Great place to stay

Guest: surf (Pasadena)
Date of Stay: 11/05/11 Review Submitted: 11/10/11

The house was very comfortable and had all the facilities required to fully enjoy our stay. We definitely refer this facility and your services to our friends.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car.

Oceain View in a Gated Community near Champagne Pond

Guest: Bert & Mary (Orange County, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

With its ocean view, this place seems to lie about 300 yards off the eastern coast but obviously its a little farther than that. I was able to watch the sunrise in the morning off the ocean from the deck -- pretty spectacular. It's also about a 5 minute walk to the Champagne Ponds. Great place -- went snorkeling with my son around 6 am each morning to be the only ones in the water. Turtles come at high tide; at low tide its a calm pool less than 8 feet deep with fish you'd see in a dentist's office. My kids would also go down to the champagne pools in the late afternoon while we were doing laundry and preparing dinner and we'd meet them down later -- safe neighborhood. Their is snorkel & beach gear in the two-car garage. The first time down to the pond we drove, after that we'd walk down and my wife would pick us up when it was time for dinner or to get the day started (when the teens finally woke up). We spent one day at the Volcano National Park while we stayed here which was great because the owners offer spare flashlights for lava walks. Other days we would go to the Kapoho tidepools or tool around the area. We'll definitely come here again. THE DRIVE from Pahoa town is simply amazing. It takes you through this treel-lined forest where the trees canopy the road. Simply breathtaking. There's another route which takes you through a more dense forest which makes it a toss-up on which way to drive home. Pahoa town is about 12 minutes away, and they have some nice restaurants, cheap gas, and fast food for the kids. We enjoyed dropping into Kaleo's for dessert/live music. There's also a makeshift (do not miss) "Coconut Stand" near the community entrance, opening coconuts for your drinking pleasure on weekends and late afternoons. In the evening, my kids enjoyed using the above-ground pool. The condo is across from a densly wooded area which makes it so peaceful, but the woods also harbor mosquitos at night. PROS: Location; Ocean View; Champagne Ponds - 5 minute walk down the road; quiet; gated community. kitchen; spacious; open; safe; great shower/water pressure for a 2nd floor unit. great deck. very clean; light switches are labelled; Area for improvement: Pool lock is hard to open; Ice machine doesn't seem to be attached; Mattresses could be upgraded; VRBO site could use more pictures; I've already recommended this place to friends. We'll definitely come back here again.

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

New house near Champagne Pond

Guest: Jon (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 06/01/11 Review Submitted: 06/15/11

We chose this house because our friends recommended that we snorkel at Champagne Pond ( at great place to get young snorkelers started with ocean water). Also close to other tide pools for exploring the reefs and sea creatures. My son got excited when he spotted three turtles and a small eel. The place is new and comfortable, with lots of room inside and outside to relax. The location is also convenient for visits to the Volcano National Park and Hilo. Although the house claims that it does not have wifi, I was able to "poach" onto the wifi signal from a nearby neighbor while sitting in the dining room.

Owner response:Jon and family, We are so pleased you enjoyed your stay in our home! Thank you for taking great care and we hope you'll return again someday - soon!

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

Great Island Treat --as a Great Retreat!

Guest: kathy and dennis (wilbraham, ma)
Date of Stay: 07/15/10 Review Submitted: 08/08/10

Our Stay was fabulous! Our daughter who is a teacher and living on the Big Island recommended the Kapoho area, and we were glad we listened.The rental was perfectly located for our daily trip to explore the island. The well equipped kitchen enabled us to enjoy quick breakfasts before starting out and made it easy for us to enjoy the locally grown (beef) steaks (from Malama's Market in Pahoa) on our grill, all while taking in the Pacific ocean views. We found the local restaurants in downtown Pahoa also very good.Volcano National Park is a must see! Wear your sneakers! The famous Hilo Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings is not to be missed, it is loaded with local crafts, jewelry and good food to eat. Be sure to try the ever so sweet white pineapple if it is in season! So good! The Botanical garden, is a very beautiful tropical rain forest with an easy hike, try the zip line! We also had the opprtunity to see the flowing lava and the many private homes that co-exist on the ever changing lava flields. Fascinating! Ask the locals for directions. People are friendly here and driving is easy! With a short 5-10 minute walk from our rental, we were snokling in the lovely Champagne ponds. We also really enjoyed snorkling in the "Hot Ponds" which are located in Puna on the Red Rd. The water was super warm--at least 90 degree's..We even had time for a quick dip or two in our own pool.So many wonderful places and all within a short drive from our rental. Our rental was a pefect landing spot after a full day of adventure. We loved the very quiet and safe neighborhood and how new and clean everything was. Would we return? In a flash!!

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

Sweet Spot

Guest: Oaklanders (Oakland, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/20/10 Review Submitted: 06/03/10

My husband and I stayed here for four nights in May. We found the property to be in a nice community with great location. The proximity of the champagne pools, the tidal pools for snorkeling, and the actively flowing lava were amazing. The property had everything we could hope for including needed supplies for day trips like snorkel gear, cooler and tupperware for packing lunches, and a great supply of guidebooks and maps. Everything was very clean and well maintained. Still feels new. We were able to poach reliable wireless access from the neighbors and dial up was available if a secure connection needed. The rooms and beds were comfortable and we even played a game of Clue found in the closet! We grilled every night on the deck while enjoying the view of the ocean. Super deal and the warmth and hospitality of the owners and Julie, the contact person in Pahoa, was felt and much appreciated!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car.

Kapoho house review

Guest: B&T J&D (Victoria BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 03/23/10

The house was as described and quite nice. The photo's do it justice. The property was clean and well maintained. We never got in the pool due to having the hotponds so close (went every night!) We were able to access internet and having use of the phone was great. The owner was available and got us another pass for the gate right away (2 couples and two cars!) Beds were comfortable and kitchen had everything we needed. The location was good ... away from the hustle but not too far if we needed supplies. We would recommend the property to friends and relatives. Hope to stay again sometime!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.

Great place to spend some quality time!

Guest: Peg and Kevin (Talkeetna Alaska)
Date of Stay: 01/13/10 Review Submitted: 03/23/10

We stayed at Kapoho for 4 nights..and a wonderful time swimming in the pool and checking out the Champagne Pond close by. Sitting on the deck, taking in the sun and watching the whales swim by,it was very relaxing!

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

Guest: Tina30 (Tucson, AZ)
Date of Stay: 09/24/08 Review Submitted: 09/24/08

Staying in this apartment was great. You feel right at home in this lovely section of Kapoho Vacation lots. Everything was sparkling clean and new and the lounging on the deck was awesome. Snorkeling in the marine tide pools in the next subdivison is a not-to-be-missed feature of staying in Puna district. Having a morning picnic watching the surfers down the road at Issac Hale park boat launch is alot of fun and if you are lucky like we were, a school of spinner dolphins will join the party.

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Guest: Robyn5 (Kula, Maui, Hawaii)
Date of Stay: 06/12/08 Review Submitted: 06/12/08

This is a great little retreat just a 5 minute walk to Champagne Cove--wonderful tidal pools where you can snorkel with turtles and tropical fish. The house is brand new, immaculate and has everything you need for a quiet getaway. Just 25 min away from lava flow, too! Pool was fun for the kids, adults preferred the lanai for lounging and BBQ. I would recommend this house!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/06/08 Review Submitted: 03/06/08

The deck is a gorgeous place to sit and have coffee in the morning or to cool off after a hike. The Bar-B-Q grill is convenient for fixing a fast dinner from the local fish market. We found a number of different pools for snorkeling, including a geothermal heated pool about 2.5 miles from the house. Learn about the Macadamia Nut from the Mona Loa factory on the way to Hilo. If you like shopping there are Farmers markets on Wed, Sat, and Sunday where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, coffee, Macadamia Nuts, prepared Luoa Pig, Jade, jewelry, t-shirts, or have a massage. You are 30 minutes from Volcano National Park for all the hiking you could ever want. While there stop and see the lava tube.

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