Vacation Rentals by Owner

A wonderful home away from home!

Guest: <3 Honu (Illinois)
Date of Stay: 01/02/12 Review Submitted: 01/11/12

First, I have to say that Joani is incredibly sweet and wonderful. The condo was clean, spacious and comfortable with a true Hawaiian feel. It had all of the amenities as listed. The location was perfect for us...close to the beaches that were perfect for surfing, snorkeling or just relaxing with the Honu! The free Wi-Fi was a nice perk too so that I could make reservations or check the day's surf report. We would definitely stay at this condo again! Joani and Ray thank you again for letting us use your piece of heaven with us!!

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

Treasure

Guest: Elle (Mesa, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 09/11/11 Review Submitted: 10/03/11

The Magic White Sands Beach is a treasure, and Ray and Joani's unit complements this piece of paradise. After the 3rd day, when the Aloha Spirit sets in, you feel like you're home. Very comfortable accommodations. Long to return.

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

Big Island Fun

Guest: Fun in Kona (Berkeley, CA)
Date of Stay: 02/17/11 Review Submitted: 03/06/11

Had an excellent time here. Great location close to Ali i Village, but not so close you are constantly stuck in traffic; great beaches close by and diving too. Nice jacuzzi. Condo is nice and clean, and kid friendly. If the beds were firmer I'd give it a 5 star! Thanks for a great vacation, we'd stay here again without hesitation!!!

Owner response:It's difficult to find "the" perfect beds because some like them softer and some harder. This is the first time someone has said that they are too soft though which isn't bad in 6 years!

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

Home away from home but in Paradise

Guest: The Alaskans (North Pole, Ak)
Date of Stay: 02/01/11 Review Submitted: 04/06/11

We have been staying at Ray and Joani's condo for several years in a row and have nothing but positive comments. We love sitting on the lanai for morning coffee and planning our day. It makes for an awesome start to your day watching the waves roll in and the whales playing. The condo is great with all new appliances and everything you need for your home away from home. We plan on coming back year after year. You won't be disappointed staying here.

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

Wonderful condo for our family vacation in Kona!

Guest: Lisa (Arizona)
Date of Stay: 11/19/10 Review Submitted: 12/06/10

We could not have asked for anything better than Joani and Ray's beautiful condo in Kona. My husband and two teenage kids enjoyed our stay way more than if we'd been in a little hotel room, and the price was so reasonable. The location was absolutely perfect for us, centrally located but not right in town. Having the sandy beach across the street was the icing on the cake. The condo was clean, quiet, spacious, and so incredibly well stocked, it had everything we needed. It was as close to perfect as you can get. The lanai was our favorite place to sit and read, or use the wi-fi and watch the waves roll in on the beach. Joani responded to every email I sent in a flash and was so helpful and friendly. None of us wanted to leave! I will recommend this condo to anyone visiting Kona, and I hope we can return someday soon!

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

Great spot on the island

Guest: Mark (Northern California)
Date of Stay: 11/11/10 Review Submitted: 11/21/10

We loved staying in your condo. It is located right at one of the most entertaining and fun beaches in the area. White sands beach is fun to watch all of the locals Boogie Boarding, and you can even join them for a few rides. Drive into town is short and beautiful along the coastline. Five of us stayed in the condo and were extremely comfortable. The best part was being so close to the ocean to watch the sunset every night. I would highly recommend your condo to couples or families. You cannot go wrong with the location and the price beats anything else around. Thank You, and we will definately be back. Hopefully we can take two weeks off work next time and see more of the island. Mark

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

Definitely the Condo to Stay At!!! FABULOUS!!!

Guest: Kimberly (Eagle Point, OR)
Date of Stay: 09/20/10 Review Submitted: 01/18/11

I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this condo to anyone looking to stay in Kona. Joani and Ray are the most gracious hosts and go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and well informed about how to get around and what to do. Joani even sends you an e-mail before you arrive with a bunch of information to get around and do stuff like a local! The condo is bright, airy, and well maintained. It is stocked with all of those little extras you would expect to find when staying at a friends house, not a rental. It was fun looking in the kitchen cupboards and seeing the variety of foodstuff left from previous tenants (all new packaged and factory sealed) for you to use if needed...and of course we left stuff for the next tenants when we left too! Joani and Ray have taken the time to thoughtfully stock 2 closets with all of the items you would need to enjoy the island without having to pack or buy it...i.e. coolers, boogie boards, noodles, snorkel gear, beach chairs, etc. This condo is beautiful and the grounds are clean, quiet, and well laid out. The BBQ area is super nice, and it was so amazing to have the beach right across the street! It was nice to have a until that did not have any stairs to get into while dragging your luggage (not the case on all units, so be wary with other units in this village...there are some that have stairs to access them even after you use the elevator since the unit is located on a hill.) I DEFINITELY recommend going to Huggo's and sitting in the front tables. You have your feet in the sand and are listening to great local live music and hula dancing on certain nights. If you get a chance, go when LT Smooth is singing, you WILL NOT regret it. To be able to watch a beautiful sunset, while eating a great dinner, drinking a cool refreshing drink, with your toes in the sand, waves crashing less then 10 feet from you and listening to live music is a memory that will sustain you through the other 51 weeks until you return to this fabulous condo for your newly-created annual tradition! We are coming back Joani and Ray...and we will definitely stay here!!! Kimberly, Coni, & Cristy

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.

Great place, definitely recommend it

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/02/10

My daughters and I had a great time in Kona and WSV #320 was a perfect fit for us. Convenient to everything. I'm picky about cleanliness and this place was spic n span. Great recommendations from Joani and Ray; they are great resources for great places to eat and visit during your stay. I would definitely stay here again and highly recommend #320...very reasonably priced too.

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

"The best experience for us all"

Guest: RobF (Peoria, IL)
Date of Stay: 04/04/10 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

Joani, I wanted to take a moment to say thanks for allowing us to stay in your condo. You and your husband are wonderful people and we really appreciate how responsive you were when we needed something. My family was very comfortable and we enjoyed the great atmosphere at your home away from home. White sands has a great community feel. It was absolutely the best experience for us all and we hope to return soon to Kona. If we need a place to stay your home away from home will be at the top of our list! Cheers, Rob

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.

Guest: Keli Maire
Date of Stay: 07/13/09 Review Submitted: 07/12/09

Hi Joani and Ray,We had a wonderful time at your place! The kids and I were very comfortable at the condo. Everything you said about the property and the location and the wonders of Kona was absolutely true! My boys especially liked the beach being right there, the great snorkeling, the gekkos all around, the pool area, the pool table. . . everything! I appreciated the gas barbeque grills right there on the property and the ease of getting into and out of the place. Your condo is homey and very comfortable! The staff at WSV is extra friendly and helpful. You had everything available that we would ever need for a great stay at one of the most amazing places in paradise! Thank you! I’m already referring your place to some friends who are planning their vacations. Mahalo!

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Guest: Bill & Lori Blain
Date of Stay: 06/09/09 Review Submitted: 06/08/09

3-weeks, longest vacation we have ever taken and this was truly paradise. Best beaches, sunsets, trip to the volcano was awesome, so much to see and do and even 3 weeks wasn't enough time! Snorkeling, the best ever. Will recommend your condo to everyone I know. Thanks so much!

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Guest: Robinson Family
Date of Stay: 06/12/08 Review Submitted: 06/11/08

We came to the Big Island after 4-days in Honolulu, what a contrast! We enjoyed our time in Oahu but still - the hustle and bustle of a big city. We have been to Maui also so we're enjoying the contrast of the Big Island, very laid back. Lots of snorkeling, Mauna Kea beach was wonderful, probably the prettiest beach we've ever seen, great food at Huggo's and On The Rocks. Mahalo!

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Guest: Jerzy Zalewski
Date of Stay: 09/20/07 Review Submitted: 09/19/07

This place is awesome! If we ever get to come back to Hawaii this is where we would stay. The view is awesome, and it's nice to have a beach right across the street. Thanks for everything.

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Guest: Scott & Bonnie Hrdlichka
Date of Stay: 08/09/07 Review Submitted: 08/08/07

We had a great time while staying at your condo! The snorkeling was great too! Kahalu'u Beach has the best snorkeling - go way out from the pavilion for coral, clean water and spectacular reef fish. Hope to stay at your condo again!

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Guest: Niza, Shaul & Adi Hanany
Date of Stay: 06/22/07 Review Submitted: 06/21/07

What a great place! We enjoyed every minute of oru stay. The condo is just awesome - location, location,location... We loved White Sands Beach and Adi (6 1/2) would not get out of the pool. Mauna Kea Beach was amazing too. Now, how do we bring ourselves to the airport!! Thanks so much.

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Guest: Dulaney Family
Date of Stay: 06/09/07 Review Submitted: 06/08/07

We stayed at a 5-Star resort before coming to White Sands Village and our family loved staying here over the resort! Beach and boogie boarding was great, my teenagers loved it!! The new TV was awesome. Thanks - what a bonus. We will be back. Thanks again.

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Guest: Padgham family
Date of Stay: 06/06/07 Review Submitted: 06/05/07

This was really a great place to stay and very comfortable. We loved the easy access to White Sands and Kahalu'u beaches especially. The unit was fantastically well set up making our stay both easy and enjoyable. Thank you.

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Guest: Gary & Andrea McFarland
Date of Stay: 09/27/06 Review Submitted: 09/26/06

What a lovely place!! It made our first stay here on the Big Island feel like we were at our home away from home! Every night we slept with the windows and doors open and could hear waves crashing. Since your condo is so centrally located we got to see lots of amazing things, including lots of scuba diving, shopping, black sands beach and great dining! We can hardly wait to come back!

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Guest: Sam & Rebecca Dewhirst
Date of Stay: 04/13/06 Review Submitted: 04/12/06

This is 8th visit to Kona and this is the best place we've stayed - comfortable, convenient location, perfect amenities.....Mahalo

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