The Kona Inn

The Kona Inn was the only hotel in Kona in the 1920s. Downtown Kona is now very touristy in a retro sort of way -- but it was once the location of the summer palaces of the kings, queens, and other royals, and the landing place for the few determined tourists who then took the long donkey ride to see the volcano. Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London, Somerset Maugham -- many famous writers described the older hotels and homes once at this location.

The old hotel rooms are now small shops but the dining room, overlooking the beautiful Kona harbor, still serves lunch and dinner. The old system of belt-driven ceiling fans still brings the sea breeze into the dining area. A lawn goes down to the old lava-rock wall, where even small waves cause a bit of foam to crash upward -- today is calm, but if hurricane Flossie gets here next week the waves will be breaking over the wall.

We have had the fish sandwiches and calamari sandwiches here every time we come to Kona, and have always enjoyed the view.