What a treat! We left about 3/4 weeks ago and miss Honu Kai so much already!!!!…read more If you are looking to really experience the island like a local instead of just staying at a hotel, I highly recommend honu Kai, especially if you love nature. Honu Kai provides a unique yet comfortable stay. This was my first time at a b&b so I had a lot of questions. Months prior to booking, I called and texted Amy with my questions, and she always got back to me quickly. Location was great because target is only 10 min away if you need to stock up on the essentials. Lots of amazing restaurants are within 15 minutes as well. The property is so beautiful and well maintained. It truly felt like a second home. It has a peaceful and zen feeling that is extra magical at night due to the coquis. Our bed was so comfortable and our room was cleaned everyday. The fresh breakfast everyday with coffee and juice was excellent as well. The fruit was always fresh and sweet! I'm someone who appreciates quiet mornings alone so I was unsure about having breakfast with other people, but I'm so glad we did it. It's a really amazing and unique experience to sit and eat with people from all over the world! I truly miss sitting on the porch watching the birds and chickens on the lawn. What really made our experience special was Amy. She is so friendly, personable, and just a genuinely kind soul! Absolutely loved her! Our time here wouldn't have been the same without her. She truly goes above and beyond and really cares. 100000% recommend Honu Kai. We will definitely be back!

I originally had a night reserved here before flying out from Kona to Maui but after the Lahaina…read morefire, had to pivot, cancel the Maui portion and tried to extend our Kona stay. Unfortunately, with less than a month to go and only 4 rooms total was not able to get extra nights here. The one night we did have here was exactly like how I imagine old Hawai`i would look like. Just a short drive to downtown Kona for food and even Costco but far enough that you feel like you can disconnect. With so much shared public area and again only 4 rooms, nothing ever felt crowded. You had access to an outdoor dining area, gardens, sundeck, grill, plates, utensils, your own shelf in the fridge and even snorkel and beach gear. The only issue I had was when I used the hot tub, my eyes started stinging so not sure if it was overly chlorinated so only lasted less than 5 minutes as I kept tearing up. The rooms were comfortable, very thought out and has such nice little touches that make you feel at home. Only thing to note is since they are in such a tropical setting, they do not want you eating in your room to avoid ant infestations, etc.. Again, no big deal as they have a spacious dining area right downstairs that we had all to ourselves when we wanted to eat or snack. Innkeeper Amy was friendly, welcoming, and made sure we were taken care of. The breakfast in the morning was better than what you can get at a restaurant and the ambiance just cannot be beat. The sound of the rain while we ate our takeout dinner was so soothing and relaxing and the sound of the birds on a sunny morning paired well with that breakfast. We honestly didn't want to leave that we lingered after check out enjoying our lunch at their public area. I honestly could not ask for anything more.

Was highly disappointed. We wanted to stay somewhere local to help support local Hawaiians with…read moreeverything going on instead of some big corporation. After we arrived we found out there are cats which I'm allergic to. But I figured I would just avoid them and we would be gone most of the time anyway. Then we began to notice bugs. The lizards didn't particularly bother us, but there were millipedes everywhere. Dozens dead behind the bed, and in the corner of the bathroom. Live millipedes under the bathroom counter on the floor and crawling on the walls. Spiders near the AC. And we were getting bit by something in the middle of the night. We tried to stick it out, but after the 2nd day we just couldn't take it. I let the manager of the property know and she was very kind about it. But the owner would not give us any money back for the 3 unused nights, not even a partial refund. I was very disappointed. If you are considering booking here. Just don't. Not worth it.

So I'm originally from the big island but never stayed at Luana. Wanted to do something different…read morefor our Christmas vacation back home. I am so thankful i found this place! So convenient for me because all my family was in the captain cook area, but it is like a 20 minute drive to town (ali'i dr.) Words cant even come close to describing the beauty of this location and pictures can't do justice. The owner was amazing, so welcoming and made us feel right at home. Definitely gonna stay here more although I already have a home there, my new staycation Hands down if you love scenery and island life this will be heaven on heaven for you.

Thank You Angela for a wonderful Stay. We loved the Master Room, it was quiet, clean and…read morecomfortable. Breakfast was delicious especially the baked french toast and all the fresh fruit. The grounds were beautiful and the view spectacular. It was so conveniently located to several sights and to the most beautiful snorkeling spots. We truly enjoyed our stay and will be back.

It is difficult to say just how special our time was with Angela and Darrin at Aloha Big Island…read moreB&B. We were here for two weeks, and during that time we were treated more like family than guests. Of course all the expected things were done superbly - great breakfasts, lovely room, etc. But, it was the way we were introduced to local life that really stood out. We went to the Friday night fish fry with a local band - twice. Angela and her daughter joined us for a day at a hidden beach just 15 minutes away. We ate at every local restaurant, all of which we would return to without hesitation. We even spent an afternoon making baskets on the lanai from palm fronds. We did a few of the usual tourist things (volcano, waterfalls, snorkeling), but the big difference was a result of the tips from our hosts. I cannot recommend this as a wonderful place to relax and get to know a side of Hawaii that very, very few people will ever see. Thank you, Angela and Darrin for making our trip truly magical. Don and Family

We had an excellent time. We stayed in a two bedroom unit with another couple. The unit was roomy…read moreand well planned. They had activities during the week. I would stay here again!

Great experience here! Spacious two bedroom, two bath with living room and full kitchen. We had an…read moreincredible sunset view each night. The front desk employees are nice - one to check us in and the other to try to get us to attend a timeshare presentation. We kindly declined. Overall, we had a great experience here. The pool area and the sunset view were amazing. They even have a quiet pool area with a jacuzzi, mainly for adults. That was greatly appreciated. Almost forgot to mention that they even have a quiet seating area on the 5th floor facing the water. And they provide chemical free, reef-safe sunblock by the pool.

We had an amazing stay at Big Island Retreat and will absolutely be back. AnaMarie was wonderful --…read moreincredibly attentive, welcoming, and always had the kindest attitude. The property was very clean, well stocked with ocean toys and such, with everything we needed. The location is fantastic, very close to the ocean, and the snorkeling nearby was amazing. One of our favorite touches was the outdoor kitchen setup -- it had every tool and accessory you could possibly need and made the experience even more relaxing and enjoyable. Thank you again for such a memorable stay!

Things change as one gets older…read more.. Late 30s Chun P Early 40s Chun P Income $50-100Kish $75-125Kish 2005 Scion XB 2018 Ford Mustang $5-6 Beers $10-15 Mai Tais No AC, no problem! Must have AC in hotel! .3 miles to beach, NP! .3 miles to beach, car please! No closed door? NP! Can't close the door? WTF? Big Island Retreat, I thought this was a great place 5 years ago. I was okay not being able to completely close all the windows, listening to all the outside noises of wildlife, ocean waves, and other annoying human guests. No air conditioning, but I could tolerate the Hawaii's warm humid weather. A .3 mile walk in flip flips to the incredible Kahaluu beach with chair, snorkeling gear, towel, and refreshments was no biggie. Now that I'm older...I need to close all the windows and doors to keep out the noises out...and I don't everyone else hearing my noises, especially the romantic kind. The Orchid Room's balcony only had a screen door, no real door for privacy, so weird! Even if I could close the door, it would get really hot and humid since there is no AC. Nearby Kahaluu beach is amazing and a short walk away...but in wet flip flops and carrying gear it seems so much longer in 40s than in my 30s. The 2 story Ocean View room I had back in 2016 was more tolerable and private...the Orchid Room not so much. At under $200/night its actually still one of the more affordable places to stay in Kona. The Orchid room had an ocean view balcony, coffee maker, toaster, fridge, beach gear, and a TV you can't use after 8pm because its too loud since I can't fully close my balcony door. I might stay here again if its the Ocean View room, otherwise I'm looking for a hotel with air conditioning and doors I can fully close...maybe I'm just getting older, whinier, and crankier.

Lilikoi Inn is a GEM, hidden in the mts. above the coast!!! If there is a paradise, it is at the…read moreinn!!! Shai and Trina are incredible and gracious hosts and made our stay extremely comfortable, relaxing and fun!! Whatever you need, they are there to help, always with a smile! Our room was large, immaculate, great bed and the only sounds we heard was the sweet music of the birds! We loved sitting at the huge breakfast table eating one of Shai's savory dishes every morning and looking out and beyond to the ocean. You can't believe this place, until you go there for yourselves!!!!! My husband and I would return in a flash!!!! Not miss out on this "beyond words" place to stay. Don't worry about the ocean....It's a 15 minute ride!

Exceptional bed and breakfast on the Big Island. First, this can be a tricky place to find if…read moreyou've never been here before. Of course, we didn't arrive until 10pm, so my gps got us reasonably close. I knew we were in for something different when Shai said, you ought to pull up into the driveway a bit more so an avocado doesn't fall through your car window. Okey dokey, I appreciate the warning. For arriving so late, we had a warm welcoming, a beautifully appointed large room on the bottom floor, and a great night's sleep. Breakfast was around 8ish and deliclious. Kona coffee is unlike any other I've tasted and an interesting departure. The quiche Shai made was filling and sustained me for a trip of snorkeling to Keakalulea Bay! I'd only wished we'd tried out the hot tub just steps away from our room! The hospitality was truly amazing here.

The stories are true, Annie was very helpful and Rocky (who is at the beach) also a gem. We had a…read moregrand plan to have 4 of our party hike down (including one active 85 yo) and the other 4 kayak there. We planned to snorkel and lunch together, then trade hiking for kayaking. What we learned is that you CAN NOT DOCK the kayaks at Captain Cook. This was not clear so we arrived with towels, lunch, etc and 4 were going to head for the trailhead. Annie recommend water shoes, Rocky at the put-in did not. We did get a dry bag for our things and did take some snacks. All in all a great day but to be clear, when you kayak out you bring snorkel gear and little else except some lunch and camera gear in a dry bag. Loved being active, would not have chosen the popular boat cruise option but that's the type of crowd we are!

We happened to bump into this little place (also called the Pineapple Park Hostel) while looking…read morefor another kayak rental store. We sort of stumbled into this place hoping to get some kayaks and snorkel gear for the day. Out came Anne, who right away got to work helping us get what we wanted. She was super helpful, very direct in her communication. She gave us a lot of tips for kayaking (like if my husband's voice got strange while we were out kayaking just stop paddling and let him do all the work ! I loved her for this. Cracked me up. Anyway, she totally hooked our group up. Kayaks were already down at the ramp so we just drove down there and hopped in. All it all - because of Anne's help that day, we had an amazing day swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. Thanks Anne.

This is one of the rare times where I *specifically* booked a specific bed & breakfast instead of…read morejust whichever was cheapest, or closest to where we were staying (to be fair, it also *was* very conveniently located to the snorkeling and the farm tours I wanted to go on, as well). I booked it for a couple reasons: because we heard the view was gorgeous, and because I heard they served breakfast from their own farm. Both of these things are indeed true, and it was definitely worth the stay. The couple running the place are extremely friendly, accommodating, and full of suggestions. The Crow's Nest has a small private second-floor balcony that was just as great of a place to sit and eat poke and watch the sunset as I figured it would be (the view from bed wasn't bad, either). The bed was pretty comfortable, and there was plenty of space to space to spread out our stuff. And yes, the breakfast was unmissable each morning - great coffee brewed from their own coffee beans, wonderful avocado toast from their own fresh avocados (everyone thinks of California when they think of avocados, but having been to Hawaii now, I don't know why - the avocados in Hawaii were just the *best*), and all manner of fresh fruit (I don't think I'd ever had perfectly ripe, fresh papaya before, that was a highlight). They were happy to customize them a bit to our tastes, too. I even ended up taking a thermos of their coffee for the road, the day we left (I just asked for one last cup on the way out, they offered to fill a container. It was appreciated - it's great coffee!) The road to their place the first time was definitely as nerve-wracking as we expected it to be from other reviews... there was one point, with recent rain having clearly done a bit of a number on the already very rural-looking road, that it wasn't entirely clear if we had just accidentally started off-roading... but no, it was just a torn-up road with an impressively steep dip. The SUV we had no choice but to rent in Hilo handled it fine, but we were glad we weren't in a smaller vehicle. Once we knew where we were going, it was fine, even at night, but I agree with them that you don't want to *get* here at night. I would also comment, this does absolutely feel like you're staying as a guest in someone's house, rather than the relative anonymity and privacy of a larger establishment, in terms of feeling like we should be relatively quiet so our hosts or other guests didn't hear everything we were doing (also that we needed to remember to take our shoes off outside; as per request.) Definitely worth it for everything I mentioned above, though.

I had an amazing experience. 1) Great location close to a lot of snorkeling spots and beaches 2)…read moreFriendly hosts that made you feel welcome in their home and prepared delicious breakfasts 3) Clean and spacious rooms & breathtaking views from the patio 4) Great suggestions from the hosts that helped me plan the daily activities - things you wouldn't find in guide books. Overall this was exactly what I was looking for - family owned b&b that complemented the Big Island experience. Owners have been doing this for 20+ years and they know what they are doing - they have the personal touch that makes it so unique and differentiates the experience from a random hotel. Absolutely recommended and I hope to come back as well.