Vacation Rentals by Owner

Loved this place!

Guest: Trigirl (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 04/01/12 Review Submitted: 04/08/12

This condo is a real gem. The owners are wonderful. They helped us with suggestions and answered any of our questions promptly. There are many thoughtful amenities included with the condo and the location next to Magic Sands Beach is perfect. We plan on returning as soon as we can.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Guest Book, 2/3 - 3/17/2012

Guest: R & J
Date of Stay: 02/03/12 Review Submitted: 03/27/12

Thank you Tom & Betsy for a wnderful visit to Kona & your beautiful condo! can't remember how many times we've stayed here - but all of our stays have been great. You also seem to order good weather for us. We certainly don't mind if it rains at night. Thanks again.

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Guest Book

Guest: L & L
Date of Stay: 01/08/12 Review Submitted: 02/08/12

Thank you once again for sharing your 203 unit wuth us. We were so excited to actualy see all the sand still at Magic Sands Beach. This was the first time so much sand was still here since we have been coming in January for 6 years. Every year we discover something new. This year we discovered the beautiful beach & snorkeling at Kukio Beach... ...we look forward to coming here in January next year - God willing. See you then. Take care of yourselves.

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Great place, great location, great value. Highly recommended.

Guest: Aloha (San Rafael,Ca.)
Date of Stay: 12/24/11 Review Submitted: 01/21/12

Clean, comfortable, right on the water, the beautiful beach right next door, thoughtfully furnished to meet a traveller's every need or want, just a few miles from downtown Kona. The owners live on the island and are warm, gracious and helpful. I have stayed in many places on the big Island, but this one is the absolute best by far!!!!

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

Guest Book

Guest: J & C
Date of Stay: 12/23/11 Review Submitted: 12/24/11

Thank you so much for letting us stay here! We enjoyed everything! The beach next door & lanai were our favorites. Also, we met firends FOREVER! Please...Please...please let us come again and play. Wish we could have met you both but sure in time we will. Aloha...Mahalo...& happy to go back home to Seattle & ... after 2 weeks... Nice warm break from the 30 - 40 degeree rain! Until we meet.

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Dirty and not what we expected

Guest: Verna (Stockton, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/10/11 Review Submitted: 11/18/11

The condo is beyond the Kona strip in a less than desirable neighborhood. The complex looks old and dated. The name is painted on the rock wall. There are NO ELEVATORS (we were on the 2nd floor). Inside: the bathroom fan was broken, the shower was grimy, and worst of all the comforter was dirty - stains and what looked like blood. The owner came to fix the fan, and offered to bring clean linens from home, but we were disgusted and did not trust the cleanliness of the unit (in addition to the above, the floors needed to be swept, towels didn't smell clean, dirty utensils in drawer). I read the other reviews and was very disappointed that the unit did not live up to our expectations. We tried to stay, but found ourselves shopping for blankets, pillows, and towels to be comfortable. We ended up staying at a hotel. Places to visit: Akaka Falls was beautiful and snorkeling was great at Kahaluu-Keauhou Beach - plenty of fish and even had green sea turtles there.

Owner response:We are sorry that our unit did not meet the expectations of these guests. We appreciate being informed of the problems they encountered. We have discussed this situation with the management company cleaners. We try very hard to keep the condo clean and well maintained. In 2011 we replaced the air conditioning unit, the oven, the dishwasher, the refrigerator, the pull out couch and two ceiling fans. We tell our guests to call us as soon as they notice a problem. When we are informed of a problem we fix it right away. When we were notified of our guests’ concerns we called housekeeping and purchased new linens that evening. The next day we purchased a new fan. We have also purchased new towels. The condo is always cleaned before new guests arrive including the use of bleach on the floor and washing all linens, towels and utensils used by the previous guests. The shower has a non-slip floor. Four months ago the building was completely renovated – new paint, new outdoor carpet, resurfaced pool - and the artistically placed white coral in the black lava rock tower, spelling Kona Magic Sands, was cleaned at that time. While it is 3 miles from town, it is the only ocean front complex between a well maintained park and the only white sands beach in Kona both of which are very popular. Nearby is a mix of housing with million dollar homes, some gated communities and a significant amount of undeveloped land covered by native vegetation. We take pride in our unit and want our guests to enjoy their time in Kona. Please read the other reviews.

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From Guest Book

Guest: A & A
Date of Stay: 11/05/11 Review Submitted: 11/17/11

Our first trip to Kona. We love it!! Can't wait to return!! Loved the morning breakfasts on the lanai with the amazing dolphin show!! Great beach. Saw so many beautiful fish and the highlight: the five sea turtles we got to follow around right next door on the reef. Perfect location. Thank you and we will be back ASAP.

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kona magic sands

Guest: kinger (saint John, NB, Canada)
Date of Stay: 11/05/11 Review Submitted: 11/10/11

Excellent well maintained studio condo, the place was clean and well maintained, they had beach chairs and snorkeling available to use and the magic sands beach is fifty feet away. Key pickup is a bit of a hassle but if you have a rental car its not too bad. Nice pool and location can't be beat, its on the water!! Lost of fish and usually a dolphin show! Also swam with sea turtles, very cool. Easy transaction and I would recommend.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

From Guest Book

Guest: D & C
Date of Stay: 10/01/11 Review Submitted: 11/17/11

Thank you for sharing this piece of paradise with us! we found everything we needed to make ourselves at home here. We snorkled with dolphins and manta rays and enjoyed the healthy coral reefs and other marine life. We look forward to returning sometime soon. Owners' Note: Guests stayed for month of October. Have reserved for October 2013.

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Guest Book

Guest: C & M
Date of Stay: 09/19/11 Review Submitted: 09/25/11

What a magnificient place. Thank you so much for allowing us into your home. The morning dolphin show was spectacular. We hope to come back longer next time.

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Guest Book

Guest: R & T
Date of Stay: 09/04/11 Review Submitted: 09/25/11

Loved this place! Views from this place were amazing! We will be back to 203 for sure! Thank you! Proud parents of a Navy Hospital Corpsman at the National Naval Medical Center: Bethesda, Maryland.

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Guest Book

Guest: K & A
Date of Stay: 09/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/25/11

We had a great time staying in your condo. Everything was very nice & the location was aamazing. Thank you!

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Guest Book

Guest: W & H
Date of Stay: 07/20/11 Review Submitted: 09/25/11

We also loved the Condo. We had all we needed. THe views were wonderful. The ocean sounds were delightful. Everything was perfect.

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Guest Book

Guest: S & U
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 09/25/11

Thanks for all. Condo had everything we needed. Can't get closer to sleeping by the ocean than this. The sights and sounds are gloreous!

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Like Sleeping at the beach

Guest: Sara (Montreal)
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 07/28/11

The condo is simple and has sufficient amenities but the location can't be beat. When you stand on the balcony you can see the fish and turtles in the ocean and you can hear the sound of the ocean everywhere. The beach is a 1 minute walk from your doorstep and has good boogie boarding. The property is sufficiently clean and maintained though some items are aging and could be spruced up. It is close enough to the kona shopping strip without being too close as to be noisy etc. It is well located for touring around the west coast. I would definitely recommend the property.

Owner response:Thank you for giving our condo five stars. My wife and I will continue to work hard to maintain the five star standard. Just this year we installed a new dishwasher, refrigerator, oven, couch, air conditioning unit and medicine cabinet. Last year we installed new screens for the sliding glass doors. We continually repaint the unit to keep it clean and fresh. This summer the condominium building was repainted with a new color scheme and new outdoor carpeting was installed on the walkways and around the pool. Other upgrades are forth coming.

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

Review

Guest: T
Date of Stay: 07/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/25/11

Thanks! We loved the Condo. The views and waves were awsome! You can see the fish & turtles from the deck! The fireworks in Kona were Great Also! We will be back! I will tell anyone who asks me to stay here! Will Miss This Place.

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Guest Book

Guest: A & L
Date of Stay: 06/14/11 Review Submitted: 12/24/11

we enjoyed our two weeks here immensley!

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Review

Guest: F & T
Date of Stay: 06/04/11 Review Submitted: 09/25/11

The location of this condo was perfect. We enjoyed watching the ocean from the lanai. Thank you for making your place available to us.

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Review

Guest: D & S
Date of Stay: 05/28/11 Review Submitted: 09/25/11

What a perfect place for our family to relax and enjoy the Big Island. From the early morning breakfasts on the lanai to the sunsets witha bottle of Kona Brewing Co. beer, the stay was perfect. Thank you for sharing your home with us.

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Review

Guest: J & I
Date of Stay: 05/21/11 Review Submitted: 09/25/11

We had a great time in your nice studio. We enjoyed the lanai with the beautiful view. Thanks for sharing.

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Guest: A & S
Date of Stay: 05/13/11 Review Submitted: 05/20/11

What a great location! We spent a lot of time on the lanai just watching alll the sea activity - the people, boats and fish. Sunsets & moon light on the water. The sound of the surf was a constant companion, being first thing we heard at rising in the mornings and the last sound before we drifted off to sleep at night. We had a constant parade of birds = some shy and some very bold. This was a great change from the year of the never ending winter and late spring in Oregon. I am sure we will return to this little slice of Paradise.

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Guest: J & C & A
Date of Stay: 04/18/11 Review Submitted: 04/29/11

Had a great stay! The weather was perfect and got to snorkel right out front here! It was our daughter's first time here and she thought it would be okay if we moved here. Thanks!

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Guest: D & S
Date of Stay: 04/10/11 Review Submitted: 04/29/11

Enjoyed our stay here. So much to see & do in this area. The Big Island is beautiful & a wonderful place to be. We had the pleasure of seeing dolphins and whales. The beach, the colorful fish & the surfders were great enterainment. The snorkeling was great too! Hope we get to come back again. Loved the condo & friendly neighbors too! What a beautiful place; Thanks for sharing.

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Excellent Condo location & amenities

Guest: Shiv Shankar (Germantown, TN)
Date of Stay: 02/25/11 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

Thank you for the wonderful stay at your Condo & we really enjoyed it. We have stayed at other VRBO's ; Yours was clearly the BESTso far ! Your Condo has all the amenities we needed on vacation and MORE ! The spacious lanai is simply outstanding. Our only regret was we did not stay longer. We will be back in the future for a longer stay.We will highly recommend this condo to our family & friends. With sincere regards to Tom on your hospitality. Shiv.

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

Guest: T & T
Date of Stay: 02/06/11 Review Submitted: 02/16/11

WE LOVED THE UNIT #203 - This was our second visit to Kona - last one 13 yrs ago at the Billfisher - missed the sand on the beaches - But the storms (owner's note: high surf not storms) must have been unbelievable. Great snorkeling - down the road. We visited Hilo, Waimea and the farmers markets - we did our own coffee tour tasting as we went along. WE'LL BE BACK.

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Guest: M & S
Date of Stay: 01/04/11 Review Submitted: 02/06/11

We stayed a month on the Big Island traveling all over it to discover all the beauty we could during our stay. There was no part of our trip that we didn't enjoy completely. We will be comming back again next year and staying at least another month. THE TIME WE SPENT IN YOUR LOVELY CONDO COULDN'T HAVE BEEN BETTER. The lanai just made the package even better. We will be getting back in touch with you next year with the dates we would like to reserve.

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Guest: R and B
Date of Stay: 12/26/10 Review Submitted: 01/24/11

What a treat! We loved your place!!! We almost did not rent your place because it was only a studio. We are so glad we changed our minds. It is spacious, spotlessly clean, nicely decorated and has all the amenities a visitor might want. It is obvious that you thought a lot about your guests' comfort and enjoyment. We have stayed at many places on Hawaii and the other islands too. Yours is by far the best. Thanks for everything. We will definitely stay here again!!!

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Guest: S & C
Date of Stay: 12/19/10 Review Submitted: 01/25/11

My wife and I spent a beautiful week at the Kona Magic Sands Condo "#203" which is perfectly located next to one the the nicest beaches and very close to downtown. The unit was so close to the water we could literally pitch coins into the ocean and "we" even saw and heard whales from the balcony - how cool is that. We had breakfast on the balcony using the fully equiped kitchen and enjoyed the commanding view of the sea - so relaxing. We suggest anyone who wants to be close to the beach and water and stay in a very lovely unit we recommend staying at this condo (our third time).

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Guest: C and D
Date of Stay: 11/20/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

Thank you for sharing one of the best locations on the island! I couldn't get enough of the Lanai & beautiful sunsets. We hope to return someday.

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Guest: D and B
Date of Stay: 11/16/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

We had a wonderful and relaxing vacation. Kona Magic Sands, Unit 203, was responsible for our relaxing trip. How I love to hear the powerful, crashing waves. Thank you.

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Guest: M and V and V
Date of Stay: 09/05/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

This is our second stay at Kona Magic Sands but first at unit 203, WHAT A GREAT UNIT, it is very comfortable and has everything that one needs. The last eight days have been wonderful. Our first visit was 13 years ago ---. Thank you for sharing with us this home in paradise, we hope we can comeback in the near future.

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Guest: K and L
Date of Stay: 08/10/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

Can't imagine having a more perfect stay! Thank you for sharing this wonderful condo - we loved every moment.

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Guest: K and R
Date of Stay: 04/01/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

Fantastic 3 weeks!! Enjoyed our second stay in KMS 203 so much!!

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Guest: D and M
Date of Stay: 03/01/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

The loaction is great. Comfortable room and the lanai is perfect. We enjoyed our stay here. We have to move to another room as 203 was only open for 4 days for us. We will be back!

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Guest: L and L
Date of Stay: 01/10/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

This is our 4th January visiting the Big Island. WE LOVE YOUR CONDO. You have thought of everything for our comfort and the view is always the best. This year we had the thrill of going to the summit of Mauna Kea - what an unbelievable experience especially seeing all the stars and planets. We have already booked for next year. Hawaii is a paradise. (PS - we saw our 1st Nene)

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Guest: M and M
Date of Stay: 11/26/09 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

Loved the condo - we enjoyed the fabulous view - we put the chairs, boogie board, umbrella & cooler to good use - going to different beaches every day! We'll be back -

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Guest: J, B and C
Date of Stay: 10/04/09 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

Out 1st visit to the Big Island; what a treat to be staying here at the Magic Sands. We couldn't be happier with the condo & location. In town for the Ironman - ... got in on the lottery & this is his 1st (maybe only!) Besides all those activities, we visited the coffee mill, the Kilauea volcano, Hilo & Pololu Valley. Loved the beach next door, the pool, and appreciated the kitchen. Found the market in downtown Kona (white pineapples & mangos! Yum!), and the frafrant Lei for our daughter's arrival for our last 4 days was a perfect touch! We had great neighbors too - all was well. C: I had a lot of fun laying in the sun & swimming while watching the pretty neon colored fish. I loved staying here & hope my parents will take me back!

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Guest: G and C
Date of Stay: 09/25/09 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

Very nice time to visit Kona - not to hot but a welcome relief from our sideways wind and rain. Your condo worked out great for us. My concerns for being located above the restaurant was not a problem with relaxing waves pounding against the rocks. The pool was in the sun for most of the day. Lovely view! Hope to be back someday!

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Guest: L and B
Date of Stay: 08/03/09 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

We come to Kona Magic Sands every August to get out of our desert heat and soak up the Hawaii lifestyle and the beautiful turquoise waters. Our first stay in KMS 203 - you did a great job on the renovations. I'm sure we'll be back in 203 on future visits.

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Guest: D and J
Date of Stay: 07/22/09 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

We had a great time staying here. We will definitely come back here the next time we are in Hawaii.

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Guest: F and J
Date of Stay: 06/01/09 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

What a lovely place - From the inside of the apartment it looks like you are right on the ocean. Our first morning we were greeted with the dolphins in the bay - quite a treat. We have enjoyed our stay. It was good to have the clothes rack on the lanai. Would love to come back.

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