Vacation Rentals by Owner
Tropical Paradise! Special from $60 Per Night! [#73302] | View Property
Hilo
House, 2 Bedrooms + Convertible Bed(s), 1 Bath (Sleeps 5-7)
$69/nt - $450/wk
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Traveler Reviews (19)
Honu Hale 3 Review
Guest: PaulB
(Santa Barbara, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/22/12
Review Submitted: 05/06/12
Honu Hale 3 Review Guest: PaulB(Santa Barbara, CA) Date of Stay: 04/22/12 Review Submitted: 04/29/12 Exactly as described. Clean, comfortable apartment with plenty of cooking utensils, coffee, coffee machine, bottled water, etc. Lots of beautiful plants and trees on the property. Kepi and Jim also recommended some fabulous things to do in the Hilo area, such as the Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden, which I would have missed. If I get back to Hilo I will stay there again. Recommended for:Families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, people with disabilities. (I posted this review for this property but in ended up on listing 351826 by mistake. This is the property where I stayed and the one I reviewed. Thanks, Paul)
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Beautiful and homely place
Guest: Ashima
(Sunnyvale, California)
Date of Stay: 02/11/12
Review Submitted: 02/20/12
We rented the 1 bedroom on our recent visit.... it was perfect .. very nicely kept ... very clean and safe for our 1 year old son ...... the house had everything we needed ..... Kepi personally came to meet us to make sure we had no problems and were well settled ...... while admiring the paintings in the house I realized they had all been made by Kepi too ..... the outside garden and pond have also been kept very nicely .... given a chance I would definitely come here to stay again :)
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Wonderful tropical getaway
Guest: Cathy
(Los Angeles)
Date of Stay: 01/21/12
Review Submitted: 02/09/12
We are a couple in our late 20s and found this place perfect for our vacation needs. I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived at Jim and Kepi's 1 BR guesthome. The pictures really don't do the place any justice. It was nice seeing all the artwork and painting that they did all over the house. You can tell a lot of care and pride went into this place. Renting from them I received friendly, professional, and prompt service. Wonderful people. Glad to have had the privilege to stay on their property. Will definitely be back and will recommend it to others. Thank you Jim and Kepi!!!
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Great Place to Stay - Thank you Kepi and Jim
Guest: Mike
(Waegwan, S. Korea)
Date of Stay: 09/01/11
Review Submitted: 09/19/11
This house was perfect for our 5 day stay on The Big Island. Everything in it's place and the coffee was terrific. I will be contacting Kepi and Jim for all future visits to Hawai'i. Mahalo, Mike & Cha S. Korea
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
7 TRAVELED TO JIM & KEPI'S HOSPITABLE HOME
Guest: 4EVERYOUNG
(Carson, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/09/11
Review Submitted: 08/28/11
My entire family --7 in all -- stayed in Jim and Kepi's 2 bed/1bath for 6 nights. Jim and Kepi were so hospitable and their place was so clean and neat, we felt welcomed and comfortable. The location was perfect for us too. 8 miles from Hilo and 24 miles from Vocational Park, we went often and on to both places to explore. Jim and Kepi were so nice to lend us boogie boards for my nephews and open up the third bed room and another bathroom for free when the room became available. So for last three nights, our 7 members were spread out in three bed room, even more comfortable in 2 bathroom. We also appreciated reasonably price and sound business practices. Thank you so much for the wonderful experience and we highly recommend your place among our friends.
Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, tourists without a car, sightseeing.
H*A*P*P*Y!! :) @ HONU HELE 3!!!
Guest: Laura, Aaron & Glen :)
(Hawai'i )
Date of Stay: 07/22/11
Review Submitted: 08/23/11
Aloha! We all agree we've never felt so at home staying anywhere, we felt like Jim & Kepi were our family! The first impression was that the owner's really loved & took a lot of pride of their vacation rental. All of the artwork inside & outside is beautiful, colorful & amazing! There was so much creative energy radiating from the gardens & artwork, that I just felt energized the whole time I was there! Jim & Kepi were fun, amazing hosts who helped us figure out where to go, the names of things & how to say them in Hawaiian & some really good deals the area! We loved the very neat, clean, tropical rooms w/many extras like coffee, tea, lotion, etc. which was a nice surprise. Also a great location! We enjoyed the warm ponds, snorkeling @ Richardson's Beach in Hilo, Hilo & Maku'u Farmer's Markets & downtown Hilo & Pahoa. We are very grateful for getting such a great rental for such a reasonable rate, & then having a priceless stay @ Honu Hele 3 in Hawai'i! Mahalo Jim & Kepi!
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Tropical Paradise
Guest: Jeremy&Monice
(San Antonio, Texas)
Date of Stay: 06/25/11
Review Submitted: 07/02/11
We really enjoyed our stay here, the place is very artfully decorated and fun! It was very clean and had all the amenities you could want. Great location not far from Hilo or the Volcano park. Jim and Kepi are very nice people to make you feel very welcome.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing.
Wundervolles Paradies
Guest: Uwe
(Germany)
Date of Stay: 05/08/11
Review Submitted: 05/25/11
Vielen Dank für den wundervollen Aufenthalt in Eurem Paradies! Euer Garten, Haus und Zimmer waren mit viel Liebe zum Detail arrangiert. Dies ,wie auch eure Herzlichkeit, waren für uns tausendmal schöner als jedes Hotel. Es hat uns an nichts gemangelt, alles war sauber und in Ordnung! Die "Kuki"-Försche in der Nacht haben uns mit ihrem Konzert nicht die Nachtruhe genommen. Wir werden dieses Paradies an unsere Freunde weiterempfehlen. Deshalb : Heut ist nicht alle Tage, wir kommen wieder, keine Frage:-))
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Nice & Relaxing
Guest: Sue&Rene
(Missoula, MT)
Date of Stay: 05/06/11
Review Submitted: 05/21/11
My boyfriend and I stay here for a week. Even though the weather did not cooperate, we had a great time. We stayed upstairs and had our own private lanai. The place was very clean and if we needed anything, Jim and Kepi were there to assist us. Jim & Kepi were very helpful and gave us directions and places to see. Thank you for a nice and relaxing place to stay.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, sightseeing.
A Good Bargain
Guest: Wendy
(Montana)
Date of Stay: 03/19/11
Review Submitted: 04/16/11
We like a good bargain and Keaau Vacation Rentals is a bargain! The location is not far from Hilo, Volcano National Park, and beaches. The house is clean, kitchen is great, living area is comfy and the garden is beautiful. We enjoyed the birds, frogs and geckos. Jim and Kepi are very helpful and accomodating and full of ideas and suggestions. We loved the Farmer's Markets, Hawaii Tropiocal Botanical Garden, the volcano hikes, the waterfalls, the beaches, the turtles... what an adventure. We would recommend this property.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers.
Great Location, Affordable, Wonderful Hosts
Guest: Lew
(San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/21/11
Review Submitted: 02/02/11
Jim and Kepi have done a wonderful job here to ensure you have everything you need. The grounds are beautiful and the house had everything we needed to be comfortable. They were happy to help with travel plans and got us everything we asked for with a smile. The only reason we wouldn't go back is if we bought the place down the road...Thanks!!
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
felt like home right away
Guest: amy
(new york)
Date of Stay: 01/15/11
Review Submitted: 01/27/11
my 9 night stay was lovely, right from the start. the space was clean, and well maintained, comfy, and homey. the photos were on spot, and the kepi and jim provided us with the low down on all the best spots to go. i would definitely reccomend this place to a friend, and have already done so, as well as the tide pools, warm ponds, and farmers markets. great place to have as a central location to see the lava flow, and putz around, and be close to home to make dinner, and enjoy cocktails on the lanai.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Lovely Vacation Home
Guest: Kumi
(Chemainus, B.C., Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/10/11
Review Submitted: 01/29/11
My niece and I spent 5 days lovely days in the downstairs 1 bedroom apartment, enjoying the delicious coffee provided by Kepi and Jim while sitting in our lanai surrounded by their beautiful tropical garden; watching the colorful geckos and searching for the chameleons and coqui frogs. Oh yes, those frogs!!! We must have arrived during mating season as they were in full chorus every night! Lucky for us, we were prepared with excellent ear plugs. If you should stay here, you will quickly discover that Kepi and Jim are most welcoming hosts and a wonderful source for information ... making you feel you've known them for years. Thank you Kepi and Jim for helping us start our vacation is such a wonderful atmosphere.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
TRULY A TROPICAL PARADISE!
Guest: Keli Palikane Keo Kana
(Pequot Lakes Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 12/26/10
Review Submitted: 01/08/11
Tropical Paradise lives up to its name. When you drive into this vacation rental property you are surrounded with the Aloha Spirit. I have never felt so welcomed and comfortable on a 2 week vacation with my 3 teenage kids as what we experienced here. Not only are you in a tropical jungle surrounded by plants, flowers, fragrance and day gecko's but Jim and Kepi are the MOST AMAZING HOST! I looked forward to morning coffee and taking stories with them. They know the Island and gave direction as to the most amazing must see and do spots. We stayed in the Honu Hale House which was awesome! I loved the colors and art work by Kepi. This VRBO has everything you need. Spacious living quarters, comfy bedrooms, Lanai surrounded with palms and flowers, a cooler to pack for your day trips, complete kitchen to prepare meals, games and movies for your down time. Conveniently located to the Islands many attractions and beaches. When I look back at the pictures of their property I wish I were still there! The colors are vibrant and the aroma of the trumpet plant at night um, fall asleep to the sound of rain or listen to the koke frogs. If star gazing is your thing you can almost reach out and grab them too. Mahalo for the most amazing time Jim and Kepi Ahui Hou Terri and Kids
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
A great Puna gem!
Guest: noah
(Frederick, Maryland USA)
Date of Stay: 12/20/10
Review Submitted: 01/23/11
My wife and I stayed over Christmas and the new year, and we couldn't have been more pleased. Jim and Kepi are warm, fantastic hosts and their comfortable, lush hideaway will always be memorable. We reserved the the cozy, artistic Lava Apartment and were lulled to sleep at night by rain showers and woken in the morning by birds and scurrying geckos. Our hosts were more than eager to share their intimate knowledge of the island and recommend numerous, worthwhile sites and activities during our stay. Be sure to visit Champaign Pond in lower Puna - a volcanically-heated natural pond at the seashore that easily became our favorite place to relax after a long day of hiking. Swimming at Pe'Pe Falls just outside Hilo was also fantastic (and maybe not legal, but it was New Year's Day!), and the volcano was of course, amazing. We would recommend Honu Hale to anyone and everyone visiting the green and beautiful east coast of the Big Island. Jim and Kepi's genuine friendliness and colorful storytelling will undoubtedly be warmly remembered. We'll be staying again.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
SUPER NICE owners! Home is COMFORTABLE & SUPER NICE! Absolutley LOVED our stay..will be back!
Guest: TaylorFamilySoap
(Captain Cook)
Date of Stay: 10/31/10
Review Submitted: 11/08/10
We needed a last minute stay w/ our 2 babies & family in town & they accommodated us. They were super nice & the place is AWESOME! So comfy & inviting & really cool too (: REALLY good price as well! Mahalo! We'll be back for sure! (:
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Wonderful
Guest: Catherine
(Los Angeles, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/10/10
Review Submitted: 06/23/10
We loved our stay at Honu Hale. It was a great location, wonderful accommodations, clean, comfortable, fun decorations, and lots of added bonuses like movies and a great guidebook about the big island. Also, the full kitchen was so convenient. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Guest: dan
(lake stevens,washington)
Date of Stay: 05/13/10
Review Submitted: 01/19/11
I really,really enjoyed staying here,discription on the website was right on,very beautiful landscape,very clean,Jim and Kepi are very polite,helpfull ,and welcoming,liked the tips on places to go, was great saved me lots of time!,highly recommended place not far from Hilo but far enough to enjoy the quietness of your stay,very affordable,had a nice little kitchen in the one bedroom downstairs and worked great bringing grocerys in to save money,was very polite to let me use the bar-b-que nightly to cook on!I really enjoyed takeing pictures at thier place with the nice landscaped yard,would come back no problem!!!
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.
A Big Island Must!!!
Guest: Tim & Tracey
(CA)
Date of Stay: 03/16/10
Review Submitted: 09/11/10
We stayed with Jim & Kepi 2 times during visits to the Big Island & they are the best hosts on the island. They take time to "talk story", even when they are busy renovating & making Honu Hale even more beautiful. They know where all the good spots for special times are on the island. We have stayed in dozens of VRBO's throughout all the islands; Jim & Kepi are the friendliest hosts in Hawaii. Enjoy your Kona coffee from any of the spacious lanais & be wrapped up in the sweet smells of the jungle that surround their place. Bananas & white pineapple wait for you to pick & enjoy. A few miles from the Makuu Farmers Market, up the hill to the volcano, down the street from the lava flow, & just minutes from the ocean. So if you like nice people, beautiful surroundings, & ever changing scenery, give Jim & Kepi a call. Miss you guys!!
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.