Incredible rental for family!

Guest: family of 6 (Baxter, MN)
Date of Stay: 01/19/12 Review Submitted: 02/08/12

Our family, 2 adults and 4 young children, stayed in the 2 bed/2 bath rental and loved it! It was plenty spacious, clean, and provided a fun atmosphere for the kids. The beach & oceanfront are amazing. Lots of tidepools for the kids to explore in. We saw turtles everyday, and really enjoyed watching the whales everyday as we sat on the lava rock. The rental is well-maintained and filled with all the necessities. The owner, Duke, was an outstanding host. He is very friendly and helpful, and lives on-site if you need anything. Even when he was not on-site, one phone call and he had the wi-fi working in less than 5 minutes. The general store is cute and close by, and is well stocked with anything you may need. We cannot wait to go back someday! We highly recommend this property!

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

Puako paradise

Guest: gnhmso (Missoula, MT)
Date of Stay: 01/12/12 Review Submitted: 01/22/12

We loved our stay here. We totaled 6 adults and 1 child and it was the perfect place for our family to spread out and enjoy the area. The pictures do not do it justice. The back yard is especially wonderful. We enjoyed watching whales and the surf from the lounge chairs, being able to easily choose if we wanted a spot in the sun or shade. The tide pools were awesome to explore and we loved watching the turtles. It is also nice that the place is only about a 3 minute walk to the general store. Duke is a great host, he was available if we had questions, but left us to ourselves. There are bikes and all kinds of beach gear too. Puako is the perfect place if you're looking to get away from the big resorts, but still want access to wonderful beaches and lots of sunshine.

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

Great location!

Guest: John52 (Denver, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 12/25/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

Our extended family rented both units (main floor and studio) for a lovely week between Christmas and New Years. The location was fantastic; from the studio we fell asleep every night listening to the waves. We barbequed on the grill a couple of evenings; watched the sunset and fireworks from the lawn chairs and enjoyed the mornings on the front porch. The units are a bit rustic and could probably use a coat of paint, but you cannot beat the location and setting. The kitchens were well equipped and plenty of linens, beach towels, etc. were provided.

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

Baby Luau!

Guest: Jer (Shelton Wa)
Date of Stay: 12/13/11 Review Submitted: 01/04/12

We had the best of time at the house for those ten days! We rented both sides very private great view and very good owners. They made us feel at home. Already wanting to come back in August. Location Location Location! Thanks again Duke! Mahalo to your Family! See ya soon! :)

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

Frequent fliers to Puako

Guest: Dave (Lewiston, ID)
Date of Stay: 11/09/11 Review Submitted: 12/13/11

We had a great stay at Dukes. Comfortable,homey, private (even thought his family live on site we never even heard them), clean, beautiful view, pebble beach front yard, and economical. It's between two public entrances to the ocean, has 5 resident turtles right in front of it in the tide pools. Puako speaks for it's self but you know what they say about location, location, location. I felt great about spending my money and time there and will be back:) Thanks to Duke and family for sharing, Charsty

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

Frequent Puako Visitors Think This Place Was Great

Guest: Dave (Lewiston, ID)
Date of Stay: 11/09/11 Review Submitted: 12/13/11

Great place, right on the water. We (four adults) stayed in the two bedroom part and it was much larger than what we expected from the photos. The location is perfect and a huge bargain compared to other ocean front locations in Puako. Duke was a great host; didn't know he was around unless we had a special question or two - a really nice guy. For our stay, Duke's place was perfect.

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

Just returned from "DUKES" place in Puako.

Guest: "BIG G " (Laguna Niguel Ca.)
Date of Stay: 11/13/11 Review Submitted: 11/23/11

Wow, I finally found it!! Just a little hunk of Paradise.Away from the Madness, the hotels, condos, and all that stuff. We stayed in the studio, which is great for two, and a youngster. We surprised our Grandson (lives in Kamuela), for his 13th Birthday. Had him with us for 9 days. Fish & Steaks on the bbq, breakfast,sunsets, dipping in the tide pools,with the Turtles just a few feet away. just can"t get any better. Duke is a Great Host, and is so helpful and full of information. This is an older property that has been in the same family for quite a while. Don't expect luxury, it's a neat laid back place, like sharing a friends home. If you like, its just minutes from the Mauna Kea, Fairmount Orchid and Waikaloa Resorts, and only 30 minutes from the airport. Can't wait to get back. MAHALO DUKE, for a Special stay.

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

Relaxing and Wonderful!

Guest: Rindy (Poway, CA )
Date of Stay: 07/11/11 Review Submitted: 07/22/11

Our family of six fell in love with Hawaii and staying at the 2+ bedrm house. My boys, 6, 8 and 15yo spent endless hours in the tide pools or snorkeling the reefs. Each day they would find a new surprise. These are some of the best natural and untouched tide pools I have seen in a long time! Duke was so friendly and an incredible host. The afternoon fruit was a treat (and gobbled down by my boys immediately!). The selling point of staying here for us was 1) my boys were constantly entertained with the beach which allowed me (and my mom) to relax 2) it was very private – we would only see a few other locals walking by on the beach a day (if that!) 3) my husband and I listened to the ocean all nite and opened our eyes to an amazing sunrise 4) the sunsets were amazing from your own backyard and 5) it was by some really great (not so crowded) sandy beaches. Oh yes, and 6) my husband and 15 yo who got scuba certified while we were here– said the location for diving right where the house is AMAZING. This was definitely one of our more relaxing vacations we have had in a long time. Thank you Duke for your hospitality. We hope to come back soon!

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

Review limited to 2500 characters, not enough to do justice to this exceptional and unique property

Guest: elise (cooper city, fl)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/12/11

This property is the best kept secret on the big island. We are happy to add another great review to the long list of great reviews that convinced us to stay here. The home is truly ocean front, located on charming Puako Drive, which winds along the edge of the ocean. You have an authentic "real Hawaii" feel, yet restaurants/shopping are nearby. You are right on the ocean, with tide pools, turtles, lava rocks, sand, picnic tables and lawn chairs right outside your door, and the expansive ocean view is easily seen from well inside the home. The view is much more spectacular than you can tell looking at the above picture. Outside, you can see all the way up northern Kohala coast, and usually you can see Maui. We enjoyed spectacular sunsets every evening and starry skies every night. Our daughters enjoyed their "pool" when the tide was high and filled a little sandy area for them to splash around in. Our little one loved the small tide pools. It is difficult to be this close to the ocean without breaking the bank; this lovely property makes it possible. Our family of 6 were comfortable in the 2-bedroom unit, plenty of space for us. We put our teen-age son in the masterbedroom in the back of the home, husband and I opted for the ocean front bedroom with the queen-size bed, so we could see the ocean as soon as we opened our eyes. Heaven! This older property is cared for with pride by our exceptional hosts, Duke & Miriam, who were always available for questions and advice, sometimes surprised us with thoughtful food offerings, but never imposed on our privacy. Very nice people! Regarding snorkeling, the reef seems endless, teeming with a variety of colorful marine life including corals, colorful fish, and turtles. We have snorkeled many popular spots in the islands and nothing comes close to this. This is not a touristy area, so you have the entire ocean to yourself. It is serene and other-worldly. For easy entry, just a very short walk up the road, there is public access. Just swim straight out with your snorkel and be amazed! Our favorite beach, 69, is a very short drive away. It offers plenty of sand, sun, shade, swimming and snorkeling. We enjoyed a couple of day-trips, to the top of Mauna Kea, and to the east side of the island via saddle road, coming back on the upper road. The changes in landscape on this drive are stunning. We are very happy to have finally found the perfect place to stay on the Big Island. We will be back!

Owner response:ALOHA Elise, Thank you for your great review. Your review is very important to us! MAHALO & ALOHA DUKE & MIRIAM

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

Fantastic location

Guest: Horse Guy (Martinez, Ca)
Date of Stay: 02/10/11 Review Submitted: 02/15/11

My wife and I and 5 grown children rented the 2 bed 2 bath portion of the house and we were very comfortable (you have to get along well). The photos do not do the place justice. Just a few steps from the ocean out the back door. Nothing to spoil the view. We slept with only the sound of the ocean. What a treat. We were able to see lots of whales, nearly every time we sat and watched for any length of time. Also loved walking around the tide pools right outside our door. Lots of sea turtles came very near to us. This was our first visit to this house but it will not be our last.

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