Oceanfront Private Romantic Cottage Overlooking Waipio Bay

• A Private Hawaiian Paradise

  A Private Hawaiian Paradise

  • Guest Patrick
  • Date of stay 09/30/12
  • Review Submitted 01/15/13
  Having recently spent a week at the Hamakua Hideaway I expected to see nothing but glowing reviews on here, because I personally can't imagine what anyone would say wrong about it, so I was shocked to find some negative comments. Thus, I feel compelled to give my two cents. This place is amazing. My fiancee and I stayed here for a week as a rest in the middle of a very active Hawaiian vacation. The view overlooking the Pacific and the rugged northwest coast of the Big Island (on clear days you can even make out Maui in the distance) is only the beginning. The secluded feel on this more remote part of the island, the garden of colorful flowers, a wonderful jacuzzi with screens all around to keep out the bugs but let the warm Hawaiian breezes in, a comfortable bed (that is perfectly clean and doesn't smell at all as others have suggested), and even a grill to cook our dinners on. What really made this place extra special though was the care that the owner clearly puts into it. The little trinkets, books, and music that you could tell were all carefully selected to give the guests a true Hawaiian experience. If you are looking for a resort stay where all the modern ammenaties are available, everything looks polished, and your food is served to you, this may not be your place. It is comfortable and has the general ammenaties you'd expect out of this kind of place, but no, it was not built yesterday. If you are looking for a secluded Hawaiian getaway and don't mind making your own meals or not having wifi (I don't know that to be true, just saw it in another review--I personally had no interest in trying as I was trying to get away from my email) and the like, I can't imagine a better place to stay. If we ever get a chance to return to Hawaii the Hamakua Hideaway will be at the top of the list of places to return to.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, girls getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Waipio wonder

  Waipio wonder

  • Guest Eileen
  • Date of stay 05/30/12
  • Review Submitted 06/13/12
  I had been a bit concerned by one of the previous reviews but I must say that we had no complaints at all. Sitting on the sofa watching the view became the main part of our days here. The gardens are gorgeous too. We found everything to be perfectly clean. Despite our age and physical limitations we did manage to climb the ladder to the loft (and I'm afraid of heights) so saw no concern with that. We did go to the Waipio overlook but I could not manage the walk down into the valley. We were perfectly happy to return to the cottage and enjoy the view from there. The photos do give a good idea of the view and I'm glad to say that some of the more obtrusive vegetation has been tamed so the view is good. We enjoyed exploring nearby Honokaa and spent a day on the leeward side of the island, but didn't like it nearly as much. This was a delightful place to spend our last few days on Hawai'i Island and we would love to return one day. We would definitely recommend it to fellow travellers who are looking for individuality in their accommodations.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Gorgeous Views, Serene, and Private

  Gorgeous Views, Serene, and Private

  • Guest Paul
  • Date of stay 01/07/12
  • Review Submitted 01/23/12
  My wife and I very much enjoyed our stay at the Hamakua Hideaway Cliff House. The cottage has a lot of charm and character and is totally private and located in a rural low-traffic area. Surrounded by a lush tropical garden, the serenity is shared with lots of birds, geckos, and the odd mongoose and is only broken by the occasional crash of cantaloupe-sized avocados falling into the garden from the big tree up the hill behind. The views are breathtaking and can be appreciated from every part of the cottage whether waking up in bed the morning, relaxing in the jacuzzi after a long day of hiking, eating dinner, or making a meal in the kitchen area. There is a small barbecue which we used for every dinner as well as a large fridge and a decent stove. There is also a toaster/convection-oven which came in handy. There are orchid plants in the cottage and there were nice fresh-cut flowers in the bathroom on our arrival. The accommodation has a lot of character but is not brand new and I had a couple of small concerns that I took up with the owner. They were listened to and resolved quickly to my complete satisfaction. There is an ethernet connection for internet access -- I'm conflicted over whether the lack if WiFi was a good thing or not (using my smartphone was my only internet device) but I'm sure I would have spent less time relaxing if I'd had the capability of connecting to my email. If you need to do some work during your stay though, I couldn't imagine a nicer place to hook up the laptop. There is a TV if you run out of books, although the cottage is well-stocked with interesting reading material. The location is within a short walk to the Waipio Valley overlook. If you want to take a hike down the hill to the valley, beach, waterfalls, or make a hiking trip beyond into the Waimanu Valley there is no need to drive. We did a hike into the Waipio Valley but we also took a guided tour in a 4WD van with a great local guide by the name of Douglas -- book at the little store just around the corner and pick up some local ice cream for dessert while you're at it. The neighborhood feels very authentic old-Hawai'ian, complete with plantation-era buildings and even a little country church that seems, from the sign out front, to include some Hawaiian language in the services. We hope to return and recommend this rental if you want to relax in a comfy and bucolic setting with grandeur and beauty always in view

  Recommended for: Age 55+, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, girls getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/3

• nature explorer

  nature explorer

  • Guest nature explorer
  • Date of stay 11/17/11
  • Review Submitted 12/01/11
  My husband and I stayed here for three nights, Nov. 17-20, 2011. The location is amazing, but it is very old and rundown. I don't usually review anything, but feel that people should be made aware as it is quite expensive for the condition that it is in. I will list pros and cons. Pros Incredible view Nice jacuzzi tub in a screened room with that view! Interesting art and collectibles Fully stocked kitchen with plenty of dishes, and many food items Beautiful sheets on the beds Lots of fresh flowers inside Grounds are lush and beautiful Private! Never saw anyone. Walk to Waipio Valley Short drive across island to Kohala coast for sunshine Cons Very bad smell coming from mattress or bookshelf next to bed! Upstairs loft was very nice, but dangerous to use ladder during the night Leak under kitchen sink so that all lower cabinets smelled terrible Couch is very old Shower is very tiny Woke up one morning to a hundred flies in the jacuzzi room, so could no longer use it Clutter!!! There is so much collectible stuff everywhere that there's very little space to set down your own things Well, there it is. If I was still a twenty something hippie, I might have appreciated this more, but definitely not at this price. If the owners renovate it, then it will be spectacular!

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers.

  Owner response: Thank you for posting a review, however I find it to be unfair. I have a couple of points I'd like to clear up. 1) The flies and smell were due to a meat package that was subsequently put outside in the grill by these guests. After searching the house for any kind of a smell, we were taken aback when we lifted the BBQ lid. The smell was quite powerful. I can only assume that her husband put it out there on the following morning and didn't tell her. (he slept in the loft; she downstairs) I still don't understand how the flies got in, except that maybe the door was left slightly ajar. 2) The bed does not smell and I am mindful of keeping everything clean and fresh smelling. The smell that she was referring to was the meat package that they had probably initially been placed in the kitchen trash can. 3) There is in fact no leak under the sink, but there must have been some kind of oily spill there that stained the wood and now gives the appearance of a water leak. (I have thought about staining the rest of the wood) The cabinets are kept fresh and do not smell musty or moldy. 4) The shower is average size, and not "very tiny." The couch is very comfortable. It is an antique rattan couch with new, clean cushion covers. 5) The ladder going up to the loft is big and safe. So long as you take your time and use both hands, there should be no danger. My grandchildren run up and down it. It is secured to the loft and cannot move. 6) There were perhaps a bit too many things lying around that are meant to be decor, and so we have made efforts to provide more room for guests to put their own things. 7) To call the Cliffhouse rundown is a bit extreme. Yes, the house was built many years ago, but there have been many additions and improvements over the 25 years that we have been in this business. It is made of wood and is a darling, cozy, romantic bungalow. We have received many compliments on it. Now that I've gone over the cons listed by this reviewer, I do appreciate the many pros that were listed. Surely they are worthy of more than 2 stars.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/5

• The Garden of Eden

  The Garden of Eden

  • Guest Mark and Marla
  • Date of stay 03/16/10
  • Review Submitted 03/28/10
  My husband and I were absolutely delighted upon arrival at the Hideaway Cliffhouse. It is indeed hidden away and it is indeed a cliffhouse. There were so many views that took our breath away. Peace, quiet, calm, paradise. The property was clean and well-maintained, albeit a bit of pruning here and there would have improved some views. We never even saw the owner which was just fine with us, although we read in the cliffhouse journal that she is a lovely person. We would recommend this property to anyone who wants to get away from it all, as the the tropical beauty itself and hiking within it is the draw. We loved the calzone, soup, and salad at Il Pizza Monde; but, the best thing in the dessert world is their mac nut pie for dessert. Though, it is rarely available. We also had a lovely trip up through the rainforest to Hawaiian Vanilla Company where we enjoyed the best bread pudding ever. Hamakua Hideaway Cliffhouse is heaven on earth.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

Additional information about rental rates

A 50% deposit is required to hold all reservations, with the balance due two weeks prior to arrival.

Deposits are fully refundable up to 60 days before arrival.