala Coast. It’s sunny and wonderful. It’s just north of another development, Waikoloa, but it’s significantly less busy as there is only one large resort: the Mauna Lani Auberge.

There are a number of vacation rental communities in the Mauna Lani development, with this, the Mauna Lani Point being one of them. We’ve also listed other vacation rental options within Mauna Lani at the end of this review!

There is a shopping center and a handful of restaurants to enjoy. Our favorite perk of staying in Mauna Lani is access to the Mauna Lani Beach Club. We spend days on the sweet little beach, where there is a restaurant and beach chairs available on a first come first serve basis. Your vacation rental should come with Mauna Lani Beach Club access, but check the listing the confirm.

Overview of the Villages at Mauna Lani

The Villages at Mauna Lani are in the resort community of Waikoloa, not too far from the Mauna Lani, an Auberge Resort. It is not beachfront, but it’s right next to the Shops Mauna Lani and great restaurants like Tommy Bahamas and the Foodland Grocery store, making stocking your fridge super convenient.

These aren’t condos, they’re single-family homes and duplexes, which are excellent for larger groups. We visited with the grandparents for a total of 8 of us, and we had plenty of room to spread out! Some of these homes even have private pools!

The Villages at Mauna Lani Key Facts

The Villages at Mauna Lani Location:

The Villages at Mauna Lani is located about 40 minutes from Kailua-Kona, 30 minutes from Kona International Airport, and 12 minutes from the best beach on the Big Island, Hapuna Beach. It’s also walking distance from the Shops at Mauna Lani.

Check out some of our favorite nearby activities:
Stargazing on the Kohala Coast
Kohala Zip & Dip Adventure
Kohala Canopy Zipline Adventure
The 6 Best Big Island Luaus by Location

The Villages at Mauna Lani Pool:

There is a good-sized pool and hot tub on the property grounds for anyone staying in the Villages. It’s located near the fitness center and community office. Some of the available homes in the Villages even have a private pool, so be sure to filter for that when you’re searching if that’s important to you!

The Villages at Mauna Lani Unit Sizes:

There are 3- and 4-bedroom homes with 3 bathrooms in each house. All homes have air conditioning, in-unit laundry, a garage, and a private lanai. You’ll have plenty of space to spread out with houses starting around 2,000 square feet!

Mauna Lani Luau: Hale Hoaloha Luau

As the Villages at Mauna Lani is near the Mauna Lani Resort, you are close to an epic luau! It is an Island Breeze Production, so you know you will get a world-class performer, delicious food, and fire-knife dancing.

Book before you arrive, as the luau is only available on Fridays. Seasonally, they open availability on Mondays.

Highlights include:

• All-you-can-eat buffet
• Lei greeting with all the tickets
• Complimentary drinks with an Ohana Package (standard)
• Open bar with the Ali’i Package (premium)
• Traditional hula dancing and fire knife dancing
• Traditional Hawaiian food plus local favorites

Details for Hale Hoaloha Luau at the Mauna Lani:

• Location: Mauna Lani Resort (click for directions)
• Length: 3.5 hours
  • 5:30 pm – Check-In Begins
  • 5:45 pm – Preliminary Activities
  • 6:00 pm – Dinner Service
  • 7:00 pm Hale Hoaloha Performance Begins
• Days Available: Friday and seasonally on Mondays
• Price: $220 for the Ohana Package and $270 for the Ali’i Package

The Villages at Mauna Lani Review: Why We Love It

• Home away from home: this saying has never been so literal for a Hawaiian accommodation. Sure, you get full kitchens, individual bedrooms, and more than one bathroom, but on top of that, you get to stay in a house as opposed to a condo or townhome.
• Private beach club access: these homes are not beachfront but you do get access to the Mauna Lani Beach Club, with private parking. Note: the beach is not private, no beaches in Hawaii are, but you’ll get priority access to parking (we recommend arriving before 10am) and amenities like cabanas.
• Location: these homes are in a quiet area with a golf course in their backyard. They’re within walking distance to the Shops at Mauna Lani, making grocery shopping and grabbing a bite to eat a breeze.
• Large homes: All the homes in the Villages have at least 3 bedrooms and around 2,000 square feet of interior space. This is excellent for bigger families and groups to set up a home base for any length of stay!
• Free parking: with high costs for lodging in Hawaii, it’s always nice to find somewhere with free parking. This complex takes it up a notch with driveways and attached garages.

Things to Know Before Booking The Villages at Mauna Lani

• Not beachfront: these properties are about a 10-minute drive to the beach and the private Mauna Lani Beach Club.
• Accessibility: there are several units that are explicitly wheelchair friendly, but some units have steps, and as these are homes, there are no elevators. Be sure to check pictures and listing information on the individual unit if someone in your group has mobility limitations. It never hurts to reach out to an owner to confirm a unit will fit your needs!
• Rental fees: all accommodations in Hawaii can come with some (rather large) fees. Whether you’re in a hotel paying resort fees or you’re getting a vacation rental and paying service fees, factor these into your equation. We usually go with VRBO because we’ve found that these fees are usually lower than what you’ll find on other similar platforms. 
• No unit consistency: all of these vacation rentals are individually owned, so there’s a lack of consistency. Some have excellent views and others come with a less impressive view or fewer helpful in-unit amenities. Reading reviews of individual units can always give you a better sense of what to expect before booking. 

Want to check out other options in the Mauna Lani resort area? Read our reviews:

The Best Big Island Itinerary

Ready to plan the rest of your vacation? We have you covered with our Big Island itinerary. This download and go itinerary takes you on a planned out route around the island seeing the best sights and eating at the best restaurants.