Family Reunion

Guest: Carrie (Wichita, KS)
Date of Stay: 12/23/11 Review Submitted: 01/21/12

A BIG disapointment for our large family. Make no mistake, this is a FOUR bedroom house. The owners call the master bedroom closet a bedroom since there is a twin bed in there. Also, there are THREE and a half bathrooms plus an outdoor shower. Two bathrooms upstairs and one and a half on the main floor. This house would work well for four couples - as long as two couples don't mind sharing a "jack & jill" bathroom. And since the walls on two of the upstairs bedrooms and the connecting bathroom do not go all the way up the vaulted ceiling, EVERY SOUND can be heard from the bedrooms & bathrooms. These two bedrooms and connecting bathroom offer very little privacy. The pool is very small and not heated. It was way too cold to swim in it. Shame on the owners for misrepresenting this property.

Owner response:Aloha nui’, we are amused by this very Unusual Review regarding human mis-behavior. Of course, we do not make light of any guest review, concerns or issues by Normal, Happy, Decent, People, and you may read more in our 5-Star Reviews here, from many other families, with 14 or more members. Record of Facts - 1. On Feb 6th, 2011, Jan and Bob, signed a rental agreement for a 9 night stay, for Christmas, New Years. Jan turned down the Option of renting our 2nd home, despite my urging her to do so, and her response was We Will Make It Work, No Problem. Her family had a Full Year to obtain more detailed information. We sent them a detailed Floor Plan, responded to over 75 emails, from Jan. We did not received any contact from any of her Ten 40 to 50 year old Kid’s. 2. Jan’s family and guests spent the entire 10 days and 9 nights stay, at our villa, Without sign of Protest. They participated in our New Year’s Fireworks celebration, with Jan, and Amy offering Positive remarks about our property. We believe that this Unusual Review is NoT about our Villa, but, highlights their Own Internal Family Dynamics, and Problems, to which We Are Not Responsible For, Period. 3. Our response to this revue, was to contact our Web Master, so to review all Copy and Content, and was instructed to update any information that was dated or inconsistent in nature, to which our WebM did so. 4. A more Interesting FacT, is that despite Sending this New Info to the Jan flock; It appears that Everyone Failed to Read and Note this update, Failed to Comprehend, and just Failed on all counts. Yes, they also left some damages. 5. Blinded and Fed by their own Emoting Frenzy, in the end, they just Proved our position, to which we have now made Policy Revisions, so that these types of family scenarios are avoided in the future. 6. A great Character Study with elements of Blame, Irresponsibility, and Classless acts of Shameful Projection, directed towards our Aloha and Hawaii. Hawaii is a Powerful place that whatever Agenda you bring or create here, can and will manifest itself later, with it’s own Karmic Forces. 7. Duh! A shred of Common Sense tells you that if you have a group of sixteen People, It would be Totally Irresponsible for AnyOne to Ever entertain leaving the Entire, Logistics, Payments and Travel plans, in the hands of Elderly Parents. Who would do such an obtuse deed? THeM! Thank you for stopping by, Aloha!

Recommended for:

Our Long Anticipated Home Rental in Paradise!

Guest: Rachel (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/17/11

This vacation was over two years in the making. It took us quite a while to find just the right vacation home to house our four families - but I know we found the perfect one! The house was spacious and cozy at the same time, with all the amenities you need to make it feel like home. We enjoyed watching the kids play in the pool, dinners out on the back lanai/deck, using the private upper lanai off of the pineapple room as my personal office -- getting to work in the early hours with the birds singing and the heady scent of the plumerias, gathering in the large kitchen/dining room to prepare meals and compare the day's adventures we all had. And did we ever have adventures! The house was the perfect starting point to our many trips: just minutes away from Magic Sands Beach for boogie boarding or Kahaluu Beach for snorkeling (all beach gear provided!) with many fish and turtles! A slightly longer walk to Kailua Village, the farmers' markets and other shopping. A two-hour drive or less got us to Volcano Nat.l Park, Hapuna Beach, the summit of Mauna Kea, and other destinations. But most of all I enjoyed relaxing, enjoying the views, and trading stories with family members that are far flung. Mahalo for the memories! Can't wait to return!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.

OUR FAMILY GET TOGETHER OVER THE 4TH OF JULY TO CELEBRATE LIFE, LOVE & HAPPINESS

Guest: Tom & Marilyn (Conifer, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/17/11

Our long awaited trip to Hawaii was so overwhelmingly wonderful that I'm not sure where to begin. We were told the Kona airport was surrounded by mainly black lava etc., but to not be discouraged. The further south we drove the greener and more beautiful it became. We were amazed at how beautiful our house was at Kona Magic Sands with its lush flowering trees and palm trees. The house was so much more than the description as listed on VRBO. The house was so richly decorated, spacious, well cared for, yet had an appeal about it of comfort, warmth and hominess. Diane met us and walked us through the house, explaining many of the features available. Diane and Dave were so accommodating - wonderful people. The kitchen was equipped with anything one would need. The bedrooms were beautifully decorated, clean, and spacious and had great views. Every room was decorated with care and love, which created a feeling of a home rather than a rental. The hot tub, pool, outdoor shower, barbeque pit, were used often as we frequented the close by beaches, (saw sea turtles), snorkeled, shopped at local vegetable and fruit markets, or the "Bite Me Fresh Fish" market, or just lounged around enjoying the beautiful Hawaiian fragrances and listening to the local birds. There was much to do around Kona, but we also ventured out to "Hawai'i National Park" and hiked several trails, including walking through part of a lava tube, walking to the coast line and saw how the lava broke off and created cliffs, hiking out to see petro glyphs and hiking over to see where the lava ran across & closed off a highway. Part of our group, consisting of 4 families, drove the Saddle Road to Hilo where they saw Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls, Boiling Pots, Hilo, and then drove the northern coast home to Magic Sands. As a group we drove to Hapuna Beach, a beautiful sandy beach north of Kona. Definitely worth the drive. The kids and adults loved the use of the bogie boards, umbrellas, and snorkel gear that was available from the house at Magic Sands. Some of us also hiked the "Captain Cook" trail. It was a challenge, but the snorkeling was awesome. I would recommend taking a boat -much easier to snorkel from a boat. Another group drove to Mauna Kea Observatory one evening. It was always nice to come home to Magic Sands, & relax by the pool or on one of the lanais. The Lu’au in Kona was great. Pu'honua o Honaunau national park was educational. We will miss our wonderful home Hawaii. Mahalo e'a hui hou

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

OUR FAMILY GET TOGETHER OVER THE 4TH OF JULY TO CELEBRATE LIFE, LIFE, LOVE & HAPPINESS

Guest: Tom & Marilyn (Conifer, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/16/11

Our long awaited trip to Hawaii was so overwhelmingly wonderful that I'm not sure where to begin. We were told the Kona airport was surrounded by mainly black lava etc., but to not be discouraged. South to Kona it was to got greener and more beautiful. We were amazed at how beautiful our house was at Kona Magic Sands with its lush palm trees. We felt that the house was so much more than the description as listed on VRBO. The house was so richly decorated, yet had an appeal about it of comfort, warmth and hominess. Diane met us and walked us through the house, explaining many of the features available to us. Diane and Dave were so accomodating - wonderful people. The kitchen was equipped with anything one would need. The bedrooms were beautifully decorated, clean, spacious and had great views. Every room was decorated with care and love, which to me made this feel so much like a home. The hot tub, pool, outdoor shower, barbeque pit, were used often as we frequented the close by beaches, (saw sea turtles), snorkeled, shopped at local vegetable and fruit markets, or the "Bite Me Fresh Fish" market, or just lounged around enjoying the beautiful Hawaiian fragances and listening to the local birds. There was much to do around Kona, but we also ventured out to "Hawai'i National Park" and hiked several trails, including walking through part of a lava tube, walking down to the coast line to see how the lava broke off and created cliffs, hiking out to see petroglyphs and also hiking out to see where the lave closed off a highway. Part of our group, consisting of 4 families, drove the Saddle Road to Hilo where they saw Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls, Boiling Pots, Hilo, and then drove the northern coast home to Magic Sands. As a group we drove to Hapuna Beach, a beautiful sandy beach north of Kona. Definitely worth the drive. The kids and adults loved the use of the bogie boards, umbrellas, and snorkel gear that was provided to us from the house at Magic Sands. Some of us also hiked the "Captain Cook" trail. It was a challenge, but the snorkeling was awesome. I would recommend taking a boat next time-much easier to snorkel from a boat. Another group drove to Mauna Kea Observatory in the evening. We also toured "Pu'honua o Honaunau" national park. It was always nice to come home to Magic Sands, to relax by the pool or on one of the comfortable couchs by the many fans through out the house. We will miss our wonderful home in Hawaii. Mahalo e'a hui hou.

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

Our Christmas Vacation at Falling Waters was perfect for our large family celebration!

Guest: Robyn, Johnny and Alexa (Vancouver Island, British Columbia)
Date of Stay: 12/25/10 Review Submitted: 01/17/11

Our party of 14 had the perfect Christmas/NY's vacation at Falling Waters! The reviews from our group were unanimous with everyone saying it was the perfect place to relax, escape, explore, be active, become a real beach-goer, cook and eat like kings, and really enjoy our family time! There were four families in total, each of which found very comfortable, private rooms/bathrooms along with spacious, well-appointed shared living spaces, including the beautiful outside dining area which we really made use of to enjoy the wonderful weather. There are electric fans throughout the house, beautiful artwork, a well-stocked kitchen which even the pickiest chef would enjoy, the sound of exotic birds singing in the morning, beautiful views from the top floor, views of the sunset from the pool deck, and fabulous hosts, Dave and Diane, who were so helpful with questions and making sure we all felt comfortable, while at the same time ensuring we had our privacy, This is the perfect house for large groups as we could enjoy all the living spaces comfortably without being in each others way. The grandparents really enjoyed their own separate Pegge Hopper suite. With kids ranging from 3 - 17 years there was something for everyone, They (and the big kids, us adults!) all enjoyed the pool, grassy areas to play, beach toys and especially Magic Sands beach -- our favourite activities were boogie boarding and snorkeling there and all the gear was provided at the house -- we even saw a pod of dolphins on numerous occasions. It was nice to have the lifeguarded beaches so close by, and we made use of the outdoor showers at the beach and the house to get the sand out of our hair and suits. We also snorkeled at Kahaluu Beach and saw the turtles (a real highlight!) Running/walking along Alii Drive was also really convenient - and the luau Dave recommended at the Kona Resort was a great feast and show. The fireworks display provided by Dave on the street on NY's Eve was an added bonus as a festive way to ring in the new year! The house is in the perfect location to tour the Island - we found there was so much to see and do in the surrounding areas that we didn't feel the need to venture too far. Members of our party had fun experiencing the many golf courses, a horseback riding excursion, Place of Refuge,quaint shops in Kona, Hapuna Beach, the Queens Bath, and the farmers market for fresh fruit and veggies. We hardly scratched the surface and want to see more, so we will be back!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Our Christmas Vacation at Falling Waters was perfect for our large family celebration!

Guest: Robyn, Johnny and Alexa (Vancouver Island, British Columbia)
Date of Stay: 12/25/10 Review Submitted: 01/17/11

Our party of 14 had the perfect Christmas/NY's vacation at Falling Waters! The reviews from our group were unanimous with everyone saying it was the perfect place to relax, escape, explore, be active, become a real beach-goer, cook and eat like kings, and really enjoy our family time! There were four families in total, each of which found very comfortable, private rooms/bathrooms along with spacious, well-appointed shared living spaces, including the beautiful outside dining area which we really made use of to enjoy the wonderful weather. There are electric fans throughout the house, beautiful artwork, a well-stocked kitchen which even the pickiest chef would enjoy, the sound of exotic birds singing in the morning, beautiful views from the top floor, views of the sunset from the pool deck, and fabulous hosts, Dave and Diane, who were so helpful with questions and making sure we all felt comfortable, while at the same time ensuring we had our privacy, This is the perfect house for large groups as we could enjoy all the living spaces comfortably without being in each others way. The grandparents really enjoyed their own separate Pegge Hopper suite. With kids ranging from 3 - 17 years there was something for everyone, They (and the big kids, us adults!) all enjoyed the pool, grassy areas to play, beach toys and especially Magic Sands beach -- our favourite activities were boogie boarding and snorkeling there and all the gear was provided at the house -- we even saw a pod of dolphins on numerous occasions. It was nice to have the lifeguarded beaches so close by, and we made use of the outdoor showers at the beach and the house to get the sand out of our hair and suits. We also snorkeled at Kahaluu Beach and saw the turtles (a real highlight!) Running/walking along Alii Drive was also really convenient - and the luau Dave recommended at the Kona Resort was a great feast and show. The fireworks display provided by Dave on the street on NY's Eve was an added bonus as a festive way to ring in the new year! The house is in the perfect location to tour the Island - we found there was so much to see and do in the surrounding areas that we didn't feel the need to venture too far. Members of our party had fun experiencing the many golf courses, a horseback riding excursion, Place of Refuge,quaint shops in Kona, Hapuna Beach, the Queens Bath, and the farmers market for fresh fruit and veggies. We hardly scratched the surface and want to see more, so we will be back!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

A Very Charming and Comfortable Residence

Guest: Kevin (Chapel Hill)
Date of Stay: 07/18/10 Review Submitted: 08/18/10

We were pleasantly surprised to find out that the villa was just as portrayed - beautiful, spacious, inviting, and private. We thought our large party (14?) of two families would have us busting at the seams, but the large format sleeping quarters gave us plenty of room. The kitchen was well-stocked and accommodated "mass-production" meals, and the large shaded outdoor dining area made the expansive back porch a legitimate part of the living space. The villa is just a couple streets off the main road, which keeps it very quiet, but not too remote for an easy walk to the beach or a jog to town. We felt very safe, and kept all our water toys outside on the soft grass day and night.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Guest: Jill and Bill (Incline Village, NV)
Date of Stay: 01/27/10 Review Submitted: 01/27/10

Our family of 11 (6 adults and 5 young children all under 7 years of age) stayed over New Year's 2010. The highlight of New Year's Eve for the kids were the fireworks done by the neighborhood in the cul- de-sac. The house is well designed for 2 families upstairs on each 'wing' with grandpa and grandma down in the Peggy Hooper Suite. This very clean house was well-equipped in the kitchen, washer dryer room, and the BBQ with spacious outdoor dining off the kitchen for even more convenience. Lots of pool and beach toys were supplied. We would highly recommend this home to anyone.

Recommended for:

Guest: Brent Greenberg (-)
Date of Stay: 09/14/09 Review Submitted: 09/14/09

For a group of 7 what a deal, plenty of room and what a fabulous location! This is a must book vacation home, I would do it again in a heart beat. The photos of the property just don't do it justice. Diane and David are wonderful people to work with. Thanks for the great memories!

Recommended for:

Fantastic Family Trip

Guest: Pez lover (Orland Park, IL, USA)
Date of Stay: 03/21/09 Review Submitted: 04/07/09

We just arrived home from a fantastic family trip and had a relaxing time at Falling Waters. We had more than enough room for our family of 11, meeting in Kona from Phoenix, Denver and Chicago. Many of the beds weren't even touched. It's a close drive from the airport, which was great after many hours in the plane. The property is well represented online. They had everything we needed for the 3 grandchildren. The property is beautifully maintained. Spacious dining both inside and outside. The pool and hot tub were nice when we weren't at the Magic Sands beach, which was awesome. We did have to take a vehicle to the beach with all our baby gear and coolers, but most of the adults and teens walked. The Main Road was also great for the runners and walkers in our family. Everyone got enough exercise. It's also just a short drive to great shopping, restaurants and the Catholic Church on the Kailua-Kona strip. We didn't see whales but we swam next to sea turtles and dolphins. Took the advice of other reviews and stocked up at Costco for essentials, but there are many stores to get supplies (Walmart, Kmart, ABC, KTA). Owner generously accomodated us with a late check-out since our flt wasn't leaving until 10:50p and we had kids that needed naps. Would highly recommend this property for family trips.

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