I took my mom to Hawaii's Kona Village resort for $1,765 a night — our stay was almost perfect

• My mom and I stayed at Rosewood’s Kona Village resort on Hawaii’s Big Island for $1,765 a night.
• Some highlights of our stay included our ocean-view room and access to a black-sand beach.
• The resort’s spa treatments seemed overpriced and some meals were just OK, but our stay was great.

Hawaii recently took the top spot in a ranking of the happiest states in the US to live in — and it’s also long been a favorite vacation spot for my family.

We’ve spent time on Maui, Lanai, and Kawaii, but the Big Island is my personal favorite. In my experience, the Kona coast has wonderful weather, great beaches, and a lot of diverse marine life to observe.

On my most recent trip, I stayed at Kona Village. The property closed in 2011 after facing severe tsunami damage and reopened last year as Rosewood Hotel Group’s first property in Hawaii.

I’m a longtime fan of Rosewood hotels and resorts, so I was excited to visit this location for the first time. My travel agent booked my mom and me the best available rate at the resort, which included one free night and an upgrade to an ocean-view room.

This was absolutely a splurge: We paid $1,765 per night, which included credits for breakfast each day and tax.