I spent a week at Gay Hawaii B&B during Xmas holidays 2018. What a fantastic and wonderful…read moreexperience! The host is perfection, he is so knowledgeable about the island and the local sights and so helpful, sweet, friendly, and fun. The house is comfortable, clean, calm, and I met some other guests that have become forever friends. The area is amazing with the ocean so close you can walk and a black sand clothing optional beach a short drive away. Uncle Awa's bar is very close, also a little market there, and don't miss the Wed. nite food and arts festival. Also a short drive to Pahoa, a quaint sleepy town with wonderful hippie shops and great Thai food! Also a not too far ride to Volcano National Park, and also several waterfalls- very cool! We picked fresh passion-fruit and lemons in the tropical garden and made passion-fruit lemonade. The kitchen is fully stocked and we made fabulous meals. All in all it was the perfect vacation. I will definitely be returning and can not recommend Gay Hawaii B&B highly enough!!

This is my worst experience ever staying at a B&B. I've…read moretraveled all around the world. What was supposed to be a lovely getaway for a personal holiday, it was basically a nightmare. The owner over booked & offered a BALI HUT which is The NIGHTMARE. Rainstorm downpour 5 days. Dripping roof from rain, screens not secured & 2 inch opening under entry door for easy access from jungle critters. The door doesn't lock. If you're looking for numerous mosquito bites, critters & way too many ghekos trying to get out of rain. They live between the rafters. I tried to move back & reclaim my room main home. No one replied, owner got angry & accused me of coming all the way there & making this up not to pay. I also was accused of stalking because of trying to get moved or something? This is NONSENSE. I had to check out after 2 days with no sleep. Because of a holiday wee I paid triple the cost at a last minute hotel back in Hilo I've had nothing but contention & threats trying to be compensated for overbooking & my experience in Bali Hut. I have no reason to lie or make this up. Please Beware

In life, I've learned to "go with the flow" and it's always an amazing adventure when you do…read more Finding myself at the Lave Tree Tropic Inn was Jumanji! The symphony within nature kept me invigorate. The historical charm of the area is tempting to both an Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider adventurer(s). Yet, it is the subtle charm of Irene that soothes the balance between nurture and nature. You will be awaken by the most aromatic vanilla-macadamia-nut coffee whiff, while being tempted by a freshly baked warm, "banana-chocolate-chip-papaya-slice-of-heaven-bread." Now, a word-of-advice, the road towards the Tropic Inn requires "off-road" tires and caution within the trail. It rains often, and muddy roads create sticky situations. Nonetheless, if you're down those neck of the woods, you otta' know your terrain... Mahalo, Vee

I love serendipity!!!…read more Irene plays the ukulele and her friends sing Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, how fun!!! Admits tropical paradise, quiet, and serenity, I found quickness and humor, the best!!! Mahalo to all of you. Aloha, Vittorio is ready for his ukulele lesson.

This charming plantation-style inn is nestled on lush property that looks like the Garden of Eden…read more The price can't be beat! The inn has several rooms and a suite, and features a large kitchen with granite countertops, gas barbecue, and outdoor dining area so you can prepare your own food. The decor is "Vintage Hawaii" and the facilities are spotless and neat. Very kid-friendly, plenty of room to roam and explore. It is only 5-10 minutes from beautiful hot ponds and the ocean where you can snorkel or surf. A short drive to the funky, charming little town of Pahoa. Kapoho Village Inn is so peaceful, and set back far from the road. We loved the sound of the coqui frogs at night! Owners are very friendly and helpful, and provide you with a map and lots of information for local sites. LOVE this place!

Such a great find! It's definitely hidden so watch for the sign nearby. Very secluded and off the…read morebeaten path, immersed in what is pure jungle we stumbled across this lovely in. The owner, Chris, was nothing short of hospitable. Everything is at your fingertips here, laundry facilities if you need, a fully stocked kitchen equipped with utensils, microwave, etc. We enjoyed sitting on the back porch after the sun has set listening to the frogs and lovely night sounds and watching the stars and sipping a few drinks. If I ever return to the big island this is definitely where I would stay for much much longer. We don't care about wifi or tv. If you guys want that garbage go stay at your ridiculously priced resorts. This place was perfect for us. Thank you, Chris!

The units are dirty, the owner gives you no space and is constantly walking into your room like…read moreshe's known you for 20 years. She also has quite a temper and became downright threatening when I asked for a refund as we just could not stay there the full 10 days and I actually thought I may have to call the police because of her aggressive and loud behavior.

From the owner: We enjoy having guest from all over the world that are here to discover the magic The Big Island…read morehas to share. Expect specialized treatment for discovering secret nearby adventures and explorations. From great hawaiian food to secluded swimming holes. Nature is LOUD here, all else pales in comparison.Fill your soul and expect a healing !

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Wilson and the Mauna Kea Summit & Stars excursion…read more Wilson was incredibly well spoken and knowledgeable and I learned so much! He did all of this while navigating steep roads (not all paved) and feeding us amazing chicken stew, cookies, and hot cocoa. This was a truly memorable and magical trip and the weather was just perfect! Everything was well organized and I cannot recommend them enough

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.

This is actually the BEST place we've stayed at on any of the Islands. Comfortable, serene,…read moreprivate and the breakfasts are to die for! We stayed a week and wished we could stay longer. Cindy & Rick were the perfect hosts. We will definitely go back

My five nights at the Ohia House were not enough! Cindy and…read moreRick made me feel right at home and welcome, from the second I stepped into the lanai (my favorite part!). They were friendly, yet not overly present - very conscious of boundaries. They asked me questions about myself and made sure things were suitable. Which they were! The room was great! It had a comfortable bed, large closet, cozy couch and attached bathroom with robes! There was a book shelf with local books to read and even games to play (on the lanai) when I was not out and about. Most importantly, this room was CLEAN! I never hesitated to sleep in the bed, never thought about wearing sandals in the shower, or wondered who had been in here before me. It felt like I was at home. The lanai was, like I said, my favorite park. It was HUGE, and full of tables, chairs and informational brochures about fun things to do locally. I spent most of my time at Ohia House on this lanai and wish I had one of my own. It was screened in so even at night when I could hear the frogs; I was not worried that they (or the mosquitoes) would get me. The grounds are beautiful too, and though I walked around, I enjoyed observing them from the comfort of my chair. The breakfasts were incredible. I wrote down what Cindy gave out because I want to try and recreate them for myself later. Without listing complete recipes, they included but were not limited to: fresh fruit, mango, papaya, blueberries, bananas, muffins, yogurt, oatmeal and, Dutch cookies (not sure if this is the right name but it was still good!!). I could have eaten breakfast all day. They were great tasting and a good way to start my day. The friendly chit chat from the beginning of my stay came back to me in the form of GREAT, and on-point to my likings, recommendations. During my trip I saw an active volcano, a lava tube, a coffee plantation, botanical gardens and the local zoo. It was perfect, and a lot of it was free! I even got to see sea turtles at the bay in Hilo. It was incredible. I had a wonderful time on the Big Island and I can thank the Ohia House and Cindy and Rick for that. I will most definitely be back and I highly recommend it to any travelers on their way to this piece of paradise!!

What a find! I found Elvie and Huge's place on Craigslist and after the first email to inquire…read moreabout availability, I felt an instant connection with them. We stayed for 3 nights in the Mango House. Our group had 5, but the house could comfortably accommodate 6 (2 couples and 2 singles), more if people wanted to fit snugly. The beds, even the sofa bed, were wildly comfortable thanks to thick foam mattresses and luxurious silk sheets. You'd never imagine this house was "off the grid." We had 24-hour electricity to charge our computers and cameras, unlimited hot water (the semi-outdoor shower is DIVINE!), and pretty dependable WIFI (a few times it was difficult to connect, but have you ever tried connecting to WIFI at LAX? Sheesh...) The kitchen was appointed enough that we made several full breakfasts and dinners. They thoughtfully stocked the fridge with organic eggs and milk. A basket of organic fruit from various trees around the property was always kept full for us, and there was a quart of raw honey from their bees on the kitchen table. Each morning Hugh (Huge) stopped by with a treat for us...the first morning it was smoothies of yogurt from their goats, raw chocolate, organic bananas, and raw honey. The second morning it was a raw juice drink of tangerines, ginger and turmeric from their organic ginger farm, and honey...spicy, exotic, and incredibly delicious. The third morning it was rich, tangy goat yogurt...the best I've ever had. The location cannot be beat for those looking for an authentic Hawaiian experience. Far from the touristy, artificial beaches of Kona/Kohala, this spot is in utterly gorgeous, slow-paced Puna. In less than 10 minutes from your porch you can be soaking in a hot spring, sitting in a natural steam cave, or sunning on a nude black sand beach. In 15 you can be at the parking lot for the lava viewing area, which is really the only place where you'll see other tourists. We didn't stay in the large Ohana House but we got to tour it, and it's spectacular. Ornate Balinese carved teak everywhere you look, river rock bathrooms and kitchen counters, and even a pair of outdoor bathtubs for an incredibly romantic sunset. If you like independent travel...if travel, for you, is about meeting fascinating people...if you cherish the earth and its rich, organic bounty...Your Hawaiian Retreat is exactly what its name suggests. I've already made my plans to go back in a couple of months, it was that incredible. I cannot recommend it highly enough...I've traveled on all 7 continents and NEVER felt more overjoyed about another accommodation.

I visited Hawaii for the first time ever in May of 2007, and our stay at Your Hawaiian Retreat made…read moreit one of the most magical vacations I've ever had. The occasion - celebrating a friend's 40th birthday -- gave about 20 of us the opportunity to stay at this gorgeous organic farm that runs entirely on solar power and cached rainwater. Words cannot describe the sheer beauty of this place. Accommodations -The main house consists of 6 beautiful structures painstakingly transported from Bali and lovingly reconstructed. 5 smaller huts connect to the main house and feature either Queen or twin beds, full armoires and shelving, and private balconies that overlook the lush, bright gardens surrounding the property. The main room, with the kitchen and dining room, also features wide window seats that can double as daybeds. In addition, perched above are 2 other lofted beds, while there is also a vast empty "meeting room" with a vast gleaming floor that could be used as a yoga space but could also presumably sleep 5-6 more people in sleeping bags fairly comfortably. There are fans in all the room which help with air circulation and keep the bugs away at night. The bathrooms are fully tiled and gorgeous; the 2 in the main house are very spacious with dual showerheads. Fresh linens and towels are provided daily and we never ran out, despite the comings and goings of 20 young persons who were constantly making trips to the warm springs and the waterfall, going on various hikes and journeying to the beaches... -Mango House - an additional home on the farm that can sleep 2-4 and has its own kitchen and bathroom. It's a short walk from the main house and our friends found flashlights and headlamps pretty handy in making the trek there and back -Avocado House - cozy little nest that has 1 Queen bed and a tree house on top - perfect for curling up with a good book and iced tea... also a short distance from the main houes -Amazing rates (for now!) - when we visited, rates came out to about $50/ person/ night if you came with a party of 10. Additional persons over 10 are able to stay for $20/ night. -Kitchen - well stocked and fully equipped kitchen with everything: basic spices and condiments, flatware, glassware, coffeemaker, microwave, dishes, etc. We spent happy evenings making very large, very tasty, very varied group dinners - BBQ - a recently added BBQ hut with sizeable grill, plus benches and tables for picnicking and outdoor dining Surroundings -You can wander about this well-kept property and possibly find something new everytime. -There are all manner of fruit trees: papaya, mango, lychee, lemon, lime, banana, orange, calamansi, passion fruit, pineapple, coconut... -There is a vegetable garden from which we were encouraged to graze - and we eagerly gathered Kale, lettuces, cilantro, basil, carrots, and beets ... -There are 2 very friendly pups who roam the property freely -You can visit a Tiki artist who lives on the edge of the property The Hosts -Elvira and her husband, Biker Dude (also a world-famous organic ginger farmer) are two amazing fairy godparents of hosts. They'd bring us complimentary treats almost every day, whether it was fresh goat milk (yes, from goats on the farm), to a gojiberry-ginger-honey jam, to lovely gojiberry-and-date snacks. -Elvira is also available to cook for your group and makes amazing Filipino specialties (lumpia, adobo, pancit...). She can also do vegan, macrobiotic and/or raw meals if preferred... This is *the* perfect place for an amazing vacation; I can't wait to go back. The website is also refreshingly helpful and contains a ton of great photos and information about this lovely place.