Vacation Rentals by Owner

My Recent Visit to Dolphin Bay House

Guest: Zumba Addict (Chicago suburbs)
Date of Stay: 05/13/12 Review Submitted: 05/24/12

My companions and I enjoyed our stay at the Dolphin Bay House. The house is beautifully decorated, clean and comfortable. The kitchen was fully equipped high quality cookware and we enjoyed making our breakfasts every morning in the house. There was snorkeling within walking distance which we appreciated. I loved waking up each day to see bananas and pineapples growing in the yard along with the most beautiful flowers and I appreciated the ocean view. We took advantage of some of the good restaurant recommendations left for us. We were able to spend a lot of time sight seeing by using Dolphin Bay House as our base including driving to the volcanoes for the day. Kealakekua Bay is away from the more touristy parts of the island which I appreciated, but close enough to drive to them when we wanted to go out to eat or to shop. I would recommend this house to anyone visiting the big island.

Owner response:Mahalo nui loa for the wonderful review of Dolphin Bay House. We love to know that our guests have discovered the gem that this area is, and that you are close enough to town, but far enough to enjoy the peace and tranquility here in Kealakekua Bay.

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

fabulous snorkeling with dolphins

Guest: Julie (Liberty Lake, WA)
Date of Stay: 04/02/12 Review Submitted: 04/16/12

We went out every day to snorkel and loved it! The location of the house is near great snorkeling. There were dolphins in the bay every day during our stay. We loved being far from the tourist centers. The house fit our party of 8 comfortably. I would highly recommend this home for someone who wants to see the real Hawaii.

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

We love everything about this house

Guest: NB, California
Date of Stay: 03/30/12 Review Submitted: 04/02/12

Dear Martha & Leonard, While planning this trip we debated hotly between staying at a hotel and staying here. We are so happy we picked the latter! We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful and relaxing place to spend our vacation. We love everything about this house, and have definitely developed a fondness for house geckos. :-) . Thank you so much for contributing to what has easily been the best spring break EVER!!!

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Hawaii house

Guest: Jennifer S. (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/18/12 Review Submitted: 03/24/12

Wonderful experience from start to finish - from the initial email to the last day. We were 2 couples and one 8 yr old. The house is lovely: very clean, welcoming, tastefully decorated, great open living area makes gathering family members easy. Very obvious they have taken great care in remodeling and maintaining the house. Really appreciated the attention to detail! Beds were comfy, great (new) clean bathrooms. The owners have literally thought of everything! Sweet little beach (Manini Beach) is a 2 minute walk away. Perfect & safe for little ones to play in the water & sand as well as watch evening sunsets. We walked there every morning with our coffee! Kayak rentals 5 min walk away; Two Step for exceptional snorkeling is a 5 min drive (although snorkeling @Manini is good.) Really felt like true local, hawaiian experience. Great assortment of boogie boards, snorkel gear, beach chairs and coolers in laundry room. Krista the caretaker was very friendly & most helpful. We will definitely be back!

Owner response:Mahalo for your wonderful review. You've really summed up the amazing experience visitors can have in this little piece of paradise. So glad you had a great stay.

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We Loved the Dolphin Bay House!

Guest: Jeff (Buda Texas)
Date of Stay: 03/08/12 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

Great House. We shared with another family and there was plenty of room. The house has such a great design, with lots of beautiful details and tasteful decor. Well equip kitchen. Great outdoor spaces. Fabulous gardens. We felt so at home and inspired. We hated to leave and will definitely go back when we have the chance. jrobinson

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Family stay at the Dolphin Bay House

Guest: Grandma (Helena, MT, West, USA)
Date of Stay: 01/17/12 Review Submitted: 01/29/12

The Dolphin Bay House was spacious, spotless,secure, immediately comfortable to all members of my family, easy to prepare food in, and lovely. We found welcoming friendly people down at the beach/bay area, a fine near-by grocery store, and our experience was completely positive for all of us, including my four-year-old grandson.

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

Much More than Expected

Guest: M.M., San Francisco, CA and G & A, Poland
Date of Stay: 01/14/12 Review Submitted: 04/02/12

Dear Martha, The house was much more that we'd expected!!! We were very happy here. Thank you!

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amazing house and location!

Guest: m (seattle)
Date of Stay: 01/01/12 Review Submitted: 01/11/12

The house was excellent in great condition, huge, very clean, well-maintained, the bathrooms and floors looked newly remodeled, and it was all fully furnished. We were only 4 people and didn't even use the separate downstairs bedroom/bathroom. We had everything we needed- fully equipped kitchen, towels, even tons of snorkeling gear, chairs, and boogie boards to use at the beach (which was only a couple mins away by foot!). Also the location was great in a quiet and friendly neighborhood - away from the touristy kona area. The local beach had great snorkeling and was right near (within kayaking distance) to the captain cook monument- which is also a popular snorkeling area. Also there are dolphins in the bay (unfortunately we missed them on the day we went out kayaking). Definitely recommend the house- it's a great location to explore with an easy drive to the volcano national park and other great beaches. Also martha was very prompt and helpful to answer any questions. Her directions and other information at the house were excellent and very helpful.

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

Dolphin Bay paradise

Guest: Ellie (Santa Cruz)
Date of Stay: 12/28/11 Review Submitted: 01/09/12

My family (husband & 2 kids, 6 & 11) spent 4 nights at Dolphin Bay and we wish it had been much longer. The house is lovely, beautifully appointed yet homey. There are views of the Bay from the house, but what is magical is the little park just a short walk away. The park gives you access into the Bay, which is full of fish and great for swimming and snorkeling. There is a great neighborhood feeling and my kids quickly realized that they could just wander from house to park and back at their leisure. They also enjoyed hanging out in the beautiful garden that surrounds the house. Dolphin Bay is a truly relaxing place to spend time.

Owner response:Aloha, Thank you for your kind review, we are happy to know you and your family had a good time at Dolphin Bay House. Even though we describe the house, yard and neighborhood and have lots of photos, you have to visit to really understand how marvelous Dolphin Bay House and the surrounding area is. Mahalo! Martha & Leonard

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

Great hideaway in a very friendly neighborhood

Guest: Dinesh (Sunnyvale, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/17/11 Review Submitted: 11/29/11

My 3.5 year old daughter, wife and I rented this place from Nov 17-23. What a wonderful little place it turned to be. Manini Beach just a few hundred feet away is a great little community beach. My daughter could play in the sand and the water all day without us worrying about her. If you want to go snorkeling, you just get into the water right there at the beach and you get an absolutely fabulous experience. The amenities are excellent. There is snorkeling gear and beach gear at the house itself. The house has excellent amenities to cook or to surf the net. The neighbors are really friendly. If you decide to go out to Captain Cook monument, just a mile's kayak ride, you'll be most likely rewarded with a wonderful show by the wild spinner dolphins residing in the bay. If you need a kayak guide and kayak rental, I can't recommend Adventures in Paradise enough. They made my wife who doesn't know how to swim and my 3.5 year old daughter feel comfortable and relaxed enough to snorkel. Their rates are excellent too. We had a great time with them. All in all, this is a great vacation rental. Highly recommended.

Owner response:Aloha Dinesh, Thank you for your review, we were happy you stayed at Dolphin Bay House and glad you discovered what a wonderful place it is. We feel Dolphin Bay House is in one of the best neighborhoods in Hawaii. I'd like to clarify for our readers that when you say "little place" I believe you are referring to the neighborhood not Dolphin Bay House, as it is quite spacious (about 2,000 sq ft). Thank you again for your glowing review, please visit us again.

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

Our own private Eden

Guest: Mike (Missoula)
Date of Stay: 01/14/11 Review Submitted: 10/06/11

We have stayed at Dolphin Bay House for 2 weeks every year for the past 5 years. It is an absolutely beautiful place. It has been the perfect place for the six of us (3 couples) to recharge our batteries. The house is huge. A bedroom and bath for each couple gives us the privacy we need while living together. It is located in a secluded neighborhood just a 2 minute walk from Kealakekua Bay. We get up early and go swim with the Dolphins almost every morning. A couple of times a week, we can see whales in the bay. In the evening it is the perfect place to watch the sun settle into the ocean. If you enjoy peace and quiet, this cannot be beat. The house is always immaculate upon our arrival. Sandy and Dave, a local couple, take care of the place for Martha and Leonard. They always have the house spotless and ready for our arrival and the yard is perfectly manicured. They are handy every day if something unexpected comes up. They ensure that, upon our arrival, we are "locals" while we are there. The house has everything we need. Including snorkeling gear, float boards, beach towels, BBQ, washer and dryer and an our door shower to rinse the salt water off after an afternoon at the beach. The whole area is what the world should be like. On the road out of the area are a couple of roadside stands where you can buy local fruits, flowers and lei's. These stands are serve yourself and pay on the honor system. No one is there to collect your money. An incredible thing in today's world. Martha and Leonard, the owners of Dolphin Bay House, make every aspect of renting the house incredibly easy. The pictures on the web site are not exactly accurate. The house is much more beautiful and roomy than the pictures portray. I am a commercial pilot and have stayed in places all over the world. I cannot recommend Dolphin Bay House highly enough. The experience of this little "Eden" would be a bargain at twice the price. If you want to experience Hawaii at it's best, this is the place to be!!!!

Owner response:Mahalo Michael for your kind words. We have so enjoyed having your visits over the past years and we look forward to welcoming you back soon. It is a pleasure for us to be able to share our beautiful Hawaiian home with you and your friends. A hui hou and much aloha, Martha and Leonard

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

Dolphin Bay House

Guest: emu (sf, ca)
Date of Stay: 12/01/10 Review Submitted: 12/15/10

Dolphin Bay House is a marvelous accommodation with beautiful woods throughout and attention to every detail. Even the kitchen bar stools are beautiful! The bedrooms are lovely and very well appointed. It was easy for three couples to use together without getting in each other's way at all. The overhead fans in the downstairs breezeway are very useful and that area is great for playing games. Very nice local area with great snorkeling at Manini beach which is about a block away. Has a great neighborhood feel in contrast to staying at some impersonal resort. There were some good restaurants close by, especially the Ke'ei Cafe, and some very nice coffee houses. We would recommend Dolphin Bay to anyone who wanted a restful and elegant vacation. B&B, San Franciso

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.

What a great vacation house.

Guest: J (Quakertown,PA)
Date of Stay: 08/06/10 Review Submitted: 08/26/10

We stayed her for 6 nights and felt like we were right at home. This was our first vacation with our 2year old and it was a wonderful. We will definitely be returning to this wonderful house the next time we are in Kona.

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Paradise Found!

Guest: Salt Springers (Salt Spring Island BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/15/10 Review Submitted: 01/28/10

This island paradise is a stright drive from the airport with maybe 3 turns off Mamalahoa Hwy. It is a twisty turny drive down Napoopoo Rd, all the way down past the Kona Coffee factory. We recommend you bring your GPS as we found ours so valuable to use, found our address every time. It is amazing how accurate it was. The narrow road to Dolphin Bay House is virtually a one car road and holds a new mystery around each turn. Dolphin Bay House is a beautifully maintained home, 100% eco friendly, quiet, clean and has everything right down to a fresh fruit bowl to beautiful flowers on nearly every table. It also comes with it's own cute little green gecko. Kealakekua Bay, which is just a 2 minute walk down the quiet road is so full of life it was breath taking. A mother humpback whale and her new calf, spinner dolphins were only a few amazing sights we saw each day. And for the snorklers and scuba divers, you are in for a treat as the bay is full of life of nearly every kind. The Captain Cook Memeorial is a wonderful sight and very good snorkling too. A must of course is a 2 hour trip to Hawaii's famous volcanos, we did the 1 hour tour with a park ranger but will do the 3 hour hike next time we come for a holiday, very informative! Your trip's not complete until you've been just 4 miles down the road to Puuhonua Honaunau where you will find another bay which the locals call Two Step as it has two steps into another clear warm water snorkling site. It is also another spinner dolphin resting bay and my husband was lucky enough to be in the water when a pod of maybe 200 dolphins came in and swam all around him and other swimmers. He was very careful not to touch them or startle them in anyway and kept his hands behind his back as this is what you are told to do if you find yourself amoung these amazing creatures. All the bays are protected Marine Parks and have lots of rules about the sea life, make sure you read up on it before hand as it's very helpful. One bit of advice we can share is if you are arriving later in the evening shop before you get to the house as it is over a hour's trip there and back to the nearest grocery store. Once you've booked you will recieve a list of grocery stores. I could go on and on about everything but if you have booked this destination or are thinking about it, you will be in for a real treat! Everyone we met in our little hideaway by the sea were very friendly and helpful. We'll be back again soon! Melanie and Simon

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

A perfect place for a long visit!

Guest: BOBNTAM92 (San Diego, CA. USA)
Date of Stay: 09/27/08 Review Submitted: 11/26/08

Where to start? Our family of seven stayed from 9/27/08-10/5/08 to celebrate my mother's birthday. The downstairs suite was ideal for my sister, her husband, and their toddler, and the main house upstairs was perfect for four people. The recent remodel is impressive. Everything is brand new and the place looks great, yet it has a lived-in, comfortable feel to it which is nice. The house also has wireless internet access which is an added bonus for people with laptops. The kitchen is huge and had everything we needed, and the main lanai off the kitchen was a great place to hang out and relax. I really appreciated all the ceiling fans and the new open-air windows...no glass, just screens which was really neat, especially when taking a shower! The laundry room downstairs doubles as a storage area and is fully equipped with snorkel gear for several people of all sizes, beach mats, and ice chests; everything we needed for our daily treks to the bay. The location is amazing and the entire property is beautiful. Tropical plants and flowers are everywhere, most of which I've never seen before. I could go on and on. The big comfortable house; the close proximity to the bay; the amazingly friendly locals; the stunning views; we loved it all. Mostly, I loved the resident geckos we saw in the house every day. We grew so attached to them that we actually missed them when we continued our trip in Maui. In a nutshell, we really loved this place and can't wait for our next visit. ALOHA & MAHALO! PS - When you're looking for a good place for dinner you must try Teshima's for really good authentic Japanese food. It's just a 10 minute drive north of the house and you won't be disappointed. Grandma Teshima is 101 years old and she personally prepared our sashimi. How cool is that?

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

Pleasant change of pace

Guest: dvrsd (San Diego, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/27/08 Review Submitted: 11/02/08

It's a little drive from the Airport, but driving down the hill you get this remote out of the way experience, and it lived up to it. the afternoon walks at the beach you can strike up a conversation w/ a local. Weekdays the beach is empty during the daytime. The sunset is worth 2 rolls of film. So, yes, I enjoyed the surroundings. The house - although new looking (great condition) it still had that lived in feel, kind of like you were staying at a friends house while they are away. One of us in the party was recovering from hip surgery, so - he stayed at the house the most & loved it. Gecko's were a plus! Our (rental place) bay -I thought was the best place to snorkel/scuba. Saw 6 different types of eels, the turtle, tons of fish. Going to a famous snorkel place for turtels, I saw none, Yet, at our bay - I saw him every time.

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

I'd Give 6 Stars if I could!

Guest: Ppaquita (San Diego, CA )
Date of Stay: 09/27/08 Review Submitted: 11/01/08

2 years ago, my daughter approached me about my upcoming 60th birthday. Where did I want to go? We kicked around ideas like a month in Italy or an Alaskan cruise. I had just returned from a week at the Dolphin Bay House with another couple, and since I could chose anywhere, I just wanted to go back there. I wanted to dive with the mantas on my birthday (we had 10 of them show up!) I’m very well traveled, and I’ve fallen in love with the Big Island, specifically this area near Kona. If you’re going to visit Hawaii, the Big Island is the best, and Kona is where you’ll want to be. There’s so much to do on the island, whether you’re here for golf, scuba diving, sightseeing, or simply recharging. There’s no place I’d rather stay than this beautiful home in this magical setting. I was traveling with my entire family, including a 2-year old granddaughter. The house was perfect. The location was perfect. The neighbors were friendly. We had a 2 minute walk to the bay for swimming, kayaking, diving and snorkeling. We loved walking around the block taking pictures of the beautiful flowers. The sunsets were fabulous.. The best golf course on the island is only 15 minutes away. The house is simply gorgeous! It was completely remodeled since our last visit and is worth six stars on a scale of five! The house is roomy and well appointed, with a gourmet kitchen – top of the line everything throughout. It should be featured in an architectural magazine! The beds are comfortable (with 7 of us; the house was perfect for us with separate area downstairs for the couple w/ the small child). The master bath is unbelievable! I wanted to take it home with me! The neighborhood is so safe, that we felt like we didn’t have to lock our doors at night. We ventured to Hilo and later to Maui, and found the comparison between the people strikingly different from the folks in Kona. This has to be the friendliest place in the world! I’ll never return again to the masses of Kaanapali. My future trips will bring me back to the serenity of this little spot of heaven on earth. The owners are wonderful and very easy to deal with. The reservation and payment process was seamless. This is their second home, so they make sure it's beautifully maintained and appointed, ensuring every comfort and luxury for their visitors. They sent a list of recommended shopping locations, restaurants and babysitters (they knew we had a little one!). You couldn't ask for a better vacation experience!

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

The Perfect Spot!

Guest: J-girl (San Diego, CA, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/16/08 Review Submitted: 01/08/09

Dolphin Bay House is in a great location—only a 2 minute walk from the water! I was able to sit on the deck and read for hours. I enjoyed the breeze and the peek-a-boo views of the ocean. We also went kayaking—this was really easy because you can rent close to the house, and then you can be the first into the bay in morning. My family and I felt like we had found a secret spot. The bay is the best snorkeling spot I’ve been to in Hawaii (I’ve visited Maui and Kauai). We had fantastic weather, and the true aloha spirit really came through during our stay. Dolphin Bay House is luxurious, convenient, and we could tell that during the recent remodel every detail was beautifully thought out. The place was spotless--we're picky about that so we felt right at home as soon as we walked in. Very comfy beds and lovely decor also. The house is non-smoking—an absolute must in my family. This is the owner’s second residence, so it is maintained very well and feels like a real home. While at the house, swimming, snorkeling, or hanging out at the beach, we felt like we were in paradise. I would check out The Coffee Shop for breakfast and lunch. I also REALLY liked the Italy place that was right up the hill--fresh bread and tasty pasta. There is a book in the house with sample menus and it's in there. The renting process was easy and pleasant; the owners are very accommodating and aim to please. We are trying to plan our next vacation back ASAP because we wouldn’t stay anywhere else!

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