Vacation Rentals by Owner

Fabulous Oceanfront! Steps to the Water - from $195 for Two! [#317822] | View Property

Captain Cook
House, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths (Sleeps 3-6)
$195-$295/nt except XMAS wk
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Traveler Reviews (34)

• Lovely Hawaii vacation home

  Lovely Hawaii vacation home

  • Guest Dan & Karen
  • Date of stay 04/22/13
  • Review Submitted 05/04/13
  We had a great time at this clean, spacious ocean-front home. We enjoyed the sounds of the surf as we relaxed on the large lanai overlooking the secluded pebble beach. The landscaping is lovely with well-tended flowering plants and palm trees. The kitchen was modern, included a dishwasher, and great assortment of dishes and tools for every type of cooking. Each room included a ceiling fan which was all that was needed to provide a comfortable breeze when sleeping. The beach was beautiful but the waves were a little too much for first-time snorkelers. We used the available snorkeling and beach equipment from the house and drove north 10 minutes to Pu'uhonua o Honaunau park which has protected water, beautiful coral, colorful fish, and spinner dolphins. Each evening we went hiking on the "King's trail" which passes along the beach in front of the house. About an hour to the south we saw a large herd of wild goats, 30 minutes to the north is a beautiful secluded beach where we watched a shark searching for dinner about 200 feet off shore. From the lanai we watched beautiful sunsets each evening. We bought groceries at the Safeway in Kailua-Kona and also found the ChoiceMart at Captain Cook well-stocked with groceries and deli items. The roadside fruit stands are a good bargain for fresh local produce. We spent a day in the Hilo area and also viewed the Hawaiian Botanical Garden which we highly recommend. For wonderful cinnamon rolls and other baked goods, stop at the Punalu'u Bake Shop in Na'alehu on the way to Volcanoes Nat'l Park. You won't be disappointed. Overall: We were well satisfied with our experience and found the home to be as advertised.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• Beyond all expectations...

  Beyond all expectations...

  • Guest Carrie
  • Date of stay 03/26/13
  • Review Submitted 04/06/13
  I have stayed in many VRBO homes but this one was far and away my favorite. Our family spent 8 fabulous days here and we will absolutely be back! The home alone was beyond all expectations, but all the thoughtful attention to detail for every need was fabulous. We wound up nixing quite a few of our "To Do's" to spend more time here. We thought it was perfect. Details? You need little beyond food. The kitchen is just beyond awesome. More pots, pans, serving dishes, etc. than you could ever need unless you are entertaining for oh, 50 people. Coffee pot, blender, microwave, crock pot, etc. Huge frig full of condiments, a cabinet full of spices, paper towels, trash bags, water bottles, laundry & dish detergent, sunscreen, Off (which you will need), etc. etc. etc. all there. Granted, much of this is left by prior guests, but still. We stopped at Costco on the way in and purchased many things we wound up not needing as it was provided. Beach chairs, small and large coolers, beach towels galore, tubs full of snorkel gear, etc. The beach there is great, and a black sand beach is a lovely 10 minute walk up a path heading back towards Kona. The house and area was quiet and so peaceful. Speakers outside with surround sound if you want some island music. Things to be aware of: the nearest store is 13 miles away, so plan accordingly. The street off the main road down to the house is EXTREMELY STEEP. I had a minivan, no f wheel drive, and was in low gear and on the brakes the entire length. And it is long. A little nerve racking. But ooooohhhhhh so worth it!!!! My only suggestion for the wonderful owners of this home is the shower head in the 2nd bath badly needs replacing. It is very substandard to the rest of the house. Think shower head in a campground. The master bath is GORGEOUS on the other hand. Overall, great job and we are already planning a return and wouldn't think of staying anyplace else.

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

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• Great Location

  Great Location

  • Guest Paul N.
  • Date of stay 03/18/13
  • Review Submitted 04/03/13
  Our group of 5 stayed here for 8 days in late March. The location is truly great, as the pictures show. Right on the small pebble beach, with great views in both directions. The beach varied from day to day in swimmability depending on wave size, but the view and sound of the water was always fantastic. The luge lanai take full advantage of the location. There are interesting hikes in both directions from the house. The neighborhood is quiet and friendly. People actually wave to each other as they drive by. Highly recommended if being right on the water is important to you. We did not find the steep hill down to the house to be a problem.

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

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• Paradise

  Paradise

  • Guest Deb
  • Date of stay 01/23/13
  • Review Submitted 02/10/13
  We were truly surprised upon arrival to Paradise Hale, The house is very spacious. Two bedroom wings afford privacy to two couples. The kitchen is large and well equipped. We loved everything about our stay. It is a little bit away from Kona so if you want the town life this may be a problem. For us it was wonderful. The pictures don't really do justice to the home. The extremely large lanai brings the outdoors to you. Pebble Beach is fun as well. The only negative would be the long, steep road down to the house but once you do it a couple of times it isn't too bad. Thank you for allowing us to enjoy your home.

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

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• Ahhh...true relaxation

  Ahhh...true relaxation

  • Guest Dawn
  • Date of stay 01/07/13
  • Review Submitted 01/20/13
  This was our first trip to Hawaii and we started making plans well over a year ago. From the start the owners were extremely responsive, friendly and helpful.The house itself is beautiful. Clean, comfortable, open and inviting. It had everything we needed from beach equipment, sunscreen, linens and a well appointed kitchen. The view from the lanai is amazing. The lanai itself is amazing! We loved just sitting out there watching and listening to the waves. Our first night we sat on the beach watching the sunset and saw a whale just as it dove underwater. So cool! The water itself was a little too rough to swim in, but fun to dive into the waves & be knocked back to the beach! We saw very few people on the beach during our stay. Usually no more than 2 to 4 and often we had it all to ourselves. Being someone who is afraid of heights, the unexpected steep road leading to the house rattled me a bit, okay, more than a bit (to be fair, in the driving directions the owners sent it did say to put the car in low gear, just was more than I expected). However, by the last couple of days I was able to share in the driving, finding it not so bad once I got used to it. There was nothing quite like falling asleep every night to the sound of the ocean. Truly and utterly peaceful and relaxing. We absolutely love this place and wish we had stayed here longer.

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

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• Fantastic place!

  Fantastic place!

  • Guest jeff
  • Date of stay 12/25/12
  • Review Submitted 01/04/13
  I've rented several houses on each island all were great, this house the best. Location directly above the beach was fantastic, when surf was down provided excellent swimming, when surf was high(which it was unusually) made for fantastic wave watching. The house is stocked with everything we needed, is about 15 minutes from a fantastic snorkel site (two-step). Very quite (except the sound of the surf, which we love! I've never slept better). The pictures don't do the lanai justice! it's huge, we ate every meal outside and spent 90% of our time in the house out there. Owners are great/easy to work with. If you are looking for a truly great place to stay on the BI, don't hesitate to rent here! :)

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

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• Loved this property

  Loved this property

  • Guest Sally
  • Date of stay 11/14/12
  • Review Submitted 11/29/12
  Beautiful home. Extremely clean and comfortable with a gorgeous view of the ocean. We loved the lanai. It was equipped with everything that we needed and more. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to stay in a beautiful home away from the madding crowd. Carol Killeen was great about quickly answering questions and getting back to us about any thing we asked.

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

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• Kona Breeze

  Kona Breeze

  • Guest Freebird
  • Date of stay 10/21/12
  • Review Submitted 11/03/12
  I put just 1 star short, because the beach was too rough to swim or snorkle in? It was probably the time of year. It would have felt good to get wet! Because it was our first time on the big Island some inside tips on where to get wet would have been helpfull.. The home was beautiful along with the view! Beds were comfortable and kitchen was stocked with the little things you just need a pinch of here and there! We loved the hours sitting on the deck and listing to the surf, not a lot of people pardise! Mahalo

  Recommended for: Age 55+, girls getaway.

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• Tranquility Base!

  Tranquility Base!

  • Guest R
  • Date of stay 10/04/12
  • Review Submitted 11/02/12
  Off the beaten path, we had everything here that we wanted for our vacation. Peace, quiet, away from it all!! Thank you, Carol and Mikie, for sharing with us! Already planning the return.

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

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• Great Vacation!

  Great Vacation!

  • Guest S1234
  • Date of stay 08/28/12
  • Review Submitted 09/11/12
  Our stay at this house was perfect, it was spacious and clean on the inside, although we never spent much time in there. We lived on the huge lanai almost the entire time, the sunsets just have to be seen. The beach was very private and we rarely only saw a couple other people on it. The hill down to the house is pretty steep, but not too bad, and we were only about 20 minutes from town to get groceries or eat out. Carol was simple to reserve through and answered every question right away. This was a girls getaway trip and I'd recommend the house to anyone!

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

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• The View and the Water~

  The View and the Water~

  • Guest Terri W.
  • Date of stay 07/15/12
  • Review Submitted 08/02/12
  We loved this place soooooo much. There were 3 of us (friends from the past) that stayed for a week in the slice of heaven. Not only was the house totally equipped and comfortable, the ocean was equally as perfect. Thank you for sharing this slice of heaven.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway.

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• Loved it!

  Loved it!

  • Guest Judy and Family
  • Date of stay 06/19/12
  • Review Submitted 07/04/12
  Our family just returned to the states from a fabulous vacation on the Big Island. The first half of the week, we stayed at Paradise Ocean Hale and it was absolutely perfect. It is a steep drive downhill but at the bottom, the home is the last house before the beach! The beds are very comfortable, and the home is perfectly laid out with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The lanai is where we spend a lot of time, it was a huge outdoor room basically. The owner Caroline, is a sweetheart, and the house is clean and feels new. We enjoyed reading her scrapbook of the entire building process of the home. Very special! After we landed, we stopped by Costco which is on the way down, and loaded up on fresh foods for the week. We used the bbq to cook fresh fish and steak while we were there. The Kings trail is amazing and starts both north and south from either side of the beach. If you can only take it one time, then we liked going south better than north, but they are both great. We spent a lot of time lounging and swimming at the virtually private beach out front. During our stay, there was only one other time that 2 people were on the beach at the same time as we were. The beach is black rounded rocks so it's best to wear flip flops or water shoes. The swimming is delightful, and the snorkeling is nice on the right side of the beach. Using other people's reviews, we had 2 excursions away from the house that I highly recommend. One was a 20 minute drive south to the Kula Kai Cavern tour. We did the one hour tour for $15 and it was well worth it, very interesting! The other recommendation we used was to do the 4-hour SeaQuest Snorkeling Boat Tour. We chose the boat with 6 passengers on it and it was great. Not even a thought of getting seasick! There is also an 18 passenger boat but we thought that might be more waiting around for people to get in and out of the water. Ask for Capt. Bill, super guy, fun and funny. We were taken to the 2 best spots on the island to snorkel. The one suggestion I do have, is if you drink decaf coffee, make sure to bring some, because even most of the coffee houses don't carry decaf! An awesome coffee house that also serves meals (although we only got coffee) is a darling restaurant called The Kona Coffee House and Cafe. They grow their own coffee and mangoes. Also, because of a past review, we tried Annie's Burgers, and my family thought that they were the best burgers they'd ever had! Highly Recommended!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• A Great Vacation!

  A Great Vacation!

  • Guest Nancy
  • Date of stay 05/18/12
  • Review Submitted 06/10/12
  My family had one of the best vacations. We discovered that Pebble Beach had a great reef for snorkeling/swim. We managed to use is almost everyday, it made it difficult to want to ever leave. We enjoyed the quiet evenings, birds, geckos and flowers. We saw many different fish, octopus, dolphins and crabs. The house was perfect for us, we needed nothing and had everything. It has a great kitchen, wonderful lanai, and everything you need for your vacation. We found the Coffee Shack, Annie's burgers and Kona Coffee House & Cafe, all are great places. We did tour the Island, but were always happy to return to our beach home. If you want a wonderful place to stay, this place is it. I hope to return and be a quest at Paradis Ocean Hale.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Holiday in Paradise

  Holiday in Paradise

  • Guest A family of 6!
  • Date of stay 03/28/12
  • Review Submitted 04/13/12
  We came to the home as a 3 generation family (Grandparents, Parents, & 2 teenage sons) for an eleven day vacation - all of us were thrilled with our accomodations. We loved listening to "the surf" at night, - and all day! We loved the birds throughout the day - the Myna birds and Cardinals entertained us. The lani was amazing - we ate several breakfasts on the lani - and grilled many dinners. The view was to die for, as it was the house closest to the water. We usually had the beach to ourselves and took advantage of snorkeling first thing in the morning! Amazing fish and beautiful coral. The kitchen was exceptionally well appointed - we had everything we needed and more for our meals. Wonderful to have the use of a washer and dryer! The house has been very well cared for and we appreciated the visit from the care takers to see we had all we needed. Carol, the owner, was wonderful to respond to our questions and requests prior to our arrival. Her responses were very thorough and accurate. We were close to some of our favorite snorkeling beaches, such as "2-Step" and "Captain Cook". We highly recommend the Sea Quest snorkel cruises. We traveled the whole island from this location, used the cooler, the beach chairs and beach equipment daily. We appreciated the reconstructed "Saddle Road" from Kona to Hilo in our travels! The "locals" we met were very friendly - most of the time we had the beach to ourselves! We found the prices at Costco very similar to the mainland and we stocked up when we went there. Annie's Burgers (in Kealakekua) was our favorite restaurant closest to the home. We also enjoyed hiking in both directions from the home, along the coast. We had a fabulous vacation and would highly recommend this home for a holiday in paradise.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• Shangri-la By the Sea

  Shangri-la By the Sea

  • Guest Paul, Marsha, Larry & Jeanne
  • Date of stay 02/09/12
  • Review Submitted 03/15/12
  Our party of 2 couples enjoyed a lovely vacation in the home. We loved the house, the view and the sound of the waves. We lived on the lanai -- dining, reading, web surfing, and relaxing. During our 15-day stay we did not have dinner out one time! On outings, we would have lunch but we found no need to leave the house once we returned. Mornings and evenings were spent whale watching from the lanai, seeing as many as 5 in a pod pass by the bay. The home truly had everything you need, including bottled water and mosquito coils and repellent. The photo album of the construction of the home shows a true labor of love. We appreciated the opportunity to have stayed there.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Truly Paradise!

  Truly Paradise!

  • Guest Rod & Joanne
  • Date of stay 01/27/12
  • Review Submitted 02/18/12
  Just as described- one of the best VRBO properties we have stayed at. Gorgeous lanai from which we watched the ocean and sunset and saw whales surfacing, one of which swam right by. House was luxurious although other than preparing meals and sleeping, we spent the majority of our time on the afore mentioned lanai. Sound of the surf lulled us to sleep each night. We were able to swim at the pebble beach right in front of the house a few times although being winter it was too rough for swimming some of the time. Best snorkeling was at 2-Step. Best activity: dolphin tour with Sunlight on Water-snorkeled with a pod of 250 free dolphins as well as a manta ray and saw several whales one of which breached near the boat. Take your underwater camera-a truly amazing experience! Carol the owner was very responsive to any of our questions and we had a fantastic time.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Relaxed Traveler

  Relaxed Traveler

  • Guest Karen
  • Date of stay 01/25/12
  • Review Submitted 01/29/12
  We highly recommend staying at this beautiful home. The view is amazing and the house has everything you could possibly need for an enjoyable stay. We just wish we could have stayed longer.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Kahoe Bay Black Pebble Beach house in Kona Paradise

  Kahoe Bay Black Pebble Beach house in Kona Paradise

  • Guest rd
  • Date of stay 01/05/12
  • Review Submitted 01/18/12
  Nice Place. As advertised, plus. Perfect weather in early January.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Adventures in Paradise

  Adventures in Paradise

  • Guest Brian&Louise
  • Date of stay 11/19/11
  • Review Submitted 12/12/11
  My family and I had a very memorable vacation here and we would definitely like to come back again. The house was very clean, well maintained, and well provisioned and uniquely situatated. We liked the privacy and the sense of seclusion. The tropical foliage, palm trees, and geckos really provided a sense of a vacation in paradise. The snorkeling right off the beach was excellent. In fact, there were several people that went scuba diving off the beach. Apparently, there is an area just outside the bay (the Citadel) that the divers were going to. I spoke to one fellow that told me that he saw an eagle ray and a rare Hawaiian lionfish. One night, there were people out front doing a night dive. Another group went octopus fishing just beyond the bay. We saw one whale, presumably Humback, right off the beach. The house was relatively close to excellent snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay Marine Sanctuary. We rented kayaks and went snorkeling there for a few days. Lots of feisty spinner dolphins early in the morning and of course lots of coral and fish. If you want a cheeseburger in paradise, make sure to stop at Annies Island Fresh Burger in Kealakekua. I can't think of any con's except for the fact that the absolute best beach on the island that we found and fell in love with was an hour drive north (Hapuna Beach State Park). I am sure there are lovely beaches on the south end but we were quite taken with this beach and went there often.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• 11-11

  11-11

  • Guest Jai
  • Date of stay 11/04/11
  • Review Submitted 11/17/11
  11-11 Great house. Very comfortabe for three couples. The lanai overlooked the ocean and you could always hear the waves. Very quiet, no air conditioner noise. Great swimming and snorkeling at this beach. We recommend The South Kona Fruit Stand, the view at The Coffee Shack and the great food and coffee at Kona Coffeehouse and Cafe.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Banker's paradise!

  Banker's paradise!

  • Guest Janice
  • Date of stay 10/13/11
  • Review Submitted 10/24/11
  This beautiful place provided so much relaxation - it was unreal! From the beautiful lanai we sat in the morning with coffee.....walked 100 steps to the ocean to swim.....sat on the lanai some more....back to the ocean to swim......repeat, repeat, repeat. The house had everything you could ever need....I had a hard time getting in the car to visit the rest of the island! We made lasting memories here - and intend to come back and make some more!! Two words of advice to make the experience perfect: mosquito repellent is required and you'll want aqua socks when you get there because the minute you see the beach, you'll want to swim. And the pebbles are pretty hard on soft, mainland feet. I have already recommended Paradise Ocean Hale to my friends........hopefully they'll invite me with them when they go....

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• FAB-U-LOUS!

  FAB-U-LOUS!

  • Guest Anonymous
  • Date of stay 09/15/11
  • Review Submitted 09/24/11
  It doesn't get much better than this, folks. As previous reviewers have accurately stated, this is a beautiful, perfectly located, generously appointed ocean front paradise. We spent hours on the huge lanai watching snorkelers, swimming dogs, dolphins and the fabulous sunsets. We visited in mid September and the weather was perfect. The house is clean, comfortable and has everything you could ever need. And falling asleep to the rhythmic waves breaking on the beach is surreal. We hope to come back. Don't miss it!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Truly Paradise

  Truly Paradise

  • Guest Paul & Faith
  • Date of stay 08/17/11
  • Review Submitted 08/31/11
  This home was perfectly described & even better than expected. The drive down to the house was even beautiful. It is away from it all (just as we had wanted) although not totally secluded. Amentities were above and beyond & felt instantly relaxed and comfortable. There is a nice Farmer's Market behind the grocery store on Sunday in Captain Cook to get local produce & crafts. There is also a nice place for breakfast just about 20 min. North of the house (The Coffee Shack) that has amazing views overlooking the bays, is reasonably priced & very friendly. There are trails on either side of the beach - one is about 20 min. to a seclued black sand beach, the other is about an hour each way to a moutain where we saw mountain goats (actually they were watching us) but both well worth the hike (wear your bathing suit after the longer hike as it's nice to take a dip to cool off once you are back to the beach). Do bring or wear water shoes for the beach as the pebbles do get hot in the afternoon and makes walking much easier. The Owner was more than helpful in answering all our questions since this was our first visit to Hawaii and really made everything very easy. We would highly recommend this beautiful home to anyone wanting to relax and enjoy the sunsets.

  Recommended for: Age 55+

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• One of the most relaxing vacations ever..

  One of the most relaxing vacations ever..

  • Guest tom33
  • Date of stay 07/30/11
  • Review Submitted 08/14/11
  This house is in a great little quiet spot right on the ocean on a small cove. The beachfront is public access but not at all crowded - the most we saw was maybe 2 vehicles at one time. Snorkeling right out the back door is some of the best we've ever had and rivals Kona's Keauhou Bay for quality without all the people. The house is spacious and clean with lots of ceiling fans to keep the air circulating so it's comfortable. The deck out back is huge with a great view of the sunsets. The owners had lots of equipment we could borrow including fins, masks, beach towels, coolers, beach chairs - everything you could possibly need for a Hawaii vacation - even 2 set of golf clubs which we didn't have time to use. Activities we did - surfing lessons, visited the volcano, boogeyboarding, Kona historical society's coffee plantation tour (highly recommended). Lots of trips to the awesome South Kona fruit stand just up the road towards Kona on the right. Huggos in Kona is the best Happy Hour spot! This is the ideal spot if you're looking for an "off the beaten path" Hawaii experience!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Unparalleled relaxation & comfort on the south Kona coast

  Unparalleled relaxation & comfort on the south Kona coast

  • Guest Cathy and Ed
  • Date of stay 05/25/11
  • Review Submitted 06/03/11
  Wow, just wow. We were expecting to encounter a pretty impressive place after viewing the description/photos of Paradise Ocean Hale (POH) & dealing via e-mail with the very helpful, gracious owner, Carol. Upon arrival, the property did not disappoint & somehow, managed to exceed our expectations. We'd stayed a few houses up the street at another wonderful place (VRBO 81170) in August 2009, so were familiar with the area & its close proximity to the beach. And it certainly gets no closer or better than POH.   Location:  In 1-2 minutes you can be on the beach & snorkelling or hiking in 5. Fish are plentiful & the small bay will easily keep you busy for a good 30-45 minute snorkel. Hikingwise, the King's Trail can be trekked either north or south of the beach - recommend hiking boots or at least sturdy athletic shoes with a good tread. Not far along the north portion of the trail (20 min from the house?), one can access a beautiful, secluded beach that's more sandy than pebbly - we had it to ourselves late one afternoon & explored tidepools. Also, as mentioned in the description, Pu'uhonua O Honaunau (Place of Refuge) National Park is a can't miss & must be followed by a snorkel at Two Step beach, a 5-minute walk from the park's lot. Two Step's coral reefs & variety of fish are spectacular. Finally, POH is situated quite far south on the Kona coast. If you are wanting to visit Ali'i Drive in Kailua or especially the resorts on the Kohala coast (nice restaurants/bars) daily, this might not be the place for you.  It's a good 45 minutes to Kailua & maybe another 45 to the Kohala resorts. Much better to do lots of cooking/dining at home & grab the occasional breakfast/dinner at one of the casual spots that dot Hwy 11 south of Kailua to Captain Cook (Paparoni's Pizza & Anne's Burgers are good bets).   House & amenities:  I could sit with a book & a Fire Rock beer on POH's enormous lanai forever.  Many things came in twos, starting with the two dining areas & two relaxing areas on the lanai.  Beautiful, unobstructed view of the beach & ocean from the lanai. Bugs were a problem in the evenings & early mornings, but I belatedly discovered the insect repellant that had been provided. Which brings me to amenities provided...we wanted for nothing.  From shampoo/bath gel/toiletries to spices/condiments/staples to kitchen tools/pots/knives/appliances. I have never stayed at a vacation house so well-stocked.   Ack! Out of review space!  Stay here - you won't regret it!!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• A perfect home for our perfect Hawaiian vacation

  A perfect home for our perfect Hawaiian vacation

  • Guest Beth, Lisa, & Gay
  • Date of stay 05/09/11
  • Review Submitted 06/14/11
  Upon arriving at the Paradise Ocean Hale, we could see that we were not going to be disappointed by this home. The location was fantastic and we loved the relative seclusion and the proximity to the beach. Falling asleep to the sound of the ocean every night is one of my favorite things in the world. The layout of the house was almost like having separate wings. The house was so clean and well kept, and everything was well stocked. We loved preparing our meals in the well equipped kitchen, including the tuna we caught ourselves on a fishing boat. The huge lanai was our favorite place to relax, and we spent hours there enjoying the views and the sunsets. We even saw dolphins from the lanai on our last day, and the visiting geckos were fun, too. We hope to return to this wonderful home on the Big Island soon.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Absolutely Awesome!

  Absolutely Awesome!

  • Guest lmb
  • Date of stay 02/14/11
  • Review Submitted 02/25/11
  I endorse the rave reviews already posted. We spent a *delightful* week at Paradise Ocean Hale! The house and lanai easily accommodated our group of 5 adults, with plenty of room to be together, or to enjoy some privacy. It is the attention to detail, from the lovely décor to the well-appointed kitchen, that makes this home not just comfortable, but luxurious. From the spacious lanai, we watched the amazing waves in the black pebble beach cove, and the whales and pods of dolphins passing by a few hundred yards off shore. The beach is wonderful (though for those with tender feet, you might want to bring or buy reef-runner shoes, as it is a lava beach -- from small stones to tiny pebbles)! The snorkeling was great, with lots of fish within 20 feet off the beach. Altogether, it was an awesome vacation location and experience!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Wonderful stay

  Wonderful stay

  • Guest tlc
  • Date of stay 01/23/11
  • Review Submitted 02/05/11
  Even with the complete description of the property, this was beyond our expectations. In addition to the previous raves, the little things. Flashlights about the home, snorkeling equipment, the capacity to print out boarding passes with our laptop, unlimited calls to the mainland, centrally located. We had a fabulous sunset every night and, of course, saw whales. Even with the surf up, some of our party went into the bay with a boogie board, masks and a lovely neighborhood guide. One note, even though a nighttime snarl sounds like a cougar, it is probably a feral cat. No big cats on the island, but we did have to be convinced.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• A true gem!

  A true gem!

  • Guest DK
  • Date of stay 11/25/10
  • Review Submitted 12/06/10
  We have stayed in several houses this time around and finally have found the Hawaiian accommodation of our dream! The location is superb and the house is remarkably comfortable. The album shows how much love and thought went into the design and construction of this house. We are going back the first chance we get!

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Relax in Paradise

  Relax in Paradise

  • Guest Bernie & Sue
  • Date of stay 11/09/10
  • Review Submitted 11/17/10
  We spent an early November week in this lovely home, listening to the waves breaking on the lava pebble beach day and night. Each bedroom was spacious with comfortable beds and plenty of privacy. The large windows and fans keep all rooms comfortably cool. This location is perfect for active adults with the ocean in front, a nature trail to the south through the reserve and other small bays to the north. For those less adventurous, the 180 degree views from the generous lanai brought nature to you as you sat in comfortable chairs watching the ocean, birds and butterflies or reading a good book. The kitchen is fully equiped with every convenience. Mahalo to the management team for their quick response to questions and kind guidance to local resources.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• GREAT VACATION

  GREAT VACATION

  • Guest Larry
  • Date of stay 09/25/10
  • Review Submitted 10/09/10
  What a fantastic beach front home. Spectacular snorkeling just a few feet away with beautiful reef fish by the thousands. The huge lani was perfect to have an evening Mai Tai and watch extraordinary sunsets. It was so quiet at night we could hear the breeze in the palms and the small waves on the beach. We had a great vacation.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Perfect in Every Way!

  Perfect in Every Way!

  • Guest Happy Family
  • Date of stay 02/24/10
  • Review Submitted 03/06/11
  I can't say enough about how wonderful our stay was at this beautiful home! We spent every evening watching whales from the spacious breezy covered (and carpeted!) lanai - not to mention lovely sunsets. Great snorkeling, when it's calm, just steps from the door, and easy access to our favorite South Kona snorkel and dive spots. We bought fresh local fish and cooked many delicious meals in the very well-appointed kitchen. Comfortable beds, ceiling fans in every room, excellent walk-in shower in the master bedroom that was perfect for my elderly father. Filtered water, beach towels, chairs & umbrellas, coolers, and even a handy tub right next to the hose for rinsing salty dive gear - everything is so thoughtfully provided! We've rented vacation homes around the word (including many on the Big Island) and this is easily and by far our favorite. We can't wait to come back!

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Million Dollar View!

  Million Dollar View!

  • Guest Mikie
  • Date of stay 12/14/09
  • Review Submitted 08/31/10
  My husband and I stayed at Paradise Ocean Hale before it was listed on VRBO. The setting is spectactular with the most amazing view of the ocean. We loved sitting on the lanai every night watching one gorgeous sunset after another. We were there during the winter and could whale watch from the lanai. When the surf was quiet, you could actually hear the whales! If we wanted to go for a snorkel all we had to was grab our gear and walk just a little ways and jump in. Everything was provided and so convenient! The house has everything you need. The kitchen is large and fully equipped. My husband didn't want to leave the 60 inch TV with surround sound! This is a very special place!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

• KONA PARADISE,CAPT COOK

  KONA PARADISE,CAPT COOK

  • Guest LYNN
  • Date of stay 09/21/09
  • Review Submitted 09/10/10
  I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THIS RENTAL.THE VIEW WAS ONE OF THE BEST,RIGHT ON THE OCEAN SO YOU CAN HEAR THE WAVES ALL DAY AND NIGHT MY NEICE AND I STAYED A FEW WEEKS AND DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THE HOME IS SO COMFORTABLE ,THE LANI IS A BIG PLUS,THE GROUNDS ARE WELL KEPT WITH WONDFERFULL TROPICAL TREES AND FLOWERS.THE PHOTOS DO NOT SAY ENOUGH

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3