Paniolo Greens Resort

Exchanged via RCI.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Big, clean two bedroom unit with three bathrooms - great for our two couples! Housekeeping in the middle of the week was way above average - even washed the dishes we had left for ourselves!

Free internet at front office was a real bonus.

Would recommend for anyone with a car.

Close to great beaches.

Staff as a whole were excellent.

Orientation Mon. was very professional and fast-moving.

So, after poring through travelers' reviews on TripAdvisor (thank you all for that advice!) we decided to book a week's stay at Paniolo. I wasn't sure what to expect given some poor ratings.

Here is what we found:

- the apartment is quite spacious and well maintained. the rooms gave us a lot more space than we would have gotten at any hotel (and for a much lesser price!)

- appliances working properly, though not top-of-the-line (did that make a difference for me? none!)

- we did not need A/C. I may be one of those "eco" people, and I also dislike the A/C noise. To me it sufficed to open the balcony door. It took less than 5 minutes to cool the entire apartment under the strong cool breeze (our balconies were facing the mountain/golf area) Even mid-day at 90 F outdoors, I was cool and comfortable inside.

- resort staff: If you're used to upscale hotels you'll notice they do not have the same customer service skills & training. To me, good and honest people is good enough, and this is what I found at Paniolo.

- concierge: not that useful. we mostly figured out what to do on our own. Better service in this area would have enabled us to see more of the island, but oh well...

- pool: never used it. As anoher reviewer noted, it looked average. I could not find a decent reason to use a pool (any pool!) knowing the amazing beaches just minutes drive away. Besides, evenings are quite cool in the Waikoloa area (65F), and we were out during the day.

- shopping: the village "mall" is within walking distance. groceries are a bit expensive. there are cheaper prices at Costco/WalMart/Safeway in Kona, if you are ok with the 20-30 min drive.

- no in-room high-speed Internet: Honestly, I was quite bothered by that. But it ended up being my first vacation in 4 years when I did not check work email. You be the judge if that's good or bad.

In fairness, Paniolo does not charge for local and toll-free calls, so you can connect via modem if you want (I did not). They also have an internet-connected desktop in the check-in area. You're free to use it; note it can get crowded, so you're kind of limited to 15 minutes at a time.

- oherwise, Paniolo is quite remote from anything else. You need a car to get around.

All in all, we were quite pleased with the value & comfort for the money. We'd consider staying there again if/when we go back to the island. We kind of regret staying just for 7 days. The island is much larger than the others we had visited (Maui, Kauai) and a week was just not enough to enjoy everything.

Was a little nervous after reading some reviews. Once there, NO worries. The staff was very friendly, the grounds upkept and the room clean and updated. We stayed in building G. We had a 2 bedroom unit. We didn't need air conditioning. Nice breezes.

The pool was a little small but wasn't alot of people there so that wasn't a problem either. Hapuna Beach close by and had good off shore snorkeling. Saw some big turtles and big fish.

The Monday morning presentation of the island overview was low pressure. They do have reps. from differnet activity companies there to explain the island activies. They do mention seeing a timeshare presentation several times in order to get a lower price on activies but, like I said, low pressure. I would tour the whole island either on your own or that tour would probably be a good choice. Had a nice time and would go back again.

Exchanged via RCI.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Big, clean two bedroom unit with three bathrooms - great for our two couples! Housekeeping in the middle of the week was way above average - even washed the dishes we had left for ourselves!

Free internet at front office was a real bonus.

Would recommend for anyone with a car.

Close to great beaches.

Staff as a whole were excellent.

Orientation Mon. was very professional and fast-moving.

We stayed here just one night, but wish we stayed longer, as this was a very nice condo. We rented directly via the property website, and got an very low price of $151/night for a two-bedroom villa. Perhaps the price was this low because we stayed mid-week in June. (We paid twice as much for a lesser condo in Kona!).

Our unit in the "J" building had two bedrooms upstairs (one King, one Twins); downstairs was a small sitting room with no sleeping accommodations, and a living room with a queen-size sleeper sofa. Ceiling fans throughout provided plenty of air movement, so we did not need or use the optional A/C. The kitchen was good-sized and well-equipped; we saved money on eating out by using the new Weber grill in the pool area to cook fresh Blue Marlin bought at resort grocery story (which is good-sized, too).

Maybe we lucked out and had an unusually nice unit, but it was fresh, clean and well maintained. The furnishings and fixtures were not new, but in fine shape. (You will find Formica counters, not granite; a standard shower, not a spa tub; so, if you are a luxury seeker, head elsewhere.) My wife is a fussy type from Chicago's North Shore, and my mother-in-law (who traveled with us) is also discriminating, but neither of them had a complaint.

Our boys enjoyed the pool area, which was well equipped; also in the club-house were a small but nice exercise room and lounge area with free WiFi. See my photos attached.

The location is good; you are ten minutes inland from the coast road, so very close to fantastic beaches and historical sites. (Just 10 mins. away is Hapuna Beach State Park, with a wonderful beach and good facilities. Other excellent beaches are also in the same area, although this part of the island is not known for snorkeling.) We would definitely stay here again, and not down in Kailau-Kona town, which is an overpriced tourist trap (you came to Hawaii to see a Hard Rock Cafe??!!) From here we headed over to Hilo, which I think is an even better place to spend time on the Big Island, if you can handle intermittent rains.

We visited Paniolo Greens in Sept 2006. We loved it there . We booked thru our resort and used RCI. The big spacious rooms were very clean , well stocked with beautiful views of the ocean and mountains. The employees went out of their way to help us with late flights and lost luggage. We take our whole family including three year old granddaughter and there was plenty of room for us to live comfortably. The guys enjoyed the Waikoloa Golf Course ( with discount fees) and the wild game that runs freely. One day we drove the whole island. The convertible and Jeep was a plus to enjoy the gorgeous views there. The Volcano Nat'l Park is a must see! that day the rainbow formed right into opening of the volcano-it was fabulous ! Hilo has the beautiful waterfalls and lush green hills. Punalu'u Black Sand Beach is awesome .The turtles were on the beach to sun . Bubba Gump Shrimp Co and Hard Rock are a must visit in Kona. yummy ! We attended the luau at King Kamehameha- wow- the food was better that Oahu's ! the ocean breeze and the show was great .Hapuna Beach - # 4 beach in the world - is an absolutely must see too ! Take a picnic lunch- the beautiful aqua water and dolphins in the distance are breath taking. We rented all the beach equipment there at the resort very reasonable. Mauna Kea we were " on top of the world " at 13,796 ft the largest observatory on earth. The guides were amazing to listen to . It felt like we could reach out and touch the stars! The Hilton at Waikoloa Village was great too.So much of this is free and thats what we enjoy seeing the sunsets and lava formations etc. We liked being away from the busy towns.It was only 45 minutes back to Kona. There were a few grocery stores , gas station and restaurants close by. The people are so kind and generous - we cannot wait to go back ! The pool and kiddie pool are large and nice to relax in the jacuzzi . I wish we would have had time for the classes at the resort. Theres so much to see. Thanks for a great vacation Paniolo Greens !

My husband and I and two friends stayed at Paniolo for 1 week. We enjoyed our stay. The condo was well equipped and clean. We requested NO cleaning during our stay, just clean towels. We preferred it that way. There is a washer/dryer in the unit if you need to wash anything. So, that helps to keep luggage to a minimum. Lugging bags through the airport is not our idea of fun. Each of us spent the week in Hawaii and each of us had just ONE carry on! It can be done. Try it, you'll love it. Hawaii is definitely casual.

Our unit overlooked the golf course and we could see Maui in the distance. Lovely views. IT IS NOT ONE THE BEACH. We knew this going in - no problem. The Big Island is BIG, so count on a rental car.

We didn't really use any of the on site facilities except the condo itself. We skipped the orientation breakfast and we never got hassled by timeshare sellers. Do your homework before you leave home as far as best restaurants, excursions, etc.

We are going back to Paniolo in January and look forward to another nice week. I really don't understand why some wrote such unfavorable reviews.

The only downside is the mowers early in the morning. Can't be helped - this is a golf resort. We plan to purchase a large fan at WalMart for 'white noise' this time. They are cheap and we will just leave it behind when we leave. We did not find that we needed AC at all. Nice breezes most of the time.

We recommend Paniolo for a pleasant, affordable stay.

We spent a night at the Paniolo Greens Resort in Waikoloa Hawaii. This made a good stopover point for us, as we had just arrived in Kona at the airport, and were on our way to Hilo and didn't want to drive all the way the same day we arrived. We have two teen sons, and this place is perfect for a family: we had a two bedroom and two bathroom condo unit, which was quiet, modern, clean and comfortable. We could prepare a simple dinner and breakfast and not have to eat out (there is a grocery store a short drive away).

The only downsides: this is not on the beach (but a good beach is only a 10 min drive away); and the wind seems incessant.

We stayed a Panniolo Greens in May 06 and loved it. The resort is well kept. The condo was very nice, and had everything we needed. I would recommend the air conditioning just so you dont have to have your windows open all night. The breezes can be powerfull. It blew my lamp over in the bedroom. Staff was very freindly.

We loved the big island. So much to see and do, we have to go back. I would recommend the ATV ride from ATV Outfitters in the north part of the island. It was excellent.

My husband and I just returned from a stay at Paniolo Greens and it was wonderful. We had a 2 story, 2 bedroom unit and it was exceptional. I cannot believe previous comments on this site related to this resort which were unfavorable. I could live in this unit permanently. It was super clean, had a view of the ocean and the golf course. Wendy, the manager was very accommodating as I did contact her prior to our trip with concerns over what we had read. We travel frequently with RCI and this had to be one of the top resorts we have stayed at. The beauty of this resort and friendliness is outstanding. It is out of the way and more on the quiet side but that is what we prefer. The only recommendation I have is to provide some type of supervision at the pool as there were undisciplined children acting out (with their parents there) and no control as to their activities and caused some adults to leave. This of course, was Easter week and probably had more children than usual. I recommend this resort to everyone and cannot wait to return.

This was our third stay at Paniolo, we love the north side of the island, it is cooler, but the beaches are the best, there is so much to do and explore, They are upgrading the units so things will be very nice, the staff are very very helpful and friendly, I can highly recommend this resort, it may not be a 5 star but for us we are gone all day and come home to sleep and eat, there are new BBQs on site. Wendy is very helpful if you have any questions she is the best. I can't wait to go back next year. Buffaloguy

Got a great rate through hotwire. The room was as described right next to a golf course. Room was clean and well-maintained. However, the room was very noisy. We could hear tenants walking upstairs. Sound insulation was poor. Pools were smaller than expected. Kids pool was dirty. Hot spa was great. Hotel is at a remote location though next to Waikoloa village. It takes over thirty minutes to Kona and about two hours to Hilo. Unit was a two bedroom type though one bedroom was locked as per the one bedroom rate offered by hotwire. Comfortable stay excepting for noisy nights which is really unacceptable at hotels at this level.

Since 2000, my family and I have been to the Big Island a total of nine times. We have stayed at Kona Village Resort twice, Kona Coast Resort, Kanaloa at Kona Resort and the Keauhou Surf and Racket Club. Paniolo Greens has been our best choice for these reasons:

We go at Christmas Break each year and we are beach lovers who also like to body surf. The best beach we have found is at Hapuna State Park which is a 45 - 55 minute drive from Kailua Kona (further from Keauhou), however it is 12 minutes from Paniolo. The traffic around Kailua Kona has gotten terrible as they struggle to improve the infrastructure of the road system.

I also like to golf and Paniolo Greens offers 18 hole golfing for a very REASONABLE fee that is affordable and uncrowded. In addition, there is a decent pool and hot tub, tennis courts, and even a basketball hoop for the boys (free wi-fi too). The units are very spacious and have more than enough room amenities to keep us comfortable such as two full bathrooms, a full kitchen, and a lanai with a nice view of the golf course. If you want to do nothing but hang out on the beach and walk to it from your room, then this in not the place. However, with the exception of Kona Village Resort (plus you pay $6000 a week for this privilege), you will have a hard time finding a resort with a decent beach. I could be wrong about this, but I have tried several other resorts and the west side of Hawaii is mostly lava flow along the coast line. After we get off our plane, we head to Costco and load up on food and then drive the 25 minutes to Paniolo. With a full kitchen and gas grills throughout the complex, it makes dinners a little more affordable. I you need groceries, there is a store within walking distance. We are on a budget so I am looking at value versus extravagance. For a couple with two children, ages 10-12, this location gives us more value for our dollar. As I mentioned earlier, this last trip was our ninth in seven years and I try to keep it affordable every time. If money is no object, there are nicer resorts to be found. I would like to think that I represent the majority where dollars have to be watched.

We got a lot more that we bargained for at the Paniolo Greens. The staff was wonderful and our room was great. When we asked for an upgrade they gave us a two story condo with an extra living space. There were mainly older folks and families which was fine. Very quiet. It is about 35 min from the Kona airport. Great drive! Not on the ocean, but only 7 miles from it. Great access point for Hilo and Kona. Grocery store and restaurants near by as well as the Hilton-we highly recommend their Sunday brunch! Very close to all the top beaches! Great stay! This isn't party town, stay in Kona if that's what your looking for. But if you're looking for rest and relaxation-this is the place. Very nice!

Just came back from big island. We stayed there from 11/24 to 12/01. The rooms were big and clean. We stayed at building J, internet connection was good from the living room, maybe because it was close to the office. No AC is needed, with windows open, it was nice and cool. It has two bed rooms, two full bathrooms up stairs. One den, one living room, one kitchen, another full batch room downstairs. So it was spacious for 4 of us (two kids).

The orientation was good, and we didn't attend the timeshare presentation(off on Kona) to get the discount since we didn't want to waste time over there. But there was no pressure from the concierge to attend the timeshare presentation.

As far as activity goes:

Snorkeling in Captain Cook with Kayaking was good. Driving to the summit of Mauna Kea wasn't a bad drive at all. Volcano park was OK, didn't see the live lavas, but we did see the red cloud above the live volcano at night. Hapuna beach was good for kids to play with. Kona resort Lu'au was good. Went to see Hilo side waterfalls. Hiking to Pololu valey, lookout for Waipio valley.

Submarine was a little disappointed and pricey, we can do better in snorkeling than it in terms of seeing marine life.

We hopped to Oahu for one day to see USS Arizonal, hiking to Diamond head, was good. You can get deals like $50 round trip (after tax and all fees).

If you are looking for an all inclusive resort, just want to lay on the beach all day, or want a lot of on-site activities, this may not be the place for you. If you are looking for a home base on the island from which you can explore, Waikoloa and Paniolo Greens is not a bad choice.

The resort is not new and the unit we were in could probably use some updating (a naugahyde sofa?), but they were clean and the beds were comfortable. I've attached a few pictures so I won't spend too much time here. Of the timeshares I've stayed at I found them to be average to a little above average. They charge for AC, but we found it unnecessary (and I prefer cooler temps) and simply left windows open thru the day. We were in an upper unit in building J away from the golf course (as recommended by others) and I would continue those recommendations.

They have a concierge that helped us book a couple of activities and that went well. They have an orientation that we missed but would probably be worth it. Since they are a timeshare, they also have a program that will give you a discount if you agree to listen to a presentation. The presentation takes 2~3 hours + drive time to the location (it was not on-site). The discounts were decent, but you might be able to find similar if you look. The concierge did not try to push the timeshare presentation on us and were quite helpful.

They are conveniently located for access to Kona, Hilo, Mauna Kea, and a good day trip to visit south point or Volcanoes park. The one thing we found lacking in the area were choices of restaurants so expect a little drive for more choices.

All in all it made a good home base from which to explore the island.

Wonderful location (because we did not need to be near Kona or Hilo but wanted to visit both). Note, however, we did not ask the right questions. Internet service was not available in our condo so we had to connect at the pool or Activities Center. We found we could do our daily work on internet by sitting in our car outside the Activities Center. Not fun.

Also, we had a two bedroom townhouse which was on the second and third floors. Both bedrooms and both bathrooms were on the third floor. We are able bodied but many in our family are not and could not have stayed there. Steep steps to climb and dangerous even for kids. No elevators, at least that we found. Be sure to ask what the accomodation arrangements are. It worked for us but obviously won't for many.

Loved the flock of wild turkeys and goats that roamed the greens!

The unit I stayed in A-112, I believe was in great condition and tastefully decorated. The staff at the registration desk was the most friendly and best aloha attitude ever encountered. I would definietly stay here again.

This resort was the only one that came available via RCI on the Big Island or Hawaii, so we took it!

The resort itself is well off the beaten path, so if you're looking for something close in with some night life, this isn't the place. It's about 45 minutes from Kona and it seems like it takes forever to get here. Once you're here you step off the moon like surroundings of Waikoloa into a green place with a nice golf course, kind of out of place, but nice. The units are very large, two nice size bedrooms, we opened the sliders and we have a great breeze, so we haven't paid for A/C as of yet, but it's only our first day. The unit is clean and comfortable. There isn't much around here for shopping, etc, we went to the local grocery store to stock up and paid a little more than going to like a Safeway, but the store had everything we needed.

The other thing I noticed is there aren't any ABC stores around that we have found, which is a good thing I guess. The WalMart and Costco is about 40 mins away near Kona, so not real convenient, but again probably not a bad thing.

We are looking forward to driving around the island, looking at the volcano, and other sites over the next week.

Bottomline, this is not a top of the line resort, but gives you a great home base with a kitchen and room to relax. The pool area is small, but sufficient.

I would recommend this resort to others, especially other timeshare owers.

Enjoy -- Don

We just got back from a 2 week stay at Paniolo Greens and had a great time. There where 6 of us, in a 2 bedroom and the living room had a pull out couch. There where 3 bathrooms so that was great for each couple. We rented the air conditioning since I can not go without the cool air, the others could have done with out. There where days the breezes blew through but also days the air was sticky. The Condo was very clean and the maid came one day a week and changed towels when ever we wanted. The washer and dryer worked but the dryer is not vented outside so it was hard to get the clothes dry but we just hung them on the railing inside. The kitchen was a full kitchen and we had the use of a Bar-B-Que when we wanted to grill. We shopped for our groceries at the store in the village just up the hill from the greens, they had everything and the prices where good. Went to Costco once and Walmart a few times. WE did rent a van as you are about 1 hour from Kona and longer from the Hilo side. We did the lsland twice and seen lots. The Beach close to us was called Hapuna(not sure of spelling) and it was beautiful. We went to A - Bay and it was nice but the snorkeling wasn't as good where we went. We did snorkle in Kona right of the beach and seen lots of fish. So all in all we think people complain a way to much the condo was great no bugs and the office was very helpful the pool although cool was open from 7am to 10pm and the construction noise was not bad at all and not on everyday. So come on people your on a holiday so go with an open mind and have fun.

We spent spring break week here; 2 adults and 2 young kids. We stayed in building K, in a 2-story, 2-bedroom, 3 bath condo. We were very satisfied with everything.

The kitchen came equip'd w/the basics. We did have to ask for a 2nd frying pan in order to cook two things at one time (they brought it quickly, no charge). The stovetop worked, though some better than others. We had enough dishwashing soap & dishwasher detergent to last us the entire trip. One packet of coffee, and assortment of sugars was provided upon arrival.

The beds were clean and warm. They had some of the better pillows I've had at other hotels & rentals. Bathrooms had plenty of towels, soap, kleenex, & toilet paper; we never ran out of any the entire week.

Housekeeping comes once during a weeklong stay, but if you need additional cleaning it is available (for a fee). I wish there had been a vacuum in the condo for our use. They do provide a dustpan & broom, but that doesn't work on the carpet. One packet of laundry detergent was provided upon arrival.

The condo did have a few minor repair issues, though the only one we notified the company about was the problem w/the CD-player. Someone came quickly and when they couldn't repair it they replaced the entire stereo immediately. The others were towel racks that kept falling off the walls (but they had wall hooks so that was enough for us).

We didn't need to pay for A/C, since opening the windows and turning on the fans was enough to cool everything off.

The pool was very family-friendly, with a wading pool (18"), & a shallow 1/4-lap pool (deepest is 4'); there is also a spa pool that is a bit warmer but not too hot, as well as a small exercise room adjacent (has 3 machines and great water-soaking towels). They supplied 6 pool towels in the room which could be exchanged at any time at the front desk. Concierge staff at the pool was helpful when we asked for floatation devices for the kids (they let us know about the freebies before offering the rental supplies).

Building K did not overlook the golf course, so we didn't hear the lawn mowers, but it did overlook the main road so we could hear road traffic when the windows were open (next to no traffic at night on that road). I would suggest staying in this building b/c you have a view of both the bay and the volcano. It appeared that all 1-story condos are on the lower-level, accessed by a set of stairs going down from the ground level, so you may want to ask for a 2-story as we did.

A previous reviewer noted a cockroach. I think he may have seen the beetles that were common outside that periodically fly inside at night. I saw the size of Hawaiian cockroaches in Pahoa and trust me you'll know one when you see one! In one of the many informational brochures in the condo, they point out they spray for bugs monthly, but if you do have an infestation they'll come and take care of it.

The location is between the Kohala Resort Area and the Waimea/Kamuela area, so perfect for exploring either on day trips.

Since lodging was free, except for tax, -- thanks to my father-in-law (this is his timeshare facility) -- we were more than satisfied with the accommodations. I don't know how much these condos usually rent for, so my impression may have been different if we had to pay.

We spent a week at Paniolo Greens in Feb. of 2007 with friends. After reading reviews here and on the RCI review, we were a bit guarded in our expectations. We found that our accomodations were actually quite good. The view of the golf course with the ocean off in the distance was quite nice. The gas grill was well maintained and quite close to the condo for grilling. The mower did come out early every other day on the golf course, but it was not as annoying as construction or heavy traffic. The turkeys put on quite a show for us. The dishes/flatware only have service for 6 of each item, so there is no possibility of not washing the dishes for each meal if there are more than 3 people. The dryer doesn't work nearly as well as mine at home, but then it is in a unit used by different people every week. Staff was friendly and helpful.

We enjoyed our trip to the Big Island more than recent trips to Mexico and Kauai. Our group included mom (78), daughter (2), wife (39), and myself (49). We stayed at Paniolo Greens on a timeshare exchange in late September (shoulder season). Our activities included mostly snorkeling, beaches, Volcano NP, luau, coffee plantation, nut factory, lookouts, and waterfalls. We also used "The Big Island Revealed" as our guidebook. Its not "Gospel" so keep an open mind.

Paniolo Greens has single floor units available on the ground floor with two story units above them, but the complex is on uneven ground so there may be additional stairs. We asked for twin beds in our 2nd bedroom upstairs and got a 21/2 bedroom with 3 baths that was big enough to live in (it looked like some did). We got the a/c for security, to keep the noise out, and to dry things. There was always a good breeze and the additional tax made it $7.50/day which was a bit much. There was a kiddy pool and small playground. Everyone was nice and the service good. The carpet had a smell but otherwise everything was clean, comfortable, and adequate. All we seen were birds and no unwanted guests. The time-share presentation was over in less than two hours, no high pressure, for $200.

We rented an Impala from Alamo with a sunroof instead of a four wheel drive or convertible. We put over 1000 miles on it, gas was about 50% higher than Florida, and it got us everywhere we had time to go @ 30 miles/gal (there are break-ins). Bread seemed to be the most expensive ($4/loaf at some places) but Walmart had some reasonable prices. We found the sandwich shops near the beaches to be reasonable too.

From our limited experience our bests with easy access are:

SNORKEL- Kahalu'u and Honaunau (place of refuge)

BEACH- Hapuna and Spencer (didn't get to 69)

LUAU- Mauna Kea (good food) possible manta rays

COFFEE TOUR- Holualoa (small 15 acre self-guided)

NUT FACTORY- South of Hilo (self-guided)

LOOKOUT- Pololu (bit of a drive)

WATERFALL- Akaka (steps) and Rainbow (late morning)

UNIQUE- Koho Tide-pools and Ahalanai (hot pool)

VOLCANO NP- is quite a drive and best after sunset (open 24hrs) so since we had to spend an extra day using "frequent flyer miles" we got a place just outside the park. note: to see the red lava go before sunset and hike out using good flashlights, good hiking shoes, and strong binoculars (rangers sometimes let you use theirs).

TOURS & ENTERTAINMENT- beware of "ship days" when things can book-up early and look for coupons in flyers. (we missed a glass bottom boat ride for mom and daughter)

We enjoyed our trip very much. There was lots of contrasts (11 of 15 possible climate zones) and Paniolo Greens was a great location to explore from. Hope this helps and you have a good trip too. Our camera was messing up but I will try to leave you some not too personal pictures of what to expect ;) ALOHA

We just returned from a week stay at Paniolo Greens. This might get long because I love to read reviews here so I will give you all the details. We are a family of four, including two young children, ages 3 and 6. We decided to travel to the Big Island after having visited Maui and Kauai in recent years, and because I had visited the Big Island for a single day on a cruise many years back and still remember walking around the volcanoes and what an amazing experience it was.

We have owned our timeshare for many years and we trade it every year, so we have seen our fair share of timeshare accomodations (and we travel often otherwise too). We chose Paniolo Greens because 1) it was a two bedroom/three bath with full ktichen, 2) it had air conditioning when many hotels in Hawaii don't, and 3) the location sounded good and the reviews here were decent, 4) washer and dryer in the room which is always a huge benefit when traveling with kids.

Upon arriving in Kona, we drove for about 35 minutes to get to Paniolo. The facility does look like a big apartment complex. Check in was pretty quick, and I was immediately hit up to talk to the timeshare lady to "get my restaurant ticket validated." We avoid anything to do with timeshare sales like the plaque because we have had it ruin our day in the past - nothing they can offer is worth me sitting there for hours of my vacation when I know I don't want to buy and it could turn ugly if you get some high-pressure group. Also, if I am going to buy a timeshare, I am certainly going to buy one resale and not new. Anyway, the lady did call once more that week but we just told her we weren't interested and we didn't hear from them again.

On to the room. The rooms were confusing and we had a hard time finding it. There is room 208 in every building, and parking was in numbered spots so that was a bit of a pain. Once we found our room, we were happy with the size of it. It was two stories, two full bedrooms, three bathrooms, a third bedroom that was used as a TV room (four TVs total), full kitchen, etc. The furnishings were typical of timeshares. It had lots of little closets and hiding spaces so the kids had fun playing in them. The unit was just fantastic for us since we have young kids - we felt right at home. You just can't beat being able to put the kids to bed in one room, having your own room, and having a family room to relax in after they go to bed. We also utilized the kitchen often. The kitchen was pretty well stocked, again typical of most timeshares we have seen.

The condo was okay as far as cleanliness. That is one thing I really dislike about timeshares - you don't get daily cleanings. We arrived on Sunday, and we were told our unit would be cleaned Wednesday or Thursday. I was really disappointed when we got back on Wednesday from our outing and the condo hadn't been cleaned - by then it really needed it. I felt the carpets were a bit dirty too, and we did find a few hairs in the master bath ( a pet peeve of mine). The master bath also was a bit clogged and didn't drain properly. Other than that, the room was clean and we were comfortable in it.

We did pay for the air conditioning ($5 a day), and we did use it every day. We are from Phoenix, so we are used to the heat, but temps did get up into the high 80's/low 90's, and that is not a comfortable temperature for me. The room was very stuffy when we arrived, even after opening all of the windows. Also, being able to close the windows helped with outside noises. I did hear the lawnmowers that everyone has been complaining about, but they didn't bother me or wake me up. It seemed that they started on the far end of the golf course and moved towards the condos. The one night we were woken up was when the people next door to us checked in and decided to celebrate arriving on the island at 5:30am by sitting out on their patio and talking in a loud and obnoxious manner. We shut the doors and windows of our room and the big mouthed lady still kept me awake, so I finally had to go ask her to be quiet (ha!). Other than that, we slept very soundly - I thought the beds were very comfortable.

The pool was very nice and they had a spa and children's pool as well. The excercise facility was pretty meager (like four machines?) but my biggest qualm with it was that it wasn't air conditioned (as far as I could tell) and it got pretty hot with just the fans on and windows open. Not great, but at least they had something. The golf course was in okay shape -not especially beautiful to look at or anything. We did see the wild turkeys almost daily which was very exciting to the kids. We had reasonable service at Paniolo - the few times we asked for something, we had good service. They do nickle and dime you for things - an extra $2.50 for a small box of laundry detergent, $8 each to make flower leis as a craft in the community center, pretty $$ to rent beach chairs and umbrellas.

On to location. This is a BIG island. We knew that going in, but, man, it was a lot of driving to see what we wanted to see. To get into the town of Kona, it was a 45-60 minute drive. Most activities that we signed up for left from Kona. We went to a luau in Kona that started at 5:00, and we were late due to traffic. To get to Hilo, which has most of the rainforest sites, waterfalls, and volcanoes, it was a 2 1/2 hour drive. There is a road that goes over the mountain, which was often very bumpy and windy, but was also just beautiful and chilly (the base of the mountain). There is also a highway route that goes north, and that seemed to be a bit quicker and smoother. If I had to do it again, I would probably book two nights in Hilo at a different hotel, and see what I wanted to see over that time. We wanted to take another trip to Hilo to see the zoo and farmer's market, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to make the kids sit in the car for 5/6 hours (again). To the south of Kona, there is a gorgeous black sand beach, but again, that drive was probably 1 1/2- 2 hours. It was around 45 mintues to get to the north of the island, where there is another black sand beach (with a more difficult hike), a cute little town Kohala (with a great restaurant -Short and Sweet - AWESOME panini sandwiches and homemade baked goods). We attended a little festival that was taking place in town which was cute, and the ATV excursion left from there.

On to activities on the island. Beaches -We visited several great beaches. Again, we had young children with us, so a calm tide is important. Our very favorite beach was next to the Hapuna beach - I think they call it mile marker 69 beach. This is only about 15 minutes from the resort. Hapuna regularly gets voted one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and it was very pretty. We liked the beach just south of it, however (the mile marker 69 beach) because the water was calmer and clearer, and there were lots of trees and shade for us to sit in. We were told this is a local beach that doesn't get much PR, so we were lucky to happen upon it (didn't see it any of our guidebooks). We also enjoyed the little beach area next to the Natural Energy Lab - it had a bunch of little tidepools to explore plus some pretty sand areas. The black sand beach on the south of the island (Panaluu) was very neat. It was however, pretty strong tide and rocky, so not great for swimming with the kids. There are turtles basking in the sun around the beach which was neat to see too. The drive to Punaluu was very pretty, as you go through some rainforest. Finally, we visited the Kahaluu Beach Park. We had driven up days before but left because we were unimpressed with the looks of it. We tried again the day we left, and I wish we had spent more time there! The snorkeling is AMAZING - there were sea turtles everywhere. The turtles and fish are so used to people that they come right up to you. The beach itself it pretty yucky and rocky, but once you get in snorkeling, it is amazing.

Other activities - we visited the Seahorse Farm. You will not find this in many of the guidebooks because they just opened it up to visitors this year. I think the cost was around $40 for the family (a bit $, I think), but it was very interesting. This family raises seahorses to sell as pets around the world. At the end of the tour you get to "hold" a seahorse - they will wrap their tails around your fingers. My kids just loved this. We also did the Atlantis submarine trip. Make sure to check for coupons for this. The whole experience was neat - you get to take a boat the the sub, they have music playing, an informative guide talking. The only problem was we didn't see much as far as sealife - just a few fish. My kids still enjoyed the experience. We did the luau at the Kona Beach Hotel. I wasn't expecting too much, we knew it would be a bit cheesy, but the kids ended up really enjoying it. They had activities and crafts to do before it started, relatively good food, and good entertainment. My only qualms with it were 1) they hit you up to pay extra for a bunch of different things. If you want to sit in front - extra $, they had a bunch of flower leis on a table when you came in and asked if you wanted one (which of course the kids did - $10 each). Also, you sit outside (it rained a bit at the beginning -there were no umbrellas or covers over the tables), and you watch the show from your seat. We ended up way in back because of being late due to traffic, so we couldn't see the stage well. We had been to Smith's luau in Kauai, and it was much better because you ate in one location and then moved to an outdoor auditorium with raised seating. My husband took the ATV tour and had a fantastic time - they stopped at a waterfall and you could swim in it which you can't do at most other waterfalls around the island (like Rainbow Falls) due to liability. We attempted to watch the fishing boats come in with their daily catches at the harbor, but arrived too late (we were told to try again at around 3:30pm). The Volcano National Park - this was a bit of a disappointment. Last time I was on the island, probably 12 years ago, I remember walking on hard lava, and if you looked down in the cracks, you could see the red, molton lava flowing underneath - fascinating! This time, we drove all the we down to the end of the road (where I was told the freshest lava was) - a loooong drive, and then hiked quite awhile. At the end of this, you could see the smoke plume from the hot lava hitting the cold water, but it was miles away. I was told if you hiked another 2 miles you could possibly see some hot lava. This was too much for my kids, so we passed, but obviously viewing the lava as I remembered it wasn't possible now. I considered a helicopter ride to view it from the air, but I heard that mostly what you see is just smoke coming up. We also hiked through the lava tube within the park, which is like a natural cave, and this was pretty neat but quick. The area around this is beautiful rainforest, and there are some other hikes in the area. It was a loooong day driving from Paniolo to the volcano park and back.

We visited several other hotels while in Hawaii. We had to check out the Hilton after hearing about it and it was amazing. It is just down the road from Paniolo and next to a great shopping area - the King's shops. We went at night and walked (a looong walk - the place is huge) to the Dolphin Quest area and we could see the dolphins swimming pretty close by which was thrilling to the kids. They also have a huge lagoon "pool" which actually feeds from the ocean and contains sea turtles and other sea life so you could snorkle. We considered staying a night here just to enjoy the facilities, but it was very $$ (we stopped for two pieces of cake - $25). I have seen pictures of the rooms as well, and they are basic hotel rooms. When traveling with two young kids, I would rather stay in a large condo like Paniolo and have the space to spread out and get comfortable. We also booked a room at a hotel in Kona (Kona Beach Resort) to spend the day/evening after check-out from Paniolo since our flight didn't leave until 11:00pm, and I can't imagine spending more than one night there it was so tiny! I have heard the Four Seasons is the prettiest hotel on the island, so it may be worth a visit to stop in and get a drink and look around.

I think this is about it! All in all, we were happy with Paniolo for the size of the room and for the convenience of having the kitchen, bedrooms and washer and dryer. The location was just okay - not much around and a pretty far drive to most activites (besides the one nice beach and King's shopping area). The facilities themselves were average and very apartment like, but I think this is typical of most timeshares. If I were to return to the Big Island, I would stay here again, but I would book a couple of nights in the Hilo area and maybe one night in the south of the island to see everything at a more comfortable pace. Enjoy!

We had a great time at Paniolo Greens. Our two bedroom unit was roomy and clean. The location is just minutes from the nicest beaches on the big Island. The kids also loved the pool at the resort.

My 3 friends and I visited Paniolo Greens and had a fantastic time. We were impressed with the upstairs unit overlooking the beautiful golf course. It was very clean and spacious. It had 2 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and a pull-out couch in the living room. We never needed to use the air conditioner as there was a cross breeze in the morning and at night. There were 4 TVs in the unit. The people in the office were very accomodating and pleasant. On our last day, we were excited to see 9 wild turkeys in front of our unit on the gold course.

I recommend buying the book, "Big Island Revealed"...as it highlights all the best restaurants and places to visit. You have to go to Hapuna Beach as it is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The sand feels like baby powder and the water is warm and clear. A highlight of our trip was doing a dolphin excursion with Captain Nancy of Dophin Journey. We had our own private boat and got to see the dolphins up close. A delicious lunch was provided also and the snorkeling was fantastic and none of us had experience. Another great tour was the Grand Circle Island Tour with Polynesian tours . It was an all day bus tour that took us to the Rainbow Falls., the volcano, orchid garden, candy factory, and Panuluu Black Sand Beach.

It was also a wonderful tour.

All in all we were extremely satisfied with Paniolo Greens and would highly recommend staying here.

Marianne, Susan, Brenda, Lisa

Our family of four was assigned to a ground floor unit on our first day there. The rooms are spacious, clean, well lay-out. It's true that you can open windows/patio doors at both ends to create a good draft. However, we were glad that we ordered the $5 a day A/C which takes the humidity out of the air. Each of the bedroom and the living room have a separate A/C module. Upon our first meal, we were visited by a little critter. That night, it left droppings over the kitchen counter and we asked the front desk to change unit. We asked for an upstairs unit and was given one closer to Waikoloa Road. Seeing that there aren't that much traffic, we accepted it. For the rest of our stay, we weren't visited by un-welcomed guest again. I don't know if upstair units had fewer mices but in our case, it seemed to be.

The upstair unit is a bit smaller. The bed rooms are at a different level and the stair cases takes out some living spaces. Otherwise, the layout is almost identical. The A/C here is centralized.

The staff is very polite, courteous and didn't object to our request for a different unit. They weren't pushy about sales and activity presentations.

There is a tennis court, a pool, and a club house on site. The developement is 5 miles from highway 19 which could get congested during rush hour. There are tons of world class beaches nearby.

We stayed at Paniolo Greens the first week of July, as part of a two week vacation in Hawaii celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. We used an RCI exchange to get this resort about two years ago. I wanted to have one week on the Big Island as part of our stay.

We had a two bedroom unit, upstairs, overlooking the 3rd hole of the golf course. The unit was clean, comfortable, and well equipped with towels, supplies, and utensils. There was a constant 10-20 mph breeze from the east, so we did not pay for the airconditioning. The staff was friendly and helpful.

We were first-timers to Hawaii and we decided to go with some of the tours that the resort offered in order to get a full experience.

We took the timeshare tour in order to get the discounts, but did not buy (we are Fairfield members). We took the Big Island tour (all day), the Seaquest snorkel tour (my favorite), and a luau. Jules was very informative and entertaining and Leslie signed us up for all our activities. We did reserve a helicopter tour prior to getting to the island through Blue Helicopters for the volcano.

The resort is about 10-15 minutes from the beaches near Waikoloa and about 30-45 minutes to Kona. You need to rent a car to enjoy the island. We enjoyed the stay and would stay here again.

How refreshing it is to walk into a unit and have everything in it sparkle and everything in the unit work. The views (golf course or ocean) are both great to look at. Watching the wild goats and wild turkeys on the golf course were the highlight of our stay. I would recommend this location. It is quiet and has optional air conditioning which we did not need due to delightful breezes.

We stayed a week at Paniolo, from 4/16 to 4/24/06. Great, clean rooms with a view of the golf course. The location was great, away from everything. We enjoyed the cool breeze at night. The beds were really comfortable. More than enough space for a family of four. The kitchens, bbq and pool were great for a family with kids. Spent a week there with the intention of purchasing a time share unit. Our only complaint was that the staff were unfriendly, unwilling to help and were completely bothered by our questions and inquiries. We would highly recommend the location and quietness. Just don't plan on feeling welcomed or ask any questions.

We just returned from our stay at Paniolo Greens. Having read some of the other reviews, I was looking for a disaster. No such thing!!! We had a townhouse overlooking the golf course. Early morning mowing on a golf course is a given, so if that will bother you, don't stay here. I loved watching the course turkeys wander across the fairway and occasionally awakened to the not so lilting call of male turkeys looking to attract the opposite sex.

Our room was very clean, had good sheets (my husband and I are sheet snobs), comfy beds and a nicely appointed kitchen. Could have used a coffee grinder but the local store was very kind about letting us grind our bag of coffee beans there.

We really enjoyed the presentation by the various excursion vendors on our first day there. We signed up for the Big Island Discovery tour, Dinner at the Kahua Ranch, and snorkeling with Kamanu Sail & Snorkel.

I would only recommend the Big Island Discovery tour if you have limited transportation or as a very early event. Counting time spent picking up clients from various resorts, the trip is about 12 hours. But it gives you a chance to see a little bit of a lot of sites. Stops are frequent and of short duration. If done early in your stay, it will help you determine where you want to spend more time on subsequent days.

Dinner at the Kahua Ranch was one of our favorite excursions. Beautiful drive to the Ranch and many friendly people and animals when you get there. The dinner was abundant and the owner of the ranch is a natural born comedian. There are several activities in which to participate; learn to throw a lasso, use a branding iron, play horseshoes, or star gaze.

Kamanu Sail & Snorkel was a great choice. Pier is just south of Kona Airport so you do not have to hassle with Kona traffic. Cruise limited to 24 clients. A small group is very nice when you are all paddling around with the “fishes”. A light lunch is served after snorkeling, better eat some breakfast. On the return to the harbor, the Kamanu is under sail. If you have never had a sailing experience, you will probably find this a great ending to your adventure. If you have sailed, and like it, this will be a real treat as well. If you are strictly a “gotta get there yesterday” kind of person this may drive you nuts.

There is construction going on nearby, not pretty but it was not a significant irritant.

Paniolo is a casual resort, friendly and laid back. We did not have any unmet needs but we are pretty low maintenance people. Great place to relax and stay out of the hubbub.

Aloha

We had booked this resort nearly 2 years ago. Lately I had been reading some horrid reviews, so we checked in with great trepidation. Were we ever pleasantly surprised! We had two 2-bedroom condos in the B complex. Both were very clean and nicely furnished. We loved sitting on the lanai for breakfast, watching the wild turkeys and the golfers! The beds were comfy. We did not need the a/c because it was very breezy. Afternoons were warm, but we were never inside then. Sleeping was wonderful! The pool area is fairly compact, but we were never crowded. My husband and brother really enjoyed playing the golf course and felt the fees were very reasonable. The staff all were extremely helpful & friendly! We were just minutes from Hapuna Beach, and felt the location was super.We would definitely return there.

This review is quite lengthy but I hope it helps a few of you out there.

My family and I stayed here for a week right after Thanksgiving in '05. We were able to stay here for $150.00 ( exchange rate fee ). My wife has a friend who owns a timeshare and he could not use his week so he gratiously gave it to us.

Let me first start by saying this place is about a 30 minute trip from Kona Airport and about a 40 minute trip to Kona-Kailua where all of the stores and most of the tours leave from. Take heed from all of the previous posts which suggest going into town first to pick up all of your supplies BEFORE you head to the resort. We arrived on an evening flight into Kona and had to drive to the resort at night. We really had no idea what the grounds looked like until we awoke the next morning.

The setups of these condos is similar to an apartment. We had a two bedroom and opted for both of the rooms to be upstairs. It was very clean. I was a bit surprised because usually I can find something to pick on but I can honestly say that we had no major complaints. As indicated by previous posts, the housekeeping staff services the unit twice during the stay, which was fine by us. If we needed any additional items or attention, it was just a phone call away.

BE PREPARED for a phone call from the activities desk at around 8:00 am inviting you to a "get together". If you traveled for nine hours by plane the previous day and are wiped out, you really won't appreciate this call. But, being on vacation, we went down to check it out. The resort, which you will find out later is owned by Shell Vacations Club, hosts several companies who try to get you to sign up for various activities. These activites can be a bit pricy BUT if you agree to attend a timeshare presentation, it dramatically cuts the prices. Our family did a 5 hour snorkel trip, a guided bus tour around the island, a luau and a 1.5 hour airplane tour around the island for $920.00 for the four of us. After researching these prices if bought individually, it's way over $1500. Of course, we had to waste two hours attending a timeshare presentation ( to which we almost bought one ) but just remember to say " NO!!" when they ask you if you're interested.

Paniolo Greens is located in Waikoloa. It's a beautiful area and if you're going to the Big Island to hang out at the beaches, you're in the right spot. They have some of the best beaches anywhere in the world. I highly recommend buying the book " The Big Island Revealed " and make sure you take it with you. It will give you such great information.

I hope if you decide to go that you have a great time ! ALOHA !

The resort is in a good location to do things north of Kona. There are good beaches nearby and a good market to buy food. Otherwise it is pretty isolated. We stayed in a 2 bedroom 2 story suite that was roomy. The decor though is very dated. The pool is adequate, but nothing special. The staff was very friendly and helpful.All in all, the resort is fine, but nothing special due to the fact that it is very dated.

The Room

My husband, daughter and I spent spring break here at the Paniolo Greens. We have previously stayed at the Hilton and the Bay Club as well as Kanaloa in Kona so we have lots of comparisons. I grew up on the Big Island so I know that it can be hard to find decent accommodations that don't break the bank. Price-wise, Paniolo Greens delivers much better value than many Hawaii hotels (avoid Uncle Billy's at all costs). Our two-bedroom townhouse was clean and nicely furnished. My only issue with the room was this funky smell when we got there -- maybe someone smoked and they couldn't get it all out, I'm not sure. So we opened all the windows even though we paid for air conditioning and it cleared up pretty much but was always a bit noticeable.

The Neighbors

We didn't really need air conditioning but it came in handy anyway. The facilities are nice but the sort of people who go there aren't necessarily real high up the food chain -- not trying to be snobby, but they seemed largely ignorant of common courtesy and were quite loud. A couple of people our age (40-ish) said they had originally booked for 3 weeks but cut it to 3 days because everyone there was either "too old or too loud." We didn't spend much time hanging around. Our next-door neighbors (for the week!) had a hideously loud little boy who would stand on the balcony and scream at the top of his lungs for hours (I know this sounds like an exaggeration but it's true) and his parents did nothing. Others (old enough to know better) would smoke on their balconies (another reason the AC is a good idea) and get rather drunk and loud and the spouses would then fight -- not a classy bunch, luckily we had earplugs too.

The Facilities and Staff

We played tennis and used the pool but did not partake of the planned events. We discovered that the "orientation" and "party" were just covers for sales presentations and we didn't waste time after attending the first one. The party, for example, was of a one-hour duration and they required that guests "register" to attend. Halfway into the "party" the line to "register" was still about 30 people long -- they made guests go through multiple signups while agents tried to sell them activities. By the time one actually got in it was about over. We skipped it and opted for a swim instead. And the staff, though nice, wasn't really interested in helping (like for Internet service, for example) you unless you were booking an event through them or up for a time-share presentation.

Waikoloa and Big Island Tips

Waikoloa is a nice destination -- there is great tennis at the Hilton, and excursions like Sunlight on Water for dolphin-swimming and whale watching were highlights this trip. The Kings and Queens shops near the beach and Merriman's restaurant are favorites of ours as well. Kona is loaded with fun bars and shopping; try Gem Fire for amazing, original jewelry and the owner is a true gentleman. Loulous and Splashers are great for people-watching, drinking and snacking. Huggo's on the Rocks used to be good, but is not now, and the chains (Hard Rock and Bubba Gump) are expensive and nothing special. Hawi on the north end of the island is worth checking out, it's kind of funky artsy and has a few good restaurants, including the famous Bamboo. And finally, for those who like adventure travel, try Lava Roy's lava tours. Picture a white-water rafting ride but with rivers of lava flowing in front of you as the sunset explodes -- amazing stuff.

The Bottom Line

Bottom line, next time we go to Waikoloa we will probably opt for the Bay Club again or try the Kona Village. The Hilton is too "Disneyland" for us and the Paniolo Greens is not relaxing if you plan to hang out and relax where you stay.

We just returned from a week at this resort and would like to set the record straight related to some of the reviews. If you are looking for a place to sit around the pool in luxurious surroundings, this will not be for you. The pool is small but well maintained. The resort itself is not luxurious but adequate. The units were essentially clean but did show some evidence of normal wear and tear. It was quiet although the golf course was mowed every morning at around 6 AM. This was not a problem for us since we do not like to sleep in.

The Big Island is big and if you want to see it you must do a lot of driving. In that respect the resort is not really near anything. It is about a 10 minute drive to beautiful Hapuna Beach and a closer drive to a good snorkeling spot. Volcano National Park is about 2 hours away and Kona is 30 minutes away.

The best restaurants will be anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes away. There is a grocery store less than 5 minutes away. All in all we were not dissatisfied but we went in without great expectations.

If you are looking to stay on the big island but don't want the traffic in Kona, this is great. We got a golf course view which was great, I wouldn't want a room with the main road/courtyard view. The office was efficient upon check-in.

The room was nice, clean and what you would expect from a condo. The beds are decently comfortable. The dryer does not even get hot, expect 2+ hours for a load to dry. I felt like all I did all week was wash and dry clothes. We locked ourselves out and they came quickly to let us in. Our blender did not work and they quickly came with a replacement which also didn't work but they came again with a 3rd which did.

The pool is nice but too shallow, I think 4 ft. is all. There is a nice kiddy pool. The tennis court was great and you can also do ping-pong, horseshoes, basketball and football.

Don't bother to call the concierge for info on places/activities. All they tried to do is sell us a package. I'm the type who likes to explore the area on my own. If I want to see something, I want my car and it's on my time. I don't want to ride a bus with a bunch of other people and work around them. I called down to get info about a luau and they only gave me info on the ones they sell. I called down about the volcano park and they tried to book me on a helicopter tour. I called about the black sand beach and they mentioned a bus tour. Lastly, I called about where I could see the manta rays and they tried to get me to do a night dive trip, I am sure my senior parents would appreciate that:-) When I said I knew they used to do them at the Mauna Kea which is closed due to the earthquake and wanted to know if any others did it I got the brush off. When I went online, I found the Sheraton Keauhou where you can see the Mantas from the Crystal Blue Lounge. Pressure, pressure.

This is about 30-40 minutes from downtown Kona but there are shops in Waikoloa Beach. Also, there is a grocery store about 5 minutes away in Waikoloa Village. Hapuna Beach is about 10 minutes away, a must see, the waves are good for boogie boarding the current is a little strong so watch the kids. Expect about 2.5 hours to get to the Black Sand Beach or Volcano Park, well worth the drive.

Ok, lets cut through all of the hyperbole and get stick to the facts. I will try to make this review factual and logical. The short version is that I don’t recommend Paniolo Greens, unless it’s the only place you can book, or your budget dictates. What follows, is the longer version.

Paniolo Greens is a collection of condo units, which are set up like an apartment complex. There are three story buildings, with one bedroom units on the first floor, with townhouse condominiums on the second floor, extending to the third floor.. The buildings are kept in good condition, however virtually everything about them is very dated. Additionally, everything from the fixtures, cabinets and appliances, are all bottom of the line quality, although serviceable. Not only are we not talking luxury here, we aren’t even talking really nice. Think motel quality beds, bath, fixtures, etc., and you get the idea. The fee to use the air conditioning is real and hokey. We exchanged our regular timeshare for this and it seemed kind of crazy to pay for AC, when we do not have to do that with our home condominium.

The grounds at Paniolo Greens are similar to the buildings, in that they are neatly kept, but quite dated. No one has done any make-overs here and the landscaping is OK, but by no means is it tropical or luxurious. There are about a dozen gas fired barbeques spread around the complex, which are convenient, if one just happens to be outside of your building, otherwise they are not. I also found that the lights around the one I went to use were vandalized, so I was cooking by braille. There is a swimming pool which also is on par with your average motel pool, which is OK for the kids to take a swim, but nothing you want to hang around.

Some reviews I read went on about how nice the staff were and I have to say that many were, especially the building maintenance people, who came to deal with a few failing fixtures. However we found the office staff to be disinterested and not particularly helpful and the women at the clubhouse, who was in charge of renting chairs, snorkel sets and umbrellas, was downright nasty. She must have missed the in service training on customer service.

As for the location of the facility, it is immediately adjacent to a golf course, which gives you a nice view from your balcony or patio. There is a small shopping center just about a block up the street, which makes shopping easy. Travel to other resorts or beaches varies, depending on which ones you visit, but figure about 15-30 minutes average. We went to Hilo for a helicopter ride around the volcano ( I highly recommend it) and the trip took about an hour and a half each way. There are plenty of attractions in the Kona area, including horseback riding, golf, ATV tours of the mountain areas (we did not do this, but we were told it was fantastic), snorkeling boats, organized swimming with wild dolphins at sea, sports fishing, and more public beaches than you could ever hope to visit. The public beaches are free and we spent two days at them, enjoying the sun, swimming and had some great free snorkeling adventures, with all kinds of fish, turtles, urchins, etc. No need to spend big bucks for a snorkeling tour boat, unless you combine it with whale watching or swimming with the dolphins.

The area around Paniolo Greens is STARK, as it is miles upon miles of old lava flows. The flow deviates slightly from plain lava, to sparse dry grass and gangly trees, with a look that more resembles the shoreline between Los Cabos and Cabo San Lucas, or the desert South West, than what you generally think of as Hawaii. But it is a fairly short drive into the mountains, where you will see cattle, horses and lush greenery, or take the drive around to Hilo, where you will see lush rain forest and water falls. After a while, the natural devastation kind of grows on you and gives you a real contrast to the other areas around the Big Island.

I would say that our trip was great, because we saw all of the sights we wanted, and used the condos as our base of operations. If you were inclined to spend more time in your condo, or wanted to have more options, such as a pool or other amenities on site, this is definitely not a place for you to book. This is strictly a back-up for us and we would not recommend it, or use it again, if we can help it.

I think my biggest problem with the Paniolo Greens were the bugs (I, as well as the rest of my family, were always very itchy in our hotel unit). Also the extra fee for use of the air conditioner was also an inconvenience. Granted we were only in our room in the evening so we really didn't need it, BUT I think even the local motel provides air conditioning for free. Another inconvenience was the accessibility for Wi-fi internet access. You can not get internet service in your room and must travel to the pool area or check-in desk for access. If you're looking to go to the beach....that's a nice 10-15 minute drive east. Probably the only 3 GREAT things the resort had to offer were: 1) AWESOME front desk staff...they were super friendly and very resourceful, 2) Golf course is right outside the unit and is very reasonably priced, 3) Local market is nearby.

Place is OK, a bit shabby, and probably worth the lukewarm reviews. But heavens, is there a REASON why they can't spend the extra bucks to install repeaters so you can have internet in your room???? I spent lots of my time on the porch of my unit just trying to catch the weak WiFi signal. And I was not alone. Lots of perturbed looking folks at the pool, on folding tables with their laptops checking email, etc.

Heck even Motel 6 has internet!

We would pay for it, ....at this place you have to pay for AC. (Don't need it that badly , thoug.)

The 'resort' is certainly not new, though most stuff is in OK repair. NB It is a death trap for those who can't handle a flight or two of steep stairs. Place seems run on the cheap. But fairly clean. Also note all of the other comments on location, etc.

Pool was good for kids and the hot tub was fine. (Though what is WITH the stupid sign barring alcohol from 6 feet of the pool edge.??) HUH?

We stayed at Paniolo Greens from August 18-25, 2007. We had Unit D202, which was arranged through an RCI timeshare exchange. We were pretty much pleased with the unit, although it wasn't the best we stayed in and certainly not worthy of any Gold Crown status. The unit itself was well-appointed with a full kitchen, two bedrooms, washer-dryer and two full baths. There was plenty of room for just the two of us, but I think with more than four people it will be a bit crowded.

Waikaloa is nestled about six miles up from the coast...it's pretty quiet, but do not expect a quiet vacation if you are here. The landscapers begin around 7:30 every morning, so there is no chance of sleeping in if you wanted to. The resort has a very small pool (3 foot deep all around) that is usually filled with kids...when there are few people there, it's quite relaxing. We did not choose to pay $5 per day for air conditioning since the fans and tradewinds kept us quite cool all week long....but when the windows are open, we were subject to the gobbles of the wild turkeys and nenes every morning!

We enjoyed the Monday evening reception with free pupu platters and live hula music. What we did NOT enjoy was the gimmicky orientation meeting. It was nice to get an overview of the island and the activities offered....there had to be about a dozen or so individuals promoting everything from luaus to horseback riding to snorkeling adventures. After each presentation, however, the prices were mentioned -- the regular price and the much-much-cheaper price for those who have a "Diamond Club Card." Ever presenter promoted the "Diamond Club Card." The huge catch is that if you want the card, you have to attend a two-hour presentation at the resort's sister property to qualify for any discount for any of the activities. How disappointed we were....we felt this strategy was quite duplicitous.

There is a good grocery store in the marketplace around the corner from the resort, as well as a video store-combo-snorkel store and a bar-restaurant called Sharky's. By far, the best best place to eat is in Waimea, about 10 minutes up the road....Tako Taco Mexican is absolutely wonderful! We ate there twice..the food is fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced. The atmosphere is fun and staff is friendly and helpful!

We travel on timeshare exchanges quite a bit. Tripadvisor is a great place to get reviews so I decided to finally post one to balance the very positive reviews.

1. On check-in, the lady was not able to give us a newer unit or one with a south west view so we ended up with with a generic second/third floor unit with a North view to the golf course.

2. There seems to be a number of different units. The queen second bedrooms with a bigger dining room but a very awkward kitchen. That's the unit we ended up with. We visited with some folks we met and they had a double single bed second bedroom units with a funny little sitting room.

3. The TVs are very small and old (a surprise in light of very inexpensive TV prices around).

4. Furniture is ok.

5. Appliances are old and microwave is very old. Cupboards are fairly cheap.

6. No fan to outside for cooking (a pet peeve of mine) but the wind is high enough that there is a natural high rate of circulation to clean cooking smells (I use a ton of garlic in my cooking :)

7. Generally a bit of an older resort from what I could tell with only a few BBQ to share. See pictures on grungy items.

8. New Hawaii "no smoking within 20 feet of building" law from November 2006 is being ignored (PS smokers, Hawaii is not for you).

9. You have to pay for air conditioning by getting a key. Don't need it because the wind is amazing and we came here to get away from the cold :-)

10. No Internet access but they do provide a direct line out so one can use a cheap $10/month national dialup provider with local call to Hilo.

On the plus side, the staff is generally very good (pleasant, accommodating) and we have no complaints. Adequate cooking and expected for a full kitchen.

Golfing is right there (although your slice might not improve with that wind!)

I would have given this a neutral rating (certainly not gold) except for the cockroach I just killed in the kitchen. I've stayed in Hawaii numerous times and never seen one before, let alone inside! I expect cockroaches in lower quality environments where the buildings are poorly constructed (lots of holes which allows bug in even when all the doors and screens are kept closed). In Mexico, yes, in Hawaii RCI Gold Crown resort? No.

And yes, they spray but how healthy is that?

I would not stay here again. We almost booked here for our other weeks in Hawaii this year - glad we didn't!

.....

Update 1

I was hoping my wife didn't see this review until we checked out but she saw the cockroach word... Oh well. Here is her input:

1. Dryer doesn't dry.

2. Had to remove nasty little dangerous hook from cupboard to prevent injuries (we'll put it back before we leave).

3. Pillow are a little big

4. Walking distance to a good grocery store.

5. Ok, what's this cockroach thing! Where?!

Stayed there for a week in June 2006. We would only stay there again if every other place on the Big Island was booked.

Here are some tips: Do NOT pay extra for the AC. By opening balcony doors, you can get sufficient cross-ventilation to be comfortable. It is typically very windy there. They get people to sign up for the AC (which is an extra $4-5 per day) because they completely close down each unit after cleaning it, which means it is very stuffy when you arrive.

DO NOT bring your own towels. The resort has blue towels, we brought two of our own grey towels and they disappeared at the midweek cleaning. Went to the office and was told they would look for them and call. Apparently, this is somewhat akin to OJ's search for the real killers.

BE ADVISED that the floor plans have the bedrooms, bathrooms and W/D on the second floor of the unit. Not a problem for my wife and me, but might be a concern for older guests.

DO NOT count on the activities center being at all helpful. We were simply browsing brochures when one of the high-pressure sales types button-holed us with a sales pitch for the time-shares. What an obnoxious tool he was. We just went down to the Bay Club to book our activities as we own there.

DO NOT leave the stupid parking tag hanging on your rear view if you rent a convertible. Just place it on your dash when you get out. For some reason, they don't bother to take license plates down, so if you forget to display the parking tag, some tool places a note under your dash every night. They also use numbered spaces, so hard could it be to verify your vehicle?

While staying there, we got a visit that we were playing our music too loud -- this was at 8:00 PM at night and it was being played at a lower level than adjoining televisions. Go figure.

Advantages: Pool is reasonably nice, but you have to pay to rent tennis racket, basketball, etc. Soon, I imagine they will charge to play ping pong, but still free for the time being. You can walk to the grocery store in Waikoloa easily, but for most activities, you'll have to travel (It's seven miles from the Waikoloa/A-bay/Hilton complex.) Kitchen is reasonably well-equipped. Our unit fronted onto the golf course and we could enjoy some nice sunrises. As an early riser, the maintenance equipment on the course didn't bother me.

Disadvantage: The quality of the workmanship in the units was quite shoddy -- the complex does not age well. As someone in the building trades, it's always disheartening to see poor workmanship.

I Went to Paniolo Greens prepared for the worst but hoping for the best after reading other travelers reviews on this site.

I spent the extra money on a convertible as suggested by one review and I am very happy that I did because the location requires drive time to get everywhere. Wonderful beaches and resorts are aprox 15-30 min from Paniolo Greens. The shopping center with market and several casual restaurants is only 5 min. drive. It took us aprox35 min. to get to airport w\out traffic.

The decor was simple and fine. White paint, cheerful bright comforters, clean sheets and towels. The living room had a comfortable pull out couch, large TV and nice radio\CD player. We had a med size balcony w\ table and 3 chairs over looking golf course just off of the living room.

The bed was comfortable and the place was pretty clean although we did need to scrub the refrigerator and shower with comet to make it smell better and for our own comfort.

The carpet was in good condition.

AC was not needed. We got a good cross breeze by opening the sliding doors to the 3 balconies and using the ceiling fans. We had 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms upstairs. Each bedroom had a very small balcony w\ sliding screen door to let in air but keep out bugs.

BUGGS: The resort states they spray regularly and ask guests to take precautions to help keep away bugs. I only found 1 very very very sm. bug in my room during my 7 day stay. We kept all food in fridge, took out garbage regularly and kept front door and screen doors closed as requested by resort and happily had no roach problems.

I did however find 1 small roach and 1 large roach in our rental car 10 min. after driving it off of the rental lot. I recommend you ask if the car has been sprayed and keep all your bags closed at all times-in car and in resort.

Over all, the rooms were not bad but it was NOT a 4 or 5 star property as advertised. I would compare it to a Holiday INN.

I WILL NOT RETURN TO THIS RESORT for the following reasons:

1. The location requires more drive time then I want on a vacation.

2. The resort has NO ELEVATOR so I had to drag my bags up 3 outside flights of stairs and 1 inside flight of stairs.

3. NOT WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE A 4 OR 5 STAR PROPERTY

4. NOISE FACTOR: It is very hard to sleep in until 6:30am if your bedroom is on the golf course side the country club mows the green every day at 5am!!!!!

I We spoke to Paniolo Greens about this and they explained that it is the country clubs policy which is separate from Paniolo Greens and they have no control over their grounds schedule. I guess if you close the windows and use the AC maybe you could sleep through the noise.

On the parking lot side the bedrooms had less noise except on day 3 a very loud and rude family checked in next door. They woke me up at 4am yelling back and forth to each other from the car to the house for almost 30min. They were on their way to see the volcano and spoke to each other as if it was 4 in the afternoon and they had to communicate above the sound of a racing train. Several days later they did the same thing at 5:00am when they were on their way to a boating trip.

Again, if I had the window closed and AC on I may have been able to sleep through their inconsiderate behavior.

Yes, there is still construction going on but we were not disturbed from our room location.

5. I like to exercise on vacation and the workout room is very small with 3 old machines. I had to wait to use the 1 treadmill and although I got a decent workout on it I would like better facilities.

However, I noticed many people walking around the property in the morning for exercise and they seemed satisfied with that. The pool was also fine and big enough to do laps if you want.

I love the big island and I will return as soon as I can but I will find other accommodations.

Another Shell review....

Shell salesmen will tell you ANYTHING to make a sell. Don't get sucked in!!!

We were promised Hawaii availability at any time, with the caveat that we might not get the exact property we wanted, but would certainly get something...any time of the year.

Bullpoopy!

We requested12/26-1/10/09, currently the only properties available for this time period are: Wisconsin, Oregon and San Antonio Texas. Clearly a far cry from Hawaii.

RCI should be ashamed to rate this place Gold Crown! We spent 2 nights here and had RCI move us. Our unit in Building H was run down and dirty. We wouldn't walk on the carpet without our shoes. The bathtub had black stuff stuck to the non-slip surface and there was mildew covered up by caulk. I went and bought bleach and tried to clean it myself. There was no wireless internet access and the room had a 19 inch TV. Come on! The pool was tiny. Everything about the place was old and outdated. The furniture was terribly uncomfortable. Even the refrigerator door opened the wrong way. Do I have anything good to say about the place. Yes, it was quiet.

As a family of four traveling for two weeks to the Big Island we were very disappointed in our accommodations. We felt we were so far away from everything. In order to see things it was a 45-60 minute ride. The pool was rather small for such a large complex. The hot tub did not work for the two weeks we were there. We had mice as our unwanted vacation guest. The resort itself I felt was not kid friendly. Luckily we had good weather on our side.

The Paniolo Greens has a childrens playground, childrens activites throughout the day at our onsite activities desk, and a kids pool for their enjoyment.

Although the resort is located away from Kona, activities and amenities in the immediate vacinity includes a large grocery store, upscale shops, several well known restaurants such as Ruth Chris' Steak House, Roys, Tommy Bahama Restaurant, and Merriman's. Several of the islands best beaches and golf courses are located within minutes of the resort.

The resort is also centrally situated between the volcano National Park and Kealakekua Bay. The Big island is the largest Hawaiian Island and drving between destinations is expected.

This is a two part review so bear with me.

My family of 4 plus niece and sister in law stayed at the Paniolo Greens in 2003. We actually had a good time at the condo: clean, close to shopping, nice beach etc. Pool was nice too.

OK, ready for the "Terrible" review? We were suckered at the sales presentation to join Shell Explorers and try a condo later for a week with Shell Vacation Club. We put a down payment, promised a free bonus week etc. But here is the kicker. We decided to pay equal payments to buy points for a stay at a Shell Vacation Club property. We were also told by the slick salesman that there was a money back guarantee that if we decided not to stay we would get our money back. OK, to make a long story short, we made all our payments and then were told the offer expired and we were out $1500. We have noever gotten satisfaction from them. My tax man says we make too much money to write it off as a bad debt.

Chalk that up to experience...

We have been very happy using RCI to find property to swap for our nice condo in Carlsbad, CA.

We were thinking about buying a timeshare with Shell Vacations. Thank goodness we stayed in one of thier resorts first!

This place was so bad!! When we took a shower in the master bedroom, we had to stand in 4 inches of water because it did not drain. We had to listen to the wind howling around the windows that did not seal.

There were ants in the kitchen and dining area. We went to the pool, but we were unable to swim because it was too dirty.

We went on thier presentation at thier other location we spoke to a manager and he told us because we had not spent $20,000 with them and did not intend to that we got what we deserved!!

As an actual Paniolo Greens Timeshare owner, I am extremely dissapointed in the condition of the units.

During our stay, we suffered through dirty, filthy carpets, a leaking washing machine, which leaked all the way to the downstairs a non working A/C unit, which we had to pay extra for. No housekeeping till the latter part of the week. Shoddy furniture and overall lack of upkeep, not what was expected for a 5 star rating.

Being a Paniolo Green timeshare owner, I was dissapointed enough to actually placed my unit for Sale. The price that I am paying is not worth the condition of the units nor how truly uncomfortable our stay was.

Having visited the island many time before, I would recommend a stay in Kona or any of the hotels in the area before I would stay in Paniolo Greens.