A fantastic place to stay! John is the greatest of hosts and his house is just a magical place. We couldn't have stayed in a better place during our four nights on the eastern side of Big Island.
Beautiful property in a quiet neighborhood. Neat and clean. Easy drive to grocery store and to Hilo.
Less touristy than most of the "typical" Hawaii you may know, John's home is charming and surrounded by lush nature. John is incredibly kind, helpful and engaging and will treat you like a good friend. Highly recommended!
This rental is a lovely cottage in a lush tropical garden setting. It had everything we needed, and we especially appreciated all the different coffee making options in the morning. John, the owner, was so kind and helpful and we enjoyed our visits with him. The cottage's location made exploring Volcanoes National Park really easy -- we went multiple times during our stay, something we haven't had a chance to do before when visiting the Big Island.
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed spending our evenings at the Hawaiian Paradise Cottage. We appreciated the large well equipped kitchen because, given the cost of restaurant food, we could cook for ourselves. At night, the chirping frogs were a treat to hear, contributing to the rural ambience. John was a fabulous host and did everything he could to ensure that we were enjoying our stay. If on the Big Island in the future, we would return. Thank you, John!
We really enjoyed John’s vrbo. Very comfortable and pleasant. We had a great time.
Thanks John
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John is an excellent host and knowledgeable about the area. The place was spacious and even if it’s next door to the host’s residence, its set up in such a way that you have complete privacy particularly on the all important Lanai
We really enjoyed our stay at this property and was sorry to leave. It is conveniently located near stores, good food, and attractions like volcano and Hilo. The hospitality of the host is unmatched and the comforts in the house and surrounding gardens transports you and makes you feel like a local. Thank you for hosting us! We hope to visit Big Island and stay here again in the future!
Well furnished cottage. Lots of whistling frogs, singing birds, and roosters provide background. A small friendly dog, and two cats welcome you, and reappear frequently. Host is in adjacent house, and has lots of local information to share.
Gated lot means excellent security.
con: no dishwasher. Location is miles from groceries and restaurants.
We stayed there for a week and really enjoyed our time there. John was a very welcoming and accomodating host and always available if we needed anything. The gardens are lovely and John gave us with some breadfruit which we prepared in the local style, it was delicious. Would highly recommend this location
We enjoyed our 5 night stay here. John was very helpful when we first got in telling us all about the house and gardens and giving us advice on restaurants and local places to see. The gardens on the property are beautiful. We were able to visit the Paradise Cliffs just a 5 minute drive from there as well.
Only a couple minor downsides. As a few others have commented on, opening and closing the gate every time we came and went was a bit of a hassle. But we got used to it. It's necessary to keep out any unwanted animals. The other thing was that the pillows were a bit flat. I'm sure John would have helped us with that at the time if we let him know. We just lived with it.
Our family stayed on John's property for four days while visiting Hawaii. John was very responsive as a host and provided great suggestions for restaurants and things to do during our stay. John shared delicious fruits that he grew on his property and took the time to give our family a tour of his beautiful property. We really enjoyed our stay and would definitely go back!
The property was truly a paradise nestled in exceptional grounds. John was a most gracious host, a 10 in my book. We loved our stay!
The stay was absolutely wonderful. It was week trip to visit family and the place was absolutely perfect a real hidden gem. It was comfy and cozy with plenty of room for my wife and teenager. John was a great host and has really transformed that property into a paradise. All and all it was a great stay i highly recommended it.
Very clean. Great location with easy access to Hilo. Very friendly and accommodating host. Highly recommend a stay here.
Our family stayed at John's for a few days and it was perfect for our needs. John was very welcoming to us and gave us a detailed orientation to his home as well as a great geography lesson about the Big Island for our kids that we all enjoyed. He also made himself available for an evening garden tour which was one of the highlights of our stay! We would definitely stay at his place again if we return to the Big Island. Thank you, John!
John's rental was fantastic and exceeded what we were expecting. The property itself was wonderful, but the house was great. We had been considering a hike through the "jungle" to a secluded beach. It turns out that John's place is just a few minutes drive to the trail head. John's friendliness and knowledge of the area has gained our loyalty and we will, should we return to Hilo, be renting from him again!
Where do I even begin? This property is gorgeous! The house is lovely and comfortable for a family. The gardens are unbelievable. The host is kind, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful. He wants to make sure his guests are comfortable and have as many experiences on the Hilo side of the island as possible. His sweet pets made us feel like we were at home as we are huge animal people and missed our own. If John is able to take you on a tour GO!
John was super nice and very knowledgeable about plants and flowers (among other things). The tour of the garden was great along with the fresh orange juice and ulu (breadfruit) we made into hashbrowns for our breakfast. The cottage was beautiful and fit 4 adults comfortably. Mahalo John and we will definitely be back!!
John, the owner, was gracious from the beginning, even before we made reservations. He patiently answered all our questions and happily accommodated some special requests we had.
Following the driving directions provided in his email days before our arrival proved to be spot on.
Although John wasn't present at check-in, we managed to get in smoothly. We had to leave in a hurry before his arrival due to a prior engagement. The property matched the description perfectly, and the interior was impeccably clean upon our arrival and throughout our stay.
Despite our frequent visits to Hilo, we've never experienced so much rain before. However, this wasn't necessarily a negative aspect, aside from the muddy pathways resulting from our weekend excursions. There was a minor issue with the automatic gate before our arrival, but it didn't pose a significant problem beyond what was mentioned earlier.
Throughout our stay, John was prompt in responding to our questions via this app.
I would recommend this home to both families and singles alike. There are board and card games suitable for all ages, as well as a wide selection of books to pique your interest. John's artistic talent is showcased through paintings adorning the property, which are available for purchase if desired. Additionally, the yard and garden are charming, perfect for taking photos or exploring.
Given the opportunity, we would definitely stay here again.
The property has a full kitchen that enabled us to cook all but one meal during our 5-night stay. The bed was comfortable and we both enjoyed the sound of rain and frogs. John - the property owner - was communicative, and full of knowledge. His garden tour was one of the highlights of our entire vacation.
We were scheduled to reach late around 12:30 am. Even then John, made a point to wait for us, give a quick tour, make us comfortable. He goes above and beyond to take care of his guests. already quick to respond to any questions we had during our stay.
he helped us plan our sight seeing as well and made our visit a memorable one.
We had such a great time! The house was clean and stocked with all the items that we needed. John is a thoughtful and caring host and we appreciated his rich knowledge and advice. We also enjoyed getting to spend some time with his adorable pets!
There was just something special about this property and John, the property owner. The moment we got out of the car and met John, I felt my nervous system drop down into a very relaxed mode. It's a beautiful place, nicely arranged with lovely outdoor spaces. We enjoyed the visits from the resident dog and cats and their presence made it feel more home like. John was a gracious host, a wealth of information, and kind and thoughtful. I loved the lull of the Coqui frogs at night. Unfortunately the neighborhood around the house was a bit loud for my sleeping comfort on both Friday and Saturday night, and I used the provided earplugs (John puts them out for guests who experience the Coqui frogs to be too loud) to quite the neighborhood noise. But this was completely out of John's control and it is perhaps not a regular occurrence. Overall, I would highly recommend this location. A really special piece of Hawaii hosted by a very special person.
Had a stroke, owner worked with us to help. Lovely space, so comfortable and beautiful, great kitchen, lots of birds!
Peaceful environment, house well stocked, John was great, nice location to enjoy/explore the surrounding area.
An immaculate and airy space in the heart of a tropical garden. John's place is a convenient base for day trips to Hilo, volcanoes, and other nearby wonders. Although sightseeing kept us awaybmost of our time it would've been easy to spend days relaxing on the property. We felt immersed in nature.
Lush tropical setting in out of town setting. John was a wonderful host very attentive to our needs. Would definitely stay again.
This is one of the most restful places I've ever stayed in with a gracious and considerate host, a house that is comfortable and suitably appointed inside and out and grounds that grant privacy and beauty. The interior and lanai have comfortable furniture and the kitchen is easy to work in. John was very helpful, informative and spontaneously generous. His garden tour — an introduction to the property and its luxurious plantings — set the tone.
Normally in Hawaii we spend our days exploring. Somehow, relaxing on the lanai with a book or a hobby was just as enticing as yet another beach or hike. The WiFi is excellent. It's a good home for while you are away; be a good guest.
What a fantastic 3-day stay in a beautiful location!
John is a fantastic host, thinking of all the little details that would make our stay more comfortable! He was so helpful in guiding us to awesome places that weren’t always on the beaten path! I highly recommend staying here.