The location is very convenient but the best part is the personal service from the host. The stay felt more like I was visiting family than a hotel. Lots of amenities from snorkeling gear to beach toys and a huge washer too. Highly recommend.

My family, consisting of my wife and I, our 7 year old girl and the grandparents (both in their 70's) stayed here and loved the property. Karen and Tim were great to us and were very reasonable and accommodating. Our daughter loved staying here! Part of her daily routine was feeding all the animals on site with Karen (who was great with our daughter). The location was perfect for us as we were an easy 30 min drive to our favorite beaches up the north coast. They shared their beach toys with us and that gave us everything we needed the whole time we were there without having to rent or buy additional beach items. The washer/dryer was great for us as well. Overall, this was a great place to stay! Thanks for the warmth and genuineness. Aloha!

The owners were gracious. The house was beautiful, but, a few drawbacks You cannot lock the doors when you leave, no keys available. This was not mentioned in the description. One of the residents swims naked in the shared pool, again, not mentioned in the description. We were asked to text when we were leaving the property and returning so they could be sure all the dogs were inside. We love animals, but, this was not mentioned in the description. The house was clean, unfortunately, there were bugs, and we were bit, one of our party was bitten ALOT.. the owner did respond with spraying and using eucalyptus., we continued to get bit.. after 5 days we decided we could not stay any longer and found another VRBO to stay. We did let the owner know, as well as VRBO with no refund of unused days. ,. 9 to be exact. The owners were very gracious. We think they should be more transparent in the rules, regulations and lack of locks/keys. Maybe a professional pest company.

We really enjoyed our stay with Karen and Tim! The location was very convenient to the airport and Kona and our children loved meeting and interacting with the goats/tortoise/dogs. The place is very comfortable and the addition of a washer/dryer made our stay so easy! Thank you, Karen!

We had a wonderful time at Karen and Tim’s vacation rental. The hosts went the extra mile to ensure that our stay was comfortable. I suggested that a luggage rack would be a nice add to her house and boom…..Karen ordered them and had them there before we left. I was especially thankful for her and Tim’s good and helpful suggestions of things to see and do. I recommend checking out some of their suggestions. Karen and Tim have been hosting visitors for awhile and it is obvious that they know how to turn out an amazing product. I was concerned about the street noise but it was never a bother to us. View their video if you want to understand what to expect. It is an accurate representation. I will stay here again if at all possible. Thank you Karen and Tim for the comfortable visit.

Property was even better than advertised. The road noise that was mentioned was not a big issue. Karen and Tim were wonderful hosts and the kitchen was well stocked. Beautiful place and the dogs, Tortoise and dwarf goats were a delight.

Property management awesome

Beautiful property with great fruit trees and lush surroundings. Karen and Tim were very informative and helpful, we feel like we made new friends.

This property seemed to have everything we needed, plus a giant tortoise named Moku. We made a lot of our own meals, and plenty of pots, pans, spices, and utensils were available. Nice, big beach towels, boogie boards, and snorkels for beach outings, as well as little coolers and ice packs. The bedrooms were set up perfectly for our family of four. Conveniently located to reach all the main sights, and the hosts were generous with their local knowledge. Beautiful, gated property.

Karen and Tim are gracious hosts. There was 5 of us and it was just right. Enough room for everyone. They had snorkels and boogie boards which was very convenient. Their pool amazing and refreshing from a hot day. They gave us a lot of useful information on where to go and what to see. When we come back to Kona we will definitely be reaching out again.

This is a unique property that has some terrific pluses, but also some minuses to consider. The home is a large and attractive with comfortable beds in both bedrooms, two nice bathrooms, and a very comfy sofa. The kitchen is large and well equipped, and there is a nice patio with a beautiful view. The property is on a huge lot filled with gorgeous plants and trees. It is like living in a rainforest. That plus the abundant supply of gorgeous little dogs and a 100-pound turtle you can feed really make it special. Most of all, Karen is a true super host who will go to no end to make your trip a special occasion. She sent us a huge amount of advanced info about places to go, itineraries, with photos, etc., and answered all our many questions during our visit. She makes available abundant snorkels, fins, boogie boards, beach chairs, towels. As we were arriving very late at night, she even went shopping at Costco for us before we arrived, only charging us the cost of the groceries we bought. But, there are some important downsides you should consider before booking this place. First, it is noisy. Lot of street traffic noise throughout the day. For at least one of the people in our family of five, that alone would probably be a deal breaker from our coming again. While we were there, there was also an extremely noisy frog (or frog family?). Unlike the street noise, I think that can possibly be dealt with, so if you book here you may want to ask about whether that has been resolved. In addition, the pool is small and not very warm, so it's not a replacement for a resort pool. There is no laundry on the premise, though Karen will wash and dry your clothes for a reasonable fee. Finally, the location is convenient in certain ways (near the airport, Costco, Walmart, Kailua Kona) but a long drive from what I consider the two most desirable tourist locations on the island -- near the Kilauea volcano on the Hilo side and in the Waikoloa area on the Kona side. If you on'y want to stay at one place that is somewhat centrally located all week, then this works out well, but you will probably be driving every day to do things. In summary, if you want a large, centrally located place at a very reasonable price, with an amazing host, this is a terrific option. But if you want a quieter resort-like experience, you may want to choose elsewhere.

We had a fabulous stay at the Turtle House! Close enough for an easy drive to all the major sites, off the path enough to feel honey and outside the tourist scene! Karen and Tim are amazingly kind and helpful! From recommendations for restaurants to advise for places to visit, let alone the service at the home, they were amazing! The house is big enough to spread out a bit, with all the things you could need! We borrowed boogie boards, noodles, sand toys, and binoculars at various points in the trip, as well as coolers and beach bags. (Hiking backpacks were offered as well but we didn't need one.). There is some road noise, but we only really noticed it in the morning when we were headed out for the day anyway. The night was full of only the sounds of birds and insects. We highly recommend a stay here, and one day hope to return to explore more of the Big Island. (Two weeks just wasn't enough!)

Great sleeping . Had everything I needed

Our hosts were so helpful and Big Island enthusiasts. Accommodations met our needs with parking, queen and twin beds, view was masterful thru treetops, kitchen fully stocked, safety and security. As well, hosts were on-site to make our stay as pleasant as possible. Mahalo nui loa

The property was beautiful and relaxing. We loved the completeness of the kitchen supplies and the house was lovely. We could view the ocean from the large open lining room and Karen is a spectacular host with lots of ideas on day outings for all abilities. She has snorkels, beach chairs, beach towels and boogie boards for use. We became friends almost instantly with her midwestern charm.

Cliff and I enjoyed our stay in the guest house. We were in awe of the beauty the moment we drove through the gates. She was so very helpful and knowledgeable regarding local attractions. She has thought of every convenience that you would need during your stay. She is so welcoming and friendly. The only thing that I was a bit underwhelmed with was the pool. It looks beautiful in the picture but very cold to swim in. It also looks like it could use a fresh coat of paint. Everything else was amazing. Fresh fruit trees, a turtle to feed and dogs to make friends with. If we come backbto the big island we would definitely stay there again. Mahalo and Aloha Karen!

Karen and Tim have a beautiful and very inviting property. Lots of rules, but the well maintained and clean property show why. They were accommodating of our short notice plans and informative on places to visit. Would love to visit again!

My teenage daughter and I stayed at Turtle House for a week. It is a nice sized apartment above the homeowners three stall garage. It had a nice kitchen, living room and patio that allowed us to have together time while giving us separate bedroom for some alone time. The apartment was well equipped with all the beach, hiking, snorkeling and all items you would need for an outing on the Big Island. The kitchen was also very nicely equipped with items for cooking and we enjoyed eating fresh oranges and bananas right off the tees in the yard. The location was close to the town with restaurants, Costo for grocery shopping and tour leave points. In summary, everything was wonderful but the best part was the helpful and animal loving hostess (Karen). Karen's seven little dogs and Moku the Tortoise where the highlight for my daughter!

This is a beautiful property with welcoming and charming hosts. The space is very comfortable and the grounds are gorgeous. We loved meeting the resident tortoise and thoroughly enjoyed the fresh fruit. Access to the pool and hot tub greatly appreciated. Visits from the resident puppies were the best!

This property is stunning. The hosts are gracious and generous. They personally welcome you on arrival, share all of their beach gear with you and are happy to make recommendations about their favorite spots and things to do. We felt more like we were staying with friends than renting guests. They have many animal friends that they are happy to share with you if you want but are very considerate about keeping the pups away and quiet if that's not your thing. There are all sorts of fruit trees in the tropical paradise garden and you are welcome to harvest and enjoy anything you see. The beds are super comfortable and they supply soap, shampoo, conditioner, beach/pool towels and seasonings in the kitchen. Only down thing is noise from a busy road right outside the bedrooms but even that wasn't a deal breaker.

Karen and Tim were beyond amazing in accommodating our last minute stay. We are incredibly grateful. And Moku rocks!!

Beautiful home with a very accommodating hostess who is in constant contact and there for your every need.

Stayed at this nice property for the whole month in August 2021 with a family of 4 (2+2). What a desirable guest house to have! The apartment has a rustic charm with some antique furniture and collection figures/vases/paintings yet has everything modern to make a comfortable stay (high-speed internet, TV, large fridge, etc.). We were initially concerned about the absence of the A/C and noise coming from the road nearby (mentioned in reviews by other guests). Still, ceiling fans and surrounding natural noises from the garden's fauna and other habitats compensated for those, and we adjusted to it within a few days. The humidity is high in the area, but there's plenty of air coming through the property since it's well above the ground - on the hill for perfect views from the lanai. I enjoyed the hot tub so much! Having access to it and the pool was a nice bonus to everything else. The hosts were amazingly welcoming! Karen and Tim were well beyond our previous hospitality experience, both around the world and in Hawaii in particular. I wish all hosts we stayed with before were so heartily dedicated to the comfort of their guests! They continuously made sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed (from paper towels and trash bags to the boogie-boards and snorkel equipment!). We were allowed a late check-in, and storing all of our luggage and equipment post departure to pickup it later before the evening flight. All in all - perfect communication from booking till the post-departure. Lots of advice on the island's sights and places to go. Lovely dogs and a turtle! I can't recommend this place highly enough! Already missing our vacation days and want to come back! :)

I can't speak highly enough of this property. The grounds are phenomenal with tons of fruit trees, a tortoise, a parrot and of course the dogs. You basically have your own pool and hot tub. Everything you need is provided - beach towels, beach toys, beach chairs, boogie boards, etc. The location is ideal - it is 10 minutes from downtown Kona, 15 minutes from the airport, and has easy access to get anywhere - beaches, a drive around the island, Costco. Karen was attentive to anything we needed and helpful with recommendations. I would highly recommend it, and stay here again if we are lucky enough to go to Kona again! The only "negative" is that the property is by a busy road. So there are times when larger trucks drive by. This isn't constant, but just to be aware that you aren't in complete solitude. This would absolutely in no way deter me from booking this property again.

Everything we could have asked for and more. Extremely gracious hosts and an amazingly lush property

This is a large, well-stocked apartment over the 3-car garage. Hosts welcomed us with lots of communication and ideas for our visit. They were very accommodating of small household needs, (for example) replacing the coffee grinder and fixing a bathroom fixture very promptly. This location is a great starting point for adventures all over the island, with an ocean view and breeze at 1200'.

Wow! The hospitality we received from THE VERY beginning all the way through the end of our stay- was absolutely UNREAL! So grateful to have been hosted at the beautiful, elegant, and serene Turtle House by the most patient, considerate, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and most helpful couple ever! Traveling with a little one is never easy, but with a place like this and hosts like these, it really doesn't get much better! I could go on and on singing their praises but you'll just have to visit yourself to know what I mean! Thank you for everything Karen and Tim! It was a pleasure!

Wow! The hospitality we received from THE VERY beginning all the way through the end of our stay- was absolutely UNREAL! So grateful to have been hosted at the beautiful, elegant, and serene Turtle House by the most patient, considerate, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and most helpful couple ever!Traveling with a little one is never easy, but with a place like this and hosts like these, it really doesn't get much better! I could go on and on singing their praises but you'll just have to visit yourself to know what I mean!Thank you for everything Karen and Tim! It was a pleasure!

Very nice property close to town and several sites. The owners are on site and are very friendly and helpful.

The Turtle House is an absolutely beautiful property. I was pleasantly surprised to find it even more beautiful than the pictures showed. It sits at an elevation that gives it a very pleasant climate, and incredible views. The house was very clean, tidy and comfortable and equipped with everything needed for a great stay. Karen greeted me and showed me the property. We had use of the grounds which included fruit trees we were able to pick fresh fruit from, a definite treat. The only downside was a nearby road which had some truck traffic on it, and was a bit loud at times. I think there must have been a construction project that the trucks were enroute to, and perhaps was temporary situation. This wouldn't prevent us renting again.

We spent 55 wonderful days staying here in the Turtle House. During that time we had various family and friends join us for short times where we could share the beautiful surroundings and the tropical ambience. Our gracious hosts, Karen and Tim keep the grounds in excellent condition, and we were able to partake of the grapefruit, starfruit, lemons, oranges in their garden directly from the tree. Karen and Tim graciously welcomed all our guests and gave excellent local advice and information of places to go and things to see. The accommodation is a free-standing guest house over the garage. Our hosts provided everything we could need including beach toys, beach towels and chairs and even a booster chair and toys for our grand-daughter. The rooms are spacious and we comfortably accommodated 3 additional guests, without feeling cramped. Everything was very clean and when we had an issue, such as a microwave that quit, it was replaced within hours. The lanai has wonderful views over the garden and coast as the Turtle House is at 1100 feet. Being at that altitude it was a little cooler than the beach, most welcome in the evenings, and we saw brief afternoon showers more frequently since it is at rainforest elevation. We ate breakfast on a table on the Lanai most mornings. The guest house lanai, kitchen and 2nd bedroom are all on the side of the house that receives some car noise from the road adjacent, but from the windows on the other side, only bird chirping and gentle waterfall sounds from their beautiful koi pond may be heard. As they state on the website, there is no laundry in the guest house so we used a nearby laundromat not far away and were able to do multiple loads simultaneously making it a quick stop. Having guests coming and going did mean we used the laundry to change bed sheets, towels etc. It turned out to be a fun people watching place and was next to a very popular Taco shop, “Killer Tacos”. Shopping for groceries and gas is very easy with Costco near. The swimming pool and hot tub are beautifully maintained outside the main house. We found ourselves exploring the many beaches nearby in preference. There was a beach for every need: sandy (Harpuna), historic (Aiopio Fish Trap), with green sea turtles (Aiopio Fish Trap), tide pools, surf (Pine Trees Surf), manta rays at night (Mauna Kea Beach), perfect for babies (Wawaloli Beach). We will have to return to Hawaii and to also visit with our new friends Karen and Tim, our hosts.

Words fail to describe the experience my family had staying with Karen and Tim. The accommodations were beyond my expectations and the Aloha Spirit was very much alive there. She has created an "Eden like" environment of exotic landscapes that epitomizes everything Hawaiian. From the gorgeous sunrises filled with exotic birds foraging their breakfast from her orchard to the overwhelming floral bouquet every morning with Kona coffee on the lanai, this special place has created an indelible impression burned into our collective memories. My 92 year old mother and wife were both near refusing to leave when the day came to extract ourselves from this paradise. We will be back in few months and can't wait to see our new friends and experience the daily life within the natural world they have created. Truly a heavenly place on Earth. Mahalo...