Vacation Rentals by Owner

Guest: William W
Date of Stay: 06/06/09 Review Submitted: 06/05/09

Exceptionally Unique property, nothing else like it in the world. Location can't be beat, and it is right here in the USA! No passports, no swine flu, no diarrhea. My 5 yo son with autism had the time of his life learning to snorkel in the lagoon. He was on his own swimming around on the second day. We'll be back for sure.

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Guest: Lisa D
Date of Stay: 05/19/09 Review Submitted: 05/18/09

If we could we would purchase this property. The location for us was great. We were looking to get away from everything and relax. The pond is awesome. We could have just spent our vacation hanging out there. We will greatly miss feeding "Puffy", she is adorable. Who knew you could become attached to a fish. The owners were so wonderful, stopping by right away to see if we needed anything and to answer any questions we had. We hope to come back for another stay.

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Guest: Tara C
Date of Stay: 05/05/09 Review Submitted: 05/04/09

Our recent stay at Lagoon House was a trip to remember. Unlike most vacations we take, we spent most of our time just relaxing at the Lagoon House. We thoroughly enjoyed snorkeling in our private lagoon and Champagne Pond. Puffy the pufferfish was the highlight of our time in the lagoon. Our 3 yr old was kept entertained by the numerous boxes of toys, movies, and of course the lagoon fish. Fresh fruit, fresh flowers, incredible view, tranquil setting...we had a fantastic time!! The owners, Ann and Richard, were so pleasant and provided some helpful tips. The staff, Su and Tara, were incredibly polite and helpful also!! We will recommend this rental to everyone we know! Thanks again!

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Guest: Joseph & Karen B
Date of Stay: 04/23/09 Review Submitted: 04/22/09

This was a place and is hard to describe unless you've been there. It was a beautiful home and very unusual with the personal lagoon and the incredibly friendly fish. Especially, Puffy the pufferfish. I absolutely adored her and she was the friendliest fish I've ever encountered. The water in the lagoon was so so warm and inviting. The grounds are beautiful at the house and the momento cabinet dedicated to Ray Bolger (tin man from wizard of oz) was a real plus. I would recommend this house to anyone. I hope to return. It was truly awesome.

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Guest: Cynthia S
Date of Stay: 04/15/09 Review Submitted: 04/14/09

Lagoon House was a perfect place to stay for a vacation in paradise, especially if you love sea life. Having a private snorkeling lagoon was better than I could have even imagined. The fish are amazing, I have snorkeled in many places and it was incredible to be able to see and feed these wonderful fish in your own private aquarium. The sea turtles right there in Champagne Pond...Wow! The owners are caring and helpful and have obviously put a lot of time, energy and love into the place. This place was better than anywhere I have ever rented. The location is ideal, away from tourist traps with the beach and snorkeling right in your own back yard. The place was spotless and had all the amenities you could hope for, I can't say enough about how wonderful the place was. I am ready to go back already and am recommending the Lagoon House to all my friends. Feeding the fish in the lagoon is an incredible experience and the beauty and tranquility of the place can't be beat. Perfect paradise.

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Guest: Karla H
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 01/31/09

The Lagoon House exceeded our expectations and was an absolutely incredible and unique place to stay on the Big Island! The lagoon provided a safe, interactive snorkeling experience for our children (and whimpy mom here really liked the warm water). Our whole family loved swimming with hundreds of beautiful fish and creatures and became quite attached to Puffy, a cute, hand-fed porcupine fish. The sunrise and star views framed with palm trees were picturesque. The nearby waterfalls, forests, lava flows, and scenery were magnificent, when we finally parted from the house for a while. And the fresh exotic flower bouquets and organic fruit topped it off! This place cannot be beat!

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Guest: Steve & Donna S
Date of Stay: 12/30/08 Review Submitted: 12/29/08

This was our 4th stay at Lagoon House at about this time of year. The only thing that could have been better was the weather, and I really don't hold either the owners or the rental agency responsible for a State-wide storm. The pond was well stocked and remarkably clean. As always. The house is perfect for relaxing and is stocked with a wonderful library that will appeal to readers of all ages, as well as games, music, videos and TV for those who don't even want to read. As always, but the TV system has been recently upgraded. The Wi-Fi is fast and works throughout the house, so I was able to take care of enough work to get some more comp time after my official break is over. As always [at least for the past two years when the feature was added] Ann and Richard had the entire house beautifully decorated in both objets d'art and in tropical flower arrangements. As always there were more than enough fresh exotic fruits provided, and the kitchen equipment was such that we didn't need to bring a single thing other than our own food. We'll be back again and again.

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Guest: Joanne & Debi
Date of Stay: 03/18/08 Review Submitted: 03/17/08

Just a short note to thank you for allowing us to stay at Lagoonhouse 3/14-3/18/08. What a wonderful way to finish off our vacation on the Big Island, those five days were the best of our five weeks. Your thoughtful flower & fruit was such a perfect welcome gift, also we took your advise and hints to make our stay more pleasant. You made us feel like family and can only hope if you need anything while you are in Massachusetts, please feel free to contact us. Hopefully we will be in touch with you in the future for another stay, until then. Mahalo & Aloha. Enjoy your time in Wellfleet, it is a lovely time of year to be there.

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Guest: Carol
Date of Stay: 12/11/07 Review Submitted: 12/10/07

Mahalo plenty for a magical stay! The time spent together here as a family will be treasured and remembered forever. My sisters, daughter and I had a moonlight swim in the Lagoon singing "Amazing Grace" in perfect harmony. Your home has restored and rejuvenated me--much love and aloha...

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Truly enchanting

Guest: Richard T. (Big Island)
Date of Stay: 09/07/07 Review Submitted: 07/09/08

Wow! What a truly enchanting place, it's so hard to describe what a great time we had. On our next to the last day, we swam with no fewer than 10 sea turtles in the Champagne Pond next door. The fish and your pond were of course awesome. Loved the breezes, the sun, the rain, and most of all we loved how close our family became, us 3 island adventurers! Hope to visit next year! Mahalo-- P.S. I was hoping we could watch the Wizard of Oz so that Evan could see Ann's Uncle ray Bolger. Unfortunately, he was too tired from swimming with the fish and turtles to watch a movie.

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

Guest: Damon, Mary, Evan
Date of Stay: 09/07/07 Review Submitted: 09/06/07

Wow! What a truly enchanting place, it's so hard to describe what a great time we had. On our next to last day, swam with no fewer than 10 sea turtles! The fish and pond were of course awesome. loved the rain, the breezes, the sun, and most of all, we loved how close our family became, us 3 island adventurers! Hope to visit next year! Mahalo-- P.S. I was hoping we could watch the Wizard of Oz so that Evan could see Ann's Uncle Ray Bolger. Unfortunately, he was too tired from swimming with the fish and turtles to watch a movie.

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Guest: Ryann, Kate, and parents
Date of Stay: 08/19/07 Review Submitted: 08/18/07

Wowie! I felt like I was in a movie or something! This place is SOOOO cool! We had quite an adventure, thank you, thank you!! This place was awesome--the lagoon was warm, the fish were nice--it was soooo relaxing!!! Over all, an awesome vacation and i hope we come back!

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Guest: Murray, Deb and Alexandra
Date of Stay: 08/11/07 Review Submitted: 08/10/07

Mahalo for sharing your lovely home with us. It is truly the "creme-de-la-creme" of vacation rentals in Kapoho. There's no doubt about that! This is our 3rd summer here and the house and the lagoon both seem to get better and better--there are more fish in the pond now than 4 years ago during our last visit. And the house is prettier too! Highlights from our 6 weeks here include snorkeling at vacationland and spotting an eagle ray there. Another highlight was definitely the manta ray dive in Kona--Thanks for the heads up about how snorkelers can go on the manta ray dive too. We wouldn't have known about that without you! It was truly a breathtaking experience. We'll be back again, aloha and mahalo.

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Guest: The King Family
Date of Stay: 06/27/07 Review Submitted: 06/26/07

This is our second time here at the Lagoon House and we enjoyed it just as much....if not more... as the 1st time!! We loved all your upgrades to the house and really appreciated the personal touches such as the beautiful flowers and fruit!! Your house truly is "a piece of Paradise" and we cannot thank you enough for sharing your house with us!! We hope to be back soon!! Thank you!! Out of all the vacations I've been to, this is with no doubt, my favorite place to visit!! It was a lot of fun and the fish were lots of fun to feed. PS You are very nice people and it was cool to meet you!! Mahalo and Aloha!!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/07 Review Submitted: 05/03/07

Absolutely amazing! What a wonderful place. If you are looking for a one of a kind experience on the Big Island, this is it. The house is comfortable, the lagoon is too wonderful for mere words. We had plans to just "stay" at the Lagoon House and explore the island during the day, but changed our plans and spent time "at home". Puffy the puffer fish was charming and we felt guilty getting in the lagoon without a few snails to feed her! It is like having your own private aquarium to swim in. You will love this place!

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Guest: Steve, Katrina, Dustin, Misty
Date of Stay: 04/26/07 Review Submitted: 04/25/07

WOW! AWESOME! SPECTACULAR! What a wonderful retreat! We loved the house, the lagoon and the convenience to touring the southern part of the Big Island--Hawaii!! Great sunrises and warm lagoon swims at daybreak--sea turtles in the Champagne pond were an added bonus. Then came the highlight, the lagoon pool!! The fish are spectacular and great "Hosts". We hiked to the green sand beach, frolicked in the turbulent sea, back to Volcanos National park & the Thurston Lava tube,then followed the Chain of Craters Park rd to the sea....Long 12 hour day and WELL worth it! Now on to Kona!

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Guest: Ron, Jan, Andy, Ronica, & boys
Date of Stay: 02/03/07 Review Submitted: 02/02/07

What a wonderful place to introduce our grandsons and son-in-law to Hawaii and snorkeling. The 4 boys, 4-10 yrs old loved swimming with the turtles and fish and I loved the warm water. A little piece of Paradise! Thank you for sharing your wonderful home with us Richard & Ann. We will always remember the Lagoon House & the experience we had here. What a great place to spend my birthday and our 39th anniversary.Thanks again.

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Guest: Kimie K & family of 6
Date of Stay: 01/02/07 Review Submitted: 01/01/07

We are back for the 4th time to your Pond!! Words can't express how we appreciate this precious opportunity to communicate with the fish in the pond. Lots of new comers and lots of babies!! They love romaine lettuce and Ahi (tunafish) so much to the point that we end up grocery shopping getting them the right things for their supper. We just loved feeding them. People ask me why we come back here so many times. People ask us why we don't get bored coming back to the same place. Well, our answer is here: everytime we are here, we think it is the best holidays. We have enjoyed the stay so much. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thompson for sharing your beautiful place with us.Thank you so much Steve, for coordinating our stay. We'll be back for our 5th stay here knowing that it'll be definitely another great holiday.

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Guest: The Kelley Family of 6
Date of Stay: 12/15/06 Review Submitted: 12/14/06

We are back for the 4th time to your Pond!! Words can't express how we appreciate this precious opportunity to communicate with the fish in the pond. Lots of new comers and lots of babies!! They love romaine lettuce and Ahi (tunafish) so much to the point that we end up grocery shopping getting them the right things for their supper. We just loved feeding them. People ask me why we come back here so many times. People ask us why we don't get bored coming back to the same place. Well, our answer is here: everytime we are here, we think it is the best holidays. We have enjoyed the stay so much. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thompson for sharing your beautiful place with us.Thank you so much Steve, for coordinating our stay. We'll be back for our 5th stay here knowing that it'll be definitely another great holiday.

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Guest: Carol and Kathy
Date of Stay: 11/25/06 Review Submitted: 11/24/06

This has been the most wonderful vacation. The house is lovely and we fell in love with the Lagoon and these fish. We hope to be back next year, if not, the following year. Mr. & Mrs. Thompson have been wonderful to talk with and we enjoyed their fruit. The flowers were a lovely touch. Kathy enjoyed swimming with the turtles. The lagoon is a fabulous place to snorkel.Aloha & mahalo.

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Guest: Wiil & Stephanie
Date of Stay: 11/12/06 Review Submitted: 11/11/06

The flowers were there to greet us-so wonderful! We absolutely love the pufferfish and all the sea creatures that abound in your lagoon. Thank you for the amazing experience. The wine glasses were perfect! We appreciate the personal touch! We are worried about the pufferfish getting touched too much because it is so friendly--please let folks know it's not good to touch fish.

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Guest: Tim and Nancy
Date of Stay: 10/11/06 Review Submitted: 10/10/06

This was our 1st time to stay on this side of the Big Island. What a wonderful treat it has been: the weather has truly been tropical and sunny, feeding and swimming with the fish in the lagoon has been a hoot, waking up to and falling asleep to the sound of the ocean waves so peaceful! The house is wonderfully set up, especially the kitchen. We've stayed in many vacation rentals that didn't boast half of the amenities. The tropical flowers were a very inviting touch Ann--the avocados were simply luscious and SO plentiful. It was also interesting watching Richard introduce his new fish purchases to the Lagoon, as Ann acclimated them to their new home. We also took a trip down memory lane looking at the Ray Bolger/Wizard of Oz mementos. I guess the best way to sum up the magic of this Piece of paradise is to say that the only time we left the property was to drive to Longs in Hilo to drop off/pickup pictures taken with our underwater camera! Hope to be back next year!

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Guest: Paul & Abbey
Date of Stay: 07/06/06 Review Submitted: 07/05/06

Airline ticket Sitka Alaska to Big Island-$840 2 bottles Sunblock SPF -$24 Week at Lagoonhouse--PRICELESS!! Mahalo & Aloha Nui

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/06 Review Submitted: 06/19/06

Lagoon house was unbelievable! We had seen the photos, but I was speechless when I arrived. The kids (10,13) were in Heaven snorkeling! We saw more fish and turtles then we will probably ever see anywhere again! We made it to the Coral Garden's in the next subdivision and they were absolutly gorgeous. Be sure to ask how to get there. The house is very nice and peaceful. I would move in if I could!! They need to change the name to "A Taste Of Heaven" because it was so serine and beuatiful. IF you need a place to get away from it all, this is the place for you!!

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Guest: Brant and Julie
Date of Stay: 06/01/06 Review Submitted: 05/31/06

We loved the Lagoonhouse!! Thanks for this opportunity to spend time with the fish and the gentle turtles.There were 3 turtles yesterday morning from 5:30-7am and the same 3 today. We kept our distance from them, so as to not disturb them when resting. The larger ones seemed more comfortable with us, and would sometimes approach us as close as 2-3 feet away on their way up for a gulp of air. It's true--you can tell they are there by standing on the ledge & watching the disturbances in the water as they come up for quick gulps of air. We never saw them in Champagne Pond in the late afternoon, but heard they often come then as well. Thanks George, a previous tenant, for telling us about this place. And thanks Richard and Anne for keeping it so nice!

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Guest: Todd & Heather et al
Date of Stay: 05/07/06 Review Submitted: 05/06/06

4 generations here this time! This is our 4th visit to Lagoonhouse. We tried Maui & Kaui but keep finding ourselves longing for the relaxing lagoon. The lagoon here is the best and has the most beautiful fish around. They added a lot more. We even got great grandma (87) into the lagoon--she was in heaven. Thanks again Richard and now Anne too for keeping this beautiful piece of paradise available for those of us who don't own here-yet! (soon-I hope) Mahalo and God Bless!! P.S. I loved the 'Wizard of Oz" (still do)--your display is wonderful.

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Guest: Don Leah Madeline & Ian
Date of Stay: 02/25/06 Review Submitted: 02/24/06

We had never been to the Big Island and used Lagoon House to explore many of the attractions of the island. Hilo is a great little town with a neat zoo, Tsunami Museum & Rainbow Falls. Also saw Akaka Falls & checked out Hilo’s beaches. Volcanoes Nat’l Park was incredible! The Marine Conservation Ponds, Lava Tree State Park & Kehena Black Sand Beach made for a neat local jaunt. We even made it to North of Kona for some boogie board surfing at Kapuna Beach.We would start our days by feeding the fish, then snorkel in the lagoon and Champagne Pond (one day when we had the pond to ourselves we saw 6 turtles) then head out for the day.The best place for Hawaiian clothing (sarongs) was a place in Pahoa called Raisin Cane. Prices & selection. Best souvenirs were in Hilo, just from the Farmer’s Market.We had a great time!

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Guest: Robert Kimie Lars Ryan Jennifer
Date of Stay: 12/31/05 Review Submitted: 12/30/05

We’re back for the 3rd time to Paradise! Great to see all of the fish in the pond have grown to bigger sizes!! This your there is a baby domino with beautiful blue buttons on her body. We enjoyed seeing her every day swimming with her babysitter domino. We enjoyed watching her grow bigger with dramatic speed!! The fish here are so friendly to the point that they come up to you. At night we enjoyed watching Mars and the stars from the deck. In the morning we enjoyed tea and coffee by the beautifully painted wall. It gives great shade from the strong morning sun. Thank you very much for letting us stay at your paradise. Thank you very much for the beautiful flowers and tasty avocados. We will be back for sure!

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Guest: Linda L.
Date of Stay: 10/20/05 Review Submitted: 10/19/05

When I close my eyes, envisioning a place of utter tranquility, I will think of the underwater paradise of this lagoon. I had a spectacular time here for my 38th birthday, and I hope we can return again soon as my son gets older (he’s 15 ½ months and enjoyed every minute of our stay here!)

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Guest: Rick & Betty M.
Date of Stay: 08/22/04 Review Submitted: 08/21/04

Where do we begin? First of all, A Piece of Paradise is an understatement for sure! We had a wonderful time here. Steve was helpful when we were on the mainland asking questions; Steve was helpful when we got here with the wrong key! We felt touched by the beauty of this home from the moment we walked (moved) in. And our emotions continued to rise each day. It was a privilege to be able to stay here. Felt like being at a friend’s house while they were out of town. Your lagoon has the best snorkeling and this part of your Big Island has much to see and be in awe of. Thank you so much for your Aloha and hospitality. In appreciation and love, Mahalo.

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Guest: Al & Lynn
Date of Stay: 10/20/03 Review Submitted: 10/19/03

Aloha! This time we were prepared for a short stay so rarely got out of the water – looking prune-like, but these wrinkles I don’t mind. Played “find the puffers” in the morning. Amazing how they wedge themselves into rocks and ledges. The new porcupine fish AKA “Big Bertha” was so much fun to watch rising up to the surface like a little sea blimp. With those big eyes and lips, who can resist?!The turtles in their resting and cleaning stations were again a timeless experience. How long has this ritual been going on? The small golden “cleaners” – damselfish? – are like beautiful autumn leaves and the honus seem to appreciate their efforts. Several found large rocks to rock and scrape their backs.Mahalo nui loa again – until the next time. p.s. if you want VERY inexpensive bouquets or orchid plants, pull into the orchid farm on the way up to Pahoa. $3 for 3 dozen yellow popcorn!! $1-5 for denbrediums. The Sunday farmers’ market is worthwhile. Go for lunch – really!

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Guest: Ed O.
Date of Stay: 06/27/03 Review Submitted: 06/26/03

I am here with my fiancée Sharon and friends Mike and Theresa. The first night I kept waking up to look outside at the palms and the lagoon. Seeing the palms against the backdrop of the Milky Way was unreal and I had to make sure it was really there! The next day we swam and snorkeled in the best water I’ve ever seen or been in. This morning we leave. The past 5 days have been the best vacation I may ever have. I have some new friends here now - Mitch and Cindy. I was glad to get to know them and already feel like close friends. Cindy brought over a massage table and gave me a great rub. I’ve never been so relaxed. We swam with turtles, went to a volcano, laughed and took hundreds of pictures. This place is unbelievable and words are hard to find to explain it. We hope to bring our children back soon. I love it here. Thanks.

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Guest: The E's and F's
Date of Stay: 01/11/03 Review Submitted: 01/10/03

A new year’s idyll we could never have expected. Our hearts jumped when we drove up and saw this magical, dreamy waterscape of lagoon, ponds, ocean.,, loved the fish, the sea turtles next door (and the spirit of Charlie that lingers on…)How soothing and utterly lovely it is! And heartening to see the vision and intent of people who will shape nature gently rather than impose an over-bearing, could-be-anywhere-in-the-world monolithic resort on the landscape. Such a comfortable home! We loved the books (esp. the Hawaiiana), music & games, towels, kitchen, blankets – most of all the view and stars! Thank you for opening Lagoon House to people who appreciate it – after reading some of the comments, we could feel the layers of happy memories here. Thanks Steve, KC and the Thompsons – we hope to return!

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Guest: Deborah Murray & Alexandria
Date of Stay: 08/26/02 Review Submitted: 08/25/02

Our month at Lagoon House was sublime and the time evaporated sooooo quickly! Your lovely house and all it’s amenities made us feel so at home. Murray loved the Calvin and Hobbes and Doonesbury books, Deborah discovered the Philip K Dick Reader and our 6-year-old daughter Alexandria loved Old Mother West Wind. She begged to hear more! One rainy afternoon while Alexandria was recuperating from a cold, we all watched “Singing in the Rain” and loved it. What a wonderful stash of movies you have here! Deborah also enjoyed watching “A Room with a View” again.When we did manage to tear ourselves away from the bath water temperature of the lagoono and the thrill of snorkeling with the turtles in Champagne Pond, we visited the volcano 3 times, watching the lava ooze and ebb, finally crossing the road and entering the ocean, spewing pink plumes and gasses into the night sky. We drove to Mauna Kea and watched the sunset then stayed until night fall when the sky was crammed with stars. We peered through the telescopes at the Visitors’ Center and saw many stars, some gold, some blue. We even got to see Omega Centauri, a cluster of over a million stars that is a mind boggling 17,000 light years away! It was stunning to us that we could ever see something that far away! Mauna Kea was such a perfect spot to star gaze, you could understand why 11 nations have observatories there!Our daughter really enjoyed “Flumin’ Da Ditch,” our Kayak trip in Kohala. Our guide was knowledgeable and fun. We loved bumping along off-road in your 4-wheel drive to some very secluded and gorgeous beaches, like the green sand beach and Shipman beach. We visited Waipi’o Valley three times and enjoyed swimming at the black sand beach there and hiking to Pololu Valley and trying the beach there. Closer to home, you’ll have to ask Drew what we did for fun when the tide was high at Lagoon House. We don’t want to mention it here for fear we’ll inspire future guests to thrill seeking!We have so many fond memories of our summer on the Big Island that it has been hard to capture them all. But our daughter turned six here, and during her birthday party, her piñata hung from the Tekoma tree, all abloom with pink flowers. Our friends visited us from Toronto, and their 6-year old put her face in the water for the first time & turned into a champion snorkeler. It was a joy to watch our daughter observing nature here, whether watching the enormous snails crawling around or noticing the knight hero

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Guest: Charles Lori Heidi Andy Aliyah
Date of Stay: 11/01/01 Review Submitted: 10/31/01

It’s really really hard to capture one perfect week in just a few sentences, but just try to imagine how your dream vacation might be. Now really all you have to do is relax and allow it to happen. It’s just about impossible to have a bad time. We all loved it, loved the place, the beauty, the activities and the lack of any activity. Even the fish. And the turtles! 18 in one day in Champagne Pond!As usual, big Mahalo to Steve and KC; always there to be of service, always charming, always have the best places in Kapoho to stay and always assured that if it’s one of Steve’s places all one has to do is walk in and enjoy.I/we wish all future readers of this book as good a time as we had. You’ve landed in someplace truly unique. Savor it!p.s. To parents with young kids – we were dubious about taking our 21-month old, Aliyah, in the ponds, but in a floatie w/a bottom, she was very happy & we could snorkel along with her!

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