Papalani's Nature Retreat on Organic Farm

• Wow...worth the drive

  Wow...worth the drive

  • Guest Kiran
  • Date of stay 03/19/13
  • Review Submitted 03/23/13
  The farm is south of Kona, but the dive down is worth it! Its still near the best beaches, lovely villages and Nicki has everything we needed. There is a day spa on the farm, you can book a massage, or pamper and Nicki offers snorkeling and dolphin swims...(.this was amazing!!!) And the farm food basket: kale, avocados, papayas, eggs, bananas, all picked that morning, heaven! The farm house is huge and for the price you can't believe the amenities, we also booked the eco cottage for one night for a friend and it was more rustic, but so comfortable and sweet. This place is a gem.

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

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• Papalani stay

  Papalani stay

  • Guest BeauBeau
  • Date of stay 03/03/13
  • Review Submitted 03/22/13
  My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our 9 night stay at Papalani. Just as advertised, the main house was very roomy and clean with two legitimate bedrooms, fully equipped (as least for our needs and we did cook every night) kitchen, big living room and nice big outdoor lanai with a propane barbeque. The surrounding farm and grounds were charming. The owner Nikki was nothing short of a great host, allowing us use of herbs/fruits grown on-site, the sauna, just about anything we asked for. She was excellent about giving us our space as well. The place was extremely quiet and peaceful. If you love animals and pets, this is a great place. I fell in love with the two kitties that sunned themselves on our front steps every morning. The hens and Bubba, the dog, were cool too and thankfully no roosters. It is a bit isolated, several miles from stores/coffeeshops, but with a car (absolute necessity), planning and consolidating trips, it's no big deal. There are plenty of things to explore close by and a good launching pad to Vocanoes, Puna, and Hilo side of island. The only thing I would warn people about is that the driveway to place off the main road is very hard to see, especially at night - it requires plenty of preparation and slowing down when you get close to it. I would highly recommend Papalani to any type of traveler whether it be a family, adventurer, romantic (don't expect 4 star hotel-type accomodations) get away, etc. I would definitely stay there again should my travels bring me back to the Big Island.

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

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• See the real Hawaii

  See the real Hawaii

  • Guest Golfer
  • Date of stay 02/22/13
  • Review Submitted 03/12/13
  Our goal was to spend time relaxing near Kona. We located this VRBO and decided to check it out. We found we got the convenience of space to be comfortable and the slow pace of country living. We also found that we could easily reach the areas of the Island we wanted to explore/play at. We had a knowledgeable hostess, who treated us well and helped us make the most of our time at the property and on the island. I would recommend this experience without any qualms. Know that you will have to travel 20-30 minutes or more to get to shopping/groceries/fuel and recreation. That said, you won't beat the price or amenities. Treat yourself to the country pace of life when you are done seeing the sights/activites.

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

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• A kindred soul

  A kindred soul

  • Guest Barbara Didi
  • Date of stay 02/10/13
  • Review Submitted 02/27/13
  We stayed our first night in the eco cottage and then moved into Papalani main house (we had to work our schedule around other guests). We fell in love with both the house and Nikki. Papalani is fully furnished with a complete kitchen as well as any beach toys and accessories you could want. Bubba, Sweet Pea and Whitey were wonderful companions. The beautiful chicken ladies followed us around, scratching and chatting away merrily. Their fresh organic eggs are delicious. We were able to feed ourselves completely our of Nikki's gardens and trees. Fresh avocados, macadamia nuts, papayas, kombucha squash, greens, lettuce, tomatoes, leeks: you name it, she has it! In addition to the beautiful, peaceful surroundings we loved the sauna, outdoor rainwater shower (nice and warm), and the benefit of in-house massage by Nikki! Nikki is a skilled healer and massage therapist who graciously offers her services (at a discount no less!) to those who stay at Papalani. We couldn't have found a more perfect place to start our tour of the Big Island. In fact, on our last day we returned to Papalani for one more massage before getting on our plane to fly home! The home is large and spacious and could easily handle a family or 2 couples. Combined with the eco cottage, the property would make a wonderful gathering place for a large group of friends or family. We highly recommend it and look forward to visiting again. I would recommend booking early as she fills up quickly. Papalani is located in a beautiful, uncrowded part of the island. Very close to some of the best snorkeling and historic spots on the Big Island. Easy to get back into Kona if you wish or visit the Volcano on down the road. Mahalo Nikki, looking forward to seeing you again!

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

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• Beautiful Retreat

  Beautiful Retreat

  • Guest SunnyMeg
  • Date of stay 02/19/13
  • Review Submitted 02/24/13
  The papalani house was AMAZING! I wish our stay could have been longer. The house was very clean and had everything we needed for a comfortable, relaxing stay. Driving up the driveway, a wave of calm rushed over me. Nikki was so wonderful and accomodating. Her farm fresh eggs, kale, and herbs were an absolute delight. I cannot wait to return. I loved the out door shower too... complete bliss. If you are looking for a quiet, down to earth, back to nature retreat from the busy Kona area... look no further. Not far from the property is one of the coolset bays too! It's a salt and pepper beach where the dolphins swim. It's about 10minutes north and down the hill. Thank you for everything Nikki! I hope to see you again.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing.

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• Friendly and comfortable

  Friendly and comfortable

  • Guest Anonymous
  • Date of stay 02/03/13
  • Review Submitted 02/21/13
  The Papalani retreat is a very comfortable house located on a unique, local farm. The house is spacious and warm, and has all the features needed for a nice vacation. The owner, Nikki, is very friendly and helpful because of her knowledge about local sites. We were not able to stay as long as we wanted because of other commitments, but hope to return for a longer stay in the future.

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• Healing Haven

  Healing Haven

  • Guest Ramah
  • Date of stay 01/15/13
  • Review Submitted 01/23/13
  The house is large and comfy for a family. I never used the indoor shower because the outdoor shower was such a treat with beautiful tropical plants in lava rocks. It was fabulous after enjoying the healing effect of the Thera Sauna. The owner, Nikki, was extremely helpful with information about the Island. The property is well maintained. If you like having a quiet country retreat I highly recommend Papalani. It was an easy drive to the volcano.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, pet owners, families with teenagers, families with young children.

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• Peaceful stay on a working farm surrounded by nature

  Peaceful stay on a working farm surrounded by nature

  • Guest Suzi V.
  • Date of stay 08/10/12
  • Review Submitted 09/10/12
  We were looking for something off the beaten path and found it with PapaLani, a working farm south of Captain Cook. Nikki, the owner, made us feel right at home and was on hand to answer questions, but left us to ourselves when we wanted privacy. She also gave us great referrals to local restaurants and beaches. She told us about the Kona Coffeehouse and Cafe at Honaunau, where we had a yummy Sunday brunch (fresh white pineapple on every table!). Our favorite beach for snorkeling, Ho'okena, was just a short drive, along with the laidback coffee towns just north of PapaLani. Also, we drove to the volcano one day and this was a good place to do that from, as it is further south then Kailua-Kona. The home itself was spacious, with an amazing private balcony. We grilled out there and relaxed after a day at the nearby beaches. New king size bed was comfy. Totally enjoyed the outdoor shower. The chickens, cats and dog were sweet to have around.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

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

• Off the mainland...

  Off the mainland...

  • Guest Hope
  • Date of stay 07/25/12
  • Review Submitted 08/21/12
  This farm is wonderful if you are trying to get away from life on the mainland. It's private enough to relax but close enough to stores to run up the road if you forgot to buy milk :) It's also right off of the main highway which circumvents the entire island. As someone who has never been to Hawaii, I was blown away by all the different, exotic plant life and vegetation on this farm, as well. While staying here, I was also very close to the water, maybe a 5-10 minute drive which is beautiful anyway. So, it doesn't feel too far. The only thing that felt a little far was the nearest "night life" scene. If that is what you're looking for, you may not find this farm best fit for you. But, if you are looking to get away and relax, this farm is great for it. Also, there was little to no rain here, as I understand the other side of the island has quite a bit more rain. So, pretty much each day was a great day to head down to the ocean. Two thumbs up.

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

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

• Loved the Avocados....and Bubba

  Loved the Avocados....and Bubba

  • Guest Ray
  • Date of stay 06/05/12
  • Review Submitted 07/23/12
  My wife and two young children (5 & 8) spent a wonderful week on "the farm" with Nikki, her chickens, Bubba the dog, and her two cats. Nikki provided us with fresh guacamole, macadamia nuts, and even fresh eggs on Father's Day (what a treat!). My daughter's and I enjoyed touring the 13 acre farm Nikki lives on, which also provided some needed exercise. Beds were very comfortable, though a little humid sometimes due the rain forest we were staying in. The croakies reminded us of that! The outdoor rain shower was a nice touch, as was the sauna. The farm is located at a great location as a jump off point to get to Volcanoes National Park (~1 hr 15 mins to the top of Kilauea) and Point of Refuge (~25 minutes away). At Point of Refuge, my 8 year old and I were fortunate enough to be in the water when 8 spinner dolphins visited us, as well as 2 sea turtles. What an amazing place! The farm sits ~150 yards off the highway, so traffic noise is present during the day, but calms down quite a bit at night. We all had a wonderful stay and look forward to exploring the other side of the Big Island the next time we come back. Thanks Nikki for making our stay comfortable!

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

  Owner response: I loved having your family here & was amazed by the level of maturity, sweetness & curiosity of the girls with the chickens & farm & life in general! I wanted to clarify for possible future guests that Papalani is not in a rainforest. We actually are very dry with only 40 inches of rainfall a year. We have to water the gardens sometimes daily and even hand water the trees during super dry spells. The tropical climate for people from the desert feels humid on the island,especially the other side of the island. Here at PapaLani the gorgeous Ohia forest surrounds the farm. Ohia means gatherer in the Hawaiian language. The Ohia trees gather moisture from the atmosphere during the evenings so when you wake up there is dew on the plants & moisture in the air. Thank you for your stay and i hope to see you again.

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

$110/nite based on double occupancy - additional person $20 each/nite
50% Deposit to Reserve. Balance due upon arrival-cash
9.25 TAT Tax and 4.166 state sales tax
cleaning fee $60 for 2 people, each additional person $20
minimum stay 3 nights unless there is a 2 nite space available
no refunds

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.