The Bay Club at Waikoloa Beach

The Bay Club has been completely refurbished. The units are laid out nicely and feel more spacious than the neighboring HGVC property. We own at both HGVC Waikoloa and Bay Club and prefer to stay at the Bay Club. Bay Club guests are allowed to use the HGVC pool and check in and out with HGVC staff in the HGVC lobby.

You'll love what's happening at the Bay Club. Starting last summer (2010) the Bay Club has been undergoing a complete renovation of all timeshare units. This includes all new flooring (tile and carpet), new kitchens, new bathrooms, repainting with more subtle colors, new window treatments, new lighting, LCD flat screen TVs and all new indoor and lanai furniture. The new design is in line with what you'll see at new timeshares resorts in Hawaii and actually makes the units look larger than they already are. The exteriors are repainted with a slightly darker tan color which fits in nicely with the colors of the Waikoloa Beach Resort community. The two pools have recently been updated with salt water systems (replacing the chlorine) and deck furniture. The grounds have been replanted and the large water feature has been redesigned to add a putting green. A small playground has been added and Hilton (Bay Club's management company) has opened a poolside cafe and bar at the adult pool. Hilton has also expanded and outfitted a fitness center near the tennis courts which have also been resurfaced and upgraded. What hasn't changed at the Bay Club is the Ohana spirit which is carried on through both the Bay Club and Hilton staff members. It is truly like coming home to see your family when visiting the Bay Club.

We used our 2-bedroom unit in August 2007. We own timeshares in 5 other companies and by far the Bay Club is one of the best for reservation service, friendliness, and best of all, the units are very large. We accomodated 11 family members for dinner in-room one evening and the living/dining area still felt large. The lanias are very large and give you a great outdoor experience. The resort feels a little dated to us and the landscaping needs more luscious plantings as was done at the newer Hilton Waikola units adjacent to the Bay Club. However, these things aside... this is a great place.

My husband, ten-month-old, and I spent a week at this resort and it was a perfect fit for our needs. We rented a two-bedroom, two- bath condo which was quite large. The master bedroom had a king bed, the guest bedroom had two full-size beds. Both bathrooms had a soaking tub and separate shower stall.

The kitchen was smaller and there were not many pots and pans, but enough to get by on. You will need to bring/buy spices, salt/pepper, etc. for cooking as none are provided in the condo. Washer/dryer in the unit are nice to have, but pretty small so plan on doing lots of tiny loads (two one-load boxes of laundry detergent are provided).

If you are traveling with an infant, cribs are provided upon request. The resort has standard cribs and pack n' plays; I would recommend the pack n' plays as the cribs are old and the mattresses are very, very soft. Both however are "hotel size" and smaller than what you're used to.

The condo was clean and furnishings appeared new. Maid service is provided once during your stay and all linens and towels are changed. Units have a very large lanai, perfect for meals outside. We had a nice view of the golf course, but watch out for errant balls!

There are two pools which are not huge, but not crowded either. Most of the time we had the pool to ourselves, or shared it with other families. Guests can also use the pool at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club next door. The public beach is just a short drive down the road; the water is calm and good for small children or floating on a raft.

One note: when you arrive, check-in is at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club. You will see signs for The Bay Club on the right, but the gates are closed and require a key card for entry. Keep driving to the top of the hill and you will see the entrance for the Hilton Grand Vacation Club on the right.

Overall, a nice quiet resort that we would definitely recommend and return to.

We, a family of 4, stayed at The Bay Club at Waikoloa Beach, Building 1, unit 125, from August 19-24, 2006, in a 2 bedroom unit. We were originally assigned a ground floor unit, and the resort kindly accommodated us when we requested a unit on an upper floor. The unit was spacious, well equipped, clean and very nicely decorated. We had a view of the golf course. Although the unit was beside the main road, Waikoloa Beach Drive, we couldn’t hear any cars. The balcony was very large and the closet/sink/cupboards on the balcony were very useful.

The Bay Club is managed by the Hilton Grand Vacation Club (HGVC) which is the adjacent resort. The check in for the Bay Club is at the HGVC front desk. The HGVC resort is separate from the Hilton Waikoloa Village which is the hotel across the street from the Bay Club. HGVC welcomed Bay Club guests to use its pool which was much bigger and nicer than the Bay Club pools.

We found the staff friendly and helpful. The Island Orientation was very well presented and informative and was well worth attending.

We attended a timeshare presentation at the HGVC. The units at HGVC, being brand new, were very nicely decorated and luxurious. But I found them to be less spacious than the ones at the Bay Club.

The Hilton Waikoloa Village hotel is a must see. You can’t tell from the street, but it is absolutely huge in there. The trams, boats, restaurants and shops (everything but the swimming) are open to the public. I was told by the front desk that during the less busy season, they do sell a limited number of family day passes for $85 which gives you access to the pools. Dolphin Quest is a swim with the dolphins program that is run independently and you have to book far in advance to get a spot. There is a waitlist for last minute cancellations if you didn’t book before your arrival.

The Kings Shops nearby has many art, clothing, and tourist stores, several restaurants, a food court, gas station and Whalers general store. The nearest grocery store is in Waikoloa Village, about 15 minutes drive inland. We were told that a new shopping center is being built at the entrance to the Waikoloa Beach area.

Staying in Waikoloa removed us from all the hustle and bustle of the Kailua-Kona area (where we stayed the previous week), but it situated us in close driving distances to all the beautiful beaches on the Kohala Coast. Having very young children, our favorite beach was Spencer’s beach about 15 minutes north of the resort. The sand was fine and the water calm. Hapuna beach which is on of the highly rated beaches may be suitable for older kids, but the blowing sand, strong under tow, and big waves didn’t work for us.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Bay Club and look forward to our next visit there.