Hotel Announcements
Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort Celebrates a Holiday Season Rooted in Joy on Hawaiʻi Island
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's experiences welcome guests to gather around island traditions, moonlit evenings and a playful sense of discovery.
KAILUA-KONA, HAWAIʻI | [05 October 2026] – This holiday season, Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort invites guests to gather in the warmth of Hawaiʻi Island. Beginning with Thanksgiving in November and continuing through New Year's Day, the resort brings together keiki (children's) crafts and Santa's arrival on Kahuwai Bay, moonlit sound baths and glow-in-the-dark pickleball, island traditions, artisan pop-ups and festive feasts – an ideal multigenerational escape.
With 150 guest hale, the property welcomes groups and families to celebrate the season in refined accommodations from the Ocean View Hale for intimate festivities to the property’s stunning collection of signature suites, including the ‘Ohana Pool Four-Bedroom Kauhale, Ocean Front Four Bedroom Kumukea Kauhale, and Ocean Front Four Bedroom Maheawalu Kauhale, all perfect for larger gatherings with their varied amenities and layouts.
“At Kona Village, the holidays are about joy in its simplest form: a child's face when Santa comes ashore, a family laughing together under the stars, neighbors gathering as the tree lights up for the first time. This season, we've created moments across the resort that invite guests of every age to slow down, play and feel that sense of wonder together, surrounded by the natural beauty of Kaʻūpūlehu and the warmth of our ʻohana.”
TRACY STOLTZ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, KONA VILLAGE, A ROSEWOOD RESORT
THANKSGIVING AT KONA VILLAGE
The season opens over Thanksgiving week, as kids paint pumpkins and race in a Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot at the Keiki Club, while grown-ups take to the courts for a holiday pickleball tournament. Holiday gifting takes a personal turn, from a Jewels by Piper trunk show at Island Copra Boutique on November 21st and 22nd to a November 27th pop-up with Vicki Jean Leather Works and The Palm Club, where guests can personalize monogrammed leather bags and make their own puka shell jewelry.
Evenings bring their own kind of magic, from Movie Night Under the Stars to an exclusive visit from Bar BenFiddich, November 21st and 22nd. Named to The World’s 50 Best Bars, the Tokyo-based bar is led by Hiroyasu Kayama, whose farm-driven cocktails travel from an intimate 15-seat setting in Shinjuku to the shores of Kona. Pūlehu Night invites guests to a lively dining experience inspired by the Hawaiian tradition of pūlehu, a celebration of gathering and connection featuring wood-fired meats and produce, interactive culinary stations, live local music, and warm Hawaiian hospitality, while Thanksgiving Day finds Moana and Kahuwai Cookhouse setting the table for holiday feasts overlooking Kahuwai Bay.
WONDER IN A NEW LIGHT
December gets underway with the return of friend of Kona Village and Michelin-recognized Chef-Vintner Dustin Valette, who celebrates Hawaiʻi Island's agricultural traditions from December 11th to 13th with one-night-only dinners at Moana and Island Roots and an excursion to Hawaiian Vanilla Co., the country's first commercial vanilla farm.
As the weekend winds down, the Christmas spirit switches on, as guests and neighbors alike gather for Kona Village's annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 13th. Rather than a traditional evergreen, the resort's tree is a towering cone of natural wooden poles adorned with handwoven wreaths and crowned with a rustic wooden star, an island take on a holiday classic. From there, the Keiki Club counts down to Christmas with snowflake crafts, Letters to Santa and a Gingerbread Hale Decorating Contest, while grown-ups can meet local artists over a glass of champagne at the Kona Village Art Walk at Asaya Spa on December 18th.
In the spirit of Rosewood's global festive campaign, Wonder in a New Light, the season shines brightest after dark. Guests can settle into stillness at the Supermoon Sound Bath on December 23rd, rally on the pickleball courts beneath the night sky at Moonlight Match, or roll out their mats in pajamas for Family Pajama Yoga. Around the table, Island Roots: Holiday Edition welcomes guests as ‘ohana to a communal feast celebrating the island's bounty, and on December 22nd, Paniolo Pāʻina honors Hawaiʻi's ranching heritage with wood-fired flavors.
CHRISTMAS ON KAHUWAI BAY
Santa's Workshop keeps keiki busy on Christmas Eve crafting totes and hats, and that evening, Kahuwai Cookhouse presents a holiday edition of Pūlehu Night, bringing wood-fired cooking and locally sourced ingredients to the shoreline. Come Christmas morning, the whole ʻohana heads to the sand at 9 a.m. to Welcome Santa on the Beach before gathering that evening at Moana for a Christmas dinner inspired by the flavors of Hawaiʻi, with dishes such as Taro & Crab Cakes, Pumpkin & Sage Risotto and a chocolate peppermint mousse.
WELCOMING 2027
The year closes with a family-friendly celebration at Kīpuka Nanea, where an expansive feast of caviar, truffles and seafood towers, paired with champagne, traditional Hawaiian entertainment, live music and keiki activities. Afterward, the party moves to Hoʻea Lawn for dancing beneath fireworks.
On New Year's Day, a quieter start awaits at Hale Hoʻokipa, where the Intention Setting Sound Bath pairs soothing vibrations with guided reflection, carrying the festive season from celebration into renewal.
KEY SUMMARY
Holiday programming at Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort runs from November 21st, 2026 through January 2nd, 2027, spanning keiki, wellness, cultural, retail and culinary experiences, from Keiki Club crafts to Welcome Santa on the Beach on Christmas morning.
The annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 13th brings together guests and the local community.
Several evening experiences echo Rosewood's global Wonder in a New Light campaign: the Supermoon Sound Bath, Moonlight Match, New Year's Eve fireworks and the Intention Setting Sound Bath.
Daily Hawaiian cultural experiences include sunrise canoe paddles, petroglyph tours and workshops at Kaʻuluola Cultural Center.
Holiday shopping includes trunk shows and pop-ups from local makers and the Kona Village Art Walk.
Culinary highlights include a Bar BenFiddich and Valette pop-up, Island Roots Dinner: Holiday Edition, Paniolo Pāʻina, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and a family-friendly New Year's Eve Celebration.
FAQ
What holiday events does Kona Village offer in 2026?
Thanksgiving programming runs from November 21st to 29th. Festive programming runs from December 11th through January 2nd and includes a tree lighting, keiki activities, wellness experiences, cultural workshops, artisan pop-ups and holiday dining.
Is Kona Village family-friendly over Christmas?
Yes. The Keiki Club hosts holiday crafts and activities in the days before Christmas, including Letters to Santa, the Gingerbread Hale Decorating Contest and Santa's Workshop. Santa arrives on Kahuwai Bay on Christmas morning, and Family Pajama Yoga and Movie Night Under the Stars are open to all ages.
What Hawaiian cultural activities are available at Kona Village?
Daily sunrise canoe paddles, petroglyph tours, and workshops at Kaʻuluola Cultural Center including lei making, ʻohe kāpala and pua hulu, as well as Island Roots Dinner and Paniolo Pāʻina.
What wellness experiences does Kona Village offer during the holidays?
Daily yoga, plus breathwork and sound baths in the Movement Studio. Special sessions include the Supermoon Sound Bath (December 23rd), Moonlight Match (December 27th), Family Pajama Yoga (December 29th) and the Intention Setting Sound Bath (January 1st).
Throughout the season, Asaya Spa, Rosewood's integrative wellness concept, offers a selection of healing journeys and treatments that transcend the four walls of the spa, designed to support mind, body and soul.
What are the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner options at Kona Village?
Thanksgiving dinners are served at Moana and Kahuwai Cookhouse on November 26th. On Christmas Eve, Kahuwai Cookhouse presents a festive Pūlehu Night, and on Christmas Day, Moana serves a holiday prix fixe dinner.
How does Kona Village celebrate New Year's Eve?
On December 31st, Kona Village hosts a family-friendly New Year's Eve Celebration at Kīpuka Nanea from 7 to 9 p.m., featuring an expansive dinner of celebratory favorites, elevated island flavors and indulgent touches such as caviar, truffles and seafood towers, accompanied by traditional Hawaiian entertainment, live music, keiki activities and champagne. At 9 p.m., the celebration continues on Hoʻea Lawn with music, dancing and festive cocktails as a fireworks display lights up the sky.
How can guests learn more or make reservations?
Availability, pricing and reservations vary by experience. Guests may contact the resort at +1 808 865 0100 or konavillage.concierge@rosewoodhotels.com for any additional inquires.
About Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort
Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort, is an iconic hideaway rooted in joy and an innately spirited way of life. Perched on the shores of Ka‘ūpūlehu, this is an escape that inspires connection: to the self, to others and to the land. Kona Village honors the wisdom of the ancient fishing village that once thrived in its place. From the collection of artworks by local talent to the 150 thatch-roofed hales, every design detail echoes their sustainable way of life. Smoked meats, freshly caught seafood and produce from the culinary garden shape flavors at the three restaurants and two bars, while at a communal feast, guests are invited to celebrate tradition and community with local chefs. Whether enjoying a healing treatment at Asaya Spa or observing the ocean on a sunrise paddle, rejuvenation is woven into every moment.
Discover more: rosewoodhotels.com/kona-village
Media Contact
Jessica Berthold-Zuk
Director of Marketing