Vacation Rentals by Owner

Wonderful.

Guest: Doug W. (Warren, Rhode Island)
Date of Stay: 03/31/12 Review Submitted: 04/10/12

Great condo that has the best lanai ever. We enjoyed sitting out there all morning and didn't do much else but the location is well suited. Close enough, but not too close, to downtown Kona. Great restaurant (Da Poke Shack) in the same complex. The lanai is close enough to the ocean that you can see the sea turtles swimming around in the pool. Tide pool has eels, turtles, urchins, and fish. If you want to stay in Kona, this is the place.

Recommended for:

Great vacation

Guest: Grace K.
Date of Stay: 03/15/12 Review Submitted: 04/10/12

This was our first trip to the Big Island and it is beautiful. The condo was exactly as described, very clean and well-maintained. View from the lanai of the sunsets and turtles was great. The sound of the surf was very soothing. Free Wi-Fi, convenient covered parking, barbeques are a few of the extras. I would highly recommend this unit to all of our friends and family planning a trip to the island of Hawaii.

Recommended for:

Very nice rental unit

Guest: al and jeanne (North Dakota)
Date of Stay: 01/23/12 Review Submitted: 02/05/12

My wife and I just returned home from a 12 day stay in Gayle's condo on the Big Island. Everything was great. This is the best equipped rental we have stayed in. Kitchen is fully furnished with everything you need to cook meals. The views from the lanai are second to none. We saw turtles on the rocks or beach right in front of the condo every day of our stay. This was our first trip to the big island, but not our last. There is so much to see and do, but it is at a relaxed pace. Not like the hustle and bustle of Honolulu and Waikiki. Wednesday is cruise ship day in Kona, very busy in town that day, otherwise not bad at all. The black sand at Punuluu is a sight to behold. Lots of turtles here also. The "Ride the Rim" ATV tour of Waipio Valley is fun and the view is breathtaking. You will put some miles on your rental car on this island, but driving is at a relaxed pace most of the time.

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

paradise in Kona

Guest: Kevin (Bakersfield,CA )
Date of Stay: 11/18/11 Review Submitted: 11/28/11

The condo was exactly how it's described in the listing. The property was very clean and well-maintained. Check-in and out procedure were well explained. I will definitely recommend to friends and family. Being able to hear the sound of surf and the ocean view from the balcony were the best part of the stay.

Recommended for:Families with young children

From Chicago to Kona

Guest: Char (Aurora, IL)
Date of Stay: 05/14/11 Review Submitted: 06/13/11

This was our 21st time to Kona and the first time to stay in Gayle's condo and at Kona Bali Kai. I chose it because the bedroom was on the ocean and most importantly, because it had an elevator, and luggage cart, which came in handy not only for luggage, but also for groceries. We are in our 60's and appreciated those amenities. Gayle's condo was lovely. The bedroom, living room, and of course lanai were about 40 feet from the ocean. The condo is clean and well appointed with touches that indicate care for one's guests. The free wireless was great. We also "ate in" all meals but 2, as I'm on a strict food program. The kitchen was set up with everything we needed to do meals "in." We shop the farmer's markets for local and organic produce. The one at Keahou Beach Hotel has a very local feel and was great. I understand that the farmer's markets south of downtown are some of the best for true local and organic. There are also two wonderful healthy food stores, Island Naturals by the Ace Hardware and Kona Natural Foods by the Safeway. I also did 8 yoga classes at Big Island Yoga in Kealakekua. Take the by-pass road and it's 15 minutes away. I found a fabulous masseuse; Gayle has her information. All in all very relaxing and beautiful, with us being able to watch the sunsets each night. Another good place for sunsets is the old airport beach. We also love the beach at the City of Refuge and enjoy driving over to Waimea; take the low road one way and the high road the other. Holualoa is a must visit for local art. Take Lako Street up the mountain until it dead ends at Hualalai Road, turn right, and at the next stop sign, turn left; it's about 15 minutes from the condo. Gayle provided excellent customer service and was easily accessible by email. I would recommend this property to a friend. Char from Illinois

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

Sunsets

Guest: Tartufe (United States)
Date of Stay: 04/12/11 Review Submitted: 05/02/11

Perfect location south of Kona. Magnificent sunsets from the lannai (we even captured the legendary green flash on film!), great place to see Sea Turtles and (to us) exotic birds. Condo kitchen is well equipped with dishes utensiles and basic spices, oils, etc. The owners are very helpful. We would go back, and can recommend it to others.

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

lanai sunsets

Guest: retiredfun (toronto, ontario, canada)
Date of Stay: 01/20/11 Review Submitted: 01/25/11

beautiful place, everything that one could need

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

Another Great Stay!

Guest: Anne (Kirkland, WA)
Date of Stay: 10/02/10 Review Submitted: 12/13/10

Returned again to stay at this condo and I could not have been happier! Felt like home as soon as I walked in! Spent 10 nights here and with the closet space and the dresser was able to unpack so was able to truly feel at home and not like I was living out of a suitcase! Great that there are already beach towels and a cooler there so made it easy to pack up the car and hit the beach for the day. While there are a number of great restaurants in Kona, it was sure nice to have a full kitchen available in the condo as we did a lot of cooking and ate our meals on the lanai. Dont think we could have gotten a better seat for ocean front dining than the table on the lanai!! It is hard to believe the view from the lanai is even more beautiful than it looks in the pictures on the website! Would definitely recommend this condo to anyone looking for a place in Kona.

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

The best Condo ever!

Guest: Sachi (Tokyo, JAPAN)
Date of Stay: 04/29/10 Review Submitted: 05/11/10

We had such a priceless time during our stay in this Condo (Kailua Kona). This condo is just to direct oceanfront, luxurious, romantic and totally private area as if we were on the beach or luxury liner. Also, one of my friends got to work but free WiFi made her so happy and easy to contact people she needed. If you have a rent-car, super-market and drug store are very close for your own cooking. Cooking equipments are all set up and they are all clean and usefull, so that we cooked almost everyday during our stay. I totally recommend this Condo to my friends! Thank you. With best wish, Sachi, Naoko, Masae

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

Guest: matt
Date of Stay: 03/01/10 Review Submitted: 04/20/10

Oh my gosh this condo is beautiful. My hubby and I have stayed at the Hilton and the 4 Seasons - they can not hold a candle to Gayle's Condo.. We have stayed there I think 5 times maybe more and it is the only place we will stay. It's like coming home everytime we stay there we bring our clothes and a little food and everything else is there. I mean EVERYTHING-boogie boards snorkle masks beach towels-condiments, spices, it's like coming home. > The whole front of the condo is sliding doors and windows so you can see the ocean from any room. I used to be the person who when she went on vacation would not cook, take me out; but now I want to stay here and bbq. There are nice bbq's with picinic tables right beside the tide pools you can watch the turtles come in at night. They are so funny they surf the waves in then swim back out and do it over again. During the day it's not unusual to see them sunning on the beach. We usually go in March because we love to sit on the lanai and watch the whales go by. I spend every minute that I'm not on the beach on the lanai - there is a nice fan to cool you down and beautiful glass topped table and chairs it's great for a romantic sunset dinner. > The unit is spotless and beautifully decorated. You can tell the owners really care about it and take excellent care of it. Even our rental car has a beautiful parking spot facing out on the ocean. (that was input from hubby). Also there is an elevator which is great since my husband has a bad leg and back. > The pictures are great but it's so much more in person the colors and the smells of the ocean and flowers, I love to lay in bed at night and listen to the ocean and in the morning the birds sing you awake as the sun rises. Oh and when the sun hits waves just right - about 7-8am you can actually see the fish swimming in the wave the water is so clear. > > I'm counting the days untill I get to go back next March. I would highly recommend this condo to anyone looking for a relaxing-carefree totally furnished just move in vacation rental."

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Lanai living!

Guest: Anne in WA (Kirkland, WA USA)
Date of Stay: 10/03/09 Review Submitted: 10/15/09

This was my second stay in this condo, the last being 4 years ago and it was better than I had remembered!! Spent a lot of time sitting on the huge lanai watching the turtles, dolphins swimming by and then the evening sunsets. Many fans in the condo to help keep things cool as it was quite warm when we were there. This condo has all the comforts of home-nice having a full kitchen, and laundry. It is also great there is a lot of beach stuff to use left by the owners--boogie board, beach chair, grass mats, and snorkel equiptment. Condo close to a couple of swimming beaches. Also lots of hawaii travel books in the condo to help give ideas on what to see. Would recommend a car to get around as condo about 2 1/2 miles south of town and it is nice to be able to have a car to get out an explore the many beaches on that side of the island and visit a coffee farm. Spent 10 nights in this condo and really felt like I was at home. Able to unpack as there was plenty of drawer and closet space so never felt like I was living out of a suitcase for that time. Hard to leave!

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

Best Vacation Rental EVER!

Guest: Doug (Texas)
Date of Stay: 08/04/09 Review Submitted: 10/14/09

When I rented this place, I hoped it would be as lovely as the pictures. To my amazement, everything was even more spectacular than the pictures. There is nothing like being so close to the ocean, and hearing the surf day and night. Inside the condo, my wife and I lacked for nothing. High speed cable for internet gave us peace of mind, checking on business at home. I loved just keeping in touch with the family. Washer/dryer made keeping packing to a minimum and the wonderful books provided as well as DVD's offered real entertainment options. Grounds are lovely, BBQ's were perfect for cooking our fresh fish, and shopping was very convenient. We particularly liked Safeway, which is just up the hill. Some days, we didn't feel the need to go anywhere. We stayed 10 days, but really hated to leave. Owners were great to work with, and we will be sharing this place with all our friends and family. We will be returning in the future, I wouldn't stay anywhere else.

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

Guest: Dow and Family
Date of Stay: 07/08/09 Review Submitted: 04/20/10

Hello Gayle, We have finally recovered from our travels and I wanted to shoot you a huge "Thank You!" for the wonderful accommodations and provisions you provided during our Kona stay. Your condo was absolutely gorgeous and the location was prime for exploring the island. We loved looking for the current resident turtles in the cove area every day; there was only one day that we did not see them, but we did see dolphins swimming by in the distance that day, so we basically did not go a day without some sort of wildlife "show". We also enjoyed 4 days of snorkeling - how amazing that was! We took the Body Glove morning snorkel cruise (which we also would like to recommend), rented Kayaks from Ihu and Kai (another recommendation) and kayaked to Captain Cook monument to snorkel, during which time we enjoyed a visit by a pod of dolphins in the bay. The island is so rich in history both geologically and culturally, and it was so enjoyable to have a fun, educational vacation with the family. We were amazed at every turn, every sunset (though we never saw the "green flash"...so we'll be back!),every encounter both with nature and the people of Hawaii. We are so looking forward to another visit, hopefully in the near future. I think the most enjoyable part for us was the comfort factor - we've been to Jamaica and several places in Mexico, and while those places are certainly beautiful and fun, it can be somewhat uncomfortable being in another country - we liked the fact that we could visit a tropical island and still have all the amenities of America. Again, thank you for sharing your paradise with us!

Recommended for:

Lovely in Paradise

Guest: Desert Travelers (Phoenix, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 06/21/09 Review Submitted: 07/22/09

This was my family's first visit to Hawaii, and the accommodations at Gayle's condo lived up to everything she advertised! The condo is clean and well stocked with items to make your stay comfortable; plenty of towels, a cooler for the beach, and there are barbeque grills right next to the water perfect for cooking sunset dinners. The reef area at the condo is not good for swimming or snorkeling due to urchins and currents, but the condos have a sandy area suitable for children and laying out to soak up the sun. Children will enjoy exploring the reef and looking for turtles, and watching the pros surf nearby. The surf is strong and the waves are unpredictable, so please stay with children at all times while on the rocks. This location offers breathtaking views and spectacular sunsets! This is also the perfect location for exploring the island. Body Glove offers great snorkeling cruises, Kona Surf School provides superior lessons for beginners - my two daughters ages 11 and 14 were up and surfing in no time thanks to their attentiveness (ask for Dom!), and don't miss Ihu and Kai's kayak rentals to Captain Cook's Monument where you stand a good chance of kayaking with the dolphins and snorkeling in one of the best reef spots on the island. You'll find great food at Huggos on the Rocks and fantastic shave ice (be sure and get it "snow capped") at Scandinavian Shave Ice. My family and I plan on returning to Kona and we will definitely stay at one of Gayle's condos again, there's no need to search elsewhere. Gayle is attentive to detail and really keeps the traveler in mind to help you have the best island experience possible!

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

Everything the website says it is

Guest: BJ and Sharon (Spring Valley (San Diego) California)
Date of Stay: 05/24/09 Review Submitted: 06/06/09

Having just returned from 10 days on the Big Island, celebrating my 50th birthday, anyone who has been there knows that the Island speaks for itself. As far as the condo, Gayle, the owner, represents it 100% accurately. I have stayed in many condos on several of the islands, and this one is by far the most (more than) adequately equipped. It truly feels like "your own home". Many touches have been added (towels that are "real", not thin, small hotel towels. comfortable sheets, not stiff ones) a kitchen that has most everything you need--including spices---I have never stayed at a condo that included anything beyond the basic eating and cooking equipment. The condo is pleasantly decorated, not overdone. The furnishing are comfortable, although the bed was a little firm for what we are use to -- but that is certainly not a complaint and is to be expected any place you stay. Gayle is pleasant and prompt to deal with. I never waited to hear back from her. The pictures that she has posted truly speak to the view and beauty of what one will see--going to sleep and waking up to the sound of the ocean and the feel of its breeze is beyond words. I truly can't say enough, and when (not if) we visit the Big Island again, I will not have the need to look for a place to stay, as I have already found it. Gayle, thank you so much for sharing your home with us, our vacation was wonderful!!! BJ and Sharon Spring Valley (San Diego) California

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

Dolphin Unit

Guest: Razzel (Auburn, WA )
Date of Stay: 04/13/09 Review Submitted: 04/14/09

Oh my gosh the Dolphin unit is beautiful. My hubby Phil and I have stayed at the Hilton and the 4 Seasons - they can not hold a candle to the Dolphin unit. We have stayed there I think 5 times maybe more and it is the only place we will stay. It's like coming home everytime we stay there we bring our clothes and a little food and everything else is there. I mean EVERYTHING-boogie boards snorkle masks beach towels-condiments-laundry soap it truly is like coming home. The whole front of the condo is sliding doors and windows so you can see the ocean from any room. I used to be the person who when she went on vacation would not cook take me out but now I want to stay here and bbq. There are nice bbq's with picinic tables right beside the tide pools you can watch the turtles come in at night. They are so funny they surf the waves in then swim back out and do it over again. During the day it's not unusual to see them sunning on the beach. We usually go in March because we love to sit on the lanai and watch the whales go by. I spend every minute that I'm not on the beach on the lanai - there is a nice fan to cool you down and beautiful glass topped table and chairs it's great for a romantic sunset dinner. The unit is spotless and beautifully decorated. You can tell the owners really care about it and take excellant care of it. Even our rental car has a beautiful parking spot facing out on the ocean. (that was input from hubby). Also there is an elevator which is great since Phil has a bad leg and back. The pictures are great but it's so much more in person the colors and the smells of the ocean and flowers, I love to lay in bed at night and listen to the ocean and in the morning the birds sing you awake as the sun rises. Oh and when the sun hits waves just right - about 7-8am you can actually see the fish swimming in the wave the water is so clear. I'm counting the days untill I get to go back next March. I would highly recommend the Dolphin Unit to anyone looking for a relaxing-carefree totally furnished just move in vacation rental.

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

In Love with this Unit~!

Guest: Gone to Maui (Washington)
Date of Stay: 02/11/09 Review Submitted: 04/07/09

Gayle, you have a wonderful condo and we enjoyed many hours on your lanai, reading and taking in the views. We watched sea turtles, dolphins, whales, surfers, and of course, the fantastic sunsets. This unit is updated, private and the kitchen is so fully stocked there is nothing else I needed. We are so sad to be heading home, but of course, we'll be back! Thank you for sharing your home with us. We will be recommending this place to family and friends.

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

Turtle Haven

Guest: Jeannie11 (Portland, oregon)
Date of Stay: 01/01/09 Review Submitted: 05/24/09

We love this condo, and feel so lucky to have found the listings on the internet. Having just stayed in Gayle's condo in Maui, we wondered if the Kona condo would be as nice! It absolutely is, in fact because this one is a 2 bedroom, so the master is on the water,it is a special treat. I have loved falling asleep to the sound of the surf, as well as waking up to it. I must mention the Turtles.........they are everywhere, everyday we enjoyed them. Watch for what starts out looking like "moving rocks" then you'll notice the head or the fin surfacing; if you are in luck, you might see one crawl out to sun on the little beach on property. Once you know what you are looking for, you'll see many of them, everyday. Very enjoyable here are the furnishings, comfortable tropical living room and bedrooms, Hawaiian books to enjoy, DVD's to watch, kitchen is equipped with everything you need, including spices for cooking, washer/dryer is so convenient in the unit, and of course 2 full bathrooms are nice, even when it is only 2 persons, as we were. Since I love my computer, even on vacation, it was nice to have a dedicated cable line in the condo to use gratis. Owners were so easy and helpful to work with, I even got a great deal on a rental car from Gayle. Thanks for all the help and personal touches, we will return. The worst part was leaving, I really hated to go..

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

4th floor condo - Dolphin Unit

Guest: Hawaii4us (Laguna Niguel, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/30/08 Review Submitted: 04/09/09

We stayed in this condo two times and it exceeded our expectations each time. The unit is beautiful, spotlessly clean and very nicely decorated. It's more like a home than a rental. The view is absolutely unbeatable - the pictures don't do it justice. Parking is easy and the building is centrally located near Kailua town. We will definitely stay in this condo on our next trip to Kona. Aloha!

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

Spectacular Views, and Great Place!

Guest: Hawaiian Love (Denver, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 12/18/08 Review Submitted: 01/08/09

We have stayed on all the islands, and this one was the most beautiful, best location, with everything and more that a guest could ask for. Attention to detail, owners are very helpful and friendly. This unit is updated, furnished beautifully, quiet location yet close to everything, we can't say more. We had the time of our life and plan to be back to see the turtles, sunsets and relax again, in this "home away from home". It's a very special place.

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

Awesome View and Interior

Guest: Nitetrade (Frisco, TX, USA)
Date of Stay: 11/13/08 Review Submitted: 12/16/08

We love Kona, but this place was the best of all our trips there, we will be going back! Quiet, peaceful, well stocked, perfect location and the greatest view of all. Owners were trustworthy answering all our questions, and everything was just what we expected and more.

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

Close to Water!! Everything we could ask for.

Guest: Scuba 2 (California)
Date of Stay: 09/19/08 Review Submitted: 04/17/09

We stayed here a few months ago, and WOW, this place is outstanding. There are so many little extras, like DVD's, Hawaiian books and tour guides, extra beach towels, cooler for your use, spices for cooking, just plenty of everything. We felt very special staying here, as it is a home cared for by the owners. Hawaiian quilt on the masterbed, tropical decorations, beautiful lights, tile floors, fan galore, and flat screen tv in the living room. Don't forget to check out the farmer's markets in KONA, the arts and crafs at Alii Marketplace (close by), the do drive to the volcano, but take a sweatshirt of sweater as it is up high and quite cool. This was a DREAM VACATION, we ate out a little but couldn't come close to the lanai view, so started bringing take out home, if we didn't feel like cooking. Gas grills on property are easy to use, so just go to Safeway and get some fresh bread and salad, grill out and eat on the beautiful lanai. You can watch surfers, turtles and sunsets, up close and personal. Thank you to the owners, for keeping this place is such beautiful condition. We'll be back.

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

Top of the Line and more!

Guest: Tammy N. (Texas)
Date of Stay: 09/04/08 Review Submitted: 04/18/09

We stayed in this condo (the turtle one), last September, and I"m still dreaming about returning. Everything is there, the pictures are totally accurate, and the owners were great to work with. There is so much to do on the Big Island, but it was difficult to leave the lanai. My husband insisted we needed to get out and explore, so we did but I always insisted on being back before dark, to enjoy the turtles and surf. Sometimes we had some appetizers and a drink before heading out to dinner. This place is a very comfortable, well appointed unit, and I believe we really got more than expected. Call Gayle if you want to experience this unit for yourselves.

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

COZY CONDO ON THE OCEAN!

Guest: nevadan (Reno, NV)
Date of Stay: 05/19/08 Review Submitted: 04/08/09

We have stayed in this condo twice (over 6 years' tiime) and have booked a third visit in May 2009. As far as we are concerned, this is the only place we want to stay when going to Hawaii. The location is good, about 2 1/2 mi. south of downtown Kona. The property has security 24/7, and a covered parking garage with easy access to the elevator. A nice pool and hot tub are available and are always clean and well-maintained with towels furnished. Barbeques are available on the lawn and these, too, are kept clean. The beach in front is small and rocky....not a good swimming beach if you have little ones but good for tide pool exploration! The condo is cozy, clean and well kept by the owners who seem to add nice new upgrades each time we visit. There is a nice patio set on the balcony (where we spend most of our time!) as the view is amazing and turtles are usually visible sunning on the lava rocks below. You can usually see the surfers too. This condo has a very comfy king bed right off the balcony so the surf sounds are very prominent. (If you have trouble sleeping with wave noise, this may not be the place for you.) The other smaller bedroom has 2 twin beds. The owners have thought of everything including furnishing beach matts and a cooler for picnics! Booking this condo with the owner is so easy and she's super about trying to give you the time frame you desire. She's been doing this long enough that she has it down to a science. She even helps with rental cars if you wish. We would recommend this property to everyone...and do! If you golf, we found a great course which actually gives Senior Rates! Big Island CC. Delightful course with interesting wildlife roaming around..turkeys, partridges, NeNe's (Hawaiian Geese) and goats. Check it out!

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