Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great little house

Guest: Family of 3 Travelers (Wyoming)
Date of Stay: 03/24/12 Review Submitted: 04/19/12

This is a delightful little house in a perfect location. Comfortable, with everything you need for a relaxing stay. The yard and lanai are great, as is the house itself. We've now stayed here twice, and have come away from the house refreshed each time. This is a quiet location, and the house is well-stocked with everything you need to cook, beach gear, laundry, etc. Our family of three has been very happy here and hope to return again. The photos and descriptions of the property are accurate, house is clean, and the managers of the property are great to work with.

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

Great location

Guest: Kevin (Olympia)
Date of Stay: 11/11/11 Review Submitted: 12/05/11

Wonderful place that is central to what we enjoy such as snorkeling, golf and have good food. We have visited Puako about 4 times and every time we hate to leave. Thanks for sharing a wonderful place on this planet. The house provided a lot of privacy which we enjoyed.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

beautiful house with a feeling of privacy in quiet Puako

Guest: zuza & scott (Bay Area, California)
Date of Stay: 08/19/11 Review Submitted: 09/22/11

The house is as described: comfortable, spacious, clean, and super well equipped: lovely kitchen ware, appliances (including fridge with an ice machine), FILTERED WATER, thank you!!! outdoor table & chairs and a patio grill that the husband thoroughly enjoyed. The ocean with sea turtles and sunsets is a minute away. The snorkeling is the best we experienced on the island, with easy access a short walk from the house (variety comparable to Captain Cook without the crowds); 69 beach is a few minutes' drive ... don't forget to bring the super comfy Tommy Bahama beach chairs that come with the house. :) For those who need a fix of the resort scene, we loved the 15 minute shoreline walk to Mauna Lani and Fairmont Orchid and their wonderful fish ponds and restaurants (though our favorite was Pahu I'a further south at the Four Seasons). But just hanging out in the private back yard on the lovely lounge chairs, listening to the birds and breathing plumeria fragrance was even better. Definitely read the info packet Mary put together for visitors, it is full of current and useful tips. Speaking of which ... Mary, Robbie, and Holly at 2Papayas were fantastic to work with before, during, and after. We turned out to be a bit higher maintenance than intended, and they responded with unbelievable flexibility, generosity, and–kindness! and all that after pau hana, too! We had a fabulous time and look forward to coming back.

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Beautiful house in a wonderful setting

Guest: Andreas and Michele (Cupertino, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/05/11 Review Submitted: 11/27/11

Very quiet, beautiful setting, the ocean is across the street. We enjoyed every moment we spent in this house. It is well equipped and beautifully decorated. 69 beach is not far. Don't forget to stop at the General Store in Puako and have a chat with the owner. It was very difficult to leave after we spent 2 weeks on the Big Island.

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Fabulous home and location!

Guest: Teddi (Ames, Iowa)
Date of Stay: 06/28/11 Review Submitted: 07/06/11

I shared this home with my sisters to celebrate my 60th, and it was the perfect location. The house is extremely comfortable, very attractive, well maintained and well stocked. And 2 Papayas does a super job of managing it. ( Many thanks to Robbie for all of her assistance!!) This is my 3rd trip to Hawaii and I must say that Puako is just about the best place ever for a peaceful vacation. Within minutes of the best beaches--Mauna Kea, Hapuna and "69" beach. And across the street from the most awesome sunsets I've ever seen. The Puako General store has most of what you'll need (if it isn't already at the house) and I highly recommend the Blue Dragon for a fantastic dinner. You really can't do better than this for a vacation rental! P.S. Loved eating meals on the lanai.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Pau Hana

Guest: Arlene (Danville, Ca)
Date of Stay: 04/26/11 Review Submitted: 05/24/11

This house is amazingly well stocked. Anything you may need is here and it was very clean and comfortable. We loved the quietness of the neighborhood and spent many afternoons relaxing on the lani. So much better than staying at a hotel. Mary and Robbie are great to work with. Would very much like to stay here again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Sad to leave

Guest: Teresa (North Vancouver, British Columbia)
Date of Stay: 04/13/11 Review Submitted: 05/03/11

I can't say enough about Pau Hana and 2Papayas. The house was extremely well stocked with amenities, clean and comfortable. Mary and Robbie are nothing short of awesome to deal with. We enjoyed Puako so much, especially the sunsets and turtles across the road from the house. We had a hard time deciding where to rent a vacation home on the island and are so glad we stumbled upon this paradise. Can't wait to get back!

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

Pau Hana Cottage

Guest: Molly (Fairfax, California)
Date of Stay: 01/04/11 Review Submitted: 01/31/11

We've been coming to Puako for the past 15 years, and have always splurged to stay oceanside with our family and friends. Couldn't justify the cost for just the two of us this trip, so we took a chance and booked Pau Hana. First of all, Mary and Robbie from 2 Papayas were phenomenal to work with, from all the email exchanges to the moment we arrived to be greeted by cool, mint-scented washcloths and much aloha! (It is easy to see why their agency is voted best on the island). The home is spacious, a few steps across the road to tidepools and turtles, and just a short walk to the end of the road where the most glorious sunsets await. The kitchen was incredibly well-stocked with quality knives, glassware and cookware and one didn't need to invest in any spices or condiments since they were already there - a pet beef of ours since we often like to stay in and cook. Beach towels, boogie board, fins and snorkels, beach chairs.....all there just waiting for us to enjoy. The cottage was in pristine condition, the neighbors hardly noticed, and the ubiquitous house construction up and down the road not intrusive at all. Incredibly spacious for one couple, it will also work well for four people due to the floor plan, and the cost is hard to beat. Robbie gave us the island update we needed about the new fun things to do and supplied us with many discount coupons for dinners and activities. We ended up at Hapuna Beach (a mere 2 miles away) every day, and still had time to explore all the other beaches that have less adventurous breakers. Horseback riding in Waipio Valley was a hoot, whale watching up Hawi way jaw-dropping, delicious ahi from Lau's in Kawaihae, and dancing at the Blue Dragon provided hours more fun than anticipated. Without a doubt, it was one of our most enjoyable stays, and we are looking to book again with this excellent agency and lovely home!

Owner response:We are so happy that guests find time to relax and enjoy all that Puako and the Big Island have to offer.

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

November Stay

Guest: Chris (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 11/14/10 Review Submitted: 12/27/10

We had a great time in this house and would definitely go back again. There were four of us staying in the unit me, my wife and our two daughters - our youngest was 10 months at the time and her sister is 2 years older. While not 100% suited for a baby (tile floors not great for crawling), no place really is and they were kind enough to provide us with a high chair. You are literally right across the street from a beach access point, with lots of tide pools and turtles. There isn't a great swimming beach from this access point, but our oldest daughter loved playing in the tide pools and there were enough spots where she could sit comfortably in the water on sand. There were also a couple entry points where I could get fully submerged, and often there were turtles swimming nearby. The house was quite (road noise is minimal and even though there were occupants in the house next door, we rarely heard them), with all the fans and AC in the bedrooms we were comfortable and the kitchen was really well stocked - including quality knives which is a rarity in my rental experience. My only two minor complaints were that the wifi was a bit buggy - I had to restart the router multiple times a day because we would lose connectivity - and their was no ESPN (I know, but it matters to some). Like I said, we would definitely return to this house.

Owner response:We are a bit rural on the Big Island so sometimes our internet servers are a bit sporatic. If you must have continual internet service, we suggest bringing a USB cord with you to plug directly into the modem.

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

Perfect for a group

Guest: Jen (Stoneham, MA)
Date of Stay: 07/24/10 Review Submitted: 08/18/10

We traveled to Hawaii for a friend's wedding and four of us stayed at this house...it was perfect! We had plenty of space and all the amenities we needed. We hosted dinner one night for a total of eight people and made local fish and steak on the grill and had all the kitchen accessories we needed to host a great gathering! The house was tastefully decorated and 2Papayas had lots of info at the house on local attractions and activities. Go snorkeling at the end of Puako Drive down the street if you stay here. This is a great quiet place. The geccos and the birds welcoming...and there are a mango and a lime tree in the front yard! It was a perfect place for a week long vacation!

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

Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 01/26/10 Review Submitted: 01/25/10

The best stocked house I have ever rented- exceeded expectations.Thoughtful design, great kitchen gear… the whole experience has been joyous.

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Guest: carolyn kincaid (san francisco, ca)
Date of Stay: 03/23/09 Review Submitted: 03/23/09

Our stay at Pau Hana was our first vacation since the birth of our daughter. We loved the house and the Puako area which is teaming with natural beauty...whales breaching, sea turtles basking, turkeys roaming, birds singing, gekkos changing color, and of course many beautiful trees and plants. We would definitely like to return and plan on recommending it to friends.

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Guest: jenny baer
Date of Stay: 03/26/06 Review Submitted: 03/25/06

-----Original Message----- From: The Baers Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 8:31 PM Subject: Vacation Rental - Puako Pau Hana Aloha, We enjoyed the Puako Pau Hana home, Puako is a great community, both human and animal. And NO roosters to wake up to! High points: -mornings and evenings by the beach -walking to the end of the road with snorkle gear to commune with the fishies and turtles -having a coffee grinder, espresso maker and a coffee pot to enjoy Kona'sfinest brew -having the plastic and glassware to enjoy Kona's second finest brew -extremely comfortable beds -nice artwork, esp. the ceiling fish -glorious sky viewing, stars and sunsets -wonderful breezes blowing through the screens I highly recommend this rental property and will be suggesting it to others. Mahalo, Jenny Baer

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