Retreat in No. Kohala

Guest: DRuby (Northern California, USA)
Date of Stay: 01/17/10 Review Submitted: 02/07/10

Hale O'Pueo is the perfect retreat in No. Kohala on the Big Island of Hawaii. It rests up in a rural area of the island close to the Northern tip and the wonderful town of Hawi, and within 10 miles of diverse and active Waimea. You can plan day trips to Kailua-Kona (and Walmart/Costco...), the beautiful Hilo-town and the Hamakua Coastal drive, or just hang at Hapuna Beach and body surf. When you return to your piece of paradise, the peace overtakes your soul, you can shower outdoors and prepare the perfect meal in the large and fully equipped kitchen. WiFi is available, gorgeous sunsets from your lanai and your favorite games on the large-screen TV, or you can just listen to the abundant bird life and feel the Hawaiian breezes. Kalia has built a lovely home-away-from-home and I, for one, will surely return. Mahalo.

Owner response:It is a joy to be able to provide a wonderful home away from home that has such easy access to 5 stunning beaches, including Hapuna just 10 minutes away and be able to hike, sight see, and participate in water activities close by.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+.

Paradise in Hawaii

Guest: KIP (Portland, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 11/08/11 Review Submitted: 11/22/11

If you want peace and tranquility in the paradise that is Hawaii, this is for you. Quiet mornings on your private lanai overlooking the ocean, waiting for the sun to come up over your left shoulder, the rooster to crow down below, donkeys and geckos to awaken. Quiet evenings watching the sun set right in front of you and the sky open up to the moon and the stars. Fifteen minute drive from great snorkeling and swimming in the ocean. Fresh fish, shrimp, scallops and the catch of the day at the Fish Shop in Kawaihae. Wonderful owner/manager who provides you the quiet and privacy that you need and is also available to answer questions about your stay. You won't be disappointed if you come to Hale o Pueo - House of the Owl.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+.

Tranquility

Guest: CB (Bellingham, WA)
Date of Stay: 09/07/11 Review Submitted: 09/10/11

What I realized was what was absent - outside noise. No sounds of traffic, lawnmowers, human noises of any kind. I heard birds chirping,the breeze rustling the leaves, but nothing else. Tranquility in a beautiful setting with clean, well appointed furnishings and most any beach recreation (or resting) equipment you desire. This is an apartment in a duplex (you wouldn't know it unless you look) down a short dirt track, up slope looking out at the Pacific and the world below. Bliss for me. Yes this is the BIG island and you need to drive to places, just like the locals do. But the tranquility when you get back is priceless.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

You will never want to leave

Guest: Alberto (Athens, GA, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/16/11 Review Submitted: 07/08/11

We just returned from our second stay at Hale O’Pueo and plan on returning again and again and again...It is hard to describe in words the beauty and peacefulness of the place. The view is simply sublime (the pictures on the website tell the story), but that is not all. What really gets you is the sense of peace, the perfectly quiet evenings, the sunrises, the sunsets, the perfume of the very beautiful garden, the chirps of the very friendly geckos (natural pest control !), the song of the birds...I could keep going, but, as I said, words are not enough. Weather in this part of the Big Island is consistently sunny - it rarely rains, and when it does the smell of rain on the desert only adds to the enchantment. The best beaches in the island are only a few minutes drive away. If you are into hiking Hawaii’s spectacular high country (I am) Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea trailheads are about one and a half hours away. The largely undiscovered gem of Hawi town about a half hour. The days and weeks just fly - it is so beautiful and there is so much to do, you want to go out and explore but you also want to stay and enjoy the hale. Above all, Kalia is a most wonderful and thoughtful host, everything that you can possibly need is provided and she keeps the hale in top-notch condition. She is always ready to help, give advice or just chat. Thank you Kalia for making this little piece of perfection available - we will visit you again!!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

What a View

Guest: K and C (Northern California)
Date of Stay: 05/25/11 Review Submitted: 06/11/11

Amazing location, close to terrific beaches and great snorkeling. View that just gets better as the day goes on if you decide to just hang out and enjoy. Extremely well provisioned house and helpful owner. We can't wait to go back!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Beautiful Views & Tidy Rental

Guest: Jen (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 04/17/11 Review Submitted: 04/25/11

Just returned from our adventure in Hawaii and our stay with Hale o Pueo. The description of this rental is exactly on point - this is a incredibly convenient little cottage that has and is near everything - Waimea, Hawi, best beaches - literally minutes from Hapuna. The cottage had everything we needed to enjoy our stay and was incredibly clean. Every detail had been thought of in terms of ensuring that we had what we needed to enjoy our stay. Kalia was present but definitely ensured that her guests had their privacy! The outdoor shower was nice - loved coming home after a long day at the beach to the outdoor shower - though it is not quite tall people friendly - the tile was perfectly warm and we had ample warm water. My only reason for not giving this place a 5 is really not as a result of anything the owner did as the place was spectacular and had the MOST amazing views of the coast....but we happened to be there during a particularly rainy season so there were a fair number of mosquitoes and other insect "visitors" that are often found in tropical habitats. Nothing you can do about them- but definitely put a damper on our enjoyment of the patio. All in all - pleasant place to stay and if you want to explore the northern part of the island - definitely a great rental to consider.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Perfect place to get away

Guest: Jeannette (Livermore, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/17/10 Review Submitted: 12/02/10

My husband and I went here for our 20 year anniversary and we couldn't have picked a better place. The location was perfect. We were able to relax at the beach or go out for a quick swim in the morning and go explore the island the rest of the day. It was clean and well maintained. We couldn't imagine ever staying anywhere else on the Island!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Very lovely place to stay

Guest: Linda (Santa Cruz, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/16/10 Review Submitted: 10/31/10

We enjoyed our stay at the Hale as it was very close to the popular beaches but were able to return to a quite location at night. The home was very clean,well decorated, comfortable and had everything we needed during our stay. We enjoyed visiting the more remote snorkel spots and the great ono fish we barbecued on the Weber for my birthday. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Home on the Big Island

Guest: Mike & Evie (South San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/19/10 Review Submitted: 10/11/10

What a wonderful time at Hale O Pueo. Great Island location. Sunsets at night were phenomenal. Kalia was extremely helpful at finding some local beaches and the best place to enter the water for snorkeling. Her ability to keep your stay very private was amazing. The biggest thing for us was that we felt at home at Hale. We would return from a day of adventure feeling tired and looking forward to getting "home". Can't wait to return.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+.

The Perfect Retreat in the Perfect Location

Guest: John C. (Aspen, CO)
Date of Stay: 09/04/10 Review Submitted: 09/16/10

I spent a summer on the Big Island and wished I'd found this place sooner. It's perfect. It's quiet, ultra clean, tranquil, offers phenomenal views and it's so close to everything you want to do on the Big Island but just far away enough from the fray of the resorts (maybe 5 miles up the coast?) to be serene. It sits at a perfect elevation such that it was cool at night for sleeping but pleasantly warm during the day for lounging on the lanai with a nice breeze. The Night Blooming Jasmine just off the lanai is a perfume I'll never forget! I appreciate a really spotlessly clean place and this little bungalow was sparkling. Kitchen was very well equipped and the bed was really comfy. I never turned on the TV...you won't either. Just sit on the lanai with a coffee in the morning until it's time to trade that out for a rum drink and take in the view of the ocean. There's no better place for sunsets. This would be ideal for a honeymoon or any romantic getaway.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.