Easy living by the ocean

Guest: Ironmansupporter (Stockholm, Sweden)
Date of Stay: 09/30/11 Review Submitted: 11/01/11

Stayed for two weeks and enjoyed every bit of it. We found the house better than the pictures and the video provided by the owner. The house was well cleaned and the owner easy to get in contact and deal with both before and during the stay. We loved to wake up in the morning to the view of the ocean and the sound of the waves rolling in and would gladly return. Highly recommended!

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

Home away from home only better!

Guest: L&D (Sycamore)
Date of Stay: 12/19/09 Review Submitted: 07/14/11

We have stayed in this condo many times while visiting the big island. We love it and it feels as if we are going home. When we plan a trip to Hawaii there is never a question as to where we will be staying. We enjoy the well equipped and clean condo. It is a pleasure to fall asleep at night listening to the waves crashing in right outside the window. We dine in a lot while traveling and have found the kitchen well equipped with a variety of kitchen utensils. The private Lanai provides awesome sunset views and a wonderful place to consume our Mai Tai's and chips while watching the sunset. We have also seen whales off the Lanai. The Snorkeling Beach within walking distance provides wonderful snorkeling. We think the snorkeling is the best anywhere! The owners of the condo are kind enough to provide additional recreational supplies. Some of these additional supplies include boogie boards, snorkel equipment, beach chairs, grass mats and coolers for picnics. Our only regret is that we cannot return more often than we do!!

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

Paradise in Keauhou Kona

Guest: Pam (Algona, Iowa)
Date of Stay: 02/08/11 Review Submitted: 07/11/11

My husband and I stayed for two weeks at this condo at the Surf & Racquet Ball Club in Keauhou. I don't think we could ever get any closer to the ocean! If you want peace and relaxation we would highly recommend staying here! The view from the huge picture window of the main bedroom was fantastic and hearing the waves pound onto the lava rock was so soothing that I'd go back in a heartbeat. This condo had everything that you need to cook your own meals, if you want to, but close enough to restaurants to eat out as often as you'd like to. We rented a car and would drive into Kona to local restaurants, too, and the drive along the ocean was absolutely gorgeous. We also took long walks along the rocky coastline or along the highway either direction from the condo. If you like to do some of your own cooking, we'd highly recommend heading to downtown Kona and shop at the Farmer's Market. (Many fruits and vegetables to choose from besides many other island items). One of our favorite places to eat is the Kona Brewing Co. which brews it's own beers and has great pizzas. If you're looking for a really nice restaurant, with delicious fish entrees, try the restaurant at the Kona Inn, which has beautiful sunsets to watch while dining. If you don't mind renting a car, drive around the island and check out the Hawaiian Botanical Gardens over by Hilo on the east side of Hawaii or dirve up to Waipio Valley along the northest side. Absolutely breathtaking! Last Feb. we attended the Hawaiian Music Festival at Laupahoehoe Point-great entertainment! About an hours drive north from Kona is a beautiful whitesands beach called Hapuna Beach which is worth spending a couple of days there. We've spotted whales out in the ocean, taken walks along the sandy beach and just chilled out. There's also a small restaurant to get food or take your own lunch along. There are picnic tables, bathrooms, etc. there to make your day a good one. I could go on forever about great places to visit over there but you need to experience those by yourself. Location, location, location is the reason for staying here, if you love listening the waves pouding onto the lava rock, with lots of privacy. If you're looking for a fast-paced, eloquent/fancy all-inclusive resort with mobs of people, then leave this condo for those who enjoy the beauty of the ocean and the simplicity of island life! This is like having your own home in paradise - if only for a short time!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Repeat customer

Guest: Jon and Karen (St. Charles, Il)
Date of Stay: 04/11/08 Review Submitted: 07/08/11

My wife and I have been to the Islands eight times over the years (from Illinois). We've either stayed or visited most of the Islands either as a couple or wih our family. Without a doubt, this hale is our most favorite place to visit and stay!. Two of our daughters "honeymooned" here because they loved it so much when our family visted in years prior. Being within 50 feet of the ocean, the soothing sounds of the ocean are so calming they just put you to sleep. The lanai is the perfect place for morning coffee and reading the paper, a quick lunch, or a fresh grilled fish dinner. ( we go to a local fish market and purchase the fresh fish caught that morning!) It's like there is nothing better. Being tennis players, the 4 courts are lighted for cooler evening times and it seems there is seldom a wait. The pool is immaculate with plenty of seating. a beach with some of the best snorkeling is just minutes away and the big island has a wide variety of adventures to pursue. Where else can you go and visit an active volcano?

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

Has its advantages, but read the cons too.

Guest: Jennifer (Ketchikan, Alaska)
Date of Stay: 12/19/10 Review Submitted: 01/12/11

Pros: right on the water, great sunsets, lots of things to watch in the water like whales and dolphins, parking space right in front of condo, two flat screen tv's, fast internet, good ceiling fans, nice location across from a small shopping center w/ a grocery store and drug store and ice cream shop, walking distance to the snorkel beach for someone who is fit, working ceiling fans, lots of clean towels and sheets, comfortable large beds, did not see one ant or cockroach, beautiful views, NICE large pool, lots of cups silverware and plates plus cooking pots and pans in the kitchen. Cons: no a/c, sheets did not fit beds-they kept coming off because they were not deep enough, the condo was not clean, lots of grime on everything, being right on the water was extremely LOUD and hard to sleep since the windows had to be open at night, no ocean breezes go right through the townhome (both levels) so thank goodness for the fans, the cooler was a styrofoam one with NO locking lid very difficult to manuever, no boogie board with a window that I saw (but there were regular boogie boards), beach chairs were rusty and yucky, the snorkel equipment was not decent and didn't work except for one mask, ended up renting two sets of snorkel gear, the LANAI was like a cubby hole and didn't get much of a breeze at all, the lanai felt really closed in, the community is gated for cars, but anyone can walk right in for public beach access; there was a popular sunset viewing area right next to our condo so sunsets were not that private, the place is called a townhome but it is small like a condo, it has TWO levels w/ two bedrooms upstairs and the steps are steep, tile floor on entry and b-room and kitchen is EXTREMELY slippery when wet which happens a lot due to the high humidity of the area, the humidity was so great that at times there were dropplets of water running down the walls, mirror, and pictures in the living room, there was not a decent sharp knife in the place.

Owner response:We thank the renter for her comments. Because our unit is right on the water, the air may have moisture from ocean spray depending on the winds. Salt is always an issue this close to the ocean, but we have a very good cleaning service. We have never previously had a comment regarding slippery floors and have rugs partially covering tiled areas. We have purchased new masks, (all equipment is there as a courtesy, guests are free to bring their own). The floor plan is similar to all Surf and Racquet Club Oceanside units with two bedrooms and bath upstairs, one bath down, and carpeting throughout (including lanai) except entry, kitchen, and baths. Please see our video to see the interior and lanai. The weather in Kona is renowned for being one of the most perfect on the planet. Normally, without A/C, natural breezes and fans provide comfort.

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