Great place to relax and unwind!

Guest: ck (Solana Beach, Ca)
Date of Stay: 04/08/11 Review Submitted: 08/01/11

My wife, daughter and I stayed at Puako in April for a bit over a week. During the drive from the airport we were a bit worried that it was too far away from everything (mostly Kona Kailua). However, we quickly found that it is a great location for many activities, a perfect place to come back to after a long day exploring, and a great place to just relax for the day at the beach. We came away thinking that "we will be back as soon as possible". Some specific notes: The beach directly across the road (30 second walk) is a nice place for tide pools, seeing turtles (they often are sleeping on the lava rocks), and a great place for sunsets. The beach park at the end of the road (3 minute walk) is excellent for scuba and snorkeling. Many locals from Hilo come to this beach for scuba. It is usually very un-crowded. Good place for a picnic too. The best grocery store we found is in Waimea (KTA). It seems that all the locals shop there. We enjoy cooking and found that the Puako kitchen was fully equipped as expected. On our first full day I went to the small Puako boat ramp and discussed fishing with one of the locals. I ended up buying a 12lb Mahi from him for $25, which was enough for 2+ dinners on the grill. He also invited me out fishing the following week. If you are a cyclist and taking your bike, Puako is a pretty good place to ride. The only road I found on the island with a shoulder for riding is the main highway from Kona Kailua running past Puako. There always seemed to be cyclists/triathiletes riding past. This is on the Ironman route. The bottom line: we're going back again when we get the chance.

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

The cure for busy: relaxing house + relaxing beach!

Guest: Susan (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 06/22/11 Review Submitted: 07/16/11

I would go back to the Big Island of Hawaii *just to stay at this house again*! It was simply perfect for us: mom, two teenagers, and a 10 yo. After several days in busy, tourist-y Kona and several more of driving , we were ready for some serious down-time. Puako and Muaka Beach Bungalow didn't disappoint. Puako is as laid-back as I imagined...a small little enclave of mixed older, small dwellings, larger vacation homes, with a couple of churches and a general store thrown in to round it out and make a community. A palm-lined oasis sandwiched between the lava fields and the turquoise sea. A friendly place where people walked slowly and greeted each other by name--this is the antidote to Kona. When we arrived, the manager-on-site graciously met us at the house to give us the walk-through and get us oriented, so we could get the most out of our stay. Notebooks of info about the house and the local area were thorough and very helpful (best beaches, best places to eat, and most importantly: why.) Communication with the owner and rental agency were timely, friendly, and helpful. The house itself was beautiful, even better than the pictures. Spacious and airy, with inviting exotic furniture that set the tropical stage, it exuded an uncluttered, zen-like ambience. The kitchen/dining room/living room has a wall of windows and sliders that look out onto the patios and the delightfully landscaped private yard. Bedrooms and bathrooms were roomy, beds were very comfortable, sheets and linens were fabulous. Wi-fi access was steady and reliable with enough bandwidth to meet our gaming needs. Outside, the lovely little yard gives onto wide-open grassy, savannah-like open space. I sat with coffee in the morning, watched the sun rise up, listened to birds, and delighted in the mama quail (?) with their queues of little chicks run along behind. And of course, the beach! The house is just across the street from the beach...with the wide access road giving lovely sunset views. The beach was full of tidepools where we saw sea turtles daily. Lovely to sit on the rocks with morning coffee or watch the sunset, with Maui in the distance. Truly, this is a place where you can let everything go and unwind. My only regret: we didn't stay nearly long enough! We're planning to rectify that situation someday! I'll recommend this house to everyone I know.

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

Mauka Beach Bunglow review

Guest: Seattle family (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 04/18/10 Review Submitted: 05/09/11

A wonderfully decorated house - artistically tasteful and simple - very pleasing to be in. The layout is perfect for a family and there was great outdoor space for eating on both sides of the house - allowing for breakfast in the shade and for evening dinners and barbeque in the open night air. The bird life in the back yard was an extra "plus" that we enjoyed immensely - both waking up to early morning bird calls as well as sitting in close proximity to the lovely trees to observe the bird life in the afternoons. The house was well equipped with towels and kitchen ware, barbeque and outdoor chairs. We had everything we needed (as one prior reviewer noted - a hammock would be awesome; a boogie board or two would be too). A quiet location with access to the beach just across the street, the snorkeling in this area is excellent and the overall environment is peaceful and calm. In close proximity to excellent beaches. The management group, 2 Papayas, did a terrific job. We'd go there again in an instant!

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

Mauka Bungalow

Guest: Ed (Palm Desert CA)
Date of Stay: 04/01/11 Review Submitted: 04/26/11

The owners have a real attention to detail and a nice creative flair. It's nice to see a rental with such character. Very clean. Very tranquil backyard.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children.

Puako Paradise

Guest: Anonymous (Michigan)
Date of Stay: 12/29/10 Review Submitted: 01/20/11

We arrived late in the evening on December 29 to be greeted by Mary Fox knowing we had just about put in about a 24 hour day just to get to our Hawaiian paradise. With chilled towels in hand, she cheerfully and expediently gave a quick tour of the house and it's well stocked amenities. Mary also made sure we knew we could reach her anytime with questions or concerns. The house was beautifully decorated and immaculate inside and out. The grounds were well maintained and looking out towards Mauna Loa and Mauna Kei the preserve area reminded us of an African Savanna. Several mornings we were greeted by wild turkeys crossing the area. The neighborhood is quiet and the local Puako General Store is a treasure in itself. Mary had also pre-ordered a handful of groceries we had selected from the general store list prior to our arrival so we would have breakfast items in the morning. The location is just about 22 minutes north of the airport and a perfect location to explore the northern end of the island as well as the Kona-Kailua area. The beach is a short 100 yards just across the street and we enjoyed watching turtles swim and bask in the sun every day within feet of the beach. The reefs in the area provide great snorkeling and there are several different areas to snorkel within walking distance. There is a great swimming beach just up the road for those who like to swim and boogie board. For those photographers, there are several access spots along the 3 mile long community that provide different sunset photos. You can also walk along an access path to the Fairmont Orchid Hotel to enjoy the scenery and have breakfast if you like. We have been to the Big Island several times, but this is the first stay in Puako and we would definitely stay again. Maholo

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

Secret Hideaway

Guest: Alan (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 11/25/10 Review Submitted: 12/14/10

Just returned from a week stay at this great house. It is in a charming location, just a few steps from the beach where we watched stunning sunsets. Every morning we watched the sunrise over the volcano from the lanai while having coffee and being seranaded (sp?) by the birds. Fantastic snorkeling/diving is just down the street a few blocks. A quiet and restful place. This is was our first time in Puako; the neighborhood is gorgeous and very friendly. And, just a few minutes away by car are some of the best beaches on the Big Island. The house's kitchen has everything you could want: just add local goodies from the nearby grocery or farmers market (check out Waimea on Saturdays!). The layout of the house is nice with two bedrooms at opposite ends of the house each with its own bathroom. Did we like it? We loved it! It is a terrific value and we recommend it highly. Can’t wait to go back soon.

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

Great Week Retreat in Warm and Sunny Hawaii

Guest: Jenn & Tom (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 10/25/10 Review Submitted: 11/28/10

Location: Located on the west side of the island, so the only green you will really see is near the ocean. However, with the arid climate comes the almost guarantee of sunny weather. We were in a great location for day trips to many different parts of the island. We went to the east side of the island to see the waterfalls of Hilo and the volcanic activity. It is also an easy drive (30-60 min) to Kona, Keauhou, and snorkeling near the Captain Cook memorial (fantastic!). I am a cyclist and I was able to take a great little 60 mile trip along the northwest tip of the island. Beaches: Immediately across the street is a great beach with several tide pools. The beach itself is very rocky and has course sand but the tide pools are great for floating in and one evening we saw several sea turtles swimming around and lounging on the rocks. There is a beach for every taste within just a couple of miles, however. We spent a day at the beach at Mauna Kai that is some of the softest, finest sand I've ever seen. The beach we spent most of our time at was Wailea, a public beach about a mile north of the house that is situated on a quiet bay with soft sand and lots of shade all the way to the water; great for snorkeling, swimming and just relaxing. With two toddlers, this was the perfect balance for us. The house is furnished with beach towels, chairs, mats and some snorkel gear, floaty gear and sand toys that have been left behind. House: The house is a great size and comfortably furnished for 2 couples or families with small children. The Kitchen is well stocked with appliances and serve-ware. The house has an ample amount of windows/fans/ceiling fans to create a nice cool breeze. Since the patio area is situated on the east side of the house, it is a great place to relax in mid-afternoon and evening as well as catching an amazing sunrise over the hills. The only thing to watch out for are the bugs, particularly the scorpions, we had 3 visit us during our week-long stay. We also think a hammock would be a great addition to the yard!

Owner response: We are always interested in ways to improve the experience of our guests. Last year we felt it was important to try an organic pest control service since we are making every effort to minimize our impact on the environment. As a result of this letter we have decided to employ a pest service that is more technologically advanced, Orkin. They only use a gel-based treatment which is placed behind appliances or inside electrical outlet boxes in the walls. This guarantees that our guests are never exposed to any of the treatments or pests. Thank you.

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

Wonderful House!

Guest: m (Oakland, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/22/10 Review Submitted: 09/08/10

Just got back from a wonderful stay and can't say enough positive things about the house and it's location. The house is well appointed (and yes the knives are sharp!) and very comfortable. The short distance to the water is great and snorkeling is even better. Overall it's a great deal for a lovely house and beautiful, quiet location.

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

Brilliant Time!

Guest: April and Rob (Issaquah, WA)
Date of Stay: 07/01/10 Review Submitted: 07/19/10

We first stayed in this wonderful bungalow last summer. It was our first time visiting Hawaii. We loved this house so much, that we decided to return again this year. The house really is very lovely; is well stocked and the furnishings very tasteful. We were really looking for a house that wasn't your typical "Hawaiian" style and this is exactly what we found. Thank you so much for letting us share in your lovely home. We plan to return again.

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

Can't wait to return!

Guest: Clocktower (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 05/16/10 Review Submitted: 06/06/10

We have just returned from 10 wonderful days in Hawaii and are delighted to post a very positive review of this VRBO. The owners have a very helpful property manager, Mary Fox, who when she heard that we had an early flight arrival suggested that we scope out Kona and then have lunch at The Lotus Café across from Costco, where we got supplies. Mary greeted us at the 3:00 check in time with windows open, fans on, chilled hand towels and two papayas! We have read the preceding “not pleased” review and want to say that we found the furniture more than comfortable. We never saw a bug (Mary explained that the owners use a non-toxic monthly pest service and that we should call her if we did notice anything). We will definitely be back to stay again, hopefully for a longer time. We are already missing the 1 minute stroll from the house to the beach to watch sunsets. The house is a great value and we recommend it highly.

Owner response:We are delighted to hear you had such a wonderful visit to Puako and stay at our beach bungalow.

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