The Mauna Kea Resort is 1,839 acres that are divided in two by the Queen Kaahumanu Hwy running through it. The ocean side is the original resort, while the inland side, called Uplands, holds the newest developments, some still in progress.
Opened in 1965, it began to build residences in the 1980s as resort living grew in popularity. The residences benefit from the general slope up from the coast, making ocean views possible from almost every home. In addition, it has the lowest density of the Kohala Coast resorts.
Most properties here are allowed to be let as short-term rentals.
Mauna Kea Resort Communities - Amaui Villas – Built in 2022. Located inside Hapuna Estates. 15 3 & 4BR, single-level homes, governed under a Condo Property Regime (CPR). The 4th BR is located above the detached garage that all residences have here. Homes look out onto Hapuna Golf Course fairways. Owners have access to Hapuna Estates amenity center, which has pool, kids pool, water slide, spa, fitness center, conference room, game room, playground
- Halia Hale at Kaunaoa – Built in 2006. 20 4BR, 2-Story Townhome Units in 10 2-Story Buildings. All units have their own pool, backyard space and a 2-car garage. Most have ocean views. Fairways border the community on 2 sides. Amenities include par 3 practice golf course, pool, spa, concierge, fitness center, massage facilities, locker room, BBQs. Gated community.
- Hapuna Beach Residences – Built in 1993 (2020 Remodel). Oceanfront. 68 1 - 4BR Units in 3 3 & 4-Story Buildings. Originally a wing of a hotel, they were converted to condo units in a complete renovation in 2020. Located right at Hapuna Beach and all have unobstructed ocean views. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls facing the Pacific can be slid open for indoor/outdoor living. Ground floor residences all have a private plunge pool.
- Kumulani at the Uplands – Built in 2000. 40 2BR, single-level units in 10 buildings. Some residences have a den, while all units include a 2-car garage. Hapuna Golf Course fairways line 3 sides of the community. Ocean views from every condo. Amenities include a recreation pavilion with a pool, spa, BBQ.
- Panorama – Built in 2025. 30 units in 18 1 & 2-story buildings. Located inside Hapuna Estates development. Community has 24 2-story townhome duplex units, each with a plunge pool & a garage, and 12 single-story homes – organized as a condominium -, which all feature a pool & a garage. Panorama residences can be co-owned by 4 separate families. Co-ownership arrangements are made through a company owned by Mauna Kea Resort. Residences have ocean views, some with a view of the golf course also.
- Villas at Mauna Kea – Built in 1987. 40 2 – 4BR units in 20 single-story buildings. All residences have a view of the ocean and their own pool. Fairways line 3 sides of the community, giving some golf course views as well.
- Waiulaula – Built in 2006. Located in the Uplands. 104 units in a community overlooking the Hapuna Golf Course - all have ocean views. Amenities include clubhouse with pool, hot tub, fitness studio, event room, BBQ. Gated community. Residences are divided into 2 categories:
- The Ridge Condos – 3BR, single-level units in 2-story buildings.
- The Villas – 3 & 4BR standalone homes organized as a Condominium Property Regime (CPR). Each has their own pool, spa and yard.
Mauna Kea Resort Homes - Apaapaa Heights at the Uplands – Built in 2000. 7 lots of 17.5K – 34.7K Sq Ft with 3 & 4BR, single-level homes. All have ocean views and their own pool with a spa. Gated community.
- The Bluffs (also called Bluffs at Mauna Kea Resort) – 20 oceanfront and near-ocean lots of 24.3 Sq Ft to 2.25 acres with 3 – 6BR, 1 & 2-story homes. Due to the rise of terrain, every home has an ocean view. Gated community.
- Hapuna Estates – Built in 2020. 33 lots of 19.2K Sq Ft to 1.3 acres with 4 – 6BR, 1 & 2-story homes. Vacant homesites available also for custom builds. Sits beside Hapuna Golf Course fairways. Every residence has ocean, golf course and mountain views. Community has its own amenity center with pool, kids pool, water slide, spa, fitness center, conference room, game room, playground.
- High Bluffs – Built in 2006. 9 lots of 31.3K – 32.7K Sq Ft with 3 – 5BR, 1 & 2-story homes. Vacant lots may still be available for custom building. The property sits on an especially elevated area, opening up views of the ocean, golf courses & mountains.
- Mauna Kea Fairways North – Built in 1985. 32 lots of 22K Sq Ft to 1.44 acres with 3 – 6BR, 1 & 2-story homes. Community sits beside fairways of the Mauna Kea Golf Course. Every house has an ocean view.
- Mauna Kea Fairways South – Built in 1975. 35 lots of 10K – 15.6K Sq Ft with 2 – 6BR, 1 & 2-story homes. Community lies along Mauna Kea Golf Course fairways on its south side, looking across them to the Pacific. Every lot has ocean views, as well as golf course and/or mountain views.
- Moani Heights at the Uplands – Built in 2001. 17 lots of 17.5K to 41.8K Sq Ft with 3 – 4BR, 1 & 2-story homes. The community is surrounded on 3 sides by the Hapuna Golf Course’s 3rd & 4th holes. All residences have a view of the ocean along with views of the golf course and/or mountains.
- The Vista – Built in 2024. Located inside the Hapuna Estates development. 14 lots of just under 1 acre to 1.67 acres. The 1st lot was bought by Shohei Otani. Homesites as well as completed homes, designed by Olson Kundig, are available. Residences have 360 degree views, including to the ocean. Vista homes can be co-owned by 4 families, arrangements laid out by a Mauna Kea Resort owned company. Owners have use of the Hapuna Estates amenity center, which has pool, kids pool, water slide, spa, fitness center, conference room, game room, playground. Gated community.
Things to Do at Mauna Kea Resort You live on the Kohala Coast in order to get away from the hectic life, but that doesn’t mean you have little to do or to look forward to here.
- October on this coastline means the Ironman World Championship and the bike route goes right through the resort on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, giving you a front row seat to see the best endurance athletes on Earth.
- December brings a different side of sports with the resort’s 4-day Mauna Kea Pro-Am Tournament for lovers of golf. Off the course there are always special dining, entertainment & cultural events that are equally exciting.
- Those who prefer music & live entertainment have July’s Big Island Jazz & Blues Festival, which consistently features Grammy Award winners and living legends of the genres play by the ocean at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.
If you want more options, owners can join
The Club at Mauna Kea Resort, which allows members access to the guest amenities of the 2 hotels, including:
- Use of beach & pool services from both hotels
- Complimentary use of fitness centers
- Special Golf Fees at the Mauna Kea & Hapuna Golf Courses
- Use of the private oceanfront tennis club
Beaches- Hapuna Beach State Park – The Big Island’s largest white sand beach. Often voted one of the best ones as well by locals. Calmer waves most of the year. There is a lot of parking here.
- Kaunaoa Beach (Mauna Kea Beach) – Right in front of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. 1 ⁄ 2 mile long sands, there’s a lot of room to stretch out here. Ocean is generally calm here, but in winter months it can see strong currents & large waves. Stick around to see manta rays drawn in by the hotel floodlights at night.
Hikes Mauna Kea Beach to Hapuna Beach - 2.4 miles round trip. This is actually part of the 175 mile historic Ala Kahakai Trail that goes from the southern tip of the Big Island up the coast to the northern end at ‘Upolu Point. Wear good shoes since some of it is over lava rock. Feel free to continue on Ala Kahakai in either direction to see more oceanfront scenery and Ancient Hawaiian archaeological sites.
Golf- Mauna Kea Golf Course – Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Golf Magazine rated it not only the Best Big Island Course, but #12 in their overall Top 100 Courses list. Challenging, with awe-inspiring views of the bay.
- Hapuna Golf Course - Designed by Arnold Palmer. Ocean views along the way and huge range in elevation changes, 700 ft total. Known for fast greens.
Dining- Ikena Landing – American cuisine. Open only for breakfast. Extensive buffet available or try standouts like the Ikena Omelet, Paniolo Breakfast or Bananas Foster Waffles. Ocean view dining.
- Meridia – Hawaiian cuisine that combines Mediterranean tastes with local fish, meats & produce. The Shish Kebabs get good reviews as well as the Bacon Wrapped Dates and the unusual Wild Boar Ragu.
- Manta Restaurant – Hawaiian, American & Local cuisines. Serving breakfast, lunch & dinner. Seafood is the specialty, many citing the Shanghai lobster and mac-crusted mahi-mahi as must try. Watch manta rays being fed each night.
Tennis Mauna Kea Seaside Tennis Club – Oceanfront facility with 9 tennis courts & 8 pickleball courts. Club has daily clinics, as well as regular round robin tournaments. Group & private lessons given by staff pros.
History of Mauna Kea Resort The lands along Kaunaoa Bay once held a line of fishponds up the coastline, built by the Native Hawaiians for both their own sustenance and for trading. This was also the site of a storied battle in the 1600s between 2 brothers, Lonoikamakahiki, the Chief of Hawaii, and Kualoa-kuaana, his elder brother, over who would rule the Big Island. Kualoa-kuaana rebelled against his sibling, but would be defeated in the fighting, which took place at Kaunaoa Beach.
Sometime in the 1800s these lands were bought by the
Parker Ranch. However, they did very little with it, since the ground was mostly lava rock and could not be used for keeping cattle.
The area remained mostly in this untouched state until 1960, with a visit by
Laurance Rockefeller. Invited by Hawaii’s Governor, William Quinn, to assist in tourism development outside of Oahu, Rockefeller was captivated by the area around
Kaunaoa Bay. After leasing the land from Parker Ranch, plans started on the
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, which opened in 1965 as the Big Island’s first resort.
Rockefeller would sell the property, now owned outright, in 1978, running it almost exclusively to that point as a vacation spot. Under the current owner, Japanese businessman
Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, residences began to be added, with development and renovations still going on today.
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