I stayed at Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island earlier in 2011 for a few weeks. Great place I thought. Very benign bay for kids and adults to swim . . . . and turtles are swimming in the bay all the time. Nice packages for snorkelling, kayaking, etc. Some coastal walking. Wonderful beaches in that area, with no hotels up against them. At the hotel, there's a large pool that's kid friendly. Restaurants and parking are expensive there though. We had to evacuate for a night for the Japanese Tsunami but that's another story. About a 20 minute drive to Kona and a few other small towns within the same distance approximately.
Exploring the Big Island can be time-consuming because, well, its a big island.
Maui is more compacted. Basically 26 miles from Wailea to Lahaina . . . . I know because I ran it - not well - in a marathon a few years ago.
Some Big Island photo's near the Fairmont Orchid . . .
One of many obscure, largely unoccupied beaches in the area.
Kid friendly beach at the Hotel . . .
The hotel grounds . . . .
I'd go back there. Again, a bit isolated. That was fine as I enjoyed a lot of running out on the highways.
If I were first-timing Hawaii, I might pick Maui though. Its everything your imagination conjurs up. I've been there four times.
Cowperson