This pleasant, older house was about 10 minutes from Hilo, 6 from the Botanical Garden, and 5 from picturesque Honoli’i Beach. The photos are good representations. Nice Hawaii-themed art appeared throughout. The number of electrical outlets was limited; power strips helped.
The bathroom had a vanity area with a ring light, but lighting over the sink was dim. A window with glass slats next to the sink couldn’t be closed; not a big a problem, despite chilly February mornings. One bedroom window sash was broken, and others had poor fits, but enough worked okay. We didn’t need the portable fans, but used the strong dehumidifiers.
The small kitchen had several countertop appliances that shared one outlet. Utensils and cookware were good; dishes were bright and cheerful. We moved a floor lamp in for more light. The small laundry off the dining area was great. The drier vented inside, though, which set off the hallway smoke alarm, so we opened the laundry windows and closed the door from the dining area to the hall.
One side of the house borders the Aleamai Stream, with lush tropical plants. The other side overlooks fruiting banana trees. The front has potted plants and coqui frogs, who serenaded us at night (which we enjoyed). The front door lacks a latch; we looped a rubber band around the handle to hold the door closed if we stepped outside. In front is the 2-lane Hawaii Belt Road. It is closer than the online photos suggest; there was pretty constant highway noise. In the back is a small yard. Over a short fence is a large field and farmhouse, with a cow pasture up the hill. Very pleasant, with colorful songbirds visiting, and a landing outside the laundry room to sit and observe. There were lots of spiders outside the windows, spinning webs from the eaves, but we never saw one inside. Geckos were mostly outside; one or two inside didn’t bother us.
We needed help from Vacasa 3 times: for an internet outage (a bad line elsewhere), a plumbing issue, and a chirping smoke alarm in the closed-off basement. Dane came up from Hilo quickly each time, and was cheerful and efficient in solving the issues. Thanks, Dane!
Despite detailed directions, the driveway cannot be seen as you cross the Aleamai bridge until it is too late to make the left turn. We put red reflectors on either side of the driveway, but it is a good idea to go slow, and learn the road signs just before the turn.
We have fond memories, and would stay here again, quirks and all.
