Wonderful house close to world class snorkeling

Tim P. (Grand Haven, MI, USA)
Review submitted: March 23, 2011   Date of arrival: February 1, 2011

We had a wonderful stay at the Pualani Home in February. The handsome house was perfect with all the ammenities, and very clean. The owner was great with all our questions, and replied immediately. The snorkeling nearby in the Kapoho Tide Pools was possibly our very favorite snorkeling spot ever! Swimming through thermally heated tide pools now out-ranks the Cayman Islands for us. The location was good for excursions to the volcano and Hilo too. We highly recommend the Pualani Home.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Hawaiian Adventure

Tea Party Traveler (Woodlake, CA/US)
Review submitted: January 19, 2013   Date of arrival: January 7, 2013

When we arrived, there was a nice bouquet of fresh flowers on the dining table,that was a very nice welcome. My husband and I spent 4 wonderful nights here. We had never stayed on this part of the island before. We had all of our own snorkel gear with us and put it to good use. The marine sanctuary tide pools were wonderful-the fish were as curious of us as we were of them. We rode the bikes everyday and loved riding through the KBC-Kapaho Beach Community. The neighbors here are very friendly-one woman even spent a bit of time chatting with us and sharing where we should go explore. The rains at night were wonderful to listen to and the sound of the surf lulled us to sleep. I really loved this wonderful part of Hawaii-definitely off the beaten path. I would come back again for sure.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Quite comfortable and lots of fun

Sanjiv k. ()
Review submitted: November 12, 2012   Date of arrival: October 11, 2012

Wow this place is awesome... there are surprises galore, and everything you will need, including supplies. The location is quite, secure, and the home is super clean.. and has all the basic amenities, and supplies to boot. The tv is tiny and it is not a four seasons, if that is important to you. The bicycles were a fun addition. The owners instructions were perfect, though it took us a bit to to figure out how to get the keys.

Let the kids loose, walk to the tide pools, watch the sun rise, snorkel... we had a blast.. we did all of the east side from this location... and are sure to go back...

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Best trip we have ever had!

Review submitted: November 5, 2012   Date of arrival: October 24, 2012

Pat,
Thank you very much. We loved the house and really enjoyed our stay. The house was the perfect place to get away from it all. We really appreciated the little things around the house that aren’t typically in vacation rentals that made our stay easier and more comfortable; like: dish soap, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, big island guide books, music, cooler, etc. Thank you again and we hope we get the opportunity to visit you again. Thank you for letting us use your amazing house, it was the best trip we have ever had together.

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Tropical, sounds of doves cooing! Magical!

Review submitted: August 12, 2012   Date of arrival: August 1, 2012

Thank you for everything and for returning my deposit so
promptly. We had a wonderful time. I can't stop thinking
about how relaxing it was to wake up in that comfortable
bed, surrounded by views of tropical trees and the sounds of
doves cooing - magical! It was hard to leave it, except
that there were so many things to see and do.

BTW, I loved the quilt on the bed upstairs. Do you remember
where you got it?I really appreciated how understanding you were when my first check didn't arrive right away. You were very patient, giving the check at least two extra weeks to arrive. Even though I don't know you personally, I felt like I wasn't just another client for you, but someone that you cared about. Mahalo for making our whole experience so special!

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Very enjoyable week!

Gvrunner (Gold country, ca)
Review submitted: May 23, 2012   Date of arrival: May 6, 2012

Nice laid-back digs comfortably far from the crowd, amazing volcanic geology, tide pools, biking, snorkeling.... The view is nice nd near the ocean, there are power-lines and you can't get to that shore but better ones are a walk or bike ride away. Recommended!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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1st Timmer

kaz (Aurora Colorado)
Review submitted: May 2, 2012   Date of arrival: April 27, 2012

The house was clean. Every thing was as stated at the property. The view of the ocean was fine.
The location was excellent. We were able to walk to all the tide pools and warm pools in 5 minutes.
I would recommend this rental to any one, great time!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway

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Tropical Splendor

Joey (Maple Ridge, B.C.)
Review submitted: April 2, 2012   Date of arrival: March 24, 2012

Kapoho is an area of Hawaii that we didn't know exsisted and we're very happy to have stayed! Tropical stormwatching, sound of the ocean, the wind in the palm trees, songbirds, and the occasional frog all added to our entertainment. We enjoyed riding bikes to the many warm swimming areas nearby. Overall the home is clean and comfortable, but, bugs are a problem, we couldn't turn bright lights on after dark. Be sure to buy BBQ briquettes and ALL basic supplies before you come because the cupboards were bare upon arrival.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing

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When it is raining everywhere else

Snorkel fans (Vancouver BC)
Review submitted: March 20, 2012   Date of arrival: March 9, 2012

We only had 4 days here but enjoyed them enormously. Wish we had longer, will return in the future.
The Kapoho (Waiopieo) tide pools were the highlight.

Recommended for: adventure seekers

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Amazing Home away from home

Reba (NYC)
Review submitted: January 24, 2012   Date of arrival: January 10, 2012

My husband and I just spent five nights at Pualani House and it was absolutely the highlight of our two-week trip to Hawaii! I can't say enough how much we loved our stay. The house is in a secure, gated community, with only a few homes on the same street, so it felt remote and private yet safe. This subdivision is home to the famous Kapoho TidePools, which include several natural lava-stone pools that are naturally heated! It is truly breathtaking!
Pualani House was extremely clean, well-cared for, and had all the provisions you might need: beach chairs, coolers, snorkel gear, five bikes, tons of kitchen stuff, loads of sheets and towels. Washer-dryer was very convenient (especially nice that there was detergent, unlike some other rentals). The wrap-around lanai is one of my favorite parts of the house, as well as the outdoor hot tub!
I would highly recommend this house to independent travelers who are looking for a unique place to go on the Big Island.
Kapoho is on the Hilo side, but the area is very sunny, not rainy like much of the East side. It was gorgeous every day! Pahoa town has a lot of good food choices and supermarkets. It was also a convenient place to go to Volcanoes, about an hour away.
LOVED IT! Can't wait to go back!
Reba and Johnny

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Amazing Time at Pualani

Review submitted: January 17, 2012   Date of arrival: January 10, 2012

Hi pat!


Just wanted to send you a quick Mahalo because we had such an amazing time at Pualani! I was really sad to leave, and am totally jealous that it is your house! I absolutely love love love the big island, must come back! It is big! We didn't even make it to the Kona side, but we had such a great time, exploring the tide pools (wai apoe is incredible) and volcanoes park was truly breathtaking. Puna district is peaceful and wild and has a whole character of it's own. Loved every minute. Can't wait to come back! Mahalo!

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Beautiful, comfortable spot for exploring Puna

Digger (Minneapolis, MN)
Review submitted: January 1, 2012   Date of arrival: November 16, 2010

My wife and I (in our late 30s) stayed at Pualani in Kapoho for five great coqui-filled nights. It was a great spot to stay and relax while enjoying the Hilo side of the Big Island. We explored the volcano and lava flow, the various tide pools (including Champagne Pond which is in the development Pualani is a part of), and even made a trip to Mauna Key observatory (long drive but worth it). Highlights for us were the volcano rim hike, walking down to Champagne Pond each morning for a swim (after having some Kona coffee, fresh Hawaiian fruit and Portuguese sausage), taking a tour of the lava flow from a local who lived in Kalapana (one of the coolest things I've ever experienced), having dinner in Pahoa at Kaleo's, and after dinner wrapping up at a fun bar that I believe is called Black Rock. The house is bright and airy. The wrap-around deck is great and the kitchen, living room and bedroom were all more than comfortable. Great spot for staying and exploring the Puna district and we hope to be back soon!

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

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Beautiful views, comfortable bed, extremely clean

sbeth (Madison, Wisconsin)
Review submitted: September 23, 2011   Date of arrival: September 18, 2011

We had a great time exploring the Kapoho area for 4 wonderful days. The Pualani house made a great home base for us. We really enjoyed falling asleep each night to the singing of the coqui frogs, which are, admittedly, an invasive nuisance on Hawai'i. The house is close to fantastic snorkeling in the Kapoho tidepools, hiking in the national park, and restaurants in nearby Pahoa. There are no stores at all in Kapoho, so you must do your grocery shopping before you arrive. Pat is very good about listing all the grocery stores you will pass by on your way to the house. She is also very good about providing maps and directions, so you do not have to worry about getting lost on your way to the house the first time. One thing to keep in mind if you intend to snorkel at Champagne Pond, a lovely aquarium spot to snorkel: there is no public parking. You must walk or ride bikes to the access point, which is close by but still a walk, perhaps a bit too far for toddlers or folks with mobility problems. The Kapoho tide pools do provide public parking spots. Be sure to eat at Kaleo's in Pahoa. Although a bit pricey, which is usual for even casual dining in Hawai'i, the food and service were outstanding. I'd return to the area just to eat a meal there again!! Also, be sure to stroll through the magical Lava Tree State Park, which is just up the road. We practically had the entire park to ourselves on the day we visited. It's unusually beautiful. Although the Pualani house is not directly on the ocean, you will enjoy the ocean view from the lanai. Crashing waves framed by palm trees. What more could you ask for?

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Absolutely Perfect!

davidsonville (Prince Frederick, Maryland, USA)
Review submitted: August 29, 2011   Date of arrival: August 26, 2011

This home and its owners reflect the aloha spirit that make our getaway extra special. It's like living in a breezy, glass home but with privacy as well. Nights are quiet other than brief rain passing through, neighbors are extremely polite and the wi-fi is ripping fast to stay in touch with family and friends (especially when we had an earthquake and a hurricane at our house while we were away). The porch that rings the 2nd story is particularly nice as well as the multiple jalousie windows and screens that let the tropical breeze flow right through the home. The kitchen is sufficient to cook as much or as little as you would like. There's plenty of snorkel gear, boogie boards, pool noodles downstairs that keep you from buying one-time-only equipment here (nice). And, bicycles for getting out and about in the neighborhood and beyond. Excellent place. We would stay here again. Thanks Pat!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Great ocean view!

miknic (Arizona)
Review submitted: April 3, 2011   Date of arrival: March 20, 2011

We LOVED the Kapoho home and we enjoyed sharing it with the resident geckos! Such a beautiful home that was well-kept, had tons of amenities, and a gorgeous view of the ocean and surrounding greenery. We loved listening to the frogs and the ocean at night.

We just got home at 2:00 this morning only to find that your refund check for the security deposit was already in our mailbox! Thanks so much, we really appreciate the quick refund and are very impressed with how you run your business.

Thanks again for sharing your vacation home with us, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

Mahalo,
Nicole and Michael

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with teenagers, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Great ocen view!

miknic (Arizona)
Review submitted: April 3, 2011   Date of arrival: March 20, 2011

We LOVED the Kapoho home and we enjoyed sharing it with the resident geckos! Such a beautiful home that was well-kept, had tons of amenities, and a gorgeous view of the ocean and surrounding greenery. We loved listening to the frogs and the ocean at night.

We just got home at 2:00 this morning only to find that your refund check for the security deposit was already in our mailbox! Thanks so much, we really appreciate the quick refund and are very impressed with how you run your business.

Thanks again for sharing your vacation home with us, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

Mahalo,
Nicole and Michael

Recommended for: families with teenagers, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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A great place to visit

Chuck & Judy (Parksville, BC Canada)
Review submitted: February 26, 2011   Date of arrival: February 16, 2011

We have just returned from 8 days at Pualani. It is a marvelous house in an excellent setting. It has everything one needs and more. The bikes are a great extra. There is lots of place to ride and explore on foot.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, romantic getaway

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Lovely Stay at Pualani House

Mike (La Grange Park IL)
Review submitted: January 3, 2011   Date of arrival: December 22, 2010

My wife and two teenage children had a wonderful stay at Pualani House on the Big Island. The house was very comfortable with plenty of room for all of us, a great view of the ocean and nice breezes. The easy access to the Champagne pools is a real bonus. The Puna area has some gorgeous spots with easy access to the Volcanoes. It's a great get away from the crowds in other parts of the islands. We'll be back again!

Recommended for: age 55+, families with teenagers, sight seeing

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PARADISE FOUND

Basia (Burbank, Ca.)
Review submitted: January 2, 2011   Date of arrival: December 29, 2010

We had never explored this part of the island before. We have been on the Big Island at least 10 times so the idea of exploring this section was intriguing. We were VERY SURPRISED/ LOVED IT! Just a true paradise. The ponds were really fascinating. Saw a turtle in one of them. The weather was great. Sunny during the day and if it rained it happened at night. We loved the little town of Pahoa. Some really colorful people there. You can hang there all day and just talk the day away. The lava tree park was so beautiful and that stretch of highway that leads you to it is so beautiful with the canopy of trees, vines and ferns. There is a great point to see the sunrise just a short walk from the house (There is a home being built there now (Bummer!) but if you get there before they are finished you just have to walk out there. Magical sunrise. We also stumbled on the tide pools just off of the Kapoho Kai street. AMAZING. We then drove to Kalapana - so worth it to see the black sand beach coming back and don't forget to take a coconut to plant into the sand. Bringing back Kalapana to its original look (Pre lava flow) one coconut at a time. I really should not be writing all these great things, this may mean that it will be booked more often, leaving me high and dry. We look forward to coming back and staying longer than 3 days. MAHALO NUI LOA.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Pualani Home in Kapoho

Paul and Alison (San Luis Obispo, CA USA)
Review submitted: December 18, 2010   Date of arrival: December 7, 2010

We had a wonderful time at Ocean View Pualani Home. The check in process was simple and the house was very clean. It was stocked with everything needed to make it a home away from home. My husband was especially pleased with the coffee grinder and espresso machine.
We loved riding the bikes to the champagne ponds. The snorkling was awesome. The water was warm and filled with colorful fish.
The Makuu farmers was close and we purchased wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables there. Pahoa had some great restaurants, for those days when we didn't feel like cooking.
We had a truly relaxing vacation and hope to return someday. I would definetly recomend this rental to family and friends.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Oh my gosh! Your Pualani Home is So Awesome!

Review submitted: September 30, 2010   Date of arrival: September 20, 2010

Aloha Pat!
Oh my gosh--your Pualani Home is so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your home. We all loved our stay at your house and had such a good time. If we make it back to Big Island your place would be our 1st choice. The tidal pools were our favorite since snorkeling was the #1 activity. There are so many wonderful activities to do in that area of the Big Island. It was also fun to just relax at the house. I loved the way you decorated the house - it was very homey. I'm also about ready to download my pictures and do some digital scrapbooking in the next couple of weeks so we'll have a lot of wonderful memories.
Thanks a lot,
Kay and Lowell

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Very relaxing and enjoyable vacation home

youngisland (Washington)
Review submitted: September 18, 2010   Date of arrival: September 7, 2010

First off, dealing with the owners is first rate. Pat is so helpful and makes it all so easy. The home is easy to find, well located, very clean and comfy, and stocked with everything you need for a wonderful stay on the Big Island. The people in the area are very nice and always willing to chat.
Can't say enough about how easy Pat made it for us. We appreciated that. Mahalo Pat.

Be sure and hit the Safeway in Hilo on your way down.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Very Satified Customer!

Angie/Jon (Chippewa Falls, WI)
Review submitted: February 20, 2010   Date of arrival: February 9, 2010

My husband and I spent 1 week on the Big Island. We spent 3 nights on the Hilo side and 4 nights on the Kona side. We were pleasantly surprised with this home. It was exceptionally clean and had great ammenities, including bikes, snorkeling equipment and anything you could need for the kitchen. The owners are outstanding to work with and willing to help in any way with your Hawaii vacation planning. I would also like to recommend the book, "Hawaii-The Big Island Revealed." This made our time in Hawaii so awesome because we knew just what to do and how to get to some of the Hawaiian "gems" and we would have missed without this book.

The location of the home is unique, about 35 minutes from Hilo, but 10 minutes from Pahoa, which is a very cool little town with anything that you may need. We loved being amongst the people who live here, instead of tourists. The gated community was quiet and very nice. Pahoa has very good resturants. We tried a Thai resturant called Nings and a Mexican resturant called La Quinn's. Both were very good. The pizza at Boogy Woogie Pizza was spectacular and very reasonable. We also visited Pahoa Village Cafe for "Open Microphone" which they have every Thursday night. This was an experience-awesome musicians and very interesting!

There are several things to do close by the home. The tide pools are very cool and I suggest going in the morning. There are two warm ponds in the area which are fun, too. Lava Tree State Park is a beautiful place and only a few miles from the home. We would also recommend driving South on Hwy 137 until the end of the road and see the new black sand beach that has formed at the end of the lava rock that has taken over the old black sand beach. There is a great resturant here as well and we would recommend the coconut ice cream which is fabulous! This home is about 35 minutes to Volcanoes National Park as well.

We could have easily spent more time on this side of the island. We didn't have enough time to sit back and enjoy the home because we were out on adventures the whole time. I look forward to returning to the Big Island and would definitely stay at this home again and will recommend it to anyone!

Thank you to Pat and Andy for a wonderful home and making our visit to the East side of the island an amazing experience!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 4 / 4

Pualani was highlight of the trip!

Review submitted: February 10, 2010   Date of arrival: October 31, 2009

Hi Pat
Thanks. I received the refund a few days ago.
I absolutely loved your place in Kapoho. It was definitely the hilight of the trip for me.
It was extremely humid (sometimes we could see our footprints on the floor). I had never experienced anything like that before. I loved it. The days were sultry in a lovely way. I even enjoyed the crazyness of the coqui frogs at night. (though I think they might drive a person mad eventually...but probably in a good way)
My favorite part of the day was waking up to the wrap around window view of the palm trees and the ocean and watching the light change.
We also discovered snorkeling there! How amazing and easy. During the rest of our trip we snorkeled at several other places but we both preferred the tide pools. (they are even better than Captain Cook)
We walked there everyday...it was a lovely walk (we didn't use the bikes at all as it turned out)
And of course the market north of Pahoa was amazing! an abundance of inexpensive tropical flowers and fruit and clothing etc.
Sadly our stay was too short. We didn't even have time to use the hot tub.
Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous home with us.
Donna and Stan

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Felt more like invited guests!

Review submitted: February 10, 2010   Date of arrival: June 22, 2009

Thank you so much! We thoroughly enjoyed your home & that part of the island, wish we'd stayed there longer! Felt more like invited guests than renters with the bikes & that lovely quiet neighborhood. Not as happy in Capt Cooke, partly with the rental & partly with so much driving to do almost anything! Wish we'd rented from you again on this side! Thanks again for your great communication & generosity, it's greatly appreciated!
Kathryn

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Highly recommended!

Review submitted: February 10, 2010   Date of arrival: July 19, 2009

Hi Pat:

Thank you for a wonderful stay on the Big Island. We had a great time. Your home was the perfect location for our stay although we were on the go most of the time. Thanks for sending our refund so promptly.

It has been a pleasure coordinating our stay with you. You can be sure if we travel to the Big Island again, or know of anyone planning on visiting, we will recommend your home.

Sharon

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relaxing,beautful, sounds of the ocean

Kaur (Bend, Oregon)
Review submitted: February 3, 2010   Date of arrival: January 16, 2008

Thanks Pat for a wonderful vacation at your home. We really enjoyed the house and it's location next to the ocean and the marine sanctuary. The snorkeling there was super.. actually saw more fish there than on the Kona side. We also loved the local farmers markets, and found some great deals on food and local crafts. The Volcano was so interesting, we hiked around and got some great pictures. The driving to get to the Kona side was a little intense, but when we realized the Saddle Road was an option we cut off at least 40 minutes of driving time..
Very peaceful in your neighborhood and we love the resident geckos.. riding bikes in the early morning in the neighorhood was fun and a good way to see all the tidal pools. What a treat to have such warm water and clean refreshing air!
Aloha, Smiling









s

Recommended for: age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway

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Pualani in Kapaho is amazing

Donna and Stan (Victoria, BC)
Review submitted: November 24, 2009   Date of arrival: October 31, 2009

I absolutely loved your place in Kapoho. It was definately the hilight of the trip for me. It was quite humid (sometimes we could see our footprints on the floor). I had never experienced anything like that before. I loved it. The days were sultry in a lovely way. I even enjoyed the coqui frogs at night.
My favorite part of the day was waking up to the wrap around window view of the palm trees and the ocean and watching the light change.
We also discovered snorkelling at the tide ponds. We walked there every day.
And of course the market north of Pahoa was fabulous! an abundance of inexpensive tropical flowers and fruit etc.
Sadly our stay was too short. We didn't even have time to use the hot tub or the bikes.Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous home with us.

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

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Review submitted: November 16, 2009   Date of arrival: November 16, 2009

Hi Pat
Thanks. I received the refund a few days ago.
I absolutely loved your place in Kapoho. It was definitely the hilight of the trip for me.
It was extremely humid (sometimes we could see our footprints on the floor). I had never experienced anything like that before. I loved it. The days were sultry in a lovely way. I even enjoyed the crazyness of the coqui frogs at night. (though I think they might drive a person mad eventually...but probably in a good way)
My favorite part of the day was waking up to the wrap around window view of the palm trees and the ocean and watching the light change.
We also discovered snorkeling there! How amazing and easy. During the rest of our trip we snorkeled at several other places but we both preferred the tide pools. (they are even better than Captain Cook)
We walked there everyday...it was a lovely walk (we didn't use the bikes at all as it turned out)
And of course the market north of Pahoa was amazing! an abundance of inexpensive tropical flowers and fruit and clothing etc.
Sadly our stay was too short. We didn't even have time to use the hot tub.
Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous home with us.
Donna and Stan
ps I have attached a photo of our tropical bouquet on your deck.

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Lots of fun at the Pualani House

Loves (Mechanicsburg, PA)
Review submitted: October 19, 2009   Date of arrival: August 10, 2009

My family and I thoroughly enjoyed staying at the Pualani House. It is a great get-away. No traffic, no commercialism, just us, the house, the water and the beautiful island. The boys loved going for walks to the water and snorkeling in Champagne Pond. We swan with two turtles! One of the many hi-lights of our trip. I was worried about not having A/C, but it was not needed even in the middle of August. The breezes itself were plenty enough. The view from the house was lovely and we loved looking for the Geckos every day. It was nice having the second bedroom and bathroom. It was truly a home away from home. We hope to come back and stay again.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Review submitted: July 27, 2009   Date of arrival: July 27, 2009

Hi Pat:

Thank you for a wonderful stay on the Big Island. We had a great time. Your home was the perfect location for our stay although we were on the go most of the time. Thanks for sending our refund so promptly.

It has been a pleasure coordinating our stay with you. You can be sure if we travel to the Big Island again, or know of anyone planning on visiting, we will recommend your home.

Sharon

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Loved the Pualani house!

Gina & Barbara (Boulder, CO)
Review submitted: July 24, 2009   Date of arrival: April 29, 2009

A friend and I recently stayed at Pualani for 2 full weeks. We truly enjoyed our time there and would highly recommend this house. There is a nice ocean view, as well as the sound of the ocean at all times. The location is great, and having bicycles made it easy to get all around, to the Champagne pond and even over to the Marine Sanctuary. The house is comfortable, and provided for our needs. It is clean and fairly well-appointed. I would definitely stay there again!

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

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Pualani Paradise

Kat56 (Santa Cruz, CA)
Review submitted: July 19, 2009   Date of arrival: June 22, 2009

We had a wonderful time at this home. It had a beautiful view of the ocean, and we could always hear some lovely, rhythmic sound to lull us to sleep--rain, waves, wind, frogs. It was very well equipped; we could ride the bikes to the natural thermal pools, or down the red road, or around the neighborhood. Though we expected that it might be too warm for the hot tub, when we returned from swimming it was a welcome soothing temperature. The kitchen was fully equipped, we rented movies to watch on the DVD player, and were most comfortable lounging in the living room. The neighborhood was quiet and safe. Pahoa and even Hilo were easily accessible, but it was so nice to come home to this off the beaten path paradise. My husband, teenaged daughter and myself had room for both privacy and congregating, and it would easily have held at least one more adult. The owners shared all sorts of water equipment, shoes and snorkels and the like. Tidepools were a short hike or bike away. The situation was nothing short of perfect for our relaxing vacation. We were very sorry that we had not planned to stay longer, we were in heaven & there is much beauty on the lesser populated side of the Big Island!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Review submitted: June 30, 2009   Date of arrival: June 30, 2009

Pat,

Thank you so much! We thoroughly enjoyed your home & that part of the island, wish we'd stayed there longer! Felt more like invited guests than renters with the bikes & that lovely quiet neighborhood. Not as happy in Capt Cooke, partly with the rental & partly with so much driving to do almost anything! Wish we'd rented from you again on this side! Thanks again for your great communication & generosity, it's greatly appreciated!
Kathryn

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Two week winter getaway

prokp (Saskatchewan Canada)
Review submitted: March 13, 2009   Date of arrival: February 19, 2009

We spent two weeks at this place, from the 19th of feb to the 5th of March. The place was beautiful, well maintained and the beds and furniture were comfortable. We could see the ocean from our livig room and all you heard was the sound of the waves at night. Great way to go to sleep. Quite surroundings,laid back and no noisy traffic. There is a town in close proximity to the place that has all the groceries you need. There is also a farmers market where you can purchase fresh fruit and vegs and all sorts of island made articles. Cool breezes blow at nite which adds to a good sleep. Twenty minutes from Hilo, a lot of great places to eat and shop, and more farmers markets. We have been to evere island and I like this one the best.The people that own this place are good and honest people to deal with. We did all of our arranging on the internet and everything went according to Hoyle.Thank you for the holiday.

Recommended for: age 55+, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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VRBORORG191426 (-)
Review submitted: February 21, 2009   Date of arrival: February 21, 2009

Definately a unique home to rent if you're looking to get away from the typical Hawaiian tourists. Convienant
to Volcanoes National Park & Hilo...not
a bad drive to southern beaches.

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Review submitted: January 12, 2009   Date of arrival: January 12, 2009

Pualani is a wonderful get away from the cold of Pennsylvania. Loved the view of the ocean. Weather was delightful. Convenient location to snorkeling. Bikes were fun. We had great weather. Enjoyed Pahoa & Hilo. Thai food & good pizza in Pahoa tops. Pescatore in Hilo top-rate Italian food - recommend highly. Take a night trip to view lava - amazing.

Mahalo & Aloha!
Loretta Supplee

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Review submitted: December 31, 2008   Date of arrival: December 31, 2008

Thanks for sharing Pualani with us Pat & Andy. We had a great experience! I'd always dreamed of this kind of place where the breeze blew right off the ocean and into the house. And the location is ideal for touring this part of the island. The lava flow was awesome, Champage Pond a magical experience and Hilo a delight. Ning's Thai is one of the best I've ever been to (and that's a lot). We counted 5 geckos and loved their company. and the rain on the roof made sleeping peaceful. We hope to return soon!

Greg & Jeri Sowell

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Review submitted: December 29, 2008   Date of arrival: December 29, 2008

Hi Pat & Andy,

Thank you for letting us use your wonderful house! The kids loved collecting fallen coconuts in the garden, and the spa was great to get warm after a long hike on the volcano in the sometimes heavy rain. The short distance to the recent lava flow at Kalapana allowed us to there twice -- both at day time and time time - Marvelous! We hope to get back here some day! Loved the geckos!

Sincerely, Lotte, Peter, Margreth, Dante, Tobias

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Review submitted: August 14, 2008   Date of arrival: August 14, 2008

Thank you Pat. I can’t explain how much we enjoyed ourselves and your home. The people there are wonderful, it was so nice to see real Hawaii. We had such a good time my sons want to go back next year. Guess I’ll have to start saving.Thanks again,Kathy

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Review submitted: July 24, 2008   Date of arrival: July 24, 2008

Pualani was a perfect home base for our adventures with sea turtles, volcanoes, bromeliads and so much more. Champagne Pond was also a great treat. Thank you for sharing your home with us and I'm sure our vacation will be remembered for a long time to come. Mahalo from the Paulot family!

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Review submitted: July 6, 2008   Date of arrival: July 6, 2008

Thanks Pat, we did enjoy our stay!! In fact, we loved it! Kona side was fun for the start but then we were glad to escape the vog. We zoomed all around on your bikes, loved Champagne Pond as our last evening stop each night, and really loved a couple of spots north of Hilo (one where there’s the rope swing into the river and another where we boogie boarded all day). We got lucky with the weather I guess, never had rain once! We feel like we did it all and had a great place to come “home” to at night. My husband wishes we could have some geckos in our house too! Thanks again so much, it was a great vacation!Valerie

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Review submitted: November 30, 2007   Date of arrival: November 30, 2007

Aloha, Pat! How are you? I've just got back from Hawaii last night.It was great to stay in Pualani! Thank you so much for sharing! We enjoy it very much!! Our stay was just great! I love the Big Island! I'd love to visit
again and stay in Pualani again too! I'll recommend my friends to stay in Pualani if they want to go to the
Big Island! Mahalo! and take care.

Best,
Natsuki Hayashi

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Review submitted: October 7, 2007   Date of arrival: October 7, 2007

Hi Pat -
We just got back this evening from the Big Island. I just wanted to thank you again for accommodating us in such short notice. Your Pualani Home was so wonderful. . .it was the real "Hawaii". I love the open wood beam ceiling and the veranda that surrounds the upper floor is a great feature. The view, the sound of the ocean, and all the comforts of home helped make our stay so pleasant. Your home is so perfectly situtated. . .Champagne Pond, Kapoho Tide Pools, surf spots like Isaac Hale and Pohoiki. . .I can go on and on. I just wish we had discovered Pualani sooner. . .I would've love to stay there the entire 11 days! You are lucky to have such a great find! I will be sure to pass on a good word to all our friends. We hope to return soon.

Mahalo,
Alice

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Review submitted: August 8, 2007   Date of arrival: August 8, 2007

Hello, Pat

We just returned Sunday, after our stay at Pualani house, and then almost 2 weeks on Maui. We had a great time everywhere, and after staying in Kehei, REALLY appreciated the peace an quiet of your area of the Big Island. We wish we had decided to stay a bit longer there, but next time ................

Anyway, I got our vacation mail today, and opened the refund check. Mahalo, for everything !!!!

Ed Murphy

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Review submitted: November 29, 2006   Date of arrival: November 29, 2006

Hi Pat,
Thank you very much for letting us stay at your beautiful home in Kapoho. We enjoyed our stay very much and had lots of fun at the hot springs and the steam caves. It was so convenient to the things we wanted to see yet lots of privacy and away from the hustle and bustle of Hilo. I received the deposit refund yesterday. Thanks again for everything.
Mahalo,
Paul and Yasuyo Ledford

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Review submitted: November 7, 2006   Date of arrival: November 7, 2006

Aloha Pat,
We really enjoyed our stay at Pualani. It was cozy and comfortable. All the gadgets and facilities were in good condition and the ocean view was excellent. We explored the entire east coast of the island. Especially liked the hot pool on 137, black beach with hike down the lava rocks, the tropical vegetation, tidal pools and swimming area near the house, etc. We saw lot of colored fish and other marine life. We also enjoyed cooking with the unusual tropical vegetables (have heard of frsh drum sticks for soup?) with spices. The pine apples, papaya and the small banana were also fantastic. I read two of your books, in addition to the books we brought with us.

I also want to thank you for letting us hang at your Aloha house on Sunday. Diane really liked the 180 deg ocean view and the fantastic breeze outside. We saw sea turtles from the lava rock backyard.

Thank you for sending us the deposit back.

We were expecting a lot of rain to dampen our vacation. We were pleasantly surprised to see that it rained at night and occasional down pours during the day lasting only for short periods.

It was a long trip back to Boston, but this vacation was worth all the travel.

We hope to come back to Hawaii soon.

Mahalo

Murthy and Diane

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Review submitted: August 17, 2006   Date of arrival: August 17, 2006

Hi Pat,

We had a great time at the Pualani Home. Thank you for having us,

George

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Review submitted: July 23, 2006   Date of arrival: July 23, 2006

Aloha Pat and Andy - Thank you for returning the $100.00 deposit. We really enjoyed your lovely dream house and surrounding area. Our time in Kapoho was a very special part of trip to the islands. We might return some time without the kids. If we do we will certainly get in touch. You really do have a beautiful home in Kapoho and we will share pictures with friends who might be looking for a nice out of the way place in paradise.

Mahalo, Tom and Lucy Wells

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Review submitted: January 25, 2006   Date of arrival: January 25, 2006

Hi, Pat – I received the refund on our security deposit in the cute fish motif stationary. Mahalo. I have been meaning to email you to tell you we really enjoyed the place, just everything about it was super. We snorkeled in the pools and saw lots of turtles, which was so great. What a unique and cool area of the island. We also loved Pahoa and had a GREAT Thai meal in the funky restaurant furthest east of the two. We would recommend your place to anyone. It was nicely decorated and well equipped, too.Thanks for all!!!--Cathy

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Review submitted: September 23, 2005   Date of arrival: September 23, 2005

Aloha Pat!Unfortunately we are home! We had the time of our lives!! Words can’t express how beautiful Kapoho (and the whole island really) was. We seriously did not want to leave. If we didn’t have 3 dogs and 3 cats at home waiting for us – we might have actually stayed. We went to the Kona area after we left your wonderful home…it was nice but we definitely prefer the Hilo side of the island. We brought several real estate publications home with us and are brimming with ideas of how exactly we can change our lives and move there. I bet that happens a lot. We definitely hope to be able to go back and stay at Pualani again!! And also would recommend it to anyone who asked. We will put a glowing “review” on one or more of our websites. Mahalo Nicki

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