Heavenly Hawaii!!

Guest: The Mitchells (Ireland/U.S.A)
Date of Stay: 08/19/11 Review Submitted: 10/13/11

How do we begin to tell you how special this property is and how wonderful our stay was!? Lets begin with the guest house....it was charming, beautiful, clean, well maintained, cosy yet spacious and true to the description! Upon our arrival and as we entered we could smell the sweetest scent of flowers (ginger, freshly picked) which had filled the entire living room, it felt like paradise and yet we still hadn't seen the property as it was nighttime! We Instantly felt at home and after a long journey were pleasantly surprised by the extreme comfort of the mattresses! It was always so nice to go to bed after a long day of activities, we got a great nights rest every single night! We enjoyed getting up early with the roosters and having breakfast on the lanai, which is overlooking the garden, banyan tree, main house and pool and surrounded by plants, flowers and trees! (It feels secluded and private but it isn't too far from the road, you also can't really see the ocean very well, but it doesn't take away from the beauty and tranquility of the property)! At times you are almost transported back to a much earlier time in history! After breakfast we usually took a walk around the property, taking in the wonderful sights, sounds and smells, and most of the time came back with some delicious, ripe, fresh, fruits of one kind or another, we happened to be there when the avocados were dripping from the trees everyday, they were definitely the best we've ever tasted! We enjoyed having a pool for a morning swim or to dip in when it was hot, it was such a peaceful experience, with the lovely birdsongs and tropical surroundings! We enjoyed Hilo and the surrounding areas tremendously! It's absolutely beautiful and as time seems to move slowly, it's truly relaxing! Gisella was so kind, warm, welcoming, accommodating and helpful, she even offered to let us pick some flowers for the memorial ceremony we were planning to have! We all felt that it was really hard to leave, we had really made ourselves at home in just 6 days! We have already recommended this place to family who may go to Hawaii and would do so to anyone traveling to this area! It was great value for money and the property was in a great location! We would definitely stay here again....in a heartbeat! Thank you Gisella for everything!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with teenagers, age 55+, romantic getaway, girls getaway, adventure seekers.

Dream

Guest: Perry and Hiromi (Burlingame, CA/U.S.A)
Date of Stay: 02/21/11 Review Submitted: 03/10/11

It was my first time visited in Big Island. My mission was looking for the place to stay in Hilo side of Island. I was looking for something different. I valued old stuff more than modern new building. Here it is Opaliuli Historic house. I read two reviews, and I found out they are all true later. Huge big plantation house. Owner kept as much as original style and well maintenance. Cottage has big 2 bedroom attached 2 big bathroom kitchen and dining area. All room were painted pure white, you don't need color in this place because there are plenty of color outside in jungle. You can see beautiful thick green tropical garden from all windows. My husband pick the banana from garden. I made banana milk shake. Boy it was the best milk shake I never ever had. We saw 2 wild pigs eating grass with rooster in the morning. Swimming pool was just for us. Yes private swimming pool. It is just magical place. You can sit down big lanai watching garden and have a cup of expensive Kona coffee. I can do this forever. Time seems to be slow this island but our vacation finished so quick. Best of all, was the owner of this estate, who was friendly helpful hardworking lady. Thank you very much for your hospitality. We will come back soon.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, age 55+, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

Plantation Guest House - What An Amazing Value for the Price!!!!!!

Guest: traveler (California)
Date of Stay: 07/19/10 Review Submitted: 11/03/10

The guest house at this traditional old Hawaii plantation is amazing! It is huge, with two very large bedrooms, a decent kitchen, a big beautiful living room, and best of all, a covered porch that looks out over the huge lawns and jungle. We even saw wild pigs in the evening at the jungle edge! The guest house is decorated beautifully. The owners brought a lot of the furniture over from Europe, and the taste level is much higher than you normally find in vacation rentals. No tikis, no island kitsch. Great old hardwood floors, beautiful beds. You really feel like you're staying in an upscale home. Perfectly clean too. The woman who owns the plantation and lives in the main house is a great host. She's there when you need her (and happy to give you a tour of her partially restored, gorgeous plantation house), but otherwise gives you space and you feel like the property is yours for the time of your stay. When we stayed there, the pool was being remodeled. The listing was totally accurate - it did not list a pool for guest use. But maybe it will be up and running for future guests! This location is on the less "touristy" side of the island. That can be good - you get to see some of the less crowded sites, there's a lot of privacy, etc. The more picturesque beaches are over on the other side of the island, so plan to spend a couple full days over there. Heads up, though, the drive over to the resorty side of the island is LONG. Make sure you check the weather report before driving all the way over - if it is gray and raining you've wasted an entire day. In terms of listing accuracy, I would just say the listing undersells the place. The photography doesn't capture how big the property is, or how spacious and well-decorated the guest house is. I encouraged the owner to take a movie of the property and upload it. I really can't stress enough how pleasantly surprised we were when we arrived. Compared to what you'd pay to stay at a cookie-cutter resort, the price is incredibly reasonable, and you get an experience that is much harder to replicate. Worth every penny - if we go back to Kona we would definitely stay here!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, age 55+, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

Guest: Rick and Stephanie (San Jose, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/04/07 Review Submitted: 07/04/07

Thank you for the wonderful stay we had in your guest house! We loved the very special location, the unique accommodation, and the delightful way that you looked after us. We have always enjoyed the Hilo side of the Big Island, and this visit was all we hoped it would be. We will long treasure our memories of this visit - the guest house we stayed in, the beautiful main house, the cats, the awesome gardens, the frogs, fresh fruit from the garden, and many other details but, above all, the care you took to make things run smoothly for us, and to show us around the estate. We loved the jungle you have just a few steps from the garden, with the hidden heiau, and that magnificent banyan tree! If the cottage is available next time we come to Hilo, we would love to enjoy your hospitality again. Meanwhile, we would heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a special place to stay to add something out of the ordinary to their visit to the Big Island. Thank you again for taking such good care of us.

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