Vacation Rentals by Owner
Mika Taki – Magical Waterfall Estate – in the Heart of Hilo [#94425] | View Property
Hilo
Estate, 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths (Sleeps 8)
From $205/nt
Write a Review
Traveler Reviews (108)
Surrounded by the lush vegetation
Guest: Roz
Date of Stay: 05/15/12
Review Submitted: 05/18/12
Date entered: 05/15/2012 Thanks, Jamie. Our stay was fantastic! I didn't get to leave a comment in the guest book, but I would have written so many accolades. I loved the feeling of being surrounded by the lush vegetation and the river is beautiful! The house is so peaceful. My absolute favorite place was the deck area off of the media room. I sat there many times listening to the rain fall, the river rushing by and watching all the beautiful birds! Mahalo! Guest city-state/province: Amherst, MA
Recommended for:
The house is wonderful, more than I imagined
Guest: Roz
Date of Stay: 05/13/12
Review Submitted: 05/18/12
Date entered: 05/10/2012 Hi Jamie, The house is wonderful, more than I imagined. Thank you for everything! I met Adam yesterday. Everything is going very well. Take Care, Guest city-state/province: Amherst, MA
Recommended for:
Most Amazing House
Guest: Rory
(Massachusetts)
Date of Stay: 05/07/12
Review Submitted: 05/21/12
My daughter and I spent a glorious week in the house. It is everything and more that the description, pictures and reviews depict! It is definitely magical and the location is wonderful. You feel like you are in a jungle, so remote, yet you are minutes to downtown Hilo. The Japanese motif is beautiful inside and out. I spent many beautiful moments sitting on the deck off of the media room, listening to the river, the birds and the rain fall. It is a place I would like to come back to.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Too good to be true
Guest: Paul
(Fresno California)
Date of Stay: 03/16/12
Review Submitted: 03/21/12
Hilo is an old sugar plantation town and it is on the wet side of the island. There are not many places to stay but the Maki Taki is a luxurious home that the owners have invested an enormous amount. It has 4 bedrooms, 4 private bathrooms, a hot tub, full kitchen with every utensil known to mankind. It is a short walk down to a terrific virtually private waterfall which is swim-able underneath. There are some great excursions on this side of the island and I consider it a must to visit it. The owners are very easy to work with and give a good value. I recommend this beautiful Hilo home without reservation.
Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Stunning Location
Guest: Vince
Date of Stay: 11/30/11
Review Submitted: 12/08/11
Date entered: 12/02/2011 Jamie, thank you for the use of your awesome home. It's a stunning location and your house provided really nice amenities. Monica and Adam were great support. Adam quickly responded to every question I had. We also had many great Puna adventures we would love to tell others about. Mahalo, our very positive testimonials will follow soon. Best regards, Vince Guest city-state/province: Orange, CA
Recommended for:
a homeaway gem
Guest: Molly T.
(Los Angeles, California)
Date of Stay: 11/27/11
Review Submitted: 12/01/11
I base by bookings on reviews, and in most cases feel a responsibility to add my two cents in. In this case it is an honor to write a review for this property. As a vacation property owner / manager and real estate professional, I know what to expect and have very high standards for homes that I book. This property, home and the owners exceeded every expectation. Located in a "real" neighborhood, just outside of Hilo over a little one lane bridge this home gives you the feeling that you are really a local. For the time you are there, you really are home. We arrived a little early, and had the pleasure of meeting the owners, who take exceptional care of their properties and also were so nice. They took the time to talk to us about Hlio, share some of the fruit they had picked from the property and give us some info about the property. Little Louise (the cat aka Kitty or Oreo) was also there to say hello. The waterfall is a bit of a hike to get to, but our 70+ Mum from London was able to make the walk w/ us and we all enjoyed the pool and the waterfall. Louise also joined us on our hike down scampering down the hill and then back up w/ us. Hilo is a WONDERFUL side of the island. I had been discouraged from going by some folks on the Waikoloa side saying that it was lost in time, and the frogs were loud, blah blah blah. I almost did not book, but went with my feeling and went ahead. I am SOOOO glad that I did. I love Hilo, the people and the beauty of this side of the island. It felt real, and not manufactured. It felt comfortable, and welcoming and what I imagine Hawaii should feel like. It is NOT touristy in any way, and they do not allow new hotels to be built, hence the preservation of "old Hawaii" .. Honestly, it is fantastic! If you love nature, walks, shopping local, green/ rainforest feel, beautiful drives, and getting off the tourist path you will love this side of the island too. Start off your Hilo adventures by booking this property, or one of the sister properties owned by the same couple. You will be so glad that you did!
Recommended for:
Very nice visit! Thanks!
Guest: Gus, May, Michael & Laura
Date of Stay: 11/21/11
Review Submitted: 01/05/12
Date entered: 11/22/2011 Very nice visit! Thanks! My family and I were here for the big celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the U. S. Peace Corps. I trained in Hilo, February - April, 1964, at the old hospital at Rainbow Falls. Lots of good memories of my time in Hilo way back then. Guest city-state/province: Okemos, MI
Recommended for:
Very nice visit! Thanks!
Guest: Gus, May, Michael & Laura
Date of Stay: 11/21/11
Review Submitted: 01/05/12
Date entered: 11/22/2011 Very nice visit! Thanks! My family and I were here for the big celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the U. S. Peace Corps. I trained in Hilo, February - April, 1964, at the old hospital at Rainbow Falls. Lots of good memories of my time in Hilo way back then. Guest city-state/province: Okemos, MI
Recommended for:
Your shinning rainforest paradise
Guest: Kari
Date of Stay: 10/26/11
Review Submitted: 01/05/12
Date entered: 10/27/2011 Thankyou, thankyou thankyou ... for sharing with us your shinning rainforest paradise. We hardly wanted to leave the house as we were in awe of and comfy in, our surrondings. This has truly been an incredible few days and we wish we could stay longer. Many thanks for sharing this special place with us! Guest city-state/province: Belair, South Australia
Recommended for:
We look forward to our return
Guest: Lynn
Date of Stay: 10/09/11
Review Submitted: 10/12/11
Thanks very much. We had a wonderful time! We look forward to our return to this or one of your other properties. You've done a terrific job. Thanks! Lynn Sent from Lynn's iPad
Recommended for:
It really was magical!
Guest: Lynn B.
Date of Stay: 10/04/11
Review Submitted: 10/11/11
This is an absolutely beautiful home and we would have loved to stay longer. Each bedroom is lovely with its own unique decor (all Asian-motif, but each room has its own look and feel.) The kitchen is my dream kitchen and that was pretty tough to leave.Everything was sparkling clean and there was a vast array of condiments (all the spices, sauces, olive oil et al really add up when you're buying them all for only a few days of cooking.) These folks have done a wonderful job selecting art throughout the house. There are beautiful hard wood floors and just a wonderful feel to the place. But they're right that it's likely not a kid friendly place. Be aware that the falls and ponds are only accessible via a steep, slippery path (with many warnings and a locked gate.) We have some mobility restructions an were not able to make that climb. The water is not visible directly from the house. You can hear it...just not see it. With that said, that wouldn't stop us for a minute in staying there again. It's a handy location to all of the eastern side of the Island. And Hilo and the Hamakua Coast is a too-often-missed aspect of the Big Island. It's laid back and very 'old Hawaii.' I don't know if the owners are aware of it, but a young black & white kitty has taken up residence in the yard. She's quite charming and was named Oreo by a previous guest (according to the guest book in the living room.) It was actually rather charming to have a welcome committee every time you came home! We picked up where the previous guests had left off and put a bowl of food out in the morning. We found a box of kitten chow there when we arrived and replenished it before we left. Be sure to time your visit so you can shop for fruits, vegies and great local products at the famous Hilo Farmer's Market on Wednesday and Saturday. The Hilo Bay Cafe also turned out to be our new favorite restaurant in Hilo. Located in a strip mall with the Walmart, the food was terrific (nice preparations, local ingredients), it has a full bar, good service and just a very nice dining experience. Good restaurants are still very limited on this side of the island, so take advantage of the house's beautiful kitchen and the excellent KTA supermarket just past the Hilo airport. With the addition of the farmer's market...you're set! Even though this is a big house, there were just two of us. But it didn't feel too big...just luxurious. We had guests for dinner one night and it was a fun place to entertain.
Recommended for:
The house was spectacular!!
Guest: Meggin
Date of Stay: 10/04/11
Review Submitted: 10/04/11
Thank you so much!!! We had such an amazing time and the house was spectacular!! Everything was so beautiful and made for the perfect vacation!!! Thank you SO much!!!
Recommended for:
The thoughtful extras are everywhere
Guest: Meggan & Mathew
Date of Stay: 09/29/11
Review Submitted: 01/05/12
Date entered: 09/26/2011 Greetings and a million thank yous for a perfect Hawaiian home. The house is peaceful and welcoming in everyway. The thoughtful extras are everywhere and truly appreciated. The maps were so helpful in locating points of interest. The gardens, patio and hottub were wonderful and enjoyed. We are leaving it (with regret). Mahalo! Guest city-state/province: St Louis, MO
Recommended for:
The thoughtful extras are everywhere
Guest: Meggan & Mathew
Date of Stay: 09/29/11
Review Submitted: 01/05/12
Date entered: 09/26/2011 Greetings and a million thank yous for a perfect Hawaiian home. The house is peaceful and welcoming in everyway. The thoughtful extras are everywhere and truly appreciated. The maps were so helpful in locating points of interest. The gardens, patio and hottub were wonderful and enjoyed. We are leaving it (with regret). Mahalo! Guest city-state/province: St Louis, MO
Recommended for:
What a wonderful, wonderful experience !
Guest: George & Greg
Date of Stay: 09/16/11
Review Submitted: 09/22/11
What a wonderful, wonderful experience we had. Such a beautiful home and so many little touches to make guests fell welcome and taken care of. We had so many feasts prepared in the beautiful kitchen. The waterfall and the hot tubs were definitely enjoyed. And the night time sounds were so peaceful. Probably the best surprise, though, was the beautiful little black and white kitten, who kept us from getting too lonely for our own pets. Many thanks. We are already looking forward to our next visit. guest city-state/province: St. John's, NL Canada
Recommended for:
Appreciated it to the last second
Guest: Itow
Date of Stay: 08/26/11
Review Submitted: 01/02/12
Date entered: 08/27/2011 Thank you so much. We really enjoyed staying here and appreciated it to the last second. Guest city-state/province: Tustin, CA
Recommended for:
The house is a destination in itself
Guest: Lynn
Date of Stay: 08/19/11
Review Submitted: 01/05/12
Date entered: 08/19/2011 Thank you so much for the gift basket. We enjoyed the coffee through out our stay. The house is a very special place and a destination in itself. Our grand daughter enjoyed the pond. We all loved the hot tub. The tub was especially refreshing after hiking the volcano trails and zip lining. Guest city-state/province: Lompoc, CA
Recommended for:
It was truly magical
Guest: Maggie, Mike & Harrah
Date of Stay: 08/19/11
Review Submitted: 09/18/11
Thank you for sharing your gorgeous home with us. It was truly magical for one week. It really is true about the house having all the things needed to feel like home. Hilo is gorgeous. This truly is a magical place. Mahalo
Recommended for:
All the amenities of home
Guest: Laird
Date of Stay: 07/24/11
Review Submitted: 09/18/11
We arrived late Sunday evening & were unsure of what to expect only to find a beautiful home set right in the middle of paradise. It took sometime getting used to the "jungle" noises at night, but after a few nights it became comforting. We had all the amenities of home. The proximity of your home provided easy access to the sights of the Big Island. We were able to experience the culture of Hawaii without the typical hustle & bustle of tourism. Thank you for making this our best vacation to date!!
Recommended for:
Paradise on an Island on the Big Island
Guest: Fun for 5
(Maumee, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 07/17/11
Review Submitted: 07/29/11
We absolutely loved this property. This was a Christmas gift that we gave our children. Right from the start, the directions were very clear, from the airport, to unlocking the gates and doors and we felt very secure. The property was very clean and close to grocery stores, Farmers Market (which is a must see), and what became one our favorite night time stops, Kozmic Kones. We wanted to save as much money as possible so we took full advantage everything this property provided to us (i.e. gas grill, cooler for when we went to the Black Sand Beach, kitchen appliances, the lanterns to the volcano for our night visit to see the lava, unbrellas, etc.). After a long hike through the Volcano National Park, we all relaxed in the Jacuzi with the wine that you provided us in the lovely gift basket. At night we felt like we were living in the "jungle" with all the lovely sounds from the frogs, birds, rain and waterfalls. I recommend this property to everyone staying on the Big Island. We miss it already!!!!
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Guest: Michael and Anna
Date of Stay: 07/15/11
Review Submitted: 08/16/11
Our stay in your beautiful home was the perfect way to start our honeymoon! It is such a peaceful and restful spot, which was much needed after the hustle and bustle of our wedding. We especially loved hearing such diverse wild life - from bird songs during the day to the night sounds of bull frogs and other peepers. Waking up to the sounds of the waterfall below was so wonderful! The house's proximity to town, yet its feeling of being in a remote rainforest, was so lovely. Thank you for your hospitality!
Recommended for:
All the Amenities
Guest: Eric & Jo
Date of Stay: 07/04/11
Review Submitted: 09/18/11
We truly enjoyed your beautiful home. Very peaceful & relaxing. Love listening to all nature's sounds in the evening. Enjoyed the hike to the waterfall. Very beautiful. Your home was truly comfortable for us. We had a lovely vacation. Mahalo. Wasilla, AK
Recommended for:
Our family loved it all
Guest: Leal
Date of Stay: 06/25/11
Review Submitted: 09/18/11
06/25/2011 Mahalo for your home - it is beautiful. All the details one would need for a relaxing vacation. Our family loved it all. Pearland, Texas
Recommended for:
Guest: Linda
Date of Stay: 06/18/11
Review Submitted: 08/16/11
Every other year my family spends vacation together. This trip to Hilo in your hme was the ultimate vacation. Your home is beautiful - all your decorative touches and great supplies (lanterns, snorkeling equip.). Thank you so much for everything!
Recommended for:
Hilo for 5 days
Guest: dingbat11
(Simi Valley, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/13/11
Review Submitted: 06/25/11
We have been to Hilo and the Eastern side of the Big Island many times without staying overnight. We wanted to rectify that situation as we enjoyed ourselves on those visits so we booked five nights at Mika Taki. Are we glad we did!! The house is fabulous and having more time to explore greater Hilo was a brilliant plan. The house was a lot more than the two of us really required but the stocking of the kitchen and the décor of the interior was just what we needed. The house is so well done that the visitor feels at home right away. We never even went to the drug store. A trip to the market the following morning and we were all set. Here we were concerned about having some coffee in the morning, so much so that we brought our own from home. No need. Louise greeted us at the door as we were dealing with the lock. Louise is the friendly cat as we learned from the housekeeper later in the stay. Be sure to feed Louise and her mates. Finding this place on a rainy dark night was not a problem as we knew what the mail box looked like. Next time we will go for the smaller property Mike Mizu next door. If the rental car agency wants to give you a big boat/bote/barge of a car, say NO! The driveway and the big barge were not a good match.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Lush Tropical Setting
Guest: Joan
Date of Stay: 04/09/11
Review Submitted: 09/17/11
August 6-9, 2011 Beautiful house in the lush tropical setting - it was perfect. The waterfall was a bonus! Many thanks for the kind welcome and perfect accommodations. We are sad to say good-bye from Carmel, Indiana USA
Recommended for:
Lush Tropical Setting
Guest: Duwve & Atkinson Families
Date of Stay: 04/09/11
Review Submitted: 07/04/11
Beautiful house in a lush tropical setting - it was perfect after our 5 days of beach & sunshine on Kohala Coast! The waterfall was a bonus. Many thanks for the kind welcome and perfect accommodations. We are sad to say good-bye.
Recommended for:
Magnificent!
Guest: Eisenbarth & Burns Families
Date of Stay: 03/12/11
Review Submitted: 07/04/11
What a magnificent house you have. It has truly met with all our expectations. Even the frogs have their place in the surroundings. It is very peaceful and private. Thank ou for letting us all stay here. Hopefully one day we will rturn. We shared your house with a family from New Zealand, and it could not have been more fun, gracious and comfortable. Not only are all possible amenities here, but the extra touches are charming. The waterfall is indeed magical, too! Mahalo!
Recommended for:
Paradise
Guest: Fournier Family
Date of Stay: 03/05/11
Review Submitted: 07/04/11
If Paradise looks like this we will enjoy to be there. Thank you for every attention. This is so peaceful and relaxing. We really appreciate it. I hope we can come back again.
Recommended for:
Lovely Vacation
Guest: Nielsen Family
Date of Stay: 02/14/11
Review Submitted: 07/04/11
We truly enjoyed your beautiful home. Very peaceful & relaxing. Loved listening to all nature's sounds in the evening. Enjoyed the hike to the waterfall. Very beautiful. Your home was truly comfortable for us. We had a lovely vacation. Mahalo.
Recommended for:
Amazing House
Guest: Godar Family
Date of Stay: 01/28/11
Review Submitted: 07/04/11
Such an amazing house & location. Best & most serene place we've stayed on vacation. We'd recommend this to others in an instant. Thanks for the use of your wonderful home. Mika Taki is filled with grace & beauty. Truly a retreat to enjoy! Thank you for your hospitality. Mahalo. PS the gift basket & well stocked cupboards were an unexpected but welcome surprise. Thank you!
Recommended for:
Oasis in Hilo
Guest: Ellen & Jay
Date of Stay: 01/22/11
Review Submitted: 07/04/11
We had a wonderful 12-day stay at Mika Taki! The house and surroundings have such a peaceful, relaxing energy. We loved swimming under the waterfall. This house is our new standard for vacation rentals - everything we could possibly need is provided, plus high-end appliances and we're now gonna have to install a Japanese soaking tub in our house when we get home. We loved it! Thanks for a wonderful retreat at this oasis in Hilo! Mahalo.
Recommended for:
Fabulous Home
Guest: Johnson Family
Date of Stay: 01/03/11
Review Submitted: 07/04/11
After 7 days in Kona, we finally made it to Paradise. We probably spent an hour just exploring this fabulous home. You've really done a fantastic job creating a zen & welcoming space. Plus points for having left over goods in the kitchen - it's always wonderful to not have to buy all new spices to cook. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful home. We loved our stay on the jungle side.
Recommended for:
Guest: The Hall Family
Date of Stay: 09/20/10
Review Submitted: 10/09/10
Thanks so much for your prompt handling of the security deposit. We had a wonderful time in your home. It was the perfect size for our family. We love to cook and particularly enjoyed the well equipped kitchen.
Recommended for:
Guest: Molly & Steve
Date of Stay: 07/12/10
Review Submitted: 07/28/10
Just wanted to thank you so much for letting us rent your house. Of the three houses we rented on the big island, yours was our hands down favorite. Your house was the topic of conversation during and after our trip. We hope to return soon! Mahalo.
Recommended for:
Best on the Big Island!
Guest: Molly & Steve
Date of Stay: 07/07/10
Review Submitted: 07/28/10
Just wanted to thank you so much for letting us rent your house. Of the three houses we rented on the big island, yours was our hands down favorite. Your house was the topic of conversation during and after our trip. We hope to return soon! Mahalo.
Recommended for:
A best vacation (25th anniversation) ever
Guest: Victoria
(New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 07/05/10
Review Submitted: 07/14/10
We came to Hawaii to celebrate our 25th year anniversary. We went to Wakiki, Maui, and Big Island. Staying at Mika Taki surely is the highlight of our trip. We had a wonderful and memorable time. Right after we arrived, everyone said that we could just stay in the property and not go anywhere so we changed our plan. We spent about one day in Mika Taki. The house is absolutely beautiful, much prettier than the pictures shown here. Everything is high ended and every detail is thoughtfully done, extremely comfortable and luxurious at the same time. The house is wonderfully surrounded by all kind of exotic plants. I have never feel so closely connected to nature and was really relaxed. It was magic. We swam under the fall. My husband and my son even jumped from the rock into the pool. They have never done such kind of thing before. We soaked in the hot tub and grilled steaks. My son watched several Japanese CDs. The whole family also just sat on the big couch in the living room and talked. However, the thing touched our heart the most was the kindness, warmness, and thoughtfulness of our hostess. She placed a beautiful chocolate, nut and champagne basket on the kitchen counter top for our anniversary celebration. They provided many things to make the stay much easier, such as flash lights (you will need them if you go to the lava tub), beach towels, paper plates, basic cooking ingredients, cereal, coffee, surge etc (a long list things). She gave detailed description/recommendation on what to do and where to go. We were very happy and relaxed there and look forward to returning. Overall, the most relaxing, wonderful, and memorable vacation we have had. Highly recommended! It is much better than 5 start hotels.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Guest: The Berlins
Date of Stay: 02/23/10
Review Submitted: 07/28/10
What a wonderful place - we could have stayed FOREVER!!! Thank you so much for providing such an exceptional home to stay in - we all enjoyed every aspect of your gorgeous home!
Recommended for:
Guest: The Berlins
Date of Stay: 02/23/10
Review Submitted: 07/28/10
What a wonderful place - we could have stayed FOREVER!!! Thank you so much for providing such an exceptional home to stay in - we all enjoyed every aspect of your gorgeous home!
Recommended for:
Guest: The Berlin contingent from beautiful Brithish Colu
Date of Stay: 02/23/10
Review Submitted: 03/28/10
"What a wonderful place - We could have stayed forever !!! Thank you so much for providing such an exceptional home to stay in - We all enjoyed every aspect of your gorgeous home !"
Recommended for:
Exceptional Home!
Guest: The Berlin Family
Date of Stay: 02/19/10
Review Submitted: 06/30/10
What a wonderful place - we could have stayed FOREVER!!! Thank you so much for providing such an exceptional home to stay in - we all enjoyed every aspect of your gorgeous home!
Recommended for:
Guest: Steve & Nancy of Portland, OR
Date of Stay: 02/19/10
Review Submitted: 03/28/10
"Beautiful place - loved the space & the jungle views. Many thanks. One recommendation: We went sailing one morning to whale watch with Capt. Dan on the Prelude & had a great time. He is an excellent sailor with very reasonable prices. 808-333-8828 or 808-935-7978. Thanks again."
Recommended for: