Honeymoon on the Big Island

Guest: Columbia traveler (Columbia, SC)
Date of Stay: 04/11/09 Review Submitted: 04/23/09

My wife and I spent split our honeymoon staying on Maui and the Big Island, and we are so glad we chose this great condo for our stay on the Big Island. It had everything we needed and more. We were blown away at how well-stocked the apartment was. We love cooking, so it worked out great because the kitchen is super nice and has everything you need to make the perfect dinner to enjoy while watching the great sunsets right off your private lanai. There is a closet full of everything you could need for the beach: tons of towels, beach chairs, boogie board, some snorkel fins, beach bag, umbrella, binoculars, and much more. The condo has air but you don't need it because witht the abundance of windows and the great trade winds you can just sit back, relax, and feel the breeze. There are tons of things to do within a short drive of the condo. Our favorite beach was Kekaha Kai State Park, its a 10 minute bumpy drive over some lava rock but you can do it in any car, and trust it was the best beach on Maui or the big island. I would also recommend Black sand beach, Volcano NP, Rainbow falls, and snorkeling just about anywhere on the west side of the island.

Owner response:Glad that we could help to make your honeymoon everything that you've ever dreamed of! John loves to gourmet cook so we made sure to stock the kitchen with plenty of Hawaiian cookbooks and many spices for all to enjoy. We also have the rice maker that he loves! Yes, many have said that our view is the best that they have seen. I love to watch the dolphins and whales below from our private Lanai. Come back and visit us sometime! Mahalo, Margie

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Great Location

Guest: Donna F.
Date of Stay: 10/13/11 Review Submitted: 11/29/11

Stayed for 4 days...convenient to everything. The condo was furnished with everything one would need...snorkeling equipment, beach chairs, coolers, games...Would not have to take a thing from home to be comfortable at the beach. We used the outside grills for cooking. Nice neighbors. Would recommend this to anyone wanting a nice quiet place to stay.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

I stayed Sept 17 - 25th

Guest: Steph (Floyds Knobs, IN)
Date of Stay: 09/17/11 Review Submitted: 10/26/11

This is the most amazing condo!!! Not only is it clean and neat, the view from the Lanai is absolutely breathtaking!!! It is close to everything. I am a single woman, I felt totally safe and secure. I love it, I hope to stay here again and again, I have recommended it to all my friends!!!! THANK YOU!!!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Great location, price, and wonderful views!!

Guest: Adam H. (Austin, TX)
Date of Stay: 06/04/11 Review Submitted: 06/27/11

The unit has a fully equiped kitchen, and the owners have the hall closet stocked with beach accessories such as towels, snorkel gear and a boogie board. There is a great smoothie/sandwich shop just infront of the complex, and other restaurants are a quick drive away. The owners are extremely great at providing quick communication and the condo was exactly as described by all the reviewers. I can't wait to get back! Property was clean and well maintained. Kona is just a short short drive (or longer walk) up north and fun to explore. Drive to Mauna Kea was long, but definitely worth it.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+.

A Wonderful Place to Stay on the Big Island

Guest: Jeff and Karen (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Date of Stay: 05/04/11 Review Submitted: 05/22/11

Even though the weather for the week we spent at Kailua-Kona was unusually rainy, we had a marvelous time and staying at this condo certainly contributed to this very positive experience. First of all, we felt that the information contained in the VRBO description for this unit is very accurate. For example, I took several pictures similar to the “OOPS” picture except I was attempting to photograph a school of yellow tangs that were right there. The “location, location, location” statement captures a good part of the attractiveness. Kona is ideally located because it is normally relatively dry and is central to so many activities. The location of Sea Village was excellent for us – close the downtown but out of the busy section and with easy access to roads leading both north and south. Then there’s the location of the unit itself on the third floor and definitely as close to the ocean as imaginable. About the only sounds we heard all week were the waves on the lava beach – the other occupants of nearby units were all very quiet. Like everyone else, we especially enjoyed sitting on the lanai and just watching the ocean. The Sea Village complex appeared to be well maintained and the unit itself was well stocked, nice and clean. We found the king bed to be very comfortable. Finally, our interactions with the owners were excellent. They were responsive and the written agreement they use clearly defines their quite reasonable expectations. All in all, we found this condo to be even more than we hoped for and when we return to the Big Island, we’ll certainly work our schedule around the availability of this unit.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

K&G's Review....WOW WHAT A VIEW

Guest: Ken (Three Rivers Michigan)
Date of Stay: 07/02/10 Review Submitted: 08/11/10

WOW.....what a view! The sunsets were breathtaking from your own private lanai'. The condo was within walking distance to town and definitely a prime location location location piece of real estate. It was totally updated and had so many "extras" like beach towels, suntan lotion, snorkel equipment, boogie boards, straw hats .... Too much to name. The kitchen was so well stocked complete with rice maker and Hawaiian cook books!!! We will never stay in a hotel again. A unit like this would be $500 plus a night. The LCD and Plasma TV's were a huge PLUS as well as the stereo fir romantic dinners. A must rent!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

SIMPLY MAGNIFICANT! We had it all, view, location, sunsets, dolphins, great price, great unit!

Guest: Granny (Naples Florida)
Date of Stay: 05/26/10 Review Submitted: 06/26/10

We stayed in this wonderful condo for our 50th wedding anniversary and just returned several weeks ago. The sunsets were breathtaking. The view unbelieveable. We enjoyed a bottle of wine in the eveningings as we watched the cruise boats sail into the sunset. In the morning we watched the the dolphins (including 2 babies) do their morning show for us. Although after 50 years we are not honeymooners, it is a perfect place for a romantic honeymoon. The huge comfy King bed is wonderful and it's nice to watch an updated LCD TV in the bedroom as well as the livingroom. As a matter of fact we just booked this unit for our grandaughters honeymoon as a wedding gift. The property management company and owners were more than welcoming so we saw the true spirit of old Hawaii how it was many years ago. That's why The Big Island is our favorite. No hussle and bussle like Ohau, Maui and Kaui! Our damage deposit was returned immediately! Plus, these days going on a trip to Hawaii has the added benefit of crystal clear waters unlike the Gulf of Mexico where we live. NO OIL! Thank you for letting us stay in your wonderful condo. We'll be back. M & S

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Breathtaking View

Guest: K&T (Bon Accord, Alberta, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/12/10 Review Submitted: 06/19/10

The condo was a big part of helping to make our stay on the Big Island memorable. The views were breathtaking, the unit was clean and well stocked for our two week stay. Every morning we were up early to watch the dolphins and whatever else happened to be swimming or paddling by. Every evening we watched amazing sunsets. Great way to spend our 10th anniversary. We travelled around the island and went to as many sites as we could fit in while still trying to get in some relaxing time. The pool was a great way to cool off after a long day of driving. The unit has a great book on what to see and do while on the island. Everyone we met was friendly and gave us great information as to what to do while we stayed there. We did not need to use the airconditioning as the tradewinds kept the unit very comfortable. Only a couple of downfalls to this unit, one is it is on the 3rd floor and there is no elevator (pack light as your have to haul your suitcases up) and the other was the bed. I ended up sleeping on the couch quite a few nights as the bed was so uncomfortable. After sending requests for information and 2 months of waiting we are also wondering what happened to our damage deposit. The unit was left in as clean a condition as when we arrived having followed all the instructions left in the unit. I would still recommend this property due to the view and unit amenities but make sure to find out if you really get your deposit back or what constitutes non payment.

Owner response:Aloha Mahalo for the nice rating! Yes, our view is priceless. Glad that you had an opportunity to see the dolphins in the morning. It's so refreshing to watch the dolphins and whales in their natural habitat right from your own private lanai just feet away from you. As for your opinion of the bed, I'm a bit confused because that seems to be one of the first things that people tell me when they return, THEY JUST LOVE OUR NEW CALIFORNIA KING BED WITH DREAM MATTRESS. Gosh, we just bought that and because it is a dream mattress, it was very expensive......over $1,500!!! John and I love it!! I guess it just boils down to personal preference. Now in other comments people have said that they prefer sleeping in the livingroom so they can hear the sound of the waves. Maybe that helped relax you in the livingroom. The MUCH DESIRED top 3rd floor.RIGHT ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN...what can I say? 1 and 2 simply don't have the view and have people walking on top of them all the time. Plus, they don't get the magnificant ocean trade wind plus in the winter month, can't go on the lani or can't leave the sliding glass doors open due to the waves coming in the unit. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION and we have it!!! That's why penthouses are more expensive and desireable. As for damage deposits, our agreements are crystal clear. If there is damage or missing items, you will not receive your deposit back. Anyway, thanks again for the nice rating! Mahalo, Margie Imlach-Bartleman

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

Everything we wanted and more!

Guest: Stargazer78 (Paragould, AR)
Date of Stay: 07/30/09 Review Submitted: 05/04/10

As soon as we stepped through the doors, we were so happy with the condo! It is so rare to stay in a place that is truly more than we ever expected. From the snorkeling and beach gear to the fully stocked kitchen, we were accomodated in any need we had. The location could not have been better. It was so nice to enjoy a fabulous meal at one of the many restaurants on Alii Drive, shop a bit, and then take the (very) short drive to relax on the lanai or in the pool/hot tub. When we make our way back to the Big Island, we truly hope to stay here again. Mahalo for the perfect vacation home!

Owner response:We always try to make our condo a great place for our guests stocked with a lot of extras for your enjoyment. I verbal comment we often receive is how the condo photos do not do justice to how beautiful our ocenafron condo truly is. Come share our little piece of heaven here on Earth and you too will find our oceanfront condo to be even better than advertised. Remember we love repeat guests and our guest do love our condo as well, since we do get a good number of repeat guests, who are eligible to earn free nights.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Wonderful accommodations

Guest: living the life 9 (Golden, BC)
Date of Stay: 03/20/10 Review Submitted: 03/27/10

March 20-25, 2010. Wonderful accommodations!!! We wanted to spend some time in Kailua-Kona and this location was wonderful. We wanted to fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the surf, so we chose to sleep on the sofa bed and let the kids have the queen size bed. We really enjoyed drinking coffee on the lanai in the morning. It’s a great way to wake up. We loved watching the sun set from the lanai as well. We felt the condo was centrally located and safe (We rented a jeep and they are not hard to break into). Everyone we met was friendly and helpful. The complex is well maintained. Our only disappointment was that we had to leave.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.