Loved this property, and the awesome daily rate was super great for the size and the location that I was looking for. Having traveled to Big Island on the regular, I always stay on the quiet/off-the-grid Pahoa side - it’s always nice to find a little gem to stay at, and this is being added to the spots to check for future trips. The house is modernist in style, has great amenities, is BIG, accessible and right across the street from Kehena Beach on the ‘Red Road’. Having a washer and dryer in the house was great, and the kitchen was fabulous.
In response to the majority of other reviews:
- Yes, there is no TV. Embrace it, and the beautiful area you are in. Bring a laptop or tablet to watch some stuff on, as the internet is nice and fast on the property.
- Yes, the layout is a little wonky, but nowhere close to being annoying or a dealbreaker. You do have to walk through the shower to get to the bedroom, but the trade off is that the shower is HUGE (like could fit six people easily). You can also walk out the lanai bedroom door right into the kitchen/living room door (about 15ft). You’ll have the doors open all day and night anyways, so it’s not a big deal at all.
- Yes, there is no AC... but, welcome to hawai’i, it is quite rare to find somewhere with AC. Use the fans, enjoy the breeze and relax.
- Yes, the screens on the windows do need a decent amount of repair. That’s really the only thing I would suggest to the homeowner since the house does catch a decent amount of sun, and constant airflow is crucial. (A tip for anywhere you stay on the islands, use as few indoor lights at night as possible - since the big island is generally pretty remote, your housing will be a beacon for bugs if you have a lot of light on at night.
Keep in mind that this area is remote, so you will obviously need a rental car (get an SUV or something with 4wheel drive, you can experience some pretty awesome spots only with these types of vehicles!). Get groceries when you land! Hilo is a great stopover if you’re flying into that side of the island, tons of groceries stores, KTA is hands down the best! At the Kehena end of the ‘Red Road’ where it dead-ends is Uncles - if you are there on a Wednesday, go there for the night market - it’s insanely fun and what all the locals do every week. Go to every single farmers market you can find!
All in all, this house was perfect for me - and I’ll be back for sure. Mahalo, Hale Balleja - until we meet again.