Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great home in unique location

Guest: Jurie (Seattle, WA ])
Date of Stay: 04/28/12 Review Submitted: 05/13/12

The home is spacious, great warm pond off the deck and quick walk to the tidal pools. Our 3 year old son loved swimming in the pond, looking at the fish and practicing his snorkeling. The best entry and snorkeling spots are straight down the road taking the little short hiking trail behind some homes (it is marked), instead of the main parking area of the tidal pools. There were swimming towels and pool toys, life jackets for kids and snorkeling gear. On a few other touches it was a little hit or miss - the kind of things you shouldn't rely on but is always a convenience - e.g. there were some tea bags and coffee filters, but we couldn't find any coffee. We loved the cool breezes in the evening in the master bedroom (moved a mattress on the floor for our son to sleep in the room as the downstairs room seemed a bit too far for him to be comfortable plus with the pond didn't want him to wonder around in the morning without waking us). Quickly address from other reviews items that created concern for us: - tidal pools are shallow and not good for snorkeling (NOT TRUE. Follow access described above, large pool sections even at low tide in excess of 8ft deep, with lots of fish and turtles) - dangerous roads (I would say NOT TRUE. The red road seems to have been recently repaved, and while narrow local drivers were courteous and the traffic was light. Other roads absolutely no concern.) - far from town (yes, 15-20 minutes you can shop for groceries, go dining and get most essentials. Was find for us and we loved the off the beaten path location, but no strolling over to a Starbucks...) - mice, etc. (it is the tropics and we loved the lizards, but at night outside we would run into some oversized cockroaches, and would find insect or other droppings in the home. The home was generally very clean. My wife is particular and normally cleans a vacation home first but not this time, so that is a great endorsement! My son didn't like the "dirty" shower floors but seemed about average for ocean vacation homes. Bedding was clean. We did make sure we sealed any food/snacks in zip lock bags or stored it in the refrigerator.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Hannah

Guest: Hannah_banana12003 (Davis Ca)
Date of Stay: 03/07/12 Review Submitted: 03/21/12

This place was great! We stayed here for our honeymoon! The house is perfect very clean and lots of room. We loved the area very close to the tidepools. Best placed we stayed in on the big island!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Delightful place with lots to do

Guest: skiff (New Hampshire)
Date of Stay: 01/18/12 Review Submitted: 01/23/12

I did not come to this wonderful house to shop in Hilo (I would have rented a house in Hilo for that). I rented it for being out of the way where I could hear the ocean and enjoy tide pools and enjoy the coast. The house is delightful, the breezes cool it and skylights let the light in. Being a five minute walk to the tide pools, you could go and come back as you wished. Snorkeling was very nice with clear water and lots of fish and a turtle added to the scene. The trip to Volcanoes National Park was about an hour but we spent more time along the local coast including taking in the farthest east point on the island that was a short walk from where we could drive our two wheel drive car easily. The house, itself, felt comfortable and was enjoyable from the time we arrived until we left and said goodbye to the fish in the 30 yard diameter tide pool.

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

Loved the adventure!

Guest: melh2os (Detroit, MI)
Date of Stay: 01/15/12 Review Submitted: 01/27/12

Recently stayed at Warm Springs with our 4 and 7 yr old kids and we all had a blast. I felt like the home and the setting were straight out of Adventureland at Disney - rustic, charming, exotic, comfortable and relaxing. The kids adored the in-yard swimming, loved chasing lizards and hunting for fruit, and I slept like a very happy log with the breezes blowing at night. Even loved the crazy coqui frog songs! We explored Pahoa and loved its funkiness. No idea what "treacherous roads" another reviewer drove on -- the roads were nothing compared to the canyon roads of Kauai or the winding roads of Maui! Loved feeling like we were in the jungle - great access to Volcanoes park, snorkeling, etc. We especially enjoyed the snorkeling at Ahalanui Park. Ventured to nearby black sand beaches, climbed unmarked lava trails along the roads - simply a great adventure. We did a resort on Kauai after our stay at Warm Springs that was also delightful but for different reasons. Of course there are bugs - you're in the tropics! But there were no mouse traps or odors or stained linens. everything was homey and we had everything we could want including tons of snorkel gear, kid-sized life vests, wifi, etc. We hope to return to Warm Springs and have already recommended it to a friend looking to visit the Big Island!

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

Wonderful rural setting and great snorkeling

Guest: meerkat (Moscow, ID)
Date of Stay: 01/03/12 Review Submitted: 01/12/12

The location is great. It is a short 4 blocks of walking to the tidepools with wonderful snorkeling or even just walking amongst the gorgeous pools. The pools are shallow at anytime but high tide and so a bit cramped but the coral is great. Not a place for sandy beaches. The street is quiet and the area wonderfully uncrowded. The house is in a residential area about 10 miles from the funky town of Pahoa. This is wonderful rural Hawaii. If you want city stuff, don't stay here. It is about 30mi from Hilo. An easy drive for a day outing. We did day trips to Volcano and Hilo from here. The house has great Lanais and gardens and a koi pond with fish you can feed. The house is a bit worn and 70s on the inside, but clean and welcoming. Has stove and microwave but no oven. Satellite TV and WiFi work great. No AC but we did not miss it with the sea breezes, slept wonderfully there. Loved eating on the lanai. WE DEFINITELY WOULD RECOMMEND IT for its location next to some of the top tidepools on the island, and quiet rural garden setting.

Owner response:Our only comment is that the walk to the tide pools is about a 4 minute walk (1 block) rather than 4 blocks.

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

Location is amazing, everything else gets lost.

Guest: B (Juneau, Alaska )
Date of Stay: 12/22/11 Review Submitted: 01/07/12

This house is just like the pictures and the location is phenomenal. The surrounding tide pools are gorgeous however we were told by locals that the entire area (tide pools and ponds in front of peoples homes) are contaminated with fecal matter. The run off from the houses has been a problem. The pond is surrounded by palm trees and the deck sits nicely above the water. The house is in a neighborhood but you feel like you are alone. We had many evening meals on the lani playing board games and enjoying one anothers company. This is the good review but unfortunately for us it stopped there. We would not recommend this home. The location is VERY far from town. Although only 15min from Puna, Puna does not offer much more than a small grocery store and gas station. Hilo is the closest big city with activities and shopping but it is a 50min drive on some treacherous roads. The highways are single lane with no dividers and there have been lots of head on collisions. The locals drive poorly with tailgating and passing under questionable circumstances. We tried very hard to stay off the roads after dark. The kitchen is stocked with pots and pans that are more akin to camping that providing meals for a family. The pots and pans are so outdated that half of your prepared food remains stuck to the pan. Also there are not any spices to speak of. This is especially problematic because of the houses location and the necessity to eat many meals at home. The home itself was not very clean. In the living room is an odor of cat urine. Some of the sheets and towels has stains that looked like they could have been dried blood. The home also has an infestation of bugs. My eleven year old daughter would lay awake nightly to watch a mouse enter her room. There is mouse bait traps all over the house and under every bed. The master bedroom is a loft without a door, which is a challenge when on a family vacation with family and your spouse. We would not recommend this house and we will not be returning. Although we would consider returning to this neighborhood.

Owner response:This review is totally at odds with all the other guest reviews (all of which are 5 stars and unsolicited). None of the ponds that I'm familiar with and certainly not the Wai' Opae tide ponds or the ponds at Warm Springs are contaminated with feces. This was a rumor that is totally unfounded. There is a complaint that the house is too far from Hilo and to get there one must drive a treacherous 2 lane road. We are not responsible for the driving time to Hilo - nor is the road treacherous. The road is a normal county road with few curves and contrary to the review about 35% of the road is a divided 4 lane highway. The reviewer is from Juneau where there are few roads and cars so normal traffic conditions may be frighting to her. The appliances and cooking equipment are not "outdated". All the pots and pans, though not matched sets are fairly new and stainless steel. The house is very clean; 3 people spend 3.5 hours in between every checkout and checkin cleaning the house thoroughly inside and out and doing yard maintenance and we never put out uncleaned or stained linens - if a guest leaves stains on any of the linens they are thoroughly cleaned or if uncleanable replaced. There are no mouse traps under the beds or anywhere else in the house, and to our knowledge there are no mice in the house. The only way one could get in is if a quest has left the doors open or by chewing a hole in a screen (there are no holes in any of the screens - we have checked). The house is not infested with "bugs" although this is the tropics and if the sliding screens are not closed, especially if food is left open on the kitchen counters, insects will certainly find their way in (this is true of any house in the tropics). In defense of the nearest town (Pahoa not Puna) it is has far more than "a small grocery store and gas station". There are 3 grocery stores, several gas statins, several restaurants including one that is ranked among the top 25 restaurants in Hawaii, a full service shopping center and 2 fast food restaurants. And finally, there are absolutely no animal or other odors in the house. We do not take guest with animals and this is a nonsmoking rental.

Recommended for:Pet owners

Satisfied Vacationer

Guest: Perrine Portillo (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 05/31/11 Review Submitted: 06/08/11

I stayed for 4 nights and was pleasantly surprised at how accommodating the house was. I knew the house and property would be gorgeous and it was- it appeared exactly as it does in the photos. The house itself was so cozy and filled with anything you could possibly need, games, books, snorkel gear, beach towels and a laundry facility. You are literally a 3 minute walk from the tide pools and a 5 minute drive from Champagne ponds, both of which were pretty spectacular. My only advice is to visit these places in the morning or early afternoon, before the tide starts coming in. The house is a little older and being that it is located in a wet lush environment there will be many bugs and lizards, some of which will end up in the house, so be mindful of keeping the screen door closed. The side of the island is very rainy and windy and least when I went, so it can wake you in the middle of the night occasionally. All in all it was great!

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

Cool little home close to the tidepools

Guest: JaniBanis06 (Eagle Rock, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/03/10 Review Submitted: 12/16/10

My husband, brother and sister in law rented this home because of it's proximity to the tidepools. It's literally a 5 minute walk to the tidepools and we loved the fact that although it was close to them, it wasn't so that we would crowds of people on the property. Another treat was the pond in front of the property. We went in and snorkeled a bit one morning and were surprised to find that most of the fish are used to having people around so they would simply swim past us. The house was clean and spacious, with fans throughout to help keep you cool. Although all the major attractions are quite a bit away from the property, it really was a welcoming treat to come home to a quiet place to relax and sleep in. Nearby is Pahoa - about 20 minutes - and Hilo is another 30 minutes. There's an awesome Farmer's Market on Sunday's that we just loved and the Hilo Farmer's Market on Wednesday and Saturday's is just as fun. The living room and kitchen were our favorite place to hang out, eat dinner and play games. It's roomy enough so that everyone can move around and do their own thing, or come together.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, sightseeing.

There's no place like home in Warm Springs

Guest: Johneil (Atlanta, GA)
Date of Stay: 03/17/10 Review Submitted: 03/29/10

It's March and the weather is cool in the evenings and warm during the days. The rain comes and goes but mostly at night. I had the entire place to myself and found it to be filled with peace and quiet. The house is exactly as pictured and has all of the mentioned amenities. The location is ideal for getting around the Puna District and experiencing Hawaii as a local rather than a tourist. I got to know the vendors at the different 'farmers markets' and enjoyed 'talking story' with each visit. Dallas and Beverly (owners) let me know that they were only a phone call away to answer any questions that may arise. I miss sitting outside by the pond with an early morning cup of coffee. I'd proudly recommend this property to anyone who is wanting to just relax and wonder what day it is. One thing for sure, you're bound to find 'Aloha' here

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

Quiet, Private and Relaxing!

Guest: 12042009 (Perth, Australia)
Date of Stay: 04/12/09 Review Submitted: 10/08/09

We enjoyed our stay so much that we promised we would come back. Everything was supplied to make yourself a meal, the pond was amazing to just sit by while eating breakfast. The hot pools were just down the road and it was so easy just to spend hours following all the fish. The farmers markets on Saturday were also one of the highlights. Would recommend to family, singles, couple or anyone.

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

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/05 Review Submitted: 07/16/05

A special thank you to Beverly, Dallas and Trevor. Beverly & Dallas your house was a lovely get away from the hussle and busle of life. You can just enjoy life around the house or go out adventuring, whatever your energy level. The minnows in the pond out front give you a great natural foot or back message. The tidal pools which we were so busy we didn't really enjoy until two days before leaving were wonderful. You thought about amenities we were not expecting you to, which was a very nice addition to an already delightful vacation spot. We would recommend this house whole heartly. You really have the option to relax or sight see, adventure, swim with the sea turtle's at Black Beach, the volcano park, waterfalls, horseback riding,luai and much more.Trevor wanted to thank you for all your help and advice prior to reaching Hawaii, you were a great help to us. You answered any questions we had, and gave us direction where we needed it. Again a sincere thank you for a wonderful 11 day vacation in your home Karen,Mike, Ellen & John 6/23-7/4/05 Croydon, Pa Quakertown, Pa.

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Guest: Ronald King and Kelli Hann (Tucson, AZ)
Date of Stay: 04/10/05 Review Submitted: 04/09/05

We loved this place. Very well kept. Would have never left if we could have bought it. Two of the best weeks of my life. We talk about this place constantly. This is rural Hawaii at its best. Great, great, great.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Richard Rohrmann (Yuba City, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/01/05 Review Submitted: 04/08/05

We had a wonderful time. The guest house is enjoyable, pleasant and relaxing. It's a terrific base from which to visit the rest of the island. Surely a "go back to".

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Mardi Michels (Toronto, Ontario)
Date of Stay: 01/01/05 Review Submitted: 01/22/05

Beautiful location, very peaceful. House was well appointed - our only "negative" would be that for our party of 2 couples and my 80 year-old mother-in-law, the second bathroom only being accessiible through the single bedroom was not ideal. Property was exactly as it looks on the web page, everything we needed was there. Beverley, Dallas and Trevor professional and efficient. Would definitely recommend this to others!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Jeff & Lisa (Lakewood, CO)
Date of Stay: 05/01/03 Review Submitted: 05/22/03

We really enjoyed our stay in the guest house. Just walking around Kapoho it's easy to see that this is one of the best maintained propertys there. It is a perfect spot for a relaxing Hawaii vacation, away from the bustle of the resort scene, but close enough to everything we wanted to see and do. I only wish we'd discovered how good the snorkling in the tidepools was earlier in our stay.

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Guest: Sylvia Goslin
Date of Stay: 08/31/02 Review Submitted: 08/30/02

Overall Rating : Outstanding Sylvia Gosline Oregon We spent an idyllic week in this island paradise. The guest house is quaint but has everything you need. The pond out front provided many hours of entertainment for our 12 yr. old and for ourselves. A 5 min. walk brings you to the tidal pools with some of the best snorkeling I've seen. We'll definitely be back. I think Kapoho is the best kept secret in the islands.

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Guest: Gary and Joyce Lees
Date of Stay: 08/01/01 Review Submitted: 07/31/01

Overall Rating : Outstanding Gary and Joyce Lees Columbus, Ohio: Great house, well appointed and fantastic setting in a tropical garden. Very relaxing, just the birds and ocean for background noise. Pond is perfect for late night dips. Going back as soon as possible!

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Guest: Reese and Carol Lane
Date of Stay: 01/01/01 Review Submitted: 12/31/00

Service : 7 - nice Value : 9 - outstanding Attractiveness : 8 - great Overall Rating : 8 - great Reese and Carol Lane Breckenridge, Colorado This house is a great place for rest and relaxation. It made us feel right at home. We still think of it often.

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