Vacation Rentals by Owner

Last Family Vacation

Guest: Melissa (Denver, CO)
Date of Stay: 11/02/11 Review Submitted: 12/28/11

This was by far the best vacation we have ever had! We lived in Kona for 10 years when I was a kid. My father has terminal cancer and this trip was to bring him back for our first return to the island. We stayed for 9 nights and had 7 adults in our party. The house was more than we imagined. It was so open and airy. We spent most of our time out on the lanai. We had plenty of room to have meals out there together and just take in the view and the sounds of the birds chirping. The lanai is right off the main family room upstairs and all the doors slide open so if anyone was inside it was still like we were all together. We were lucky enough to snag the master bedroom. It was perfect! It had a huge walk in closet area with more than enough room to hang all your clothes and make yourself comfortable. We had our own bathroom and lanai. There is no air conditioning, but plenty of fans around. I think I prefer not to have air conditioning. It is so humid that I think it helped us to acclimate easier because we weren't in and out of air conditioning each day. Between traveling and the humidity we weren't feeling the best the first 2 days so we took advantage of the pool in the back yard. The lush foliage and hammock were so nice. It was great to just relax and enjoy family. Some days we all would pitch in to make breakfast or dinner. The kitchen really is fully stocked. It even had some things we had never used before but loved-like the rice cooker! (We bought one when we got home) We did have an occasional visitor to clean the pool or take care of the property, but they were very courteous and were never a bother. The laundry area is outside. Something I didn't remember until we got there: be sure to leave the lid open when you aren't using it or it can rust out. It was great to have though! We all used it at least once. There are boogie boards, gear for snorkeling, and beach towels already at the house to use too. The owners put together a notebook with everything you need to know about the house and it includes lists of restaurants and activities. We recommend Splasher's Grill for breakfast, lunch or dinner-we enjoyed all 3! This vacation rental really made the trip that much more special. Staying in a hotel would have separated us, when what we all were looking for was to spend that time together that is so important. I know we will all cherish the memories we made on this trip!

Owner response:a big mahalo to you for the fabulous review. marilee

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect fit for our family

Guest: Fran (Chico, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/22/11 Review Submitted: 08/10/11

Our family stayed at "TuTu's House" in July of 2011. We 8 adults and two children fit perfectly in the house. There was plenty of space for us all to spread out, watch TV, play games, or just sit and read. Birds in trees outside were fascinating to watch and little gecko's amusing. My grandsons, ages 7 and 10 loved spending hours in the pool and adults liked that they could walk to the beach in 5 minutes or less. The kitchen is spacious and well equipped and several adults can cook at the same time in there without running over each other. The house helped make our vacation together a joyous experience.

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

Great vacation at Tu Tu's Beach House

Guest: Timo (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 08/08/11

I highly recommend Tu Tu's beach house for a vacation getaway. My family and I recently spent a great week at the house and it was as advertised: clean, comfortable, close to the beach and with a great pool! The owner was very helpful and easy to work with throughout the process.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

Family Fabulous

Guest: canviolet (Anchorage)
Date of Stay: 01/28/11 Review Submitted: 02/13/11

We just finished two weeks at Tu Tu's house and had an amazing time. The location was ideal, the house spacious and clean, and the private pool a huge hit. Even on the two days that it rained, we had the huge lanai to still enjoy the outside. Until we beach again!

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

Great Location for IM Kona

Guest: Iron Marla (Austin)
Date of Stay: 10/06/10 Review Submitted: 10/21/10

We came to Hawaii for the 2010 IM World Championships. The Tu Tu house was a great location for my family because it was right off of Ali'i Drive, where part of the run happens. They were able to get to the start of the race then come back to the house and rest and go to the beach while I was on the bike, then back to Ali'i drive to see me run by then down to the finish line to see me cross. Post race, this house was a blessing. I loved waking up every morning to the sound of birds and the smell of Kona coffee. We walked to Magic Sands beach, every day, for some boogie boarding. We did a couple of runs up Ali'i drive, which has bathrooms, water and mile markers. We walked to Kahaluu Beach Park where Kent took surf lessons from the great surf shop located across the road. I loved staying at a home, instead of a hotel. I was able to do laundry so didn't need to pack as many clothes, we ate bfast and lunch at the house, most days. We bought fruit at the local Farmer's Market, which we highly enjoyed. It was all so relaxing and laid back. My only regret is that we could not stay longer.

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

Perfect vacation home!

Guest: Ally (San Diego, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/16/10 Review Submitted: 08/29/10

We just returned from 8 days at this wonderful home. The location is absolutely perfect. It is far enough from the town where you don't feel like you are in tourist central, but close enough to drive 5 minutes in and play. We walked to the beach many afternoons, played in the waves with the sea turtles and watched beautiful sunsets. The home is so comfortable and had everything we needed! We all fell in love with this home and hope that we can return soon! Thank you for sharing your home with us!

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

Perfect Hawaiian Getaway

Guest: GAZ-MAN (Scottsdale, AZ)
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 06/25/10

My wife and I needed a place big enough for us...our two sons and their wives and our 3 grandkids for a June week in Kailua Kona to celebrate our 50th Anniversary.....and TU TU's was the Perfect Place. Big enough for the whole family....walkiing distance to a great body surfing beach at White Sands...and a fabulous backyard pool area that the kids really loved. It was GREAT ! It had all the amenties you needed and you felt like you were home. Fabulous place !

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

Guest: Susan Thickett (Tucson AZ)
Date of Stay: 01/06/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/10

We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed your home, we were at capacity with 8 adults and 2 small children for most of the time and everything worked out wonderfully. You are located in a great spot to enjoy the island, we had a day at the Volcano park and a separate visit to Hilo, the snorkeling was enjoyed by all and it was exciting to see so may turtles, we also visited the Seahorse farm and the grandchildren swam with the Dolphins at the Hilton.

Recommended for:

Guest: Rosy3 (Palo Alto, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/22/09 Review Submitted: 10/22/09

A wonderful place to go home to after a long day at the beach or racing the Ironman! Four miles outside of town it was nice and quite, away from the busy down town but not too far. With an Opa, an older Aunt and a baby in our family, this house was fantastic in terms of space and location. Within 5 minutes walk we were on the race course or at a beautiful swimming beach great for all of us. A beautiful backyard, swimming pool, full kitchen, washer/dryer, bbq and lani were all great perks. Great, comfy, home- highly recommended.

Recommended for:

Guest: Ed Conn1 (Altadena, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/17/09 Review Submitted: 08/17/09

Truly a memorable Hawaiian experience. Two families, lots of kids, and we never felt we were stepping on top of one another. The kids enjoyed the pool even after spending hours surfing, diving and bodysurfing at the beach. Wonderful spacious rooms with a downstairs television room which was perfect for the kids. Spent every evening dining on the lanai and enjoying a gentle Kona breeze. Mahalo Ted and Marilee for a wonderful vacation.

Recommended for:

Guest: Todd Taylor (Oakland, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/10/09 Review Submitted: 08/10/09

They house was GREAT!! There was ample room for everyone. The pool was a welcome distraction for the kids. The location was excellent for us. We went North, South, and stayed locally. We used BBQ on the upstairs lanai almost every night. I would definitely stay there again, the kids are already asking when we can go back to "our" Hawaii house.

Recommended for:

Guest: Ed Conn (Altadena, CA )
Date of Stay: 08/10/09 Review Submitted: 08/10/09

Since this house in Kailua-Kona was Ted and Marilee's home for several years, you get a true since that you are not in a vacation house but truly a home away from home during your stay. Two families, several kids and we never felt like we were on top of each other. We ate dinners each night on the lanai and enjoyed the gentle breeze from the ocean. After a day at the beach, surfing or diving, the kids were still up for more water sports and the pool was the perfect afternoon retreat. The house is located a block from the beach on a quiet street. We loved our Kona vacation and trust you will as well. Aloha, Ed, Jacqui and the rest of the ohana.

Recommended for:

Guest: Johnson Family3 (East Hampton, CT)
Date of Stay: 05/08/09 Review Submitted: 05/08/09

We just returned from our stay in this beautiful home in Kona. What great spot! We really enjoyed the beautiful pool, yard, and flowers. We traveled with our family (3 girls, aged 11 months, 3, and 4) and both sets of grandparents and had more than enough space for everyone. The location was ideal; easy walk to great snorkeling and the beach as well as a central Kona location to explore the rest of the island. The home was fantastically equipped for young children, from the toys for the pool, the crib, high chair, and even a nice selection of children's books. The house had everything we needed. We also appreciate being able to check in early and out late.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/08 Review Submitted: 08/26/08

This wonderful home is exactly as advertised. 3 couples had their own very private and comfortable bedrooms. It was great relaxing in the pool after a busy day of activity. Marilee is very easy to deal with, and anyone renting her beautiful home will not be disappointed! Mahalo for a great 2 week vacation!

Recommended for:

A True Tropical Paradise!

Guest: brierdiane (Brier, Washington)
Date of Stay: 02/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/23/08

This house was PERFECT for the 8 of us! We enjoyed: The cool breezes and the songs of the lovely birds in the trees around the lanai. The kitchen, living, and dining rooms which are especially roomy and excellent for group dinners. Just open any of the many sliding glass doors to utilize the tropical breezes throughout the space. The location which is quiet and private, yet close enough to walk to the beach for snorkeling. A quick drive to town, made shopping a breeze! The privacy of the backyard is absolutely gorgeous. It features huge birds-of- paradise, palms, hibiscus, trumpet flowers, and more! The pool is perfect for floating and swimming when you want to cool off during the day or even at night. The pool lighting is lovely at night. There is even a bathroom and shower which is very handy for the pool users. The comfort of the beds and the cooling ceiling fans. The well stocked linen and towel closets. They even provided beach towels. We used the washer and dryer, too. The only criticism we have is that the online photos did not do the place justice. It's BETTER than the photos show.

Recommended for:

TuTu's beach house

Guest: Bird (Lower Hutt, New Zealand)
Date of Stay: 12/01/07 Review Submitted: 01/08/08

The dishwasher didn't work and wasn't repaired. The pool cleaner only worked intermittently, but pool too cold anyway. The furniture in the living areas was minimal. There was very little breeze through the house. There is no view unless you leaned out of a corner of the lanai. Shouldn't advertise that there is one. The access to the first level was outside and down stairs. We didn't know this. Night lighting around the pool was not good. We had other family staying at other places and felt by comparison that this house was overpriced for what we got. Appreciated the good supply of hot water and snorkel gear. Good location being off the main road so quieter than some. House was clean and well stocked with towels and linen, pots and pans although you had to hunt around for pots and pans.

Owner response:It is unfortunate that the dishwasher did not work. We could not get anyone to fix it during the Christmas holidays. The web site clearly states that there is no indoor staircase so there are two private apartments. This is the first negative review in 7 years. Oh well I guess you can't please everyone.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers

Guestbook Comment

Guest: The McHugh's (Folsom/CA)
Date of Stay: 11/01/07 Review Submitted: 11/13/07

What a wonderful vacation home! We were there 11 days and did not want to leave. The home and beautiful grounds exceeded our expectations...

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Lori Zunich (Champaign, IL)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/22/07

We were blessed to rent this wonderful home for 2 weeks this summer. It was a very comfortable and relaxing spot for our family. The location is perfect in that you can walk to the beach in about 5 minutes. The backyard space is awesome with the lovely pool and complete feeling of privacy. I hope that we can go back again in the future to enjoy this incredible spot. Mahalo for sharing this with us!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Sharon Fehrs (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 04/01/07 Review Submitted: 04/02/07

What a wonderful home you have. The pool and backyard were a wonderful bonus. Our 5 year old practically lived in the pool the entire vacation! The upstairs lanai was perfect for our dinner barbeques! We had our family of five and the grandparents stay and the house and it couldn't have worked out better. This was everyone's first trip to the Island and it couldn't have been better. Mahalo!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Kelly Bryan (San Franciso, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/01/06 Review Submitted: 10/14/06

A home away from home! Perfect vacation home for a family looking for a comforatble, relaxed stay in beautiful Kona.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/06 Review Submitted: 08/28/06

We had a wonderful time...The house is perfect,spacious and so peaceful...My teenagers love to be able to walk down to "magic sand beach"...it was our first time on the big island,and will definetly go back to this special home in the future....loved the croquet game!!!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Dawn Lannin (Houston, Texas)
Date of Stay: 07/01/06 Review Submitted: 07/02/06

Thank you for use of your home. It is clearly that -- a home. We felt like cherished friends visiting. It is large, lovely, close to everything, yet we felt like we were entirely alone. One of the best vacations that we have ever had. Thanks again.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: William and Lisa Bosch (Parker, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 04/01/06 Review Submitted: 04/13/06

This was our first trip to the Big Island! We loved it and the home was PERFECT! The home had everything we needed and the location was GREAT! Our teenage son loved the downstairs to himself. The lanai and pool were great places to share family time! This home was better than any resort!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Dan & Martha Nichols (Cordova, Alaska)
Date of Stay: 04/01/06 Review Submitted: 04/12/06

We had a wonderful time in your lovely home. It was so close to the beach for the 3 guys that they went most every morning while I stayed around the pool reading books from your great library and my husband went deep sea fishing with friends. I celebrated my 50th birthday on the 19th. It was raining, but cleared off to produce the most beautiful sunset. The cherry on top!!! All of us have nothing but praise for the location, accommodations, and largeness of this home. I heard every day from the 3 boys (ages 18, 19, 20) "You done good, Mom!!!!!" Thanks again for making our vacation so special!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: The Pugh Family (Long Beach, California)
Date of Stay: 03/01/06 Review Submitted: 03/18/06

We have stayed in this lovely home twice and can't say enough wonderful things about it! Plenty of room for Mom, Dad, the two kids and Grandma, a fabulous living/dining area, wonderfully equipped kitchen, and beautiful, comfortable bedrooms. Our two favorite spots: the lanai (every evening) and the lush, tropical backyard. A paradise within a paradise, close to everything we could want, yet a private get-away at all hours. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Gingergirl (Nevada City CA USA)
Date of Stay: 02/01/06 Review Submitted: 01/31/06

Mahalo for sharing your wonderful home, Tutu, We have rented your beautiful home for our large family for the last five years. Our grandson thinks it is his home in Hawaii. We do too. We all love the easy comfort you provide, the wonderful pool, lanai and backyard. The recent improvements of outdoor lighting, palapa shade and the hammock add even more pleasure. We also love the many kitchen tools and appliances, making it just like home. We all have such fun cooking and enjoying the wonderful sunsets from the lanai. Special treats include going to the little beach near the house for sunset cocktails, snorkeling at Kahaluu and day trips to Hapuna. We can't think of any other place for us on Big Island. Jan and Larry Kaufman

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Rich and Diane Murray and friends (Colfax, CA.)
Date of Stay: 01/01/06 Review Submitted: 01/11/06

"we had such a lovely time staying in your beautiful home... dinner on the lanai, swimmming in the pool, recuperating after a long day in the sun, snorkeling at Kahaluu Bay...everyday was spectacular; it was truely a perfect home for us and we will return.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/05 Review Submitted: 11/17/05

We absolutely loved renting your home. It was just perfect for 3 couples. We loved barbecuing fresh fish on the grill, and relaxing and sharing stories by the pool in the evening after a day scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, whatever!

Recommended for:

Guest: Leslie N.
Date of Stay: 08/22/05 Review Submitted: 08/21/05

Your house is great and your back yeard is a heavenly sanctuary that I will never forget. We had coffee out there every morning in what felt like paradise.

Recommended for:

Guest: D & S
Date of Stay: 07/01/05 Review Submitted: 06/30/05

The best thing about the big island was ... after a long day we got to come home to this very lovely home. Having dinner on the lanai, watching the sunset then going for a dip.... what else could ask for.

Recommended for:

Guest: NP
Date of Stay: 05/01/05 Review Submitted: 04/30/05

First of all I would like to say this house is so beautiful and spacious. I would like to thank you guys for sharing this amazing house with us. This house is better than any resort I could have stayed at.

Recommended for:

Guest: Don S.
Date of Stay: 04/03/05 Review Submitted: 04/02/05

What a great house for a vacation. So relaxing. What a wonderful backyard. Spacious, well located well stocked for the chefs. Thanks for sharing such an ideal vacation home.

Recommended for: