Vacation Rentals by Owner

would recommend this property without hesitation

Guest: italy (VA)
Date of Stay: 04/01/12 Review Submitted: 04/28/12

Very lovely property. Nicely decorated, very clean, and well-stocked. Lots of attention to detail. Loved the lanai which offered bird watching and a view of the ocean. Ann was accessible and helpful when needed. She offered lots of privacy to us which is what we like. We used the snorkeling equipment which was excellent! It's great to walk to a small pebble beach from the house. I give this a 4 instead of 5 stars because of small things. The first night we arrived the neighbors were a little loud, so much so we chose to sleep on the other side of the house rather than the master suite. Ann has put in a privacy fence so the view of the neighbors is blocked which is nice. The view is beautiful, but a little bit more limited than expected and has power lines right across the street on the oceanside. A few streets up in the neighborhood would offer sweeping ocean views, but of course then a longer walk to the beach.

Owner response:Aloha, Thank you for the nice review. Although it doesn't happen often, it appears that our neighbors decided to have a "party" night while you were here and failed to inform us. We apologize for the inconvenience. Aloha, Ann

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Perfect Get-Away

Guest: Madame Tut (Northern California)
Date of Stay: 03/19/12 Review Submitted: 04/05/12

A wonderful place to stay. Very quiet and comfortable. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

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

FABULOUS HOME WITH EVERYTHING YOU'D NEED, WANT AND SO MUCH MORE!!!

Guest: Bill & Tracy (Reno NV)
Date of Stay: 03/07/12 Review Submitted: 03/20/12

First time on the Big Island,my husband and I wanted to relax and have peace and quiet! Thats exactly what we got!!! This home is beautiful in every way!! The kitchen has EVERYTHING you need down to spices,paper towels and so on. The home decor is unique and we felt as if we were in our own little Hawaiian world!! Could hear and see the ocean,watched geckos run around outside on the deck, smells of fresh flowers came in from outside and watched the sun set from the large deck. The owner Ann is a very sweet lady and is full of information! We would recommend this home to any couple who needs to get away. Instead of staying at a resort with tons of people around, stay here!!!! Beach is a minute walk away with great snorkeling,which Ann provides all sorts of water toys and snorkeling gear. Hope to stay here again next year!!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

It was all good...and then it got better

Guest: Ted and Heidi (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 02/16/12 Review Submitted: 04/06/12

An absolute wonderful time. Ann is a wonderful host. Great location. On our first day we took a jaunt over to the volcano. Plenty of time for hikes - through the lava tube, across Kilauea Iki, and then down to the surf. Snorkeling is wonderful at Pebble Beach, and Two-step and Captain Cook’s are very close. Ann let us borrow a kayak. We strapped a cooler on the craft and paddled across Kealakekua Bay. Saw dolphins, eels, and many varieties of fish. The road into the house is very steep. Keep your eyes peeled on the horizon. Yah, the driver *should* be watching the road, but we saw a whale attempt flight. I think something had ahold of its tail, because that didn’t quite make it out of the water. The house has a wonderful setup. The kitchen had everything we needed. The neighborhood feels very safe. We ate out on the lanai every morning and most evenings. The geckos, including one with an orange tramp-stamp, visited on the periphery. It was a very relaxing vacation.

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

Perfect Paradise!!!!!

Guest: Mark and Louise (Seattle WA)
Date of Stay: 02/03/12 Review Submitted: 02/25/12

WOW!!! We felt "at home" the minute we turned off Mamalahoa Hwy into Kona Paradise. Ann's beautiful, clean, well-furnished Ohana welcomed us warmly. The pictures really cannot describe the sounds of the surf (a 2 minute walk to Pebble Beach), the smells of plumeria, the colors of the birds (lavendar waxbills, saffron finches, doves, cardinals) and bright blues, greens and pink of the geckos on the palm trees that are just in the front yard. The lanai runs the length of the house-and there are TWO large bedrooms (one with a King size bed/one with a queen) so it would be very comfortable for two couples to share. The kitchen is very well equipped. Ann is so generous-she lent us a cooler, beach chairs, masks and snorkels and offered the use of a kayak. We spent a week but asked to extend our stay by 5 days as it was such a treat and retreat for us. You can drive to Kona as well as Hawi and Hilo within a few hours so is quite centrally located. We will definitely return to our "home away from home" in the future. Mahalo Mucho!!

Owner response:Thank you so much for your lovely review! You were great guests. Note: Although we have two large bedrooms, due to conservation reasons, the maximum number of guests that we allow per stay is two. Aloha, Ann

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

An Adventure in Paradise

Guest: Adventurer in Paradise (Wrentham, MA)
Date of Stay: 12/08/11 Review Submitted: 12/24/11

As an introduction to Hawaii, your accomodations were simply stellar. I shall forever have that fond memory of sitting on the second story veranda, morning brew in hand, facing the sea book-ended by two palm trees and listening to the soft rhythm of the breaking surf. The rooms were simply grand and luxurious in size and style; And, the feeling was of living in someone else's luxurious home.

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

Paradise Beach property

Guest: Steve (Seattle, Washington)
Date of Stay: 11/07/11 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

We found the house to be as described, very clean and extremely well maintained. The owner was quite helpfull and friendly, and offered fresh mangos from her tree as well as access to items like beach chairs, snorkel equipment, and kayaks if we wanted them. Having wireless access was a plus. Very quiet and peacefull, a great property. The ocean views from the deck are a little blocked, but sitting outside for the sunsets was still a very nice experience and there was plenty of ocean on view. The only drawback for us was that it was quite a way from Kialua and we ended up driving a lot to get to North Island activities. If peaceful quiet and being away from the crowds appeals to you, then I can highly recommend this property.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Kona Paradise Indeed!

Guest: DP (CA)
Date of Stay: 10/04/11 Review Submitted: 10/18/11

We had the pleasure of staying for a full week at Ann’s beautiful redwood house, just a short block from the black pebble beach. It is one of the few vacation rentals that is fully equipped with everything you might need, including a lime squeezer, ice-maker, French press, coffee beans and grinder, rice cooker, battery-powered candles. Everything was in perfect order, clean and well maintained. The layout of the house is very casual, airy and comfortable. We spent most of our time on one side of the lanai or the other, watching the endlessly entertaining geckos. We ate many meals at the house, but would recommend The Coffee Shack and the Coffee House for breakfast and lunch, as well as Keei Café for lunch or dinner. The use of the kayak was a real treat. We took it out at the Pebble Beach just down the road and also to a really nice (and popular) snorkeling spot across Kealakekua Bay to the Captain Cook Monument (bring water & a snack!).

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

Last Stop on the Big Island, but not the Least

Guest: Matt (Dallas, TX)
Date of Stay: 05/29/11 Review Submitted: 06/07/11

My wife and I stayed at Ann's property for the last 5 nights of our Big Island vacation, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. A perfect way to cap off a perfect trip! The house is well more than roomy enough for a couple on vacation. The abundance of windows, screened doors, and fans make the absence of air conditioning most mainlanders are accustomed to go by completely unnoticed. House and kitchen were well stocked for all of our needs. We didn't get to take advantage of the kayaks, but that was only because we wanted to spend all of our time down snorkeling the reefs out on the beach just down the road. We travelled to many of the popular tourist and local snorkelling spots and found that this little quiet beach provided many of the same types of coral and marine life that we observed at the other more-crowded locations (and it was right out the front door!). That being said, the house is a short drive to Kailua-Kona and everything in between. So, be sure to check out those other snorkeling sites and decide for yourself! If you have any compuctions about staying at a property with an owner onsite, cast them aside. Ann was friendly, unobtrusive, and we wished we had had more time to talk story with her since she always provided great local knowledge about driving routes, restaurants, gorcery stores, you name it. Can't wait to make a return trip!

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

Great First Impressions of the Big Island

Guest: No more Haoli (Vancouver, BC)
Date of Stay: 03/28/11 Review Submitted: 04/21/11

Four of us, two couples, spent a wonderful week at Ann's vacation home. Just a block off the beach and well off the main highway, the home is very clean, lots of room, well equiped, quiet except for the sounds of waves washing against the shore. The owner has all the equipment you will need for the beach, including chairs, umberellas and snorkeling equipment. It is also close to many tourist areas such as the Volcanoes Park to the south, and the Captain Cook memorial and other fantastic snorkeling bays, black, green and white sand beaches. As our first trip to The Big Island, we could not have asked for more.

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

Polynesian paralysis at its best

Guest: JJ (Eugene Oregon)
Date of Stay: 01/05/11 Review Submitted: 02/03/11

For a total getaway this is the best. Ann is a superb and unobtrusive hostess. The surf sounds were just far enough away to lull you to sleep. The beach was close and sparsely occupied. There were many roadside places to eat within 5 miles and all we tried were good. The kitchen was stocked with the essentials, spices and such. As said in another review, be aware of the mosquitos. However, it was fun at night to turn on the lanai lights and watch the geckos have their feast. The governing powers have reduced the skeeter patrol from 12 to 4 persons. The only thing lacking was a WIFI internet connection. It took us both 10 days to recover from the paralysis. Jim and Peg

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

AMAZING!!!

Guest: blamont24 (Bethel, Alaska)
Date of Stay: 11/20/10 Review Submitted: 12/06/10

This house in Captain Cook was AMAZING!!! So much more beautiful than the pictures show on the listing. The property was very clean, very well maintained and just beautiful! Ann called us to make sure everything was ok upon our arrival. The location is just wonderful! Just a short little walk to the rock beach and gorgeous view!!! The house was so comfortable and had everything that we needed. We LOVED having the grill to cook outside and sitting out on the lanai every morning and evening when we got home was so relaxing! We will recommend this house to all of our friends/family who are headed down there for a little get away! What a wonderful, peaceful place to spend some time away from the hustle of life! Thank you Ann for such an amazing experience!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Home away from Home 8/2010

Guest: red bird (nj)
Date of Stay: 08/14/10 Review Submitted: 08/27/10

This was our first time renting a home and we had several reservations concerning it. Ann has really set a very high bar for any other place we stay because everything was perfect. We stayed at Anne's place for 9 days and had a really wonderful time. She had everything we could possible need including laundry detergent, snorkel gear, ice chests, maps, spices, fresh mangos everyday, beach towels and ice maker. Anne hooked us up with a local fisherman, so we had fresh caught fish as much as we wanted, gave us great advice concerning where to eat, swim, and how to live the hawiian spirit. One thing that most impressed us was Anne's attention to details, her home is beautiful with interesting and unique decorations. The lanai is truely fantastic and became our favorte place. The view of the ocean and sun set is surrounded by the palm trees and pulmeria trees. We were able to use the kayaks and Anne helped us put the kayak on our car so we could transport it. The one disadvantage to staying here is the distance from Kona. The home is about 30 minutes from town, but most places are the same distance away, even the resorts at Waikoloa. At first this seemed extreme because we are use to driving 5 minutes for anything we need. However, on the Big Island, driving distances is part of the deal. Most of the best snokerling is between her place and Kona any way. If you want to be in the center of town this is not where you want to be. If you want the real Hawaiian experience, a beautiful, well appointed, close to a beach, home then this is the place for you. We will definitely be back.

Owner response:Thanks for being such wonderful guests! Looking forward to seeing you both again in the future! Aloha, Ann

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

Lovely Home/Beautiful Beach

Guest: Sandy/Frank (Bainbridge Island, WA)
Date of Stay: 03/01/10 Review Submitted: 03/26/10

Our stay at Kona Paradise fulfilled all our expectations. Ann the owner could not have been more accommodating and fun to know. The house was super clean, well stocked, and yes, a minute walk to a private black sand beach (rocky sand...bring beach shoes) which was truly enjoyable. Although we put many miles on our car touring the BIG Island, we also enjoyed just hangin' out at "our" house, especially at the Sunset hour....the red sun was spectacular, whether seen from the lanai or the beach. Nearby lava field hikes are a most interesting, a mild workout, but do require good shoes...no flip flops. If you desire quiet, privacy in a lovely home, and a private beach, at a great price, this is a perfect choice. Hint: if mosquitos happen to love you, be sure to come armed...they're very tiny, sneaky buggers.

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

Guest: Cindy101 (Winfield, IL)
Date of Stay: 12/15/09 Review Submitted: 12/15/09

A great place! Nice and quiet after a day of hiking or driving around the island. The birds singing in the morning. All the amenities that you would need. It was great to have the grill and all of the spices and condiments. Everything we could possible need was there. Enjoyable and relaxing; I recommend it to all.

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Guest: Teresa Smith1 (Vacaville)
Date of Stay: 12/14/09 Review Submitted: 12/14/09

I took a friend to this place for her 50th birthday. We all had a great time. The kitchen was full of helpful things, the ocean was steps away and our hostess was the best. Thanks for the use of this lovely home.

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Guest: Jerry and Juliana (Oakland, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/14/09 Review Submitted: 12/14/09

We spent five nights at this fabulous house and had a wonderful time. Most days, we had the private beach to ourselves. We've rented a lot of houses through VRBO and this was one of the best. Ann is a great resource for local knowledge and she even helped us with tee times for golf!

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Guest: jane Campbell1 (Toronto Ontario Canada)
Date of Stay: 10/19/09 Review Submitted: 10/19/09

My husband and I stayed for 3 nights but would have loved to stay longer! Large airy space was relaxing and those ceiling fans did the trick despite the high heat. The beach was a bit intimidating though and not the best spot to launch a kayak or to snorkel from so we did not make use of that equipment which we thought we would do.

Owner response:Normally the beach is a great spot to launch kayaks and snorkel from, however, during the month of October, we had unusually high surf. Best swimming/snorkeling are our summer months. Fall and winter we often get large swells and high surf.

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Guest: Bob Gerhardt (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/11/09 Review Submitted: 09/10/09

My partner Tammy and I stayed at Ann's very spacious and comfortable accomodations 4 days in April. She was very hospitable, helpful and informative about the area. We certainly felt at home. We relaxed to the sounds of surf from nearby Pebble Beach. We enjoyed watching the birds and geckos, and dining on the great lanai. We were also quite impressed by the restored King's trail, and the walk south to the crater. We would certainly stay with Ann again. My only regret, and it's a small one, is that our base model rental car was challenged by the steep grade of the road up to the highway.

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Guest: Mike and Kathy2 (Ojai, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/03/09 Review Submitted: 08/03/09

Where do we start? A little slice of heaven on earth. We woke up to palm trees swaying outside our window. Walked to the private beach at 6 a.m. Jumped in warm, awaiting water and snorkled. Saw the most beautiful fish. We found a fully stocked house with a comfortable bed and a kitchen that had everything we needed and more. Washer/dryer included (a great perk for our dirty swimsuits). The sunsets off the lanai, well you have to see them to believe them. The Kayaks that came with the house provided us a chance to swim with dolphins and we did! A most memorable and relaxing vacation. Ann, your a fabulous host, we will be back. Mike and Kathy

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Guest: Mr. & Mrs. Slater & guests
Date of Stay: 12/31/08 Review Submitted: 12/30/08

Comments: We loved our stay at your rental. The peaceful surroundings amazed us. The amenities were second to none. It rates as the best, most relaxing vacation that we have ever had. Thank-you Don and Nancy Carl and Karlene

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Guest: BC BOB (Phoenix, AZ, USA)
Date of Stay: 12/30/08 Review Submitted: 12/30/08

What a lovely and well kept home! We felt immediately welcome and comfortable. The kitchen had everthing we needed. A perfect spot for two couples. The proximity to an uncrowded locals' beach and the adventurous King's trail heading south along the coast make it a quiet and private adventure. On one hike down the trail, Jean & Cathy were most fortunate to spot two whales heading slowly south just yards off the edge of the lava cliffs. What a treat!

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Guest: Linda Wilson (Hutto,Texas)
Date of Stay: 05/16/08 Review Submitted: 05/16/08

The pictures on the web site do not do this place justice. We have been to Kona many times and this was by far the best place we have found yet. A spectacular view of the ocean, very comfortable bed, extremely peaceful, and a fully supplied kitchen. You can walk to the beach within a few minutes and each day there was no more than 4-6 on it. Very private beach. We BBQ'd on the back porch and enjoyed every meal on the beautiful and spacious Lanai. Best of all our very gracious and helpful host Ann could not have made our anniversary trip more special. Definitely going back next year.

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Guest: Dan Sansoni (Bellingham, WA)
Date of Stay: 03/12/08 Review Submitted: 03/12/08

What a perfect place to relax and enjoy your vacation. We stayed with another couple and we all had lots of room, made some fantastic meals in the well equipped kitchen and couldnt think of anything else we needed. Ann is a wonderful host. The place is beautifully appointed with great furnishings, an interesting library, traditional hawiian music, beautiful unique art on the walls and all with a killer view of the ocean! Listen to the ocean and whales at night. Everyone had a great time and we cant wait to come and stay with Ann again. We really felt like we wre staying in authentic hawiian luxury. Thanks, Ann for a wonderful time and warm memories of a fantastic vacation in paradise!! Much aloha, Dan & Beth Sansoni

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Guest: Kaki Pearson (-)
Date of Stay: 07/29/07 Review Submitted: 07/28/07

WOW! Our family had a wonderful, relaxing time here. The house was well equiped, the owner very acommodating and the beach never had more than 4 other groups on it. The snorkling was some of the best on the island; my husband and son even saw an octopus! We were here for the last 4 (of 10) days of vacation on the Big Island and couldn't have chosen a better place for location and relaxation!

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Guest: Will Siegfried
Date of Stay: 07/19/07 Review Submitted: 07/18/07

"The house is beautiful and comfortable, there's plenty of cookware in the kitchen, and the access to the beach is very easy. We enjoyed the kayaking and walking the shore trail both north and south of the beach. "The house is close to the Place of Refuge, whose history is interesting and which has great snorkeling right nearby. "The drive from the main road down to the house is intimidating at first because it's so steep, but easier the second time, and no big deal by the third."

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Guest: Pat Egan (Rochester MN)
Date of Stay: 04/14/07 Review Submitted: 04/14/07

This is a great place to stay, two large size bedrooms, large kitchen,and large living room . Only a short walk to beach and a great view from the deck. If you are looking to get away from the trafic and noise, this is a great place. Ann was a great host. The Amenities were great ( Washer/dryer, Grills, Snorkeling, beach chairs .....). We had a great time, and recomend this house to anyone .

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Guest: Dennis/Debbie Huntsinger (Enumclaw, WA)
Date of Stay: 02/24/07 Review Submitted: 02/24/07

This was the 6th year that we've stayed at this beautiful home on Pebble Beach. It has all the amenities that you could want, only a few of which are a fully equiped kitchen, barbeque, beach gear. You can easily share this home with another couple,as the bedrooms and baths are at separate ends of the home. There is plenty of privacy, with private lanai areas at each ends, and a large, comfortable living area in the middle. You'll find beautifully decorated rooms throughout, with many unique pieces of artwork and finishings. We've become so comfortable there, we consider it our Hawaiin home.

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