Vacation Rentals by Owner

Very enjoyable week!

Guest: Gvrunner (Gold country, ca)
Date of Stay: 05/06/12 Review Submitted: 05/23/12

Nice laid-back digs comfortably far from the crowd, amazing volcanic geology, tide pools, biking, snorkeling.... The view is nice nd near the ocean, there are power-lines and you can't get to that shore but better ones are a walk or bike ride away. Recommended!

Owner response:Mahalo for enjoying our home as much as we do!! The views from the home of the ocean are beautiful, and you used to be able to walk to the ocean down Wainini until a house was built at the end of the road on the ocean, but it was never a place where you could actually go swimming. Luckily, it did not disrupt the view and you can't see the house from the Pualani Home. All the other ocean access areas in the subdivision I show guests on a map - very easily accessible by a short walk or bike ride. And it's just a very short bike ride to the Wai'Opae Marine Sanctuary for fabulous snorkeling. I think my Pualani home has the best of both worlds by being in the gated subdivision so you can access the Kapoho Beach Lots ocean accesses and Champagne Pond, but it is also the closest street to Vacationland for a quick trip over there for more swimming and snorkeling options! We love the rural, tropical, feel of the home and the superb snorkeling in the area.

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

1st Timmer

Guest: kaz (Aurora Colorado)
Date of Stay: 04/27/12 Review Submitted: 05/02/12

The house was clean. Every thing was as stated at the property. The view of the ocean was fine. The location was excellent. We were able to walk to all the tide pools and warm pools in 5 minutes. I would recommend this rental to any one, great time!

Owner response:Mahalo Jennifer! It is always our goal to have a clean home and you just can't beat the location for accessing the tide pools - just walk either south to Vacationland or north to Champagne Pond and the other ocean accesses. Glad you enjoyed it and hope you can come back sometime!

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

Tropical Splendor

Guest: Joey (Maple Ridge, B.C.)
Date of Stay: 03/24/12 Review Submitted: 04/02/12

Kapoho is an area of Hawaii that we didn't know exsisted and we're very happy to have stayed! Tropical stormwatching, sound of the ocean, the wind in the palm trees, songbirds, and the occasional frog all added to our entertainment. We enjoyed riding bikes to the many warm swimming areas nearby. Overall the home is clean and comfortable, but, bugs are a problem, we couldn't turn bright lights on after dark. Be sure to buy BBQ briquettes and ALL basic supplies before you come because the cupboards were bare upon arrival.

Owner response:We came to the Big Island many times before we discovered Kapoho on the Eastern tip of the island. We immediately fell in love with the house and the area! Truly our Hawaii Dream house coming true! We are at our home now and haven't noticed a bug problem, but it is the tropics and there are bugs! We do not supply our home with the charcoal briquettes for the bbq, but we have lots of other amenities like a hot tub, fully equipped kitchen, lots of linens, snorkel gear, bicycles and more! The kitchen has all cooking utensils, but we do not supply condiments - only some spices. There are coffee filters, but no coffee. We love sharing our home with others who are looking to find a more "restful" tropical experience. I just snorkeled at the nearby WaiOpae Marine Preserve. Fabulous way to start the day!

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

When it is raining everywhere else

Guest: Snorkel fans (Vancouver BC)
Date of Stay: 03/09/12 Review Submitted: 03/20/12

We only had 4 days here but enjoyed them enormously. Wish we had longer, will return in the future. The Kapoho (Waiopieo) tide pools were the highlight.

Owner response:Thank you for choosing Pualani in Kapoho! We love it there too and our favorite spot for snorkeling is the southern cove at the Wai'Opae Marine Preserve. I often hear guests say that they wish they had stayed longer! I think people should try to stay at least a week if possible to truly get a feel for this beautiful, tropical area of the Big Island.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers

Amazing Home away from home

Guest: Reba (NYC)
Date of Stay: 01/10/12 Review Submitted: 01/24/12

My husband and I just spent five nights at Pualani House and it was absolutely the highlight of our two-week trip to Hawaii! I can't say enough how much we loved our stay. The house is in a secure, gated community, with only a few homes on the same street, so it felt remote and private yet safe. This subdivision is home to the famous Kapoho TidePools, which include several natural lava-stone pools that are naturally heated! It is truly breathtaking! Pualani House was extremely clean, well-cared for, and had all the provisions you might need: beach chairs, coolers, snorkel gear, five bikes, tons of kitchen stuff, loads of sheets and towels. Washer-dryer was very convenient (especially nice that there was detergent, unlike some other rentals). The wrap-around lanai is one of my favorite parts of the house, as well as the outdoor hot tub! I would highly recommend this house to independent travelers who are looking for a unique place to go on the Big Island. Kapoho is on the Hilo side, but the area is very sunny, not rainy like much of the East side. It was gorgeous every day! Pahoa town has a lot of good food choices and supermarkets. It was also a convenient place to go to Volcanoes, about an hour away. LOVED IT! Can't wait to go back! Reba and Johnny

Owner response:Mahalo Mahalo! I love it when guests appreciate the home and the area as much as we do! We sure hope you can come back soon and stay longer, and I always give discounts to repeat guests!

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

Amazing Time at Pualani

Guest: Reba & Johnny
Date of Stay: 01/10/12 Review Submitted: 01/17/12

Hi pat! Just wanted to send you a quick Mahalo because we had such an amazing time at Pualani! I was really sad to leave, and am totally jealous that it is your house! I absolutely love love love the big island, must come back! It is big! We didn't even make it to the Kona side, but we had such a great time, exploring the tide pools (wai apoe is incredible) and volcanoes park was truly breathtaking. Puna district is peaceful and wild and has a whole character of it's own. Loved every minute. Can't wait to come back! Mahalo!

Recommended for:

Beautiful views, comfortable bed, extremely clean

Guest: sbeth (Madison, Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 09/18/11 Review Submitted: 09/23/11

We had a great time exploring the Kapoho area for 4 wonderful days. The Pualani house made a great home base for us. We really enjoyed falling asleep each night to the singing of the coqui frogs, which are, admittedly, an invasive nuisance on Hawai'i. The house is close to fantastic snorkeling in the Kapoho tidepools, hiking in the national park, and restaurants in nearby Pahoa. There are no stores at all in Kapoho, so you must do your grocery shopping before you arrive. Pat is very good about listing all the grocery stores you will pass by on your way to the house. She is also very good about providing maps and directions, so you do not have to worry about getting lost on your way to the house the first time. One thing to keep in mind if you intend to snorkel at Champagne Pond, a lovely aquarium spot to snorkel: there is no public parking. You must walk or ride bikes to the access point, which is close by but still a walk, perhaps a bit too far for toddlers or folks with mobility problems. The Kapoho tide pools do provide public parking spots. Be sure to eat at Kaleo's in Pahoa. Although a bit pricey, which is usual for even casual dining in Hawai'i, the food and service were outstanding. I'd return to the area just to eat a meal there again!! Also, be sure to stroll through the magical Lava Tree State Park, which is just up the road. We practically had the entire park to ourselves on the day we visited. It's unusually beautiful. Although the Pualani house is not directly on the ocean, you will enjoy the ocean view from the lanai. Crashing waves framed by palm trees. What more could you ask for?

Owner response:Mahalo Sara for choosing our Pualani Home in Kapoho and we are so glad you enjoyed it! It is our primary goal for guests like you to have a positive experience. I try to send as much information as I can so that you have a positive experience! We love Kapoho and love sharing it with others. We hope you can come back some time! Mahalo - Pat & Andy Starkie

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

Absolutely Perfect!

Guest: davidsonville (Prince Frederick, Maryland, USA)
Date of Stay: 08/26/11 Review Submitted: 08/29/11

This home and its owners reflect the aloha spirit that make our getaway extra special. It's like living in a breezy, glass home but with privacy as well. Nights are quiet other than brief rain passing through, neighbors are extremely polite and the wi-fi is ripping fast to stay in touch with family and friends (especially when we had an earthquake and a hurricane at our house while we were away). The porch that rings the 2nd story is particularly nice as well as the multiple jalousie windows and screens that let the tropical breeze flow right through the home. The kitchen is sufficient to cook as much or as little as you would like. There's plenty of snorkel gear, boogie boards, pool noodles downstairs that keep you from buying one-time-only equipment here (nice). And, bicycles for getting out and about in the neighborhood and beyond. Excellent place. We would stay here again. Thanks Pat!

Owner response:We love it when guests enjoy the Pualani Home as much as we do! Kapoho is such a special place and the design of the home really puts you at one with nature! It is very enjoyable to be there! Our recent two week stay was not long enough, but we are so happy to share the home with others, and try very hard to keep it well equipped so that you can have a Hawaiian home away from home. Hope you can come back - discounts for repeat guests.

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

Great ocean view!

Guest: miknic (Arizona)
Date of Stay: 03/20/11 Review Submitted: 04/03/11

We LOVED the Kapoho home and we enjoyed sharing it with the resident geckos! Such a beautiful home that was well-kept, had tons of amenities, and a gorgeous view of the ocean and surrounding greenery. We loved listening to the frogs and the ocean at night. We just got home at 2:00 this morning only to find that your refund check for the security deposit was already in our mailbox! Thanks so much, we really appreciate the quick refund and are very impressed with how you run your business. Thanks again for sharing your vacation home with us, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. Mahalo, Nicole and Michael

Owner response:We are so happy you enjoyed the Pualani Home. That is our goal - to have happy guests who may want to return some day! Mahalo a nui loa, and please come back again! Pat & Andy

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

Great ocen view!

Guest: miknic (Arizona)
Date of Stay: 03/20/11 Review Submitted: 04/03/11

We LOVED the Kapoho home and we enjoyed sharing it with the resident geckos! Such a beautiful home that was well-kept, had tons of amenities, and a gorgeous view of the ocean and surrounding greenery. We loved listening to the frogs and the ocean at night. We just got home at 2:00 this morning only to find that your refund check for the security deposit was already in our mailbox! Thanks so much, we really appreciate the quick refund and are very impressed with how you run your business. Thanks again for sharing your vacation home with us, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. Mahalo, Nicole and Michael

Owner response:We love having happy guests! That is our main goal!! Please come back sometime - reduced rates for repeat guests too, and I am getting quite a few returnees!! Mahalo a nui loa! Pat & Andy

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

A great place to visit

Guest: Chuck & Judy (Parksville, BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/16/11 Review Submitted: 02/26/11

We have just returned from 8 days at Pualani. It is a marvelous house in an excellent setting. It has everything one needs and more. The bikes are a great extra. There is lots of place to ride and explore on foot.

Owner response:Mahalo Chuck & Judy! I am glad you enjoyed the bikes. We love riding to the nearby snorkeling spots, and then coming back and relaxing in the yard or hot tub. We do our best so that guests have everything they will need to enjoy themselves! Hope you can come back, and we always offer discounts to repeat guests. Mahalo!

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

Wonderful house close to world class snorkeling

Guest: Tim P. (Grand Haven, MI, USA)
Date of Stay: 02/01/11 Review Submitted: 03/23/11

We had a wonderful stay at the Pualani Home in February. The handsome house was perfect with all the ammenities, and very clean. The owner was great with all our questions, and replied immediately. The snorkeling nearby in the Kapoho Tide Pools was possibly our very favorite snorkeling spot ever! Swimming through thermally heated tide pools now out-ranks the Cayman Islands for us. The location was good for excursions to the volcano and Hilo too. We highly recommend the Pualani Home.

Owner response:We are always so happy when guests enjoy our home and the Kapoho area as much as we do! We hope you can come back sometime! We always offer discounts for repeat guests. We also think that the snorkeling is absolutely fabulous there.

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

PARADISE FOUND

Guest: Basia (Burbank, Ca.)
Date of Stay: 12/29/10 Review Submitted: 01/02/11

We had never explored this part of the island before. We have been on the Big Island at least 10 times so the idea of exploring this section was intriguing. We were VERY SURPRISED/ LOVED IT! Just a true paradise. The ponds were really fascinating. Saw a turtle in one of them. The weather was great. Sunny during the day and if it rained it happened at night. We loved the little town of Pahoa. Some really colorful people there. You can hang there all day and just talk the day away. The lava tree park was so beautiful and that stretch of highway that leads you to it is so beautiful with the canopy of trees, vines and ferns. There is a great point to see the sunrise just a short walk from the house (There is a home being built there now (Bummer!) but if you get there before they are finished you just have to walk out there. Magical sunrise. We also stumbled on the tide pools just off of the Kapoho Kai street. AMAZING. We then drove to Kalapana - so worth it to see the black sand beach coming back and don't forget to take a coconut to plant into the sand. Bringing back Kalapana to its original look (Pre lava flow) one coconut at a time. I really should not be writing all these great things, this may mean that it will be booked more often, leaving me high and dry. We look forward to coming back and staying longer than 3 days. MAHALO NUI LOA.

Owner response:I had been to the Big Island about 10 times before I discovered Kapoho too! And I am so lucky I did, and I love to share my home with others who appreciate this truly tropical and magical area of the Big Island. Please come back!

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

Lovely Stay at Pualani House

Guest: Mike (La Grange Park IL)
Date of Stay: 12/22/10 Review Submitted: 01/03/11

My wife and two teenage children had a wonderful stay at Pualani House on the Big Island. The house was very comfortable with plenty of room for all of us, a great view of the ocean and nice breezes. The easy access to the Champagne pools is a real bonus. The Puna area has some gorgeous spots with easy access to the Volcanoes. It's a great get away from the crowds in other parts of the islands. We'll be back again!

Owner response:We love our getaway from the crowds in Kona, Maui, Waikiki, etc. This is truly the Hawaii of "yesteryear." We always give discounts to repeat guests and I get quite a few returning guests, so plan early!

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

Pualani Home in Kapoho

Guest: Paul and Alison (San Luis Obispo, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 12/07/10 Review Submitted: 12/18/10

We had a wonderful time at Ocean View Pualani Home. The check in process was simple and the house was very clean. It was stocked with everything needed to make it a home away from home. My husband was especially pleased with the coffee grinder and espresso machine. We loved riding the bikes to the champagne ponds. The snorkling was awesome. The water was warm and filled with colorful fish. The Makuu farmers was close and we purchased wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables there. Pahoa had some great restaurants, for those days when we didn't feel like cooking. We had a truly relaxing vacation and hope to return someday. I would definetly recomend this rental to family and friends.

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

Beautiful, comfortable spot for exploring Puna

Guest: Digger (Minneapolis, MN)
Date of Stay: 11/16/10 Review Submitted: 01/01/12

My wife and I (in our late 30s) stayed at Pualani in Kapoho for five great coqui-filled nights. It was a great spot to stay and relax while enjoying the Hilo side of the Big Island. We explored the volcano and lava flow, the various tide pools (including Champagne Pond which is in the development Pualani is a part of), and even made a trip to Mauna Key observatory (long drive but worth it). Highlights for us were the volcano rim hike, walking down to Champagne Pond each morning for a swim (after having some Kona coffee, fresh Hawaiian fruit and Portuguese sausage), taking a tour of the lava flow from a local who lived in Kalapana (one of the coolest things I've ever experienced), having dinner in Pahoa at Kaleo's, and after dinner wrapping up at a fun bar that I believe is called Black Rock. The house is bright and airy. The wrap-around deck is great and the kitchen, living room and bedroom were all more than comfortable. Great spot for staying and exploring the Puna district and we hope to be back soon!

Owner response:Aloha & Happy New Year, Doug! I am so happy you enjoyed Pualani as much as we do. Please come back soon - I always offer discounts to repeat guests. Thanks again for choosing Pualani in Kapoho while visiting the east side of the island.

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

Oh my gosh! Your Pualani Home is So Awesome!

Guest: Kay & Lowell Goecker
Date of Stay: 09/20/10 Review Submitted: 09/30/10

Aloha Pat! Oh my gosh--your Pualani Home is so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your home. We all loved our stay at your house and had such a good time. If we make it back to Big Island your place would be our 1st choice. The tidal pools were our favorite since snorkeling was the #1 activity. There are so many wonderful activities to do in that area of the Big Island. It was also fun to just relax at the house. I loved the way you decorated the house - it was very homey. I'm also about ready to download my pictures and do some digital scrapbooking in the next couple of weeks so we'll have a lot of wonderful memories. Thanks a lot, Kay and Lowell

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Very relaxing and enjoyable vacation home

Guest: youngisland (Washington)
Date of Stay: 09/07/10 Review Submitted: 09/18/10

First off, dealing with the owners is first rate. Pat is so helpful and makes it all so easy. The home is easy to find, well located, very clean and comfy, and stocked with everything you need for a wonderful stay on the Big Island. The people in the area are very nice and always willing to chat. Can't say enough about how easy Pat made it for us. We appreciated that. Mahalo Pat. Be sure and hit the Safeway in Hilo on your way down.

Owner response:It is my priority that guests enjoy their stay! I am glad you enjoyed it, and hope that you can come back sometime! I stock the home as best I can since it is my home away from home too!! Mahalo!

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

Very Satified Customer!

Guest: Angie/Jon (Chippewa Falls, WI)
Date of Stay: 02/09/10 Review Submitted: 02/20/10

My husband and I spent 1 week on the Big Island. We spent 3 nights on the Hilo side and 4 nights on the Kona side. We were pleasantly surprised with this home. It was exceptionally clean and had great ammenities, including bikes, snorkeling equipment and anything you could need for the kitchen. The owners are outstanding to work with and willing to help in any way with your Hawaii vacation planning. I would also like to recommend the book, "Hawaii-The Big Island Revealed." This made our time in Hawaii so awesome because we knew just what to do and how to get to some of the Hawaiian "gems" and we would have missed without this book. The location of the home is unique, about 35 minutes from Hilo, but 10 minutes from Pahoa, which is a very cool little town with anything that you may need. We loved being amongst the people who live here, instead of tourists. The gated community was quiet and very nice. Pahoa has very good resturants. We tried a Thai resturant called Nings and a Mexican resturant called La Quinn's. Both were very good. The pizza at Boogy Woogie Pizza was spectacular and very reasonable. We also visited Pahoa Village Cafe for "Open Microphone" which they have every Thursday night. This was an experience-awesome musicians and very interesting! There are several things to do close by the home. The tide pools are very cool and I suggest going in the morning. There are two warm ponds in the area which are fun, too. Lava Tree State Park is a beautiful place and only a few miles from the home. We would also recommend driving South on Hwy 137 until the end of the road and see the new black sand beach that has formed at the end of the lava rock that has taken over the old black sand beach. There is a great resturant here as well and we would recommend the coconut ice cream which is fabulous! This home is about 35 minutes to Volcanoes National Park as well. We could have easily spent more time on this side of the island. We didn't have enough time to sit back and enjoy the home because we were out on adventures the whole time. I look forward to returning to the Big Island and would definitely stay at this home again and will recommend it to anyone! Thank you to Pat and Andy for a wonderful home and making our visit to the East side of the island an amazing experience!

Owner response:Mahalo Angie & Jon! Please come back and stay longer!! You covered a lot!! We love to just kick back at the house!!

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

Guest: Donna Blair
Date of Stay: 11/16/09 Review Submitted: 11/15/09

Hi Pat Thanks. I received the refund a few days ago. I absolutely loved your place in Kapoho. It was definitely the hilight of the trip for me. It was extremely humid (sometimes we could see our footprints on the floor). I had never experienced anything like that before. I loved it. The days were sultry in a lovely way. I even enjoyed the crazyness of the coqui frogs at night. (though I think they might drive a person mad eventually...but probably in a good way) My favorite part of the day was waking up to the wrap around window view of the palm trees and the ocean and watching the light change. We also discovered snorkeling there! How amazing and easy. During the rest of our trip we snorkeled at several other places but we both preferred the tide pools. (they are even better than Captain Cook) We walked there everyday...it was a lovely walk (we didn't use the bikes at all as it turned out) And of course the market north of Pahoa was amazing! an abundance of inexpensive tropical flowers and fruit and clothing etc. Sadly our stay was too short. We didn't even have time to use the hot tub. Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous home with us. Donna and Stan ps I have attached a photo of our tropical bouquet on your deck.

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Pualani was highlight of the trip!

Guest: Donna & Stan
Date of Stay: 10/31/09 Review Submitted: 02/10/10

Hi Pat Thanks. I received the refund a few days ago. I absolutely loved your place in Kapoho. It was definitely the hilight of the trip for me. It was extremely humid (sometimes we could see our footprints on the floor). I had never experienced anything like that before. I loved it. The days were sultry in a lovely way. I even enjoyed the crazyness of the coqui frogs at night. (though I think they might drive a person mad eventually...but probably in a good way) My favorite part of the day was waking up to the wrap around window view of the palm trees and the ocean and watching the light change. We also discovered snorkeling there! How amazing and easy. During the rest of our trip we snorkeled at several other places but we both preferred the tide pools. (they are even better than Captain Cook) We walked there everyday...it was a lovely walk (we didn't use the bikes at all as it turned out) And of course the market north of Pahoa was amazing! an abundance of inexpensive tropical flowers and fruit and clothing etc. Sadly our stay was too short. We didn't even have time to use the hot tub. Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous home with us. Donna and Stan

Recommended for:

Pualani in Kapaho is amazing

Guest: Donna and Stan (Victoria, BC)
Date of Stay: 10/31/09 Review Submitted: 11/24/09

I absolutely loved your place in Kapoho. It was definately the hilight of the trip for me. It was quite humid (sometimes we could see our footprints on the floor). I had never experienced anything like that before. I loved it. The days were sultry in a lovely way. I even enjoyed the coqui frogs at night. My favorite part of the day was waking up to the wrap around window view of the palm trees and the ocean and watching the light change. We also discovered snorkelling at the tide ponds. We walked there every day. And of course the market north of Pahoa was fabulous! an abundance of inexpensive tropical flowers and fruit etc. Sadly our stay was too short. We didn't even have time to use the hot tub or the bikes.Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous home with us.

Owner response:I love the wonderful sultry days in Kapoho too - it's not TOO warm, just right! The floor to ceiling windows and the sunrise coming in during the morning hours is really lovely, and of course the sounds of nature all around. With the wrap around deck, you can always find sun or shade (unless of course it is raining - but the lanai is covered so you can even sit out when it is raining!) We love it!! And we love to share the great part of the island with others! We also love the snorkeling at Wai'opae Marine Sanctuary, a very short walk or bike ride!

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

Lots of fun at the Pualani House

Guest: Loves (Mechanicsburg, PA)
Date of Stay: 08/10/09 Review Submitted: 10/19/09

My family and I thoroughly enjoyed staying at the Pualani House. It is a great get-away. No traffic, no commercialism, just us, the house, the water and the beautiful island. The boys loved going for walks to the water and snorkeling in Champagne Pond. We swan with two turtles! One of the many hi-lights of our trip. I was worried about not having A/C, but it was not needed even in the middle of August. The breezes itself were plenty enough. The view from the house was lovely and we loved looking for the Geckos every day. It was nice having the second bedroom and bathroom. It was truly a home away from home. We hope to come back and stay again.

Owner response:We love happy guests!! And we love the slower pace in Kapoho like you said - just the house, the water, the breeze! We think it's paradise too! Please come again!!

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

Guest: Sharon Dimura
Date of Stay: 07/27/09 Review Submitted: 07/26/09

Hi Pat: Thank you for a wonderful stay on the Big Island. We had a great time. Your home was the perfect location for our stay although we were on the go most of the time. Thanks for sending our refund so promptly. It has been a pleasure coordinating our stay with you. You can be sure if we travel to the Big Island again, or know of anyone planning on visiting, we will recommend your home. Sharon

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Highly recommended!

Guest: Sharon
Date of Stay: 07/19/09 Review Submitted: 02/10/10

Hi Pat: Thank you for a wonderful stay on the Big Island. We had a great time. Your home was the perfect location for our stay although we were on the go most of the time. Thanks for sending our refund so promptly. It has been a pleasure coordinating our stay with you. You can be sure if we travel to the Big Island again, or know of anyone planning on visiting, we will recommend your home. Sharon

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Guest: Kathryn Hill
Date of Stay: 06/30/09 Review Submitted: 06/29/09

Pat, Thank you so much! We thoroughly enjoyed your home & that part of the island, wish we'd stayed there longer! Felt more like invited guests than renters with the bikes & that lovely quiet neighborhood. Not as happy in Capt Cooke, partly with the rental & partly with so much driving to do almost anything! Wish we'd rented from you again on this side! Thanks again for your great communication & generosity, it's greatly appreciated! Kathryn

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Felt more like invited guests!

Guest: Kathryn
Date of Stay: 06/22/09 Review Submitted: 02/10/10

Thank you so much! We thoroughly enjoyed your home & that part of the island, wish we'd stayed there longer! Felt more like invited guests than renters with the bikes & that lovely quiet neighborhood. Not as happy in Capt Cooke, partly with the rental & partly with so much driving to do almost anything! Wish we'd rented from you again on this side! Thanks again for your great communication & generosity, it's greatly appreciated! Kathryn

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Pualani Paradise

Guest: Kat56 (Santa Cruz, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/22/09 Review Submitted: 07/19/09

We had a wonderful time at this home. It had a beautiful view of the ocean, and we could always hear some lovely, rhythmic sound to lull us to sleep--rain, waves, wind, frogs. It was very well equipped; we could ride the bikes to the natural thermal pools, or down the red road, or around the neighborhood. Though we expected that it might be too warm for the hot tub, when we returned from swimming it was a welcome soothing temperature. The kitchen was fully equipped, we rented movies to watch on the DVD player, and were most comfortable lounging in the living room. The neighborhood was quiet and safe. Pahoa and even Hilo were easily accessible, but it was so nice to come home to this off the beaten path paradise. My husband, teenaged daughter and myself had room for both privacy and congregating, and it would easily have held at least one more adult. The owners shared all sorts of water equipment, shoes and snorkels and the like. Tidepools were a short hike or bike away. The situation was nothing short of perfect for our relaxing vacation. We were very sorry that we had not planned to stay longer, we were in heaven & there is much beauty on the lesser populated side of the Big Island!

Owner response:Aloha Kathryn, I am so happy you enjoyed the Pualani Home. I love the natural rural beauty of the area, and I hope you can come back for a longer time on your next trip! We make every effort to ensure a comfortable home for a relaxing vacation experience! Mahalo! Pat

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

Loved the Pualani house!

Guest: Gina & Barbara (Boulder, CO)
Date of Stay: 04/29/09 Review Submitted: 07/24/09

A friend and I recently stayed at Pualani for 2 full weeks. We truly enjoyed our time there and would highly recommend this house. There is a nice ocean view, as well as the sound of the ocean at all times. The location is great, and having bicycles made it easy to get all around, to the Champagne pond and even over to the Marine Sanctuary. The house is comfortable, and provided for our needs. It is clean and fairly well-appointed. I would definitely stay there again!

Owner response:Mahalo Gina & Barbara! I am always pleased when guests actually get to stay for longer periods and really enjoy the surroundings! Most people who only stay for 2 or 3 nights comment that they wish they could stay longer! Repeat guests always get a discount! Pat

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/21/09 Review Submitted: 02/21/09

Definately a unique home to rent if you're looking to get away from the typical Hawaiian tourists. Convienant to Volcanoes National Park & Hilo...not a bad drive to southern beaches.

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Two week winter getaway

Guest: prokp (Saskatchewan Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/19/09 Review Submitted: 03/13/09

We spent two weeks at this place, from the 19th of feb to the 5th of March. The place was beautiful, well maintained and the beds and furniture were comfortable. We could see the ocean from our livig room and all you heard was the sound of the waves at night. Great way to go to sleep. Quite surroundings,laid back and no noisy traffic. There is a town in close proximity to the place that has all the groceries you need. There is also a farmers market where you can purchase fresh fruit and vegs and all sorts of island made articles. Cool breezes blow at nite which adds to a good sleep. Twenty minutes from Hilo, a lot of great places to eat and shop, and more farmers markets. We have been to evere island and I like this one the best.The people that own this place are good and honest people to deal with. We did all of our arranging on the internet and everything went according to Hoyle.Thank you for the holiday.

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

Guest: Loretta Supplee
Date of Stay: 01/12/09 Review Submitted: 01/11/09

Pualani is a wonderful get away from the cold of Pennsylvania. Loved the view of the ocean. Weather was delightful. Convenient location to snorkeling. Bikes were fun. We had great weather. Enjoyed Pahoa & Hilo. Thai food & good pizza in Pahoa tops. Pescatore in Hilo top-rate Italian food - recommend highly. Take a night trip to view lava - amazing. Mahalo & Aloha! Loretta Supplee

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Guest: Greg & Jeri Sowell
Date of Stay: 12/31/08 Review Submitted: 12/30/08

Thanks for sharing Pualani with us Pat & Andy. We had a great experience! I'd always dreamed of this kind of place where the breeze blew right off the ocean and into the house. And the location is ideal for touring this part of the island. The lava flow was awesome, Champage Pond a magical experience and Hilo a delight. Ning's Thai is one of the best I've ever been to (and that's a lot). We counted 5 geckos and loved their company. and the rain on the roof made sleeping peaceful. We hope to return soon! Greg & Jeri Sowell

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Guest: Lotte & Peter Andersen
Date of Stay: 12/29/08 Review Submitted: 12/28/08

Hi Pat & Andy, Thank you for letting us use your wonderful house! The kids loved collecting fallen coconuts in the garden, and the spa was great to get warm after a long hike on the volcano in the sometimes heavy rain. The short distance to the recent lava flow at Kalapana allowed us to there twice -- both at day time and time time - Marvelous! We hope to get back here some day! Loved the geckos! Sincerely, Lotte, Peter, Margreth, Dante, Tobias

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Guest: Kathy Gombots
Date of Stay: 08/14/08 Review Submitted: 08/13/08

Thank you Pat. I can’t explain how much we enjoyed ourselves and your home. The people there are wonderful, it was so nice to see real Hawaii. We had such a good time my sons want to go back next year. Guess I’ll have to start saving.Thanks again,Kathy

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Guest: Fabien Paulot
Date of Stay: 07/24/08 Review Submitted: 07/23/08

Pualani was a perfect home base for our adventures with sea turtles, volcanoes, bromeliads and so much more. Champagne Pond was also a great treat. Thank you for sharing your home with us and I'm sure our vacation will be remembered for a long time to come. Mahalo from the Paulot family!

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Guest: Valerie Foster
Date of Stay: 07/06/08 Review Submitted: 07/05/08

Thanks Pat, we did enjoy our stay!! In fact, we loved it! Kona side was fun for the start but then we were glad to escape the vog. We zoomed all around on your bikes, loved Champagne Pond as our last evening stop each night, and really loved a couple of spots north of Hilo (one where there’s the rope swing into the river and another where we boogie boarded all day). We got lucky with the weather I guess, never had rain once! We feel like we did it all and had a great place to come “home” to at night. My husband wishes we could have some geckos in our house too! Thanks again so much, it was a great vacation!Valerie

Recommended for:

relaxing,beautful, sounds of the ocean

Guest: Kaur (Bend, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 01/16/08 Review Submitted: 02/03/10

Thanks Pat for a wonderful vacation at your home. We really enjoyed the house and it's location next to the ocean and the marine sanctuary. The snorkeling there was super.. actually saw more fish there than on the Kona side. We also loved the local farmers markets, and found some great deals on food and local crafts. The Volcano was so interesting, we hiked around and got some great pictures. The driving to get to the Kona side was a little intense, but when we realized the Saddle Road was an option we cut off at least 40 minutes of driving time.. Very peaceful in your neighborhood and we love the resident geckos.. riding bikes in the early morning in the neighorhood was fun and a good way to see all the tidal pools. What a treat to have such warm water and clean refreshing air! Aloha, Smiling s

Owner response:We love the location of the house as well! Close to the marine sanctuary, yet in the gated community with access to Champagne Pond. Many guests comment that they wish they had spent more time in Kapoho and less time in Kona.

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

Guest: Natsuki Hayashi
Date of Stay: 11/30/07 Review Submitted: 11/29/07

Aloha, Pat! How are you? I've just got back from Hawaii last night.It was great to stay in Pualani! Thank you so much for sharing! We enjoy it very much!! Our stay was just great! I love the Big Island! I'd love to visit again and stay in Pualani again too! I'll recommend my friends to stay in Pualani if they want to go to the Big Island! Mahalo! and take care. Best, Natsuki Hayashi

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Guest: Alice Jeffreys
Date of Stay: 10/07/07 Review Submitted: 10/06/07

Hi Pat - We just got back this evening from the Big Island. I just wanted to thank you again for accommodating us in such short notice. Your Pualani Home was so wonderful. . .it was the real "Hawaii". I love the open wood beam ceiling and the veranda that surrounds the upper floor is a great feature. The view, the sound of the ocean, and all the comforts of home helped make our stay so pleasant. Your home is so perfectly situtated. . .Champagne Pond, Kapoho Tide Pools, surf spots like Isaac Hale and Pohoiki. . .I can go on and on. I just wish we had discovered Pualani sooner. . .I would've love to stay there the entire 11 days! You are lucky to have such a great find! I will be sure to pass on a good word to all our friends. We hope to return soon. Mahalo, Alice

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Guest: Ed Murphy
Date of Stay: 08/08/07 Review Submitted: 08/07/07

Hello, Pat We just returned Sunday, after our stay at Pualani house, and then almost 2 weeks on Maui. We had a great time everywhere, and after staying in Kehei, REALLY appreciated the peace an quiet of your area of the Big Island. We wish we had decided to stay a bit longer there, but next time ................ Anyway, I got our vacation mail today, and opened the refund check. Mahalo, for everything !!!! Ed Murphy

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Guest: Paul & Yasuyo Leford
Date of Stay: 11/29/06 Review Submitted: 11/28/06

Hi Pat, Thank you very much for letting us stay at your beautiful home in Kapoho. We enjoyed our stay very much and had lots of fun at the hot springs and the steam caves. It was so convenient to the things we wanted to see yet lots of privacy and away from the hustle and bustle of Hilo. I received the deposit refund yesterday. Thanks again for everything. Mahalo, Paul and Yasuyo Ledford

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Guest: Murthy and Diane
Date of Stay: 11/07/06 Review Submitted: 11/06/06

Aloha Pat, We really enjoyed our stay at Pualani. It was cozy and comfortable. All the gadgets and facilities were in good condition and the ocean view was excellent. We explored the entire east coast of the island. Especially liked the hot pool on 137, black beach with hike down the lava rocks, the tropical vegetation, tidal pools and swimming area near the house, etc. We saw lot of colored fish and other marine life. We also enjoyed cooking with the unusual tropical vegetables (have heard of frsh drum sticks for soup?) with spices. The pine apples, papaya and the small banana were also fantastic. I read two of your books, in addition to the books we brought with us. I also want to thank you for letting us hang at your Aloha house on Sunday. Diane really liked the 180 deg ocean view and the fantastic breeze outside. We saw sea turtles from the lava rock backyard. Thank you for sending us the deposit back. We were expecting a lot of rain to dampen our vacation. We were pleasantly surprised to see that it rained at night and occasional down pours during the day lasting only for short periods. It was a long trip back to Boston, but this vacation was worth all the travel. We hope to come back to Hawaii soon. Mahalo Murthy and Diane

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Guest: George Gorczinski
Date of Stay: 08/17/06 Review Submitted: 08/16/06

Hi Pat, We had a great time at the Pualani Home. Thank you for having us, George

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Guest: Tom and Lucy Wells
Date of Stay: 07/23/06 Review Submitted: 07/22/06

Aloha Pat and Andy - Thank you for returning the $100.00 deposit. We really enjoyed your lovely dream house and surrounding area. Our time in Kapoho was a very special part of trip to the islands. We might return some time without the kids. If we do we will certainly get in touch. You really do have a beautiful home in Kapoho and we will share pictures with friends who might be looking for a nice out of the way place in paradise. Mahalo, Tom and Lucy Wells

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Guest: Cathy
Date of Stay: 01/25/06 Review Submitted: 01/24/06

Hi, Pat – I received the refund on our security deposit in the cute fish motif stationary. Mahalo. I have been meaning to email you to tell you we really enjoyed the place, just everything about it was super. We snorkeled in the pools and saw lots of turtles, which was so great. What a unique and cool area of the island. We also loved Pahoa and had a GREAT Thai meal in the funky restaurant furthest east of the two. We would recommend your place to anyone. It was nicely decorated and well equipped, too.Thanks for all!!!--Cathy

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Guest: Nicki
Date of Stay: 09/23/05 Review Submitted: 09/22/05

Aloha Pat!Unfortunately we are home! We had the time of our lives!! Words can’t express how beautiful Kapoho (and the whole island really) was. We seriously did not want to leave. If we didn’t have 3 dogs and 3 cats at home waiting for us – we might have actually stayed. We went to the Kona area after we left your wonderful home…it was nice but we definitely prefer the Hilo side of the island. We brought several real estate publications home with us and are brimming with ideas of how exactly we can change our lives and move there. I bet that happens a lot. We definitely hope to be able to go back and stay at Pualani again!! And also would recommend it to anyone who asked. We will put a glowing “review” on one or more of our websites. Mahalo Nicki

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