Cute, quaint place. I'd definitely stay there again and recommend to friends and family. Born and…read moreraised here, this is what i remember fondly are places as this, grandmas house or uncles and aunties house that we'd stay or visit. Even the neighborhood was as similar to the area I grew up in. Being in this plantation cottage brought back fond memories of family gatherings and missing those loved ones. Just know, visitors, and those not used to "plantation type" homes/cottages these were once plantation workers homes years ago. Keeping it almost "as the plantation times" and not trying to change up the neighborhood either is what inspired myself and husband. Yes it is old, but it's not made up to be modernYes, we all have roaches, ants, termites and chickens that crow at 4:30 am! Its ok! It's country style living! Keeping it real I'd rather stay here 10x over than somewhere where there's too many people. Love this place. Definitely my new go to P.S. Unlocked door with my name on it was definitely thumbs up. That's when you know you're in a great neighborhood Great job Julia

We found this place on hotels.com and let me tell you, there is barely any lodging available in the…read moresouth side of Big Island! We didn't have many options so we went ahead and booked this place. DO NOT STAY HERE: 1. The address was wrong. Weirdly, the owner somehow saw us arriving and started following us as we drove in circles trying to find the place. Not sure how she knew it was us since we didn't give an ETA or what kind of car we'd be in. Suddenly, we heard honking behind us as this silver civic started tailgating us. We were wondering wtf their problem was, so we pulled over to the side to let them pass, and she pulled up along us asking if we're looking for cottages. Turns out she was the owner and told us to follow her. Felt like we were bound for a horror movie slaughtering. 2. Should have known when we pulled up, she said it was ready for us since 10am that day, but there was still a van parked out front and people blowing leaves in the front. She said that she texted me the new address, but I never received anything from her. She said that the address on the GPS was her old office or something. I felt like something important like an address would be beneficial in receiving so not sure why she did not just call or email me if she did not hear back from me in the text message. She gave us a tour of the place and left. There were still clothes or something running in the washing machine, so we felt a little uneasy knowing someone will be coming in to grab it and we left our luggage in the place. The cottage itself was HUGE - like, 3 bedrooms with a total of 10 beds or so! There were only 2 of us, so it kind of spooked us being in such an old place. 3. Here's where it gets bad...there were ROACHES AND TERMITES in the house!!! I get it, we're in Hawaii and it's bound to happen, but the bathroom had CLUSTERS of them on the floor and tiny ones flying around in the bathroom! We found dead roaches hidden behind furniture in the living room too. Even laying in bed on our phones, we would see something little fly by. If we wanted to deal with bugs, we would have just saved our $100+ and went camping for free!! 4. Speaking of bathroom, there was NO HOT WATER! We could barely shower because the cold water was so unbearable so late in the night. When I had contacted hotels.com, the rep reached out to the owner and her excuse was that we're in Hawaii and there are bounds to be bugs, and that sometimes people leave food out which attracts the termites. I thought they were attracted to wood? Also, if the house was CLEANED, why would they have enough time to be attracted to such food and/or why would it be in the bathroom -_- As for the cold water, she blames us for not calling her to complain. First of all, it was late in the night, second of all we were already butt naked freezing cold in water. Did she want us to call her (which we did but nobody picked up!!) and what, move us to a whole new cottage?? Sounds to be a bigger inconvenience. In the end, she refused to issue us any sort of refund on her part. DO NOT STAY HERE!! MAJOR HEALTH CONCERNS! Take the extra drive and stay somewhere, anywhere if you have to, just not here!

Huaka'i guide services showed me a part of Hawaii I normally wouldn't see. Going hiking is out of…read moremy element but you only live once right? I gave Kehau a call and worked out a hike with a group of friends that wouldn't be too rigorous but still challenging. With steady encouragement and the message "it will be worth it at the top" and on the way he filled me in with awesome history and an authentic hawaiian perspective which was informative. Once at the top of the ridge I was at a loss for words we were mesmerized, it was completely worth it. We ended up scheduling another hike before the trip was over. Highly recommend Huaka'i guide services for an awesome authentic Hawaiian adventure.

From the owner: We are a group of seasoned local guides, dedicated to perpetuating pono and aloha by sharing with…read moreour visitors a cultural and historical understanding on the people of Hawai'i and the place we call home. Experience the amazing and beautiful island of Hawai'i through Hawaiian culture and folklore. We provide a wide range of services guaranteed to show you the most iconic locations in the most authentic way. Whether you are looking for a easy breezy shuttle or an elaborate full day tour, our team at Huaka'i Guide Services has you covered.

We went on an almost 100% full (flower) moon. It was special to see the terminator line on the…read moreCelestron telescope - it had such great definition! The color of Mauna Kea with the moon shining on it was so magical all around us. There were some clouds that cleared pretty well by the end of our star gazing. We were the last ones up there so it got dark enough to see more than you'd expect with the moon. Jeff, our awesome tour guide, used a laser pointer to help us see the constellations we usually can't back at home. The images on the digital telescope like nebulas, the moon & star clusters were an amazing addition to have as keepsakes. My husband and I felt he made the tour a great balance of learning and fun. He had the group feeling like family before we even left from the pickup lot. Things to consider: I do recommend following the moons cycles booking this tour/your trip if this is especially important for you to see as many stars as possible. The sunset and views of the observatory's make it awesome anyways :) I struggled with altitude sickness around 12,000 ft. Jeff had made sure to let us know beforehand if we experienced any issues to speak up. I was hesitant as I know it would mean turning the whole tour around, but some tingling turned to dizziness and then a brief fainting. He immediately stopped the bus and helped ground me and make sure I was completely okay & coherent before letting me know our options for the tour. We made it up to the top with 2 more (included in tour) stops and I felt better with each one having more time to acclimate :) Thank you Jeff!! You handled this so professionally and I appreciate your check-ins for the rest of the trip. It's cold even with parka and gloves. It's so worth packing warm shoes and layers. The bus had ac and heat so that was great! Do it if you can! Awe-inspiring! Such an unreal environment that makes you wonder about so many things. Just take the precautions seriously, move slow and breathe deep.

Mauna Kea summit trip was amazing. Definitely worth it. Our guide, Aaron was very humbly…read moreknowledgeable and you can tell he really enjoyed the star gazing. He made our group time together feel like ohana. The equipment was top notch.

Excellent experience. Evan and Don where great. They both were very knowledgeable of the ocean and…read moretook us to a great place to snorkel on the kayaks.

We spent an awesome morning on the water with Evan. He was friendly, fun, knowledgeable and even…read morewent the extra mile (fathom?) while free diving 40 feet to find an octopus so that we could have an encounter with one. We saw lots of turtles getting their spa day while tropical fish cleaned them. Within an hour or two, we received an email with two dozen high quality photos and videos that Evan took with his GoPro. A pretty big value add to the tour! I was a little apprehensive about exiting the kayak but he made it a safe, easy and fun experience. If you're thinking of joining a huge group tour organized by one of the resorts, book a trip with Evan and his guides instead. You won't regret it!

I had a blast on this daytime snorkeling tour. I got to climb aboard the RIB navy seal type boat,…read moreit felt like an adventure. The guides took the tour out to the Captain Cook Monument, where the snorkeling was cool. The water was clear, the marine life plenty, and it ended up being one of the best snorkeling spots I've experienced. One tip: be sure to rent the flippers when you sign up. They made a huge difference and helped a lot in the water. They are not provided from the all in tour price. For the tour price you get the ride and snorkel mask with a floaty. They also rent life jackets if you need that. This tour is definitely geared toward people who are comfortable swimming and being on an open-air boat. If you're nervous in the water or can't swim or prefer a more relaxed boat ride, this isn't it. If you're looking for excitement, it's hard to beat. What really made the experience special were the crew members. Our captain and lifeguard were laid-back, friendly, and made everyone feel safe while keeping the atmosphere fun. The highlight for me was racing along the coastline at nearly 50 knots, bouncing across the waves and taking in incredible views of the island. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

This tour company is wildly unprofessional…read more We booked a 9 pm manta ray snorkel tour and were told we needed to move to 7:20, about 3 hours before the tour time. When we said we couldn't do that time and asked for a refund instead, they said they would not give a refund under any circumstances. We called the "office" multiple times to figure out what was going on and to find a reasonable compromise and had to call over 6 times to finally catch anyone, and even with that, they basically just told me that we were SOL, because their policy says they can move you to any time they chose without notice. "You signed the terms which are legally binding." After fighting on the phone for 30+ minutes we were finally told we can have a voucher to come another time, but our $250 was tanked. Also to note their waiver includes a clause that you cannot request a refund through your credit card, which should've been a huge red flag. All in all, please spend your money elsewhere. There are tons of other companies to choose from, so please don't waste your time with this one.

The last time I surfed was in 2004 in Maui, many years ago not quite young - but much younger than…read moreI am now; and before I had kids. But surfing in the beauty of Hawaii is an experience of a lifetime and one I wanted to share with my kids/family. My son was up for the adventure. We met our instructor, Daniel, at the surf van that is parked on the road, near the guardrail, just south of the little blue church. He informed us that it was high tide, and there wouldn't be many waves and offered to rebook us for another time. It was our last day of our trip, and we would not be able to make it for another day. After much thought, my husband convinced us just to go out and make the best of it. I'm so glad we did. We got out into the water, paddled out. During the our time in the water, I got roughed l up a bit by a set that rolled one on top of another, but Daniel was there keeping a watchful eye, was awesome to help paddle tow me over a bit further away from that area. Daniel was able to pick out what few waves came by and get us set up to catch them. He is so easy going and encouraging. He continued to give us tips for board positioning. We were able to catch a handful of waves between myself and my son. Standing up and riding a wave was pure magic - and the highlight of my trip. I wish I would have taken photos of it all, but I was too busy enjoying living the moment in real life. And my son and I were able to even catch the same wave together - that was the best! Thank you to Kona Town Surf Adventures and to Daniel for sharing the surf of Hawai'i. And when Daniel comes to Arizona to follow his dreams at UTI, we'd be happy to be his desert ohana.

Our four kids (two 11-year olds, a 13 year old and a 14 year old) had an absolute blast. Two of the…read morefour kids were looking forward to the surf lesson and two of the four were dreading it. Happy to report that four and the four had a GREAT time! Our instructors (Daniel and I missed the gal's name) were definitely a highlight. They let the kids go at their own speed but didn't treat them like babies. I've taken surf lessons in other cities and these were awesome because they cut right to the chase. Definitely more time spent in the water, which was appreciated. Their instructions they emailed ahead of time were spot on. Couldn't say more great things about our experience. All four kids ended up getting up on a board plenty of times, despite less than ideal Hawai'i conditions (gray, rainy, etc). They could have gone for another two hours!

If you're staying in Hilo, I would highly recommend this place! There are so many good things that…read moreI can go on and on about. The location is quiet and peaceful with lots of plants and trees. Each guest has a designated parking spot marked with specific colors which makes it very nice and organized. The kitchen is shared by multiple guests and the cabinets are color coordinated so stick to your color so you don't accidentally eat your neighbors pineapple! They even provide a list of things you can do (generally on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) for their guests. You must check out Uncle Roberts night market (I think it's on Wednesday and Saturday night, but please double check). Also, shoutout to the sweetest girl Dakota for making fresh bread daily! You've inspired me to bake bread at home. I can't believe how easy it is! We cannot wait to stay here again the next time we visit the big island!

From the owner: We at Greenwillmind aim to encourage individual and societal mindfulness by offering space to…read morelike-minded travelers who value the core principles of truth, beauty, patience, kindness and love as well as have a deep respect for community and the natural environment. May you find space, rest, peace, joy & harmony at one of our vacation properties of on the Big Island of Hawai'i and spread the Aloha where ever you may go.

Kirston led our group through paddle board basics before taking us out to a super calm spot. We did…read morea mix of meditation, breath work, and yoga. Even though it was gently sprinkling, it was a remarkably beautiful experience together!

Absolutely loved my times with Kirston doing paddle board yoga in A-bay. Beautiful soul, attentive…read moreto client's inclinations and desires. Highly recommend. Great equipment, wonderful support.

They are the best we have ever had. We have been coming to Hawaii for many years now, but we have…read morenever met a company that will go out of the way to help you as this company. They seem to know everyone on the Island they can connect you with. We are very happy with the Condo they found us, just what we wanted and more in a great location.

I would never rent from this company again. Communication is very poor through VRBO and their main…read morephone number. I had asked to cancel my VRBO the day after I found out my Brother in law's funeral service was the day we were supposed to check in. I had to have VRBO contact the host so I get a response from their initial email to accommodate me in another property. Lit took them more than 30 days (after my stay at another property) to refund me the initial payment sans VRBO fee and insurance fee. Multiple texts, phone calls, and VRBO messages- it shouldn't be this hard to contact a host. They added stress to us who just lost a loved one.