Stunning views of Kona, beautiful property and wonderful owners!

Guest: jennhell (Seattle)
Date of Stay: 02/23/11 Review Submitted: 02/07/12

My fiance and I stayed here last February for our anniversary trip (we actually got engaged at the end of the trip!) We stayed a few places on the Big Island as we wanted to both stay on the Kona side and Hilo side of the island. This place was our favorite of the trip! The guest space is exactly as pictured. It was very clean and the bathroom is all luxury! Bedroom has an amazing view of the coastline and Kona. We sat out in the grass and watched the sunset. It was quiet and romantic to stay here. Love the outdoor kitchen as well! The owners were wonderful and gave us a tour of their coffee farm, which is their labor of love. We are huge coffee aficionados, so this was a real treat to say on this property. Lastly, we were surprised upon our departure with a bottle of champagne and a note that said congrats on our anniversary! We would definitely come back here, it is a very special memory of our time on the Big Island! Thank you Al and Linda!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

December stay

Guest: NRP (Durham, NC)
Date of Stay: 12/09/11 Review Submitted: 01/03/12

While I guess what we got was technically what was advertised, we didn't love this location. We thought we were going to get a taste of a coffee farm ("Help pick coffee during coffee picking season or roast your own coffee") but we never saw the hosts. That would have been fine if we had some orientation to the property but since we did not, we didn't actually know where their property ended and other farms started-but the electric fences made us feel like we should stay close to the building so we definitely weren't out picking fruit. This unit is the basement of the main house (also for rent at this time on VRBO). You can't tell that once you are at the unit, but if the upstairs had been occupied, it might have made a difference. Nighttime was a little creepy since it is a remote location and we could sometimes hear people sounds coming from somewhere, and we didn't know where the hosts were or if they were coming back (and I'm not scared of the dark/the country-I lived in a tent for 6 months on a farm in CA). Getting from the car to the unit is pretty steep and grassy. Otherwise, the unit was true to the photos-nice, new, and clean.

Owner response:We feel very sad when expectations are not met as we try our hardest to be fair and accurate with our listing. We offer our Farm House and Guest Residence as an alternative to a resort stay, providing a very high level of quality at a comparatively low price. The goal is to present a taste of the true Hawaii by staying in the country on a farm, yet only minutes from the airport and all the Big Island has to offer. Some guests do participate in farm type chores, however, when presented with the opportunity, most prefer to relax and enjoy their time in other persuits so we rarely initiate contact. Most guests do make use of the local bounty as can be seen from other reviews. We have added more pictures and removed the "help pick coffee..." from the description as we want to make sure to represent fairly what we are offering....a glimpse of life in paradise on a coffee farm. There are no neighbors to create "people sounds" so my best guess is the friendly feral pigs, which only come out at night to feast on the mangoes, avocados and macadamia nuts found everywhere, were the culprits. It's for these feral pigs the low and unobtrusive electric fence is designed. The fence can be seen in the last picture. It is very hard to make out as it is just a thin piano wire 5 inches and 18 inches from the ground. It's automatically turned off during the day and it's purpose is to keep the feral pigs away from rooting up the grass around the coffee trees as they eat worms also! Just part of the experience most people enjoy here on the farm!

Recommended for:

Excellent accomodations in a beautiful setting

Guest: shiverin' canucks (Canada)
Date of Stay: 11/04/11 Review Submitted: 11/20/11

We stayed at Al's Kona Coffee vrbo for 2 weeks in November 2011. The place is beautifully designed and built, and spotlessly clean. The setting is peaceful, with the silence broken only by birds, the rooster, turkeys (when it thunders!) and the occasional feral pig. The temperature is about 10 degrees cooler than Kona, so bring a sweatsuit for relaxing in the evening. Al's dark roast is delicious!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

WE LOVED OUR STAY

Guest: Lori & Dominique (North Carolina )
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/19/11

We stayed here for one week, our very first trip to the Big Island. I can tell you staying here was the best decision we ever made! The cottage is perfect in everyway for a romantic get-a-way...Very clean and stocked with EVERYTHING you will need during your stay except the food! The location is close to town, shopping, and the airport. The cottage is peaceful the grounds beautiful. During the day the ocean was beautiful to look at in the distance, like a very private lagoon. One morning we awoke to a cruise ship anchored in the lagoon! We stocked the Fridge and had breakfast before we headed off to explore....Every evening it was a treat to come back and watch the beautiful sunsets. The temps were perfect with the open windows....you won't believe the luxury walk- in- tiled shower! We hope to come back and visit very soon.

Owner response:This is the Hawaii vacation we are aiming to provide our valued visitors and are so glad it is precisley what you experienced!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Country Living, City Chic... or should that be Chicken?

Guest: Gary & Elaine the pilots (Thousand Oaks, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 05/22/11

Yes, as with most of the State, there are chickens. But Al's chickens are in love, I kid you not. The hen nuzzles under the rooster to stay warm and cozy while she ponders where to lay her egg. Hmmmm, on top of the cabinet? How about in the lava bowl? It's so darn cute (seriously), and if you've never had a freshly laid egg you need to hope and pray that this flock visits your outdoor kitchen. We also enjoyed the wild turkeys (four bachelors... we're not sure what's up with that), the pair of pheasants, the frogs that sing like birds at night, the geckos, and even the mongooses. Oh, and there are gorgeous cardinals flitting about the ginormous mango tree just below the lanai. Do try to pick some papaya while you're there; it's tough because the birds like them too. Al has a fruit picker up near the garage. But they're so good... I used to think papayas were meh, until I tasted one of these. The mangoes can be had by walking under the tree and picking up ground-fall. Be careful though, from their height it would probably hurt to get bonked in the head by one. Bombs away! Watch for ripe pineapples. OMG, godly delicious. OK I'll stop yapping about the wildlife, even though it's really cool. The accommodations are really nice, new, and shiny. There are huge, thirsty towels and plenty of them. The travertine tile-work in the bathroom is gorgeous and the "rain" type shower has the back-pressure of a waterfall (minus the sticks and stones of waterfalls). Al doesn't say it in the property description, but there's decent snorkel gear, boogie boards, and other beach gear there. The technology is much better than all VRBO rentals we've experienced. There was a very strong WiFi signal and the TV & sound are outstanding. If you're in the 55+ category, be in good shape. It's a slightly steep hike from your car to your accommodations. Just a reminder about Hawaii in general. If bugs bother you (they flock to me), bring bug stuff, or pick some up while grocery shopping on the way to the House. Oh, and Costco is pretty close and their gas is $.20/gal cheaper than anywhere else! Book this place. You won't regret it. It is very nice. The photos are accurate, BTW.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Absolutely Fabulous!!

Guest: Vicki & Dean (Zig-Zag, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 03/18/11 Review Submitted: 03/30/11

We stayed here over spring break and could not have loved this place more. Everything about it was above expectations! You can see it has a view, but it is fifty times better in person. Everything inside is clean and brand new. It's totally top of the line. I loved the kitchen!! The bed is comfortable and you drift off to sleep every night watching the city view. The shower is total luxury. The owners are great and I almost cried when I had to leave the chickens..

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

5 stars!

Guest: kim and randy (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 02/01/11 Review Submitted: 02/19/11

What a great place! 5 stars! Super clean, wonderful, and luxurious. The photos don't do it justice. Beautiful bathroom and great shower, awesome bar, and great outdoor kitchen, with everything you need. We loved cooking here. Bed was super comfortable. It's high enough on the mountain that it gets cool enough at night for a blanket, yet still with all the windows open. Albert, the owner, was so nice and a perfect host. We even enjoyed coffee grown from the trees right there! The location is close to town, 15 mins, yet totally private, with nothing but coffee trees and a view of the coast line. We look forward to our next stay here already.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.