Vacation Rentals by Owner

Very Satisfied

Guest: J&T (Denver, CO)
Date of Stay: 04/19/12 Review Submitted: 05/01/12

The place is nice, clean, and has everything you need. Besides for the nightly one hour music rock and roll session from the person upstairs, it's very quiet. We would definitely stay here again!

Owner response:Thank you for your kind review. I will make sure the music will not affect our future gests. Sincerely, Gary Penir

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

Home away from home

Guest: Susie (Napa, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/26/12 Review Submitted: 04/09/12

We absolutely loved our stay in this beautiful studio. We loved the ideal location and ocean view. It has updated modern Hawaiian bedding and decor. We loved that it was super clean inside & out and fully stocked with everything one might need in the kitchen & bath. We were able to walk to the beach and made full use of the boogie boards, picnic coolers and beach towels that are provided. My little one made himself at home with use of the TV/DVD player after a long day at the beach. We also enjoyed the clean pool, barbecue grill and patio seating in the backyard. Having access to a washer and dryer on site was really convenient too. The owners have thought of everything and are very helpful. We highly recommend this studio and would definitely stay here again in a heartbeat!

Owner response:Mahalo for such a nice review, come back anytime.

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

Wishing We Were Back!

Guest: Contented (Shelter Cove, Ca.)
Date of Stay: 01/24/12 Review Submitted: 03/12/12

We can't say enough about our stay. The studio was so clean, cute and comfortable. It was so well stocked with everything you could imagine and more. The best snorkeling around close by. So close to the best farmers markets and only about 4 miles from town with lots of yummy restaurants. The owner Gary is a pleasure to work with. So helpful and honest. We're planing on going back and would recommend this property to our family and friends.

Owner response:Thank you for your review. I am glad your stay was so enjoyable.

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

A great place to stay!

Guest: Karen (Longmont, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 01/20/12 Review Submitted: 01/31/12

When we first arrived we headed out the door and saw whales in the ocean after just a few minutes. We walked to Magic Sands beach every day which turned into our favorite beach- with perfect waves for body surfing. We also saw several whales from the beach. My family of 3 has rented many units with kitchenettes before and this is the best one we've experienced. The kitchen was FULLY equipped for anything you'd need, the laundry room, cooler and boogie boards were a big help and the upstairs renters were very helpful and friendly (as was the owner by phone). The interior was very comfortable, clean, attractive and updated. It's the only unit we rented on the Big Island that didn't smell a bit musty. The studio felt a little bigger and looked nicer than the photos showed. It definitely is on a busy road, but it gets quiet at night and the location is very convenient to lots of fun things to do. We highly recommend this lovely studio and would love to come back to it as soon as possible.

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

kona vacation

Guest: patty (covington, ga)
Date of Stay: 10/22/11 Review Submitted: 11/05/11

We had a great time in kona. Our studio was within walking distance to the beach. The property was clean & comfortable. I loved the full kitchen. The owner has thought of everything you might need for your beach stay. The landscaping was beautiful. Again, we had a great time.

Owner response:Thank you for your kind remarks. Aloha, Gary Penir

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

Excellent Kona Ohana

Guest: JSW (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 07/17/11 Review Submitted: 07/27/11

As other reviewers have stated - my wife and I will definitely book this studio on our next visit to Kona. Location is ideal - a great 'base of operations' for your Big Island adventure. You also have White Sands (aka 'Magic Sands') beach park about 3 blocks north. Great way to end your day watching the sunset. You also have a great snorkeling spot due south of the studio. Can't miss it. Gary has provided just about everything for your convenience and use. Every detail is covered. You will definitely feel at home. Also, the cleanliness was exemplary. If we can get back to the Big Island (it would be our third trip) we will definitely be staying here again. Folks - you cannot go wrong with this Ohana. Aloha to Gary and to all future visitors.

Owner response:Many mahalos for your kind review. Aloha, Gary Penir

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Amazing!

Guest: Steph (AB, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/11/11 Review Submitted: 04/28/11

We could not have asked for a better accomodation than this! It was quiet and yet close to everything we wanted to see. The snorkel beach down the street was particularly great. It was clean and had everything we needed for a fantastic vacation. We look forward to coming back!

Owner response:Thank you for such a glowing review. Happy to have you as our guests. Aloha & mahalo, Gary Penir

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

THE Place to Stay

Guest: Sue (Nevada City,California)
Date of Stay: 03/04/11 Review Submitted: 04/06/11

We have nothing but positive memories (and comments) about our stay in this studio. The location is great - close to Kona but NOT in the thick of things so you will enjoy quietude as well as a lovely view of the ocean. We experienced a sunset not unlike that shown in the 'preview' photos - in other words spectacular! The unit is comfortably furnished and the best 'stocked' rental we have ever had the pleasure of being in. There are large beach towels, basic condiments in the kitchen as well as other extras like coffee/tea, cookies, tuna, peanut butter, etc., (which should be replaced if used up, of course), bathroom supplies galore. The propoerty (inside and out) is very well maintained, the studio itself completely updated and clean as a whistle. No problem recommending this to anyone!!!

Owner response:Happy to hear you enjoyed your stay and all went well. Aloha & mahalo, Gary Penir

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

Great Studio!

Guest: Pat&Deb (Seattle, Washington)
Date of Stay: 02/28/11 Review Submitted: 03/24/11

Everything at this studio was EXACTLY as advertised and pictured. What you see really is what you get. The comments posted previously are very true. We have used VRBO several times and this owner is by far the best and easiest owner to work with. Very prompt on replies and offering information. Everything we needed, and more, was there waiting for our use. Very clean and well maintained. We were there just days before the tsunami and now appreciate the slightly higher location off the beach. It is the perfect place to return to after a day out exploring the island. The sunsets were incredible! Sure wish we were there right now!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Awsome Studio with View

Guest: Tim G (San Leandro, CA)
Date of Stay: 02/09/11 Review Submitted: 03/31/11

I,m staying here next time too. This studio is fabulous, we wake up looking and hearing the ocean, sit on the lani for breakfast and read all the guide books the owner left for us, what a great setup. I email the owner and asked where the locals eat breakfast and the place he sent us had the best pancakes with coconut syrup, yum, yum. I don't have one complaint, I don't know about you but I've never stayed in a VRBO property without 1 or 2 little things wrong or I did'nt like. I highly recommend this Studio and Owner, they definately earned this review.

Owner response:Happy to hear that your stay worked out so well. FYI, all returning guests save an extra 10% off of their nightly/weekly rate.

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

Great place to stay, we did twice!

Guest: Brad (Danville, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/29/10 Review Submitted: 05/30/11

My wife and I have stayed here twice, loved it both times. Everything you need is provided, just show up and head for the beach. Best to rent a car, Gary (the owner) can give you recommendations. We'll be back!

Owner response:Glad you enjoyed your stay. It is always a compliment when guests return for another stay. G.P.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Spot!

Guest: Laura (Alaska)
Date of Stay: 09/29/10 Review Submitted: 10/25/10

Stayed at the studio from 9/29 - 10/13 during Ironman Week. Very good location, comfortable and clean. Grilled out most nights on the grill provided. Private pool was nice to cool off in after a hot day at the beach! Very nice not having to pack beach towels, chairs, cooler, snorkeling gear, umbrella -- all provided by owner. Only complaint was that the Internet connection / signal strength was very poor -- could only log on late at night or early in the morning .... but hey, I was on vacation and could always go down to Lava Java for a good cup of coffee and a strong wi-fi connection! Owner very responsive to questions and information about the island and things to do. Would definitely stay here again!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Quiet Kona Studio

Guest: Tony - Soldotna, Alaska (Soldotna, Alaska)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 04/09/10

We spend three weeks at the studio in March and as advertised the studio was a wonderful get-away, very neat and clean, and had everything (snorkel gear/towels, chairs, etc) you need to enjoy your stay. It's very private and a wonderful view of the ocean from the Lanai. Great place to start a run or bike, and downtown is only four miles away... Would definitely stay at the studio again...

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Guest: Mike179 (Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 03/02/10 Review Submitted: 03/02/10

We rented the Kona studio apartment in February, 2010 and had a great time. The location was close to the beach, grocery stores, restaurants and many activities. The place was cozy, clean and included everything we needed. After a day of sightseeing, we enjoyed quiet afternoon dips in the pool and evening wine on the lanai. We would defiinetly stay in the Kona studio again!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/30/10 Review Submitted: 01/30/10

Had a great stay... As advertised, it was away from the crowds, but yet still right on the beach and close to everything including great snorkeling/surfing. Everything we needed was supplied (beach chairs/umbrella, boogie boards, snorkel gear etc, etc.). Would defiantly stay there again!

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Guest: Janet Olguin & Cenk Sumen (New York, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/05/08 Review Submitted: 07/05/08

This was a fantastic place to stay on the Big Island. The location was great, the studio was spotless, and the owners were most gracious. We would not hesitate in staying here again.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/31/08 Review Submitted: 03/31/08

Fabulous!!! My son and I stayed here for 5 nights in March. The location is ideal, the studio is well equipped and clean, with wonderful beds and gracious, helpful owners. We too saw a whale in the waters out front, after the owners alerted us. Thanks so much!

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Guest: Glen McLeod (Thunder Bay ON, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/26/08 Review Submitted: 03/26/08

We had the pleasure of renting this unit for two weeks in February in 2008 and absolutely loved it! The kitchen in the condo is extremely well equipped, and considering that we both enjoy cooking, this feature was much appreciated. The owners went out of their way to provide us with everything we needed to make our stay on Big Island a wonderful experience. Along with tons of advice and suggestions on what to do and see, they also made available to us full snorkeling gear, beach chairs and mountain bikes. The outside sitting area was a real pleasure in the evening and as a major bonus, on three occasions the owner brought us down delicious samples of his wifes cooking, and she is a damn fine cook! We had a beautiful back yard available to us with very comfortable lawn chairs and two B-B-q's, one gas and one coals if we needed them. The unit was very clean, had a wonderful breeze and good viewing of the whales in the ocean. I would not hesitate to stay here again.

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Guest: Bob Bell (Springfield, OR)
Date of Stay: 03/17/08 Review Submitted: 03/17/08

We had a great 2 week stay at this lovely studio apartment. The place was in topnotch order. The location was very handy to the beach, town, and the grocery store. Unfortunately we had some work to do while there and the apartment had a computer, fax machine,internet hookup, and a printer to use. We enjoyed watching the sunset over the ocean out the window. I don't think anything was overlooked. We had use of a cooler, beach chairs, boogie boards, snorkels, bicycles, and two outside barbeques. The quiet location was a nice change from the hustle bustle of downtown Kona. I don't think you could find any better for the price.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/07/08 Review Submitted: 02/07/08

We had a great time at this studio. Perfect location. We could see from our window dolphins and whales passing by!

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