Absolutely fantastic property! Beautifully constructed and decorated. Pool was fabulous and the sunsets were an added bonus. Highly recommend the Onion House!
An amazing architectural beauty tucked into the Hawaiian hillside. The descriptions are apt. If you’re looking for the Four Seasons turn left out of the airport. But if you want serious glamping with a healthy side order of the outdoors, The Onion House is your place. Easily accessed, this gem brings contemporary elements for daily living to your Hawaiian vacation. Beautiful facilities for housing up to six - 2-4 adults would be ideal - there’s plenty of space to spread out, inside and out.Warning: this NOT a bug-free environment!! The house does have doors and windows but it is also open to critters that crawl and fly.Nevertheless, a stay at The Onion House feels like a stay at a home on Lifestyle’s of the Rich and Famous, Hawaiian style! And with the McCormick Spice family as the original owners and developers for this incredibly fun home, you can sleep, swim, cook, relax, or entertain in serious eclectic style! Thank you to the current owners for your loving dedication to maintaining this beast!! It’s an obvious labor of love and for those who choose to stay with you, that love will surely be in evidence.
The house is in an excellent location and while close to the road, you feel like you are in a rainforest and have complete privacy. Perfect size for our family. We used the pool almost daily and the sunsets from the pool couldn't be better. We found some handy floats & goggles in the laundry area which were a plus. There were plenty of pool towels to use. We cooked several meals and enjoyed eating outside on the terrace and using the grill. However, cookware was sparse and old. The stove, oven, and microwave are old. Marketing does a good job explaining this is indoor/outdoor living. The lack of a/c was not an issue at all & the temperature of the house was fine. Hearing the birds, frogs, and rooster was lovely. There is a ton of natural light. What we did not expect was the amount of insects and geckos inside the house, There is not much you can do about the geckos and it may have been weather related while we were there but, each morning I had to clean the kitchen counters before preparing coffee/ breakfast. The geckos were also an issue in the main bedroom. Despite these concerns, the pros far outweigh the cons.The home is truly one of a kind and there is a certain sense of peace and magic when you stay at the Onion House. Being here and connecting with our older children was a delight. You need to come with an open mind and accept the home for the uniqueness and charm it brings.The property manager was very responsive and helpful during our stay.
Had a great stay at the Onion House….. the neatest house we’ve ever stayed at! Amazing living areas, the pool and the view are things we will never forget…..they made our stay on the Big Island very special!
The property is beautiful. Plan to be one with nature. There was no air conditioning but we never missed it. I have never had the opportunity to stay in a place like this. It was a great part of our trip!
The onion house is absolutely the most unique place you could ever stay at. We were completely immersed in nature yet close to everything. The sunsets from the house were spectacular. Everyone loved it and hated to leave. An easy 5 Stars.
Second time staying at The Onion House, enjoyed the unique experience of living in the environment. Mahalo Jeanne for your watchcare during the hard storms and flooding we addressed while there. Until next time!
What a beautiful and uniquely architected home. We loved the design, the surrounding foliage, the pool, and the location. Thanks!
This house is a work of art. Jeanne was a wonderful property manager. It was like staying inside a living, loving organism. The outside flows to the inside leaving you feeling like you’re an organic part of the island. This place has spoiled me for any other place.
The Onion House was a truly unique place to stay. Beautiful views, great gardens and pools, and our host was informative and fun to speak with. Close to town, but with a very secluded feel, it was perfect for a family getaway!
This is either the third or fourth time I’ve stayed. Obviously we love it. As an architect and hedonist, you couldn’t find a better place! We’ll be back. Thanks Jeanne and Terri!!!
This was the most beautiful home we have ever stayed in. From word work to stained glass, the whole home is a living breathing piece of artwork. Waking up to the birds each morning and drinking our coffee on the lanai was the highlight of the morning. While in the evening we sipped cocktails and watched the sunset from the pool. Not sure how it could have been more magical. Thank you, we will be back every year.
We loved our stay at the Onion House. It is a beautiful house, and one of a kind design. It is quirky so you have to be in the mood for that. Super relaxing, very well located, and just beautiful. The whole house is a work of art.
We really enjoyed our stay. Jeanne gave us all the information we needed. The house is comfortable (I loved the bed and linens), so beautiful and certainly one of a kind! We had everything we could possibly need. The erupting volcano was the only thing that we left the house for!
Christopher L.
Dec 05, 2024
We enjoyed our stay. We had 5 people total. The owner communicated all the details well in advance of our stay. And, the property manager followed up with us the week before our trip. Communication. Was excellent! Everything was clean. In good shape. The property is really a unique place. We enjoyed staying @ the onion. Location is close to everything. Grounds are impressive.
Must be a nature lover to stay here we were absolutely happy every single moment of every single day. We were visitors during monsoon season with pouring down rain, but the weather was still warm and we were able to sit out and enjoy the pool during the day. A favorite part of our stay is watching the parakeets fly overhead by the dozens and having the geckos overhead in the house an absolutely beautiful property with never-ending new fines of eye candy. It’s a must do.
This place is amazing! This was our second stay, and we brought some family members this time. They were amazed by the uniqueness of the property, the view, and especially the huge private pool. All the stained glass everywhere gives the place a magical quality. I can’t say enough good things about both the manager and the owner. It seems almost tacky to mention money while discussing a work of art, but the value you get for the price here is quite impressive. Stay here and stay here often!
So unique and so much fun! Loved the open air experience. Great views of the ocean and sunsets. Beautiful landscaping! Loved the pool and outdoor areas. Would highly recommend (as long as you don’t have a problem walking up and down steps).
The property is a one of a kind experience. After a couple nights you get used to all the animal sounds. The pool and view is great and the sunsets are beautiful.
What a house. The most incredible home i have ever been in. My father was an architect and designed and built the house i grew up in - it was wonderful and featured in architectural magazines. Ive been in several flw houses and lived in a beedle house as well. All to say that the onion house is in a class all by itself. Really innovative, beautiful and surprising at every turn. Impeccable design with custom even down to the soap holders. Lush garden, huge pool too. House manager Jeanne was very helpful and made us feel at home with her spirit and smile. Can’t say enough. Would love to come back.
Wonderful stay in a beautiful work of art for my birthday. Peaceful and private gem of a property. Looking forward to a return visit.
I've dreamed of staying at the Onion House for about 25 years. I saw it on an Amazing Vacation Homes tv show and promised myself that some day I would visit the Big Island and stay at the Onion House. One might think that a crazy, unique home built in the 60's would lose its charm. Maybe it would be in disrepair or need some TLC. Not the Onion House. It is still a living piece of art and it's timeless. I found something new to look at every time I walked through the house. It's simply spectacular! The pool is huge - (it's freezing this time of year though so we didn't use it much). The location is perfect and very close to Kona and all the restaurants. The beds are comfortable and the amenities are great. The house is perfect for two couples and a child or even three couples if you are family or close friends. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful home with us!
This amazing property was our home away from home for a too short 5 weeks. There are tons of things to do on the big island, but nobody wanted to leave the pool and this absolute work of art house!
Jeanne the manager was extremely helpful and made us feel at home.
The most enjoyable trip ever!
This property is a must experience. You will never stay anywhere like it. Built in the 1970s it has been well preserved. The atmosphere on the property makes you feel like you are staying in a far away oasis but it is actually in town with surrounding neighbors. The Onion House has also been named as one of the top 10 places on the Island to view a magnificent sunset. The pool is cool and refreshing. The rooms are clean and comfortable. Such a great space for friends and family. I highly recommend.
The only drawbacks may be the parking is tricky if you are driving a larger vehicle (ie Jeep Wagoneer) and if the neighbors are cutting trees on the neighboring property it can ruin the ambiance. We had chainsaws running one day of our stay starting at 7 in the morning. Only a big deal if you are spending your day on property Not a big deal if you are going to be out for the day. Otherwise, the evenings were quite peaceful.
This place is very unique and beautiful! We love the history book it came with.
