Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Tower Waikoloa Village

Customer ratings & reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

761 reviews

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  The Breakfast Switcheroo

  The Bad: 1) Very frustrating to be charged for breakfast to only get a tiny breakfast burrito [size of an egg roll] and coffee for $25/person when there were verbal indications that the charge would include their Big Island Breakfast buffet. Because the website was unclear what one would get with their option to include breakfast in the room rate, I made two separate calls to speak to a real human to understand what would be the best option. The first call to the Ocean Towers number resulted in a brief conversation where the woman quickly transferred me to “someone who could help answer my question” but was really a salesperson in Las Vegas who wanted to sell me a timeshare ‘opportunity.’ Since that was a waste of my time, I called the main Hilton number to attempt an understanding of the breakfast charge. I was told the Big Island Breakfast buffet was $55/person before tax/tip if chosen at the hotel, but they could book me at the more reasonable pre-selected breakfast option at about half that cost. [before the call ended they also tried to send me to the timeshare sales people]. I selected the room rate which included breakfast as it seemed the better value; until I arrived at the hotel to learn I had selected a disappointing ‘breakfast snack’ option, not their big buffet. [I am sure the hotel will say that somewhere hidden in their website is the explanation of the two different options, but I did not see it nor did the two people with whom I spoke on the phone explain it.] 2) The check-in process was incredibly slow; something is wrong with their process. I received a shrug and silence when I mentioned the misleading information on the breakfast choice. I guess it wasn’t her problem to solve. The Good: Five stars for Housekeeping, Maintenance and Grounds keeping [which brings up the overall average]. First, housekeeping noticed a part came off our shower head. We did not report it as it didn’t change functionality, but one day came back to the room to find the shower head had been replaced without our mentioning it. ]The location and nice landscaping are highlights – there is always a crew out working to keep it sharp. Finally, the room was clean and functional; though, it would have been nice to have a microwave along with the refrigerator. The Ugly: 1) The WiFi was barely usable. Without doubt, the worst service I have had at a hotel in at least a decade. The signal was weak and even when connected it frequently showed ‘no internet.’ 2) The parking charge of $48/day is a bit steep. That is what we paid for a rental car per day. But I did see that charge clearly posted on their website when making the reservation, so I went in with my eyes open. Mahalo, y’all.

  Jan 31, 2026
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  Always a nice stay

  A favorite of ours for sure. Trams were super slow this time. Clean rooms, friendly staff, cold drinks. Loved the floating cabanas

  Jan 07, 2026
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  Resort is big with lots of options but horrible service and prices too costly

  Very disappointed. First. Check-in was a debacle. Given wrong keys and had to trek back to get correct ones. Then on our first day there were no pool towels - for the entire resort we were told by staff. How is that possible? One day there was no food at one of the pool bars. Yet, there was food at the pool bar at the opposite end of the resort. Then we had housekeeping for our room and while some things were cleaned they didn’t replenish coffee or wipe down mirrors. Basic/customary services at this price point aren’t offered - For example there is only cocktail/snack service at one of there pools, even if you rent a cabana. Outdoor furniture is not kept up well. Most chairs are covered in bird poop. I also found the prices for rather lackluster food & beverages to be ridiculously high...I paid $25 for a small cheese pizza for example. While the ocean tower rooms are quite spacious /well appointed and there are a lot of options for dining and pools, including a lagoon, the total lack of service makes the resort not worth the price at all.

  Jan 05, 2026
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  Bad Service

  This place is a complete disaster. We are currently staying in the Ocean Tower with three connected ocean-side rooms, and the level of mismanagement here is unbelievable. Housekeeping refused to clean our rooms and told us cleaning only happens on the fourth day unless requested 24 hours in advance. This was never mentioned at check-in, never explained anywhere, and never communicated when I called earlier in the day. Are guests supposed to magically know this? Most people check out by the fourth day. I have NEVER experienced this at any hotel. Even worse, the one room they said would be cleaned was NOT cleaned at all. After calling again, housekeeping said I had to contact the Ocean Tower front desk because they use a “different system.” That’s not my problem. Your internal chaos should not be pushed onto paying guests. I called the Ocean Tower front desk three times—no answer. I asked for a manager and was promised a call back. Never happened. No accountability. No urgency. No care. We are traveling with three young boys, and at least one clean room should be the bare minimum. Instead, we were left completely helpless. It honestly feels like this place just wants your money and couldn’t care less once you check in. Poolside food service was just as bad. Part of our order never arrived because staff “missed it” and admitted they were short-staffed. Then DON’T offer the service. Don’t take people’s money and deliver chaos. This is not a vacation resort—this is a poorly run operation hiding behind ocean views. Everything feels understaffed, disorganized, and dismissive. If you’re planning a family vacation, DO NOT COME HERE unless you want stress, dirty rooms, and zero support. Save your money and your sanity.

  Jan 02, 2026
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  Beautiful but Too Hard to Get Around

  Ocean Tower at Hilton Waikoloa is a timeshare property. It’s an expensive resort so we were expecting the level of service and accessibility that the price point suggests. The resort itself is undeniably beautiful, with an impressive layout and a wide variety of options for swimming and water sports. However, the property is extremely expansive, which makes the boats and trams essential for getting to/from the room, transportation and amenities. This is especially important for guests traveling with young children and seniors. Unfortunately, the boats were completely out of service for our entire stay and the trams ran inconsistently, creating long walks that were not reasonable for our group. Navigating the resort on foot was further complicated by how difficult it was to locate elevators between levels, making basic movement unnecessarily challenging. At this price, reliable transportation and clear accessibility should be a given. Further, parking is $48-$55 per day on top of the room. If you have another option, I would strongly recommend considering it given the problematic transportation and accessibility.

  Dec 28, 2025