Planning a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii and starting to think about where to stay on the Big Island? Keep scrolling to figure out if you should stay in Kona or Hilo!
This post about where to stay on the Big Island: Kona or Hilo was written by Marcie Cheung (a Hawaii travel expert) and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
I still remember a family I worked with in a consultation who had booked five nights in Kona and then tried to squeeze in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as a day trip.
On paper it looked fine. On a map, Kona and Hilo look close enough to hop between whenever you feel like it.
In reality, that “quick trip” to the volcano turned into five hours of driving round trip, and they got to the park exhausted with barely enough daylight left to see the crater rim.
That’s the thing nobody tells you about the Big Island. It’s not one destination. It’s basically two different vacations stitched together by a long, winding drive, and picking the wrong side can eat up days you didn’t plan on losing to a rental car.
I’ve made more than 40 trips to Hawaii at this point, spent time on both coasts of this island, stayed at resorts on the Kohala Coast, wandered around Hilo’s waterfalls after a storm, and figured out the hard way how long that cross-island drive really takes.
So let’s skip the generic “Kona has beaches, Hilo has waterfalls” answer you’ve probably already read a dozen times, and get into what matters for your specific trip instead.
Quick Verdict: Kona or Hilo?
- Choose Kona if: you want sunshine, beach days, snorkeling, and resort amenities. This is where most of the boat tours, luaus, and coffee farms are.
- Choose Hilo if: waterfalls, rainforest hikes, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and stargazing on Maunakea are your priority.
- Choose a split stay if: you have a week or longer. Three or four nights on each side lets you see it all without burning your whole trip in the car.
- First-timer with 4-5 days? Pick Kona. It’s the more forgiving choice for a first Big Island trip.
- Book your Big Island base here: search Kona and Hilo hotels on Expedia and compare current rates before you commit to a side.
Why This Decision Matters More Than You Think
The Big Island is bigger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined.
I’ve talked to a lot of travelers, and the biggest mistake I see is treating the island like it’s small enough to home-base in one spot and day-trip everywhere. It isn’t.
Where you sleep at night determines what you can realistically do during the day, so this decision deserves more thought than “which hotel had the prettiest photos.”
If you’re still working out how long to stay in Hawaii overall, or how the Big Island fits into a longer trip, that’s worth answering before you book anything for this island.
What Kona Is Really Like
Kona sits on the west side of the island, and it’s the side most people picture when they imagine a Hawaii vacation.
Sunshine most days, calm water, resorts lined up along the Kohala Coast, and easy access to snorkeling, manta ray night swims, and sunset cruises.
It’s also home to the largest concentration of luaus on the island and the Kona coffee belt, so if farm tours and an evening show are on your list, this is your side.
I stayed at the Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast, and it’s the kind of resort where you could easily spend three days without ever leaving the property and still feel like you got a full vacation.
Pools, a private lagoon, a spa, and that classic wide, breezy Hawaii resort feel.
It’s a great fit for couples who want to relax without constantly planning the next activity.
Beyond the resorts, Kona has a quieter side worth seeking out. Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park sits just north of the airport, and I was pleasantly surprised at how uncrowded it was given how close it is to town.
It’s a peaceful spot with fishponds and ancient Hawaiian sites, and most visitors drive right past it without knowing it’s there.
Where to Stay in Kona
The Kohala Coast is home to the island’s big resort names. The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai remains the top-tier option for a splurge stay, with its lava-rock landscaping, multiple pools, and a lineup of restaurants that got a full refresh in 2025 and 2026.
Mauna Lani, now rebranded as Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection after a $100 million property-wide renovation, sits nearby with a quieter, more design-forward feel than its splashier neighbors.
The Fairmont Orchid rounds out the trio with similarly polished grounds and a private beach cove.
Closer to downtown Kailua-Kona, the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel (most people still just call it the King Kam) sits right on Kailua Bay and puts you walking distance from restaurants and shops.
The Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa recently finished a $60 million renovation and now leans into cultural programming like hula and ukulele lessons alongside the usual resort amenities.
If you want something more budget-friendly, a Hampton Inn opened in Kona in 2026, and the Pacific 19 Kona (formerly the Kona Seaside Hotel) is another lower-cost option right in town.
Compare current Kona hotel rates on Expedia before you book, since prices swing a lot depending on season.
What Hilo Is Really Like
I still think about the time I visited Rainbow Falls right after a good rainstorm. The water was moving so fast it barely looked real, and the whole walk to the viewpoint took maybe five minutes.
That’s Hilo in a nutshell. Big, dramatic scenery that doesn’t ask much of you to reach it.
This side of the island gets around 132 inches of rain a year, which is exactly why everything looks like it belongs in a postcard for a rainforest.
Akaka Falls is another easy stop worth building into a Hilo morning. The walk in is short, but the payoff when the falls come into view is dramatic enough that it doesn’t feel like a quick detour.
Hilo is also your closest base if Hawaii Volcanoes National Park or a Mauna Kea stargazing tour are on your list, and it’s a fundamentally different vibe than Kona.
Fewer resorts, more small local businesses, a slower pace, and a crowd that skews toward hikers and nature lovers over sunbathers. Some travelers end up loving that more than they expected to.
Where to Stay in Hilo
Hilo doesn’t really have resorts in the Kona sense. What you’ll find instead are solid, practical hotels.
The Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo, now a DoubleTree by Hilton, sits right on Hilo Bay with a small golf course on-site. I stayed there with my youngest son, and it was a comfortable, well-located base for exploring the waterfalls and the Farmers Market nearby.
The Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, now part of the Trademark Collection by Wyndham, is another waterfront option with a similar practical feel.
If you want something more boutique, SCP Hilo Hotel (formerly the Hilo Seaside Hotel) leans into an eco-conscious, minimalist style with bike rentals and locally sourced food.
None of these will feel like a Maui mega-resort, and that’s part of Hilo’s charm if you’re the kind of traveler who prefers substance over polish.
Check current Hilo hotel availability on Expedia since rooms in town are more limited than on the resort-heavy Kona side.
What About the Drive Between Them?
Plan on two to two and a half hours minimum, one direction, and that’s assuming clear weather and no traffic near Waimea.
I’ve seen it stretch closer to three hours when conditions aren’t ideal.
If you’re staying in Kona and thinking you’ll pop over to Volcanoes National Park for the afternoon, know that you’re looking at five hours of driving alone, and the park deserves more time than the leftover hours you’d have.
Public transportation isn’t a realistic backup plan here either.
The Hele-On Bus does run a Blue Line route between Kona International Airport and downtown Hilo, but it only has three departures a day and the ride itself takes about two hours and forty-five minutes each way.
That’s built for commuters and students, not for someone trying to see waterfalls before lunch.
If you’re weighing whether you even need a rental car for this trip, on the Big Island, you do.
Discount Hawaii Car Rental is who I recommend for booking, since their rates are consistently better than what you’ll find searching directly.
Budgeting for Your Stay
A few numbers worth knowing before you start comparing hotel prices.
Hawaii’s transient accommodations tax went up from 10.25% to 11% as of January 2026, and that gets added on top of whatever nightly rate you see online.
On top of that, the bigger Kona resorts typically charge a resort fee of $40 to $60 per night, which covers things like beach gear and wifi whether you use them or not.
If beach days are part of your plan, Kekaha Kai State Park on the Kona side now charges $5 per person for entry plus $10 per vehicle for parking.
It’s not a huge expense, but it adds up if you’re visiting more than once, and it’s the kind of fee that catches people off guard if they’re working off an older blog post.
So, Should You Stay in Kona or Hilo?
If your trip revolves around beaches, snorkeling, and sunshine, book Kona and don’t look back.
If waterfalls, rainforest, and Volcanoes National Park are what pulled you to the Big Island in the first place, Hilo is where you belong.
And if you’ve got seven days or more, don’t force yourself to choose.
Split your stay, three or four nights on each side, and you’ll get the full range of what makes this island so different from the rest of Hawaii.
If you’re staring at a map right now feeling a little overwhelmed by how big and different this island is compared to Maui or Oahu, that’s a completely normal reaction.
The Big Island is more complicated to plan than the others, and it’s exactly the kind of decision I walk people through as a Certified Hawaii Destination Expert in one-on-one Hawaii travel consultations.
Once I know what you want your days to look like, matching that to the right hotel location becomes a lot easier.
I also talked through this exact decision in more depth on my podcast, Best Areas to Stay on the Big Island, if you want to hear the reasoning behind it in more detail.
Kona vs. Hilo: Quick Answers
What’s the actual difference between Kona and Hilo?
Kona is sunny, dry, and resort-focused, sitting on the west side near the beaches and coffee farms. Hilo is wet, green, and more local, sitting on the east side near the waterfalls and Volcanoes National Park.
How long does it take to drive from Kona to Hilo?
Plan on two to two and a half hours one way, sometimes longer depending on traffic and weather near Waimea.
Can I visit Volcanoes National Park as a day trip from Kona?
You can, but it’s not ideal. It’s roughly a five-hour round trip drive, which leaves you with limited time to explore the park once you get there.
Is Kona or Hilo better for a first-time Big Island visitor?
Kona tends to be the easier choice for first-timers thanks to more predictable weather, more beach access, and a wider range of hotels and restaurants.
Do I need a rental car if I’m splitting my stay between Kona and Hilo?
Yes. Public transit isn’t built for tourists on this route, so a rental car is the only realistic way to get between the two sides on your own schedule.
Planning the Rest of Your Big Island Trip
A trip to the Big Island works best as part of a bigger Hawaii trip planning guide, whether that’s a full island-hopping itinerary or a longer standalone stay.
If choosing the right Hawaiian island for your trip is still an open question, my Big Island travel guide and Hawaii island-hopping guide are good next stops.
And if you want to hold onto the memories from this trip instead of just the photos on your phone, I’m a little biased, but a Hawaii travel journal makes a surprisingly good souvenir.
If you’re traveling with kids, my family site has more specific guidance on both sides of the island, including free things to do on the Big Island and the biggest Big Island mistakes parents make.
And if you want a professional photographer to capture your Big Island trip without the awkwardness of asking a stranger to take your photo, Flytographer is who I recommend, and that link saves you $20 on your session.
Wherever you end up staying, you’re going to have an incredible trip.
The Big Island rewards a little extra planning more than any other island in the chain, and now you’ve got what you need to make the call with confidence.
