Truly an Ocean Front Retreat just 25' from the shore line! in Kailua-Kona

The Best

Surfer Girl (New York)
Review submitted: March 24, 2008   Date of arrival: March 1, 2008

This is a great place to stay in Kona. The owner has provided you with all you'll need for a wonderful vacation. If you're looking for a home away from home right on top of the Ocean this is it. We would recommend to one and all. We will stay again.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing, tourists without a car

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Helpful votes: 15 / 16

VERY DISAPPOINTED.

Lori from Indiana (Evansville, Indiana)
Review submitted: May 29, 2013   Date of arrival: May 11, 2013

Let me start by saying the only good thing about this condo was the view & pool. It was very hard to find at night, and the directions we were given weren't very clear to us. We arrived to find that many lights and switches (ceiling fans) did not work. We were unable to reach the owner that night, so it was a very uncomfortable night. I would have never booked this condo if the description had not said has A/C.( The next morning I looked up on VRBO to double check what it had said) When looking for towels under the bathroom sink, I also found an inch of standing water. When the owner called back the next A.M.. & we were telling her our problems, her reply was "what are you doing, inspecting the place?" When our only intention was to have these issues corrected. We then asked about A/C & her reply was that it was not supposed to be on the VRBO site any longer & portable A/C was available at an extra cost. She also knew that there were electrical issues, but had made no effort to warn us ahead of time that there was a problem. She did come over that day to address these things & brought out the portable A/C, so it was tolerable to sleep at night. (there was no mention then of extra charges) She also had electrical repairs made the next day, but not all of them were fixed & a bucket was put under the sink to for the leak. At that point we had no further contact with her. I feel that the description was misleading b/c we booked in January & the A/C is still on the site. The pictures make it look much better than it is. Many things are very rusty, like outlet plates, plugs of appliances like the blow dryer, plate of the coffee pot, the clothes hangers, the front screen door, even the Trivia Pursuit game box. There is a very damp musty smell especially in the 2nd bdrm area. I could go on, but I think you get my point. I understand this is the tropics & it is damp, but things should be in clean, working order. For our 1st trip to Hawaii, the condo is the only disappointing thing we have encountered. My point is, after a long day of sight seeing or being at the beach, returning to a cool, comfortable environment is really important. So, my advice would be to find another place, & I would NOT recommend this condo to any of my friends or family.

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

The Perfect Escape

Monica F. ()
Review submitted: April 28, 2013   Date of arrival: March 15, 2013

Marianna,

We loved our stay at your place! Perfect location, close enough to downtown Kailua Kona but far enough away from all the hustle and bustle. The privacy of this location is superb! The amenities were great and the sound of the ocean was spectacular! We live on the beach in San Diego and although we hear the ocean, we also hear lots street noise, so needless to say, we were very happy to not hear any sounds from the street and only hear the ocean. We also appreciated the overall welcoming feeling of your condo, it was the ideal setting to relax and unwind and appreciate your surroundings.

The property was well-maintained and clean. I would highly recommend this place and we will definitely be back. Thank you Marianna for accommodating our request to extend our stay once we arrived on The Big Island, it was a relief to know we didn't have to scramble for a hotel.

On a side note for recommendations: if you are looking to save money on groceries, shop at the open market near St. Michael's Church on Alii Dr, it's much cheaper and fresher than the grocery stores. We also shopped at local Farmers Markets. For restaurants, Huggo's is kind of a tourist trap and over-priced. We enjoyed Humpy's, which is right across the street from Huggo's, (happy hour Mon-Fri 3-6). If you are looking to rent Scuba gear, Jack's diving locker is great, $6.00 a day and they provide you with detailed maps and directions for snorkeling spots on the island.

If you choose to book your stay at Banyan Tree 404, you will not regret your choice! We have been to The Big Island many times are so glad we found this location.

The Mehrings

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0