Hawaiian havens

Say 'aloha' to Hawaii Island's most storied stays, where historic royal towns, ancient ruins and a landscape carved by raw volcanic power offer a backdrop every bit as enticing as the accommodation

- Jeanne Cooper

COURTYARD KING KAMEHAMEHA'S KONA BEACH HOTEL

King Kamehameha the Great, who unified the Hawaiian islands in 1810, held councils by Kamakahonu Cove in Kailua-Kona- the small beach in front of the hotel- until his death in 1819. Today, performers dressed in royal attire arrive via outrigger to the hotel's luau, while the lobby has portraits of Hawaii's alii (royalty) and paintings by revered cultural historian Herb Kawainui Kāne. Some of the 452 recently renovated rooms have views of the Mokuaikaua Church (the first in the islands), Hualalai volcano and the Hulihe'e Palace, a summer palace-turned-museum that reflects the decline of Hawaii's royalty in the 20th century. The two hotel restaurants offer good value, but the coffee bar and shaved ice stand are tastier. Rooms from around £319 per night, excluding breakfast; konabeachhotel.com

HOLUALOA INN 

One of few B&Bs left on the island, this lodge lies south of Kailua-Kona and sits high above the ocean on a 12-hectare farm filled with 5,300 coffee trees and lavish foliage. Owners Paul and Cassandra Hazen sell their Kona coffee under the Brazen Hazen label, and you can get a custom cup every morning with your garden-sourced breakfast in the ocean-view dining room. Check out the art in the Great Room, then make the most of the vistas from the hilltop pool and gazebo. Guest rooms have ocean, garden or pool views, but be prepared for the nightly chirp of tree frogs. When you're not gazing out to sea, visit the nearby HN Greenwell Store Museum, one of the oldest buildings on the island, which delves into the area's agricultural history. Rooms from around £460 per night (minimum two nights), including breakfast; holualoainn.com

FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI