Architect's Kona Coffee Farm House

• Architectural Digest Living Experience!!

  Architectural Digest Living Experience!!

  • Guest Gail N.
  • Date of stay 05/01/13
  • Review Submitted 05/13/13
  This place is even more beautiful than what you see in the photos. My husband and I were so in love with the architecture and the view, that we found ourselves being content with just hanging out. This is really a one-of-kind place. I highly recommend it for someone who wants to get away from the crowds and yet just be 15-20 minutes away from the Kailua-Kona action. The reason for not giving it a full five stars: - I did have trouble getting a good nights sleep as the pillows on the bed really needed to be replaced. That, combined with the wild roosters which cock a doodle too too often. Obviously the owner can't do anything about the wild roaming animals (of which there are many all over the island), but please, replace the pillows. - Lack of basic supplies. I certainly don't expect shampoo/conditioner, but please do supply enough toilet paper, garbage bags, dishwasher detergent, soap so that tenants can keep the place clean during their stay. I too am an owner of a vacation rental property on an island and always keep such basics well supplied. I don't expect my tenants who are just staying a few days, to have to buy a whole box of detergent; I make it as easy as possible for them to keep my place clean. - Unfortunately the next-door-neighbor's yard is quite a mess and really detracts from the experience as you drive in and out. - An absolute pain is having to roll out the fence as you leave in the evening or come back in - there isn't sufficient outdoor lighting to do this, so you're kind of stumbling around in the dark.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway.

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• Kona Vacation

  Kona Vacation

  • Guest Neil
  • Date of stay 03/16/13
  • Review Submitted 03/25/13
  This place was awesome, it is better than the pictures show. There was great attention to detail in building it. There are screens around the top of the building which kept it cool and it was nice being able to hear the birds. The one thing that I didn't expect was the cottage being close to the house, it was not a problem at all and I enjoyed talking with the people staying there but just something to be aware of.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

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• beautiful deck for relaxing

  beautiful deck for relaxing

  • Guest NW
  • Date of stay 02/13/13
  • Review Submitted 03/09/13
  The house was beautiful- more so than in photos, but it's better that way to have the nice surprise! The pool was a little too brisk (perhaps warm enough in summer?) for use but was great for birdwatching (like a giant birdbath and fun to watch them all early in the morning). Kitchen was nice and big, i think the bathroom had the best view! sunsets were great (of course). has the owner thought of switching the bed with the closets? then the bed would also have a panoramic view (in addition to a great view of the birdbath/pool)! Enjoyed reading the owner's copy of Mark Twain's letters from Hawaii- read his account of running across the Kilauea caldera! It's hilarious! We enjoyed eating at Ultimate Burger, Original Thai. All the Kohala beaches (Hapuna, Mauna Kea, Beach 69, Kiholo Bay) were great and it was about a 1 hr drive to mauna kea visitor ctr. Holualoa village does not have much (the one grocery store appeared to have mostly processed foods) but it was easy enough to shop at the strip malls off the main highway. The farmer's market on Alii Dr wasn't as great as the one in volcano but we did get a lot of papayas there.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, age 55+, romantic getaway, girls getaway.

  Owner response: Hi, Just a few words about Holualoa town (only 3 miles south of my farm), it has the best restaurant on the island called the Holuakoa Cafe. The food is organic and grown on the island. The chef is a master of blending tastes, textures and ingredients. Highly recommended. Expect to kick back and relax in the garden setting. Also, the town hosts numerous galleries owned by local artists. I take yoga class at the holistic center there. It's open to everyone. Best wishes, Mo

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• The best of Kona

  The best of Kona

  • Guest Acey
  • Date of stay 10/06/12
  • Review Submitted 10/15/12
  We were honored to stay in the Snell Coffee Farm House recently for our fifth anniversary. We married in Kona and had previously stayed in Waikoloa and Keauhou resorts. The farm house beat both four- and five-star options. It was quiet, romantic and actually more convenient to town than either the Waikoloa or Keauhou areas. We truly fell in love with the house, the grounds, and the surroundings (even the roosters!). Cannot wait to stay here again!

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, romantic getaway.

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• ;Excellent!

  ;Excellent!

  • Guest Jan
  • Date of stay 08/31/12
  • Review Submitted 09/12/12
  My husband and I stayed here to celebrate our 10th anniversary and it was fabulous. It is an absolutely gorgeous property, obviously built with incredible attention to detail and beauty. It is close to Kona and central to take off to most parts of the island. The owner graciously received phone calls when we had a couple of questions. I would highly recommend this property and hope to be able to stay here again.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, age 55+, romantic getaway.

  Owner response: Please visit again!

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• Snell coffee plantation is paradise

  Snell coffee plantation is paradise

  • Guest Vernaf
  • Date of stay 03/03/12
  • Review Submitted 04/21/12
  Found heaven and paradise at the same time when we entered this amazing well designed coffee plantation home. Tranquility and privacy was greater than you could ever ask for. The birds sang all day and the roosters made themselves known sometimes through the night. The convenience of shopping just done the hills by a couple of miles was great. The views from the lania was breathtaking and throughly enjoyed from very vantage point in the house. The evenings were cool given the altitude above sea level as were the days slightly cooler than the town area. All in all we feel we found heaven when we decided to book this cottage and truly loved our month long stay. Thank you Motter for sharing your paradise with us.

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

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• A wonderful, private haven

  A wonderful, private haven

  • Guest Anonymous
  • Date of stay 02/20/12
  • Review Submitted 03/14/12
  The listing information was accurate and reflected the beauty and spirit of this haven. The property was clean, fully equipped with everything needed. The owner was wonderful! I had forgotten the key code information, I called her at home and she was gracious and helpfully informative! I would definitely recommend this property - I already have. While we were there my daughter and son-in-law stayed in the cottage - a wonderful arrangement. Loved the restaurant in Haulaloa, loved snorkeling and swimming with the dolphins, great visits at Mauna Lani, wonderful hula dancing. Loved the beach at the end of the miserable road, just past the airport.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, romantic getaway, girls getaway.

  Owner response: Friends, I'm happy you loved my private acre of paradise. We call the beautiful beach at the end of the miserable lava rock road, "Hollywood Beach" because it looks like a movie set. Too perfect to be real! Mahalo

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• Not your avareage Hawaii vacation home!

  Not your avareage Hawaii vacation home!

  • Guest btuck
  • Date of stay 08/09/11
  • Review Submitted 08/18/11
  We just got back from a week's stay and we're wishing we were still there! You arrive at the house down a small private road. At first glance my wife and I were hoping this was the place because the grounds were beutifully landscaped! The views from the house are amazing. You can see the town down below from every room in the house. The architecture and attention to detail is amazing. You can tell that the entire property is a labor of love and not your standard condo. The place isn't huge, but it's plenty big enough for one couple or a couple with a child. It is truly designed to utilize the outdoor living and the house litterally opens up to the outside with the sliding glass walls. The house and pool are extremely private. The most noise we heard came from some wild chickens one morning! The kitchen has everything you need and the gas grill is very high quality and we litterally cooked every meal on it. It was nice to have a washer/dryer to clean a few things. It's not a huge one but it gets the job done (you're not here to do large loads of laundry anyway!). We found the bed very comfortable and it was amazing to wake up to a view of the pool each morning, make some coffee (that we bought just down the road) and enjoy the back patio. The only thing I would change is to have a larger coffee maker so I could enjoy more of the local coffee! (you get about two large cups from the one there now). Wifi was a nice touch. I basically used it to research restaurants and local attractions and it is plenty fast. It has cable TV and a HUGE hidden flat screen in the bedroom but we didn't use it. Their is also a stero in the hallway that links to speakers in the house. Their is a nice selection of CD's to listen too and the stero has an AUX port if you want to plug in your iPod. Closet space availability is a little small, but not a big deal. The weather is also a little cooler than down at the beach which I really enjoyed. If you enjoy getting away from it all this place is perfect. If you like crowded resorts and traffic then stay in town...I'll be coming back here!

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

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• We love this Kona coffee farm house!

  We love this Kona coffee farm house!

  • Guest Andrea
  • Date of stay 06/25/11
  • Review Submitted 06/30/11
  We are currently enjoying our week-long stay here and are truly having one of our best vacations ever. This home is beautifully designed, crafted, furnished and cared for, and the setting couldn't be more spectacular and peaceful. We wake to the birds chirping, a view of the ocean and surrounding coffee farms. It is at once private and secluded, but not too remote. The town of Holualoa is sweet, and has excellent food, coffee and art. This location is a wonderful launching pad for days at the beautiful nearby beaches for snorkeling, kayaking. Kilauea and the north shore are easily in reach and well worth the trip. It's also wonderful to stay around the house for a day to recupe and relax completely. We will return!

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

  Owner response: Dear Visitors, I'm happy that you enjoyed my home in Kona. The aina (land) and mana (power) of the Big Island are restorative and healing for me each time I visit. You must have had a same experience. Mahalo for your kind review. M. Snell

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• Beautiful property, uncomfortable bed

  Beautiful property, uncomfortable bed

  • Guest Beth
  • Date of stay 10/31/10
  • Review Submitted 06/20/11
  My husband and I stayed here for a week in Nov, 2010. The setting is gorgeous, and the house is beautiful and extremely private. At that time, not all work was complete inside the house, but it was not bothersome. Be aware that the house is a residence for the owner, so there was not much space to unpack. I would be back in a heartbeat, except for the fact that the bed was a futon which we were not expecting. We ended up putting both futons together which made it tolerable, but it was a serious drawback to our experience. If you're a futon fan, though, this space would be paradise.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, girls getaway.

  Owner response: Aloha, I'm happy you enjoyed my home and coffee farm. I purchased a queen box spring and mattress with new linens during my last visist to the farm in March 2011. The bed is very comfortable, now. The house has a large closet in the bedroom for guests. I hope you will return. Mahalo!

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Additional information about rental rates

50% of rental fee due to reserve.

50% due 14 days prior to arrival.

No refunds within 60 days of arrival.

Additional Fees and Taxes:

9.75% TA tax

$150 cleaning fee

$200 refundable damage deposit