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I’ve never been to the moon, but I imagine it looks like the drive from Kona International Airport to the Kohala Coast. Eons of volcanic eruptions have created a landscape of ancient black lava fields along Queen K’ahumanu Highway, and it’s a surreal approach to enjoy as you arrive at the Fairmont Orchid.
In 2025, the Fairmont Orchid completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of the guest rooms, the Fairmont Gold lounge, the spa, and the meeting and event spaces. Throughout the property, new design elements and art honor Hawaiian culture, incorporating a palette of natural hues, and the result is an elegant hotel which doesn’t even try to compete with the scenery that drew you to Hawaii in the first place. Here’s what I thought of it.
What are the rooms like at the Fairmont Orchid?
Each is generously sized, ranging from spacious guest rooms to expansive suites (with plenty of options in between). There are 540 accommodations in total, and they’re spread across two six-story towers, but it manages to feel surprisingly intimate – oh, and this clever layout means that every room has a view of the ocean or gardens, each featuring at least one private lanai.
ADA-compliant accommodations include styles with extra-wide doorways, walk-in showers, grab bars in the tub, and hearing-accessible rooms with visual notifications for door knocks, phone calls, or emergency alarms.
The decor is understated, with creams and beiges punctuated by the occasional pop of blue, gold, or green. Our Fairmont Gold Ocean View King room included a cozy sitting area, and a marble bathroom with a deep soaking tub, a separate shower, and my personal holy grail: Le Labo toiletries. Other amenities included plush robes, a 45-inch flat-screen TV with a built-in media hub, as well as keepsake branded Soma water bottles.
What’s more, our room came with access to a dedicated concierge who seemed to know every guest by name, as well as an exclusive lounge. It’s an upgrade, but arguably worth it if you plan to eat most of your meals onsite. We often found ourselves popping into the lounge for meals and snacks, and our favorites included fluffy blueberry macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup for breakfast and fresh poke or coconut shrimp in the evening.
What are the best things to eat and drink at Fairmont Orchid?
We were traveling with another couple, and everyone agreed our best meal was dinner at Brown’s Beach House, where a chunk of the menu was prepared with ingredients grown onsite, such as with honey harvested from the Fairmont Orchid’s beehives.
The meal started with ube rolls so airy and delicately sweet that we had to restrain ourselves from ordering another basket for fear of ruining our appetite, and our main courses were served with flourish, including an Instagram-worthy ti leaf-wrapped kanpachi finished tableside. The ambiance and atmosphere were every bit as memorable, with open-air seating, live music, and jaw-dropping views of the sun setting over the water.
Other standout restaurants include Binchotan Bar & Grill (for an Asian-inspired menu), Hale Kai (for casual meals like fish sandwiches and vegetarian buddha bowls) and newest addition Kahahakai Cruiser (a shiny Airstream-style beachside taco truck).
What are the pools and amenities like at Fairmont Orchid?
The hotel’s 32 acres are brimming with tropical gardens, koi ponds, and waterfalls, leading to Pauoa Bay, a protected white-sand lagoon. The calm water was perfect for swimming, kayaking, and snorkeling with schools of tropical fish, but you might also spot Hawaiian green sea turtles, or honu, and we loved watching them sunning on the beach in the afternoons.
Behind the lagoon, the resort’s 10,000-square-foot oceanfront pool has private cabanas, day beds, and plenty of loungers. You can also pass the time on the tennis and pickleball courts, on the greens at the neighboring Mauna Lani Golf Course, and at a fitness center with complimentary classes like aqua aerobics and seaside yoga.
I spent a relaxing afternoon at the newly renovated Spa Without Walls, where treatments are offered in private halls perched above waterfalls and koi ponds. A glass panel in the floor offered a glimpse of colorful fish swimming beneath the treatment table during my massage – though with treatments this relaxing, it was hard to keep my eyes open.
If you’re someone who needs to stay occupied, the Fairmont Orchid offers complimentary activities such as hula lessons, lei making, and guided tours of the resort’s art collection, shoreline, and gardens.
What’s the area like around Fairmont Orchid?
The Fairmont Orchid is part of the Mauna Lani resort community, and during our stay, we took advantage of the complimentary shuttle to nearby shops and restaurants. We also walked next door to the Puakō Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve, where a trail shaded by kiawe trees leads to one of Hawaii’s largest collections of ancient petroglyphs, with more than 3,000 carvings etched into the rock.
The resort makes a convenient base for exploring the rest of the island. Waimea’s ranch country and farmers’ markets are about a 25-minute drive away, while the waterfalls and valleys of the Hamakua Coast can be reached in about an hour. We took a day trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to explore lava tubes and hiking trails. It’s roughly two hours away—an easy excursion for guests who want to see another side of the Big Island.
DETAILS
Address: 1 North Kaniku Drive, Kohala Coast, HI 96743.
Price: Rooms start at $494 per night. Fairmont Gold rooms start at $650 a night. Hawaiian residents enjoy special rates as low as $349 per night.
Closest Transport: Kona International Airport, approximately a 30-minute drive from the hotel.
Book now: via Booking.com
➡️ Check out Time Out’s full list of the very best hotels in Hawaii.
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