Highlight of our trip!

Guest: frisco11 (Texas)
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/15/08

We want to thank you again for allowing us to stay in your beautiful home while we visited the Big Island. No matter how amazing the sights of our day were, we always found our surroundings when we got home breathtaking! Pictures simply cannot do its beauty justice. We could not have imagined a more perfect place. The notes and instructions left around the house were also very helpful and thoughtful, and really showed the pride and care you have in your property.We will be recommending you to all of our friends!

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

truly heaven

Guest: cindy (Edwardsville il)
Date of Stay: 12/02/10 Review Submitted: 01/22/12

My husband and I stayed here Dec 2 - Dec 6 2011 it was truly heaven just loved the sounds of the frogs and the water wanted to sign the guest book but did not have a pen they had everything we needed if we come back I will definately want to stay here again thanks for sharing your home we had such a fabulous time super clean and maintained best house of our vacation stayed at 4 different one I highly recommend this home

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

Absolutely Perfect

Guest: GeneMonkey (Mapleton, Utah)
Date of Stay: 10/15/11 Review Submitted: 10/26/11

Was a bit nervous about our first vacation rental, many owners overstate their properties. There is no way the listing could overstate this home - every aspect surpassed our hopes & expectations. My biggest regret is not planning more daylight hours at this rental - it's a worthy destination unto itself - I can't wait to return & will send my daughters to it on their upcoming honeymoon's. Here's what we found: Owner: Linda was very professional. She responded to phone & email contacts promptly & completely before, & after, I was confirmed. She walked me through the process step by step & sent a helpful packet of information with directions, home & surrounding location details. She is very detail oriented, providing inside the home small unobtrusive notes that answer just about everything a guest would need to know as they use the property (how to turn on the sauna, what silverware/towels to use for outings, how to operate the electronics, etc). She has thought through deeply all the scenarios of her guests & provided answers or supplies for every situation & need. Never being disoriented, uninformed or lacking something essential made the difference between a frustrating & a relaxing vacation. It felt like our home. Home Condition: The home & surrounding grounds are very well maintained. I can't think of a single thing that felt dirty, or worn out. The pictures don't do it justice. Rooms are large, furniture is clean & in great condition, tubs are clean & supplied with TP, shampoo, conditioner & body wash. Huge glass wall windows in most rooms bring the sight and sounds of the forest right indoors. Home Amenities: You will want for nothing. Kitchen is well stocked. Every detail has been thought of (CD's with Hawai'ian music, maps, coolers for outings, flashlights hanging by each bed, spices in the cupboards, food to feed the Koi, hose to wash the car, etc). I think the only things we bought last week for use at the house was food & laundry detergent. Location: Only downside to being on the Hilo side is the hour drive to the Kona side for great beaches, but the drive is beautiful & there is tons to do & see on the Hilo side, & . The property is insanely perfect. 100% private, at the end of a gates long winding drive through pristine rain forest surrounded by towering cliffs, no nearby homes, waterfalls, koi ponds a swimming hole in the stream, flowers & fruit everywhere. It is pure eden. Problems Encountered: Amazingly none! It won't disappoint

Owner response:Wow...What a fabulous review, thank you for all your kind words about us (the owners) as well as our property. We are always very happy to hear that our guests enjoy "Heaven's Door" as much as we do. Mahalo, Linda and Ken

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

Tropical Perfection.

Guest: yet another happy Hawaii visitor (Menlo Park, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/26/10 Review Submitted: 11/05/10

This place is simply TERRIFIC. My partner and I stayed at Heaven's Door for a romantic getaway and used it as a hub to explore the Hilo side of the Big Island, we stayed here for about a week. The location is overwhelming - the house is in a huge tropical garden. It feels nicely secluded from any civilization noise or other people around. Yet, it is only two minutes from the Hawaii Belt Road and about twenty minutes to Hilo. The house itself is amazing. It's clean, spacious, cozy, and ridiculously well equipped. There's even camping tableware provided for outside, ziplock bags, torchlights, and whatever else one might need for day trips. We very much enjoyed every minute here even when it was raining outside (an important thing to consider for the Hilo coast). The garden around the house is extremely beautiful and the landscaping is an artwork by itself. There is a small stream running through the garden, and two fish ponds. At night, the place awakes to life when the birds and insects sing their songs (great to fall asleep to, honestly). If you are searching for a really unforgettable stay - this is it for you, you won't regret it. We already recommended it warmly to our friends and family, and will definitely come back ourselves. One important thing, however: bring insect repellent if you are staying in the garden. Inside, we managed to keep them out. But there are quite a few of them outside, due to the garden vegetation and the ponds. Plus, they are hungry because there are hardly people around. We did not use insect repellent on the first day, and that was a mistake. An itch relief is also a very good idea. We were fine afterwards.

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

Perfect little paradise for 1-2 couples

Guest: Frank & Eve (Phoenix, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 10/21/10 Review Submitted: 10/31/10

Like others who have written reviews about this property, I was afraid that the descriptions were too good to be true. I have never been so pleasantly surprised in my life. Also like others, our only regret is that we didn't stay longer and devote a few days to simply enjoying the property. That will be solved next year! We explored almost all parts of the island. This was definitely our favorite. It was a convenient drive to so many attractions, such as the great zip line and the volcano. This is the first vacation spot that my husband expressed sadness at leaving. A very special place owned by very thoughtful and meticulous people. We have already recommended you to several friends. Thank you for offering your beautiful property to strangers. Your thoughtfulness made us feel welcome.

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

Great location, unique setting, reasonable price.

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/14/10 Review Submitted: 10/12/10

This is an ideal location on the East side of the island. It is close to major attractions, shopping and restaurants in Hilo without the crowds, traffic, and noise of Hilo. The property description covers most of the details which I won't repeat. Until you arrive you can't get a feeling for the profound seclusion and amazing setting. You do not hear or see neighbors or traffic at all. None. Only birds, frogs, insects, and the water in the streams and falls. The valley is a bowl so that you can see sky framed by the huge trees. Sip a drink on the porch in the early evening, maybe with some music playing, and marvel at the colors and sounds. It is very hypnotic. I regret that I allowed my schedule of site seeing to dominate my stay instead of spending more time relaxing at the house and gardens. The house interior is completely spruce wood which you can smell on entry. The raised ceilings make the place feel spacious and decorating details such as colorful tile work in the kitchen and bathrooms give the place a luxury rural feel. The owners are really engaged in keeping the property maintained in peak condition and enjoy it themselves on occasion. They were quick to answer all of my questions. It is worth an extra note that there is no air conditioning. I stayed in the heat of September and it did get warm in the afternoon, but it was not bad with the windows open and fans running. Morning and evening were actually on the cool side. This is a truly unique place to stay and figured highly in my satisfaction for my entire vacation. With all of this I was pleased at the very reasonable rates. Two couple would be very comfortable since you have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, but I would not suggest more than 4 people.

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

Amazing!

Guest: Patricia (Los Angeles, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/12/10 Review Submitted: 08/25/10

My husband and I stayed here for a week this past July for our honeymoon, and I will tell you what, it was AMAZING!!! This house is located on a beautiful road that opens up to this house surrounded by beautiful landscaping and water. The property is located to allow for anything you would want to do; from shopping and dinning in downtown Hilo to swimming in the waterfalls, it has everything right there. The property is very clean and maintained, and don't worry about any geckos; they eat all the bugs. :) We both highly recommend this property to anyone looking for a taste of Hawaii, but trying to get away from all the tourists. Talk to the locals, they know all the best spots to do things...and most, if not all, are free. :) Thanks Linda for opening your home to us! It made this time in our lives so much more memorable. :)

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

Heaven's Door

Guest: David & Joyce (Anchorage, AK)
Date of Stay: 03/12/10 Review Submitted: 03/26/10

What a fantastic 5 nights. Heaven's Door is practically indescribable. We had to bother Linda with a question (which she addressed quite graciously) about setting up internet access shortly after our arrival as our youngest daughter was in the midst of traveling, but we would highly recommend that anyone staying here take full advantage of the seclusion offered. Turn off those cell phones, internet, TV, etc., and simply enjoy your time here. Very clean and comfortable with great access to everything the Hilo side of the Island has to offer. Don't miss Volcano National Park, and the Hawaii Botanical Gardens.

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

Guest: Terry L.1 (Salem OR)
Date of Stay: 02/08/10 Review Submitted: 02/08/10

This is a great house for two couples. We enjoyed cooking in the friendly, well-stocked kitchen. The house is very well kept, the beds and furniture are comfortable, and the website gives accurate information. We are looking forward to staying in another of the owner's rentals when we visit Oahu.

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Guest: JaniBanis06 (Eagle Rock, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/07/09 Review Submitted: 12/07/09

This property not only met, but far exceeded our expectations. We were looking for a property located in a private & quiet area that would allow us to relax and rest before beginning a full day of sightseeing. Well, as it turns out, the grounds of the property alone are worthy of dedicating a day to sightsee. We loved every aspect of our stay, from the small details that the Martins took care of to include in the home to the awe inspiring beauty of the grounds.

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