Vacation Rentals by Owner

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:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

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:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

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:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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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Guest: Steven & Kylene (San Antonio)
Date of Stay: 12/02/09 Review Submitted: 12/02/09

This place is truly amazing! As we drove down the driveway coming out of the fern forest, the house, pond, stream and setting are breathtaking! The pics are accurate, but really don't do justice in capturing all the great qualities of the house, especially the running steam! The house is very clean, with lots of extras such as the umbrellas and flashlights, as well as beach towels available to use on excursions, the comfy couch and the sauna. Linda and Ken both took time out of their busy schedules on many occasions to answer any questions we had, even before we arrived at the house. We will definitely stay here again when we are on the Hilo side of the Big Island. The washer and dryer came in VERY handy as well. One added bonus was being able to witness the morning ritual of Waldo, the local blue herring that visits the fish pond every morning, conveniently at the same time the auto feeder dispenses food to the gold fish and tilapia! Very entertaining! We also had the opportunity to stay at their Laie Studio on Oahu and it was equally as great! Thank you Linda and Ken for sharing your home and knowledge with us. Both of your properties really made our vacation extra special!

Owner response:Thanks for the great comment. You may have peaked some interest with your Waldo story. Waldo (named from the "Where's Waldo series) is a "Black Capped, Night Heron". A large gray-blue bird that eats fish. He does like to have his share of talapia from the pond each day and often puts on a good show in the process. Especially when trying to fly off with fish that weigh more than he does. Mahalo, Linda Martin (Property Owner)

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Amazing house and setting

Guest: D.J. S. (Laguna Beach CA)
Date of Stay: 11/12/09 Review Submitted: 11/25/09

We loved this clean, spacious, well-appointed house in what seemed like our own secluded little patch of jungle. The owners' info is very detailed, which helped us easily find our way in an area we'd never been to before. We landed in Kona, and the drive to the house took us through several different terrains. Short drive to Kilauea volcano. Sincerely wish we'd booked a longer stay just to relax and enjoy the house, stream, ponds and gardens.

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Guest: Kate and Jon Paul (Edmonton, AB Canada)
Date of Stay: 11/08/09 Review Submitted: 11/08/09

This truly was a little piece of paradise. We wished we had stayed longer! The house is wonderful but it's really the setting that makes this place so special. I would highly recommend this property to anyone! We also stayed at Linda's Jurassic Park and were impressed with that one too. Thank you Linda, for helping to make our Hawaii vacation so comfortable!

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Guest: Dale & Sarah (Lexington, KY)
Date of Stay: 10/08/09 Review Submitted: 10/08/09

Thanks again for sharing your little bit of heaven with us! Everything was perfect. Glad we took your advice on staying on the Hilo side, it has so much more to offer. AMAZING! We had such a relaxing time, we are not sure anything will ever top it! I am spreading the word amongst friends, even strangers about staying at one of your properties on their next Hawaii vacation! Mahalo, Mahalo, Mahalo for sharing your little piece of heaven! So glad we found you on VRBO! Sarah & Dale Lexington, KY

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/24/09 Review Submitted: 06/24/09

Heaven’s Door was more spectacular in person than any of the pictures on the website suggests. Mere photos cannot convey how beautiful, peaceful, relaxing, and cozy this rental really is. I already miss falling asleep to the sound of the stream beside the house. The only regrets my husband and I have regarding our trip to Hawaii is that we stayed on Oahu for our first week rather than spending our entire two and a half week trip at Heaven’s Door. Linda and Ken thought of every detail when preparing this home as a rental. I was amazed by their attention to every last detail. This was truly the best vacation rental home I have ever stayed in. My husband I have decided that Heaven’s Door will be the only place we will stay when we next visit the Big Island. Thank you, The Beresh Family June 13, 2009 – June 21, 2009

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comfortable home in tropical forrest

Guest: kwz (new york)
Date of Stay: 04/08/09 Review Submitted: 04/17/09

Beautifully decorated home with plenty space. Fishing at the pond is fun. The sauna room is icing on the cake. The only thing missing is internet connection.

Owner response:*We Do Have Free Wi-Fi... This rental property does offer free "wireless internet access" via a Verizon USB device. However, guests must provide their own laptop computer. (Please be sure to request the Verizon wireless modem when placing your reservation.)

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/05/09

Heaven's Door was extraordinary. I found this rental on the internet and was a little leary of it because it looked way too good to be true. Much to my suprise, it was everything I had hoped for and much more when I arrived. My family and I always remember my stay at the house and I wish I had scheduled MUCH more time there. I have plenty of video tape to remind me of this place and even plan on making a sound recording from my digital camera so I can have a relaxation CD of the background sounds (creeks, birds, etc).

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/07/08 Review Submitted: 11/07/08

Aloha Linda and Ken! We very much enjoyed our 6 day stay in Oct. 08 at your lovely “Heavens Door”. The home is great and the surroundings so private and beautiful. Once you lock the gate and drive up the driveway, you feel like you are on your own enchanted island surrounded by lush greenery, blooming flowers, ponds and waterfalls. The home is spacious with all the amenities and the kitchen is extremely well equipped. Hilo side of the Island is a great place for touring with its so many wonderful attractions.Mahalo, Bill & Kathy, San Mateo, CA

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/06/08

Aloha Linda and Ken! We very much enjoyed our 6 day stay in Oct. 08 at your lovely “Heavens Door”. The home is great and the surroundings so private and beautiful. Once you lock the gate and drive up the driveway, you feel like you are on your own enchanted island surrounded by lush greenery, blooming flowers, ponds and waterfalls. The home is spacious with all the amenities and the kitchen is extremely well equipped. Hilo side of the Island is a great place for touring with its so many wonderful attractions. Mahalo, Bill & Kathy, San Mateo, CA

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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:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/26/08

Aloha Linda & Ken! What an amazing rainforest hideaway, a true gem. In pulling up the driveway we could hardly believe this was where we would spend the next 3 days! The photos on VRBO are lovely but nothing compares to being there. Sleeping to the sound of the rushing stream was a first for us. Cannot say enough good things about this property - we took a day off from island sightseeing to read and laze about - the definition of vacation for us Angelenos. Mahalo! Jenna & Andrew Von Ah

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/08 Review Submitted: 04/08/08

Linda and Ken, thank you so much for letting us stay at your amazing place. It was absolutely beautiful. There was nothing lacking; it had everything we could have needed, even if we didn’t realize it until we saw that it was already there. The sound of the stream, the lush forest and no cokey frogs, what a great place to spend Easter. It left us wanting nothing but more time and another visit.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/12/08

Stars, Northern Cardinals, Soothing Stream, Peace and Quiet, Lush Beauty, Rejuvenating Sleep...these are the qualities that make this vacation rental paradise truly HEAVENLY. We have never experienced such a relaxing environment such as this before. It is the perfect place to get away and reconnect with yourself and/or your loved one(s). The house is tastefully decorated and well equipped. And OOOOHHH that sauna is the ideal way to unwind after a long day of lava-flow viewing! The master bed provided me with one of the best nights of sleep I've had in the past ten years. Thank you to our gracious hostess/host for sharing your "Eden" with us! We'll be back - that's a promise!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/01/08

Aloha, Linda and Ken, Just want you to know that we throughly enjoyed our stay at your Knock on Heavens Door. The house and the garden/waterfall/and ponds were breathtaking. We had a great time there as well as the Kona side. We did and saw so many things while in Hawaii. I told Verne I would like to go back sometime. I would recommend your place to anyone who wants to have a beautiful private getaway. Maloha( thank you for the enjoyable time) Barb and Verne

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/01/08 Review Submitted: 12/31/07

The word is "Indescribable". For a few days, I thought I was in Heaven. Nowhere in all my years of traveling have I been surrounded by a "lost valley" of such magnificent beauty! Add to that the perfect, complete, lovely house amenities and you will never forget this Shangri-La corner of paradise. Ada P. San Jose, Calif.

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