Hello Everyone! I am proud to have just recived confirmation to attend the Ironman Sports Medicine Conference, and will also be volunteering in the med tent. The conference hotel is the Royal Kona Resort…just wondering if anyone can tell me if that is a good location to watch the race or if it might be better to stay somewhere else? The conference runs Oct 5-9th, with Oct 11 being the big day of course…
Thanks!
The Royal Kona is just on the edge of town and an easy walk to race activities and the transition/finish area at the King K and the Pier. The swim turnaround is close to the hotel and the run goes past the grounds on Alii twice. Good location.
See you at the conference! (I’m probably staying in a condo, so I can’t give you much insight into hotel choice)
Jodi
Royal Kona is fine. Great place for a cocktail to watch the sun go down! And in shuffling distance to Lava Java, where you’ll find Kestrel Kerri and I.
clm
Was there in may for Honu 70.3 (with an awesome $800 deal for 1 week, flight included from Phx! deal you won’t get in October by the way ;-))
Nice hotel, walking distance from everything in Kona.
Ditto what everyone else said. Beware of top floor rooms…the AC is VERY noisy.
Haim
I stayed there last year AND attended the Ironman Medical Conference as well. Good buffet breakfast…room was a bit dirty and, I agree, LOUD. Night before the race they had a big, booming hula party until about 10pm.
However, it’s not too bad, esp. with your Ironman Medical Conference deal. Incidentally, I have a condo that I’ve personally rented about 2 miles down Alii drive, and am willing to share it with one other person if someone has not yet found a room. Just e-mail me, ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com
Ben
Cheers,
I’ve stayed there a couple of times. Can’t beat the location. Beware, ‘garden view’ rooms typically means opening your patio door/window to the parking lot.
Night before the race they had a big, booming hula party until about 10pm.
Agreed. We stay across the street at the Billfisher and we could hear that Party last year. It’s a good thing the boss does really not care how much sleep she gets the night before - even with absolute silence she sleeps little!
Location is great. Not right in town, but everything you need is a 5 - 10 minute walk away.
She was once a proud flagship hotel, but alas has gone far past her prime. If you can get an ocean view you have the catbird seat for the swim. She is right in the thick of things in Kona Town, but maybe a bit rundown (as is the whole town). All the money takes a left turn out of the airport, so Kona as quaint as it once was is not so much any more. I would guess it would be as good of a place to stay as any in Kona.
If you don’t have your bike there, I would rent a beach cruiser. A car in Kona Ironman week is not a pretty site. The bike will be much faster getting around. Alii Drive is fairly flat so you probably won’t need gears. Enjoy.
She was once a proud flagship hotel, but alas has gone far past her prime. If you can get an ocean view you have the catbird seat for the swim. She is right in the thick of things in Kona Town, but maybe a bit rundown (as is the whole town). All the money takes a left turn out of the airport, so Kona as quaint as it once was is not so much any more.
No kidding. I was in Kona last year for IMH( and will be again this year). Last year was the first time that I had been in Kona in 15 years. Many places( hotels etc. .) had not really changed, been upgraded or re-modeled in 15 years! It was somewhat of a surprise to me. But you are right, most of the big money heads north from the Airport now to the self-contained resorts out that way - Waikiloa and beyond. IMH plus the occasional cruise ship docking is really the only things that go on right in the town proper.
You’re also less than a 5 minute walk from Lava Java, maybe THE place other than the pier to see and be seen in Kona during Ironweek.
Mahalo Madame Pele that downtown Kona is a bit run down. She allows a truly middle class guy like me (a rarity in triathlon it seems) to afford to vacation there every year.
Enjoy the madness!
Yeah, agree mostly with prev. posts. I stayed there with Fam in my Ironman race 07. Nice walk to swim start and the Pier.
I too am scheduled for the conference and volunteering this year and will stay there again. 13 min off a qualifing time at CdA this year, but kept the spot for the Medical conference.
Don’t thank Pele too much, she is Killing Konatown. The vog is horrible about 80% of the time now and Kona is off the travel agents list as fun places to go. Good for Maui, but Kona is in a deep hole. I wouldn’t live there no way. We on the other islands pray for trade winds so that shit does not come our way.
Yes, the RKR is a bit run down… and at all cost avoid the back side of the Bay/Harbor (?) Tower with the dumpsters right behind it. Were there last yeat and it really sucked. The Alii and Lagoon Towers are alright.
Concerning the vog: It really is a pain in the butt as there are virtually no pretty sunsets left to anjoy in Kona due to the vog. And It’ll last some time… the last time around it lasted a few decades I was told… just depends on how long the eruption continues. For as long as that see real estate prices go down even further.
Can you clarify what Vog is? My only guess would be volcano fog??
Thanks,
RF
Correct. VOG is nature’s smog - Volcanic Gas.
Can you clarify what Vog is? My only guess would be volcano fog??
Thanks,
RF
No vog:
Same view w/vog:
