We were given detailed directions which made checking in a breeze, arriving to a thoughtful note and feeling aloha immediately. The pictures of this historic home don’t quite capture it’s magic. You can feel the good memories in the space, the mana (energy) holds positivity and good vibes. The home is spacious and was spotlessly clean. Our group of five women was extremely comfortable staying here, cooking all our meals in the well-appointed kitchen. We enjoyed the pool and hot tub, star gazing and watching the sun and moon rise. It was incredibly private and quiet, which was conducive to complete relaxation. Ho’okena Beach Park is a short drive down the hill and offers great swimming and snorkeling. We really enjoyed swimming out to where the dolphins cruise, admiring them from a distance. What a gift! Truly, an extraordinary property which offers an unforgettable experience of real Hawai’i. An experience I’ll never forget and a property I plan to book again soon!

This property was actually better than advertised for our family. There is a special uniqueness to this property; all wood interior, spacious and thoughtful layout, large tastefully modernized kitchen, private pool and hot tub and so many more small details that made our stay easy and comfortable. This is a more remote stay than a typical rental, gated for security and privacy--secluded but not far from things eithwr

This historic home, has been lovingly cared for. In the rain zone of the Western side of the Big Island, we had the expected intermittent rain storms, punctuated with blue sky and beautiful clouds. The home is ranch style - with wood walls in many common spaces - its spectacular and would be impossible to replace. The layout is spread out, with a gracious living room. The hot tub and pool were awesome and the privacy made it special for my wife and I. Highly recommend.

2 adults & 3 teens (12-14yo), stayed for 3 weeks Cool house is like stepping back in time! Old timey door and window locks surprised me, but we were assured it is a safe area and we slept peacefully even with the doors and windows open. Common in Hawai'i, there is no A/C and one relies on breezes and fans for cooling. Surrounded by vegetation, expect creepy crawlies and adorable geckos in the house. (The kids miss them!) Mongooses, chickens, doves, and pua'a (pigs) on the property. Coqui frogs, crickets, and cicada take turns seranading the night. (I miss that!) The kids enjoyed the pool and hot tub regularly. The property manager was super responsive. *****5 stars for her! Suggestions: • Update binder with accurate info about garbage, hot tub, etc. • Add new sharp set of cooking knives. The honing rod helped a little. • Most of the house was clean but some high-use items could use more frequent attention (lamp bases covered in sticky film, closet shelves dusty, some lightbulbs burnt out). • Address inside of drawers in the living room antique sideboard, so to be useful during long stays. • New ceiling fan for kids' bedroom. We really enjoyed living at this house. We were so sad as the end of our stay neared. We've been back home for 2 weeks and still think of this place fondly. It's a charming piece of history!

Highly recommend

This lovely property was perfect for our family (4 young kids). It's a bit unusual, but the charms grew on us the longer we stayed. It was very comfortable and fun. Plenty of room for everyone and the yard and grounds are fun to explore. The pool is really nice to have and we used it a few times, but probably the most important thing is the location. The house itself is pretty isolated, but you're conveniently located in the Captain Cook area. Kona is ~30 minutes north, Waikoloa is ~60 minutes north, Volcano park and black sand beaches are about 60-90 minutes south, so it feels "right in the middle". Also, Ho'okena beach is ~5 minutes down the road and is actually quite lovely. We loved it -- definitely recommended for people wanting their own space in the lush green side of the island.

My wife and I had an incredible time staying here and highly recommend it. Such a beautiful house and piece of property. It’s like your own oasis with the private pool + hot tub and amazing views of the landscape and ocean in the distance. The host was wonderful to work with, she was very kind and highly responsive. Highly recommend a rental car, restaurants and the nearest grocery is about 15 minutes away and about a 5-10 minute drive to the beach (which is beautiful as well!). Missing It already!

We were in real need of a relaxing and restorative stay in a quiet natural setting. We had no idea how wonderful this property actually is. I'm hesitant to express just how fantastic our experience was as we want to be able to book it again! In honor of the host and all the lovely beings who helped our celebraion stay be truly special, however, I am happy to share how incredibly special Ho'Okena House is. We are filled with the exquisite beauty and aloha of this place, Mahalo.

We loved the country house. The house design, original stained woods, and built in cabinetry feel like a nice step back in time. Furnishings are good quality, the locally focused decor fits, and all six in our party agreed about the comfy beds. We particularly enjoyed the site and relief maps in the hallway. The pool, hot tub and deck are clean, functional and inviting. We experienced no hiccups with the kitchen, pool equipment, plumbing, sticking doors, etc. Fruit trees on site are a fun amenity. We enjoyed the day and night sounds of birds, frogs, insects, and more. Location and site are private but there’s easy access to shops & groceries. Hosts were highly responsive but unintrusive. Overall an exceptional stay and we appreciate it.

Out of the way in a good way. The house was gorgeous and full of surprises. Much larger than described. Great kitchen and pool - very comfortable for our family of 5. We were very disappointed we didn't book a star-gazing tour at the Mauna Kea summit in time for our visit, but we saw every star in the sky at the Ho'okena Country House. I have never been treated to that kind of view. Great stay!

So this property was interesting and not accurately advertised. 1- lack in towels for 6 people we use hand towels to dry . 2- needed to be cleaned i even took pictures of how dirty the bathrooms were . However the kitchen and living room were great .

Beautiful historic home in the country. Hardwood and built-ins everywhere. Great kitchen for cooking and the pool and hot tub made the stay resort like. The property is expansive, private and free from human noise. Lots of nature sounds, but they helped us sleep. Just down the road is Ho'okena beach, a real gem that is mostly local with more adventurous tourists. Good swimming and snorkeling and uncrowded during the week. The house is a bit out of the way, but the Big Island isn't so much about nightlife and shopping as it is being in nature and escaping the crowds that plague the other islands. We loved it.

This property has a lovely relaxing country ambiance. The décor is sophisticated yet rustic. We loved the sounds of nature around us at night. The location is close to some excellent snorkel spots. The surrounding community seemed less touristy and more lush. Although the house does not have A/C, you can cool off with a refreshing dip in the pool. The manager was responsive and flexible. We enjoyed our stay very much. Thank you!

We enjoyed the property very much. Family of 4 (2 seniors plus adult daughter and SIL) We used the house as a base to explore and to just relax. One day we drove up island all the way to Polulu and then Hawi and found it was an easy drive. Groceries were purchased from the KTA in Captain Cook and from Choices near Kealakekua. We also bought poke from Reel Aloha which was excellent and fresh fish to cook on our BBQ from the Kona Grill House. (Absolutely fabulous piece of opa from here.) While the kitchen is a great space our only "con" was the lack of cooking equipment . Knives were very dull and there was no bread knife! Few serving dishes, no vegetable peeler. One of the reasons for renting the house was to be able to do our own meals and enjoy the fruit, fish and produce from the island. While we did grill several times and managed to make great meals it would have been so much easier with better utensils. I had the impression from other reviews that this was a "gourmet" kitchen...space wise it certainly was but that was it. Having said all that I would still highly recommend the house for a family or two couples travelling together. The pool was easy to use to cool off. We drove down to Hookena Beach late one afternoon for a quick swim. We did a tour out of Kealakekua with Kona Boys and also a trip up to Kahalu'u Beach Park and found the driving very easy. The road into the property is rough track, grass and uphill a bit. We had no issues as we had a Tahoe but if you are driving a small compact you will want to drive slowly. We had a couple of issues at the house and the property manager was excellent in responding as was the onsite caretaker. After our stay in the house we stayed at Volcano House, at a property in Hilo and ended up at the Fairmont Orchid. Our whole family felt as if we were in the "real" Hawaii for our time at this house and all would go back again. The ambiance was wonderful. The beds were the best we had of our entire trip. Quiet except for a few frogs and the odd rooster crowing. A real gem.

We were so stoked to find this amazing oasis on the Big Island for our first family trip to Hawaii. We enjoyed the private pool and hot tub and being in our own private gardens with fresh oranges and lemons off the trees. The scent from the flowers all around the house was amazing and the beautiful wood interior gave a special feeling to this amazing home. We went down and watched the ocean sunsets every evening just down the road at Hookena Beach. Wonderful place to stay. We Will definitely be back!

This house!! The farm, fruit trees, animals and a beautiful beach so close by! There is so much character in this house. The kitchen was amazing! The pool/spa were sparking clean! The location so so perfect. My daughter and I wanted to stay out of busy locations and just relax. We achieved this here. Mahalo for the wonderful experience!

Loved this place! It was secluded on private land in a very tropical part of the island. It was beautifully decorated and rich in charcacter and history. We loved the abundant life around the property like geckos and an amazing giant snail.

The property is a beautiful old ranch house with lots of vegetation and wildlife, and had exactly the kind of privacy and isolation we were looking for. Ho'okena Beach is beautiful, very close by, and nowhere near as crowded as other beaches closer to Kailua-Kona.. The property manager Meghan was super responsive and addressed the minor concerns we had right away. The private pool / hot tub area was especially nice and we spent plenty of time just lounging around and enjoying the house and pool. Cell service was spotty but the Wifi was fast and reliable. The house is not air conditioned but it is very well ventilated and the ocean breezes kept us nice and comfortable. It might be a good idea to bring some earplugs if you're a light sleeper due to the local wildlife, especially the coqui frogs. If you're looking for a relaxing spot off the beaten path and away from the crowds that are returning to Hawaii you'd be hard pressed to find something better than the Hookena Country House. Thanks again!

This property was perfect for our family. We lived on the Big Island years ago and return often to visit friends, but we’ve never stayed in this part of the island, because it is somewhat remote. However, we absolutely loved it. Hookena beach is one of our favorites, so the ease of getting there was wonderful, but we also enjoyed the convenience of having a private pool and hot tub at the house. It was the best of both worlds. The house has the longest, most beautiful hallway I’ve ever walked through, and you can just feel the history in it. Our only regret was that we didn’t book it for a few more nights.

Wonderful ranch home. Lots of natural wood, large kitchen, good bedroom layout for families. Outdoor area great gathering place for daytime swimming, sunsets, and nighttime hot tub.

Beautiful property in the perfect location, away from all the hustle and bustle of Kailua-Kona town. My family spent most of the time in the pool, the home feels historic and and was very cozy. I Will definitely be recommending this property to others.

Such a great place, I’ll definitely be honored to return, mahalos

I can honestly say this was the best vacation home I have ever stayed in. The historic home was very spacious, special and the outside with the grounds and pool were so beautiful and relaxing we didn’t want to leave. The kitchen is huge and has everything a chef (me!) could want. The wine refrigerator was such a bonus and worked great. Everything in the house was well stocked. Check out the living room with fireplace and gaze at the carved koa wood beam that supports the ceiling. There are books and games to play. We loved having a fire at night. The front of the house near the pool has the laundry room, kitchen, dining room and living room. Then the bedrooms are down a long corridor. We found the acoustics to be perfect because if we were being loud in the kitchen those sleeping couldn’t hear us. Especially wonderful for our napping children. The pool and hot tub were sparkling clean and the perfect temperature. Our kids would go to bed early and we would lounge in the not too hot (I can’t stay in an insanely hot hot tub too long I get dizzy) tub and gaze at the stars staying warm and soaking our muscles. The pool lights at night make the turtles on the bottom glow. The grass is soft and fun to play in. The areas are all fenced and contained which helped us with the little ones. There are so many antiques and art throughout the place. Check in and instructions were easy and the property manager is very helpful and embodies Aloha. Fujihara is right down the street for small store things and Choicemart is 20 minutes away and one of the best local grocery markets on island. The fisherman deliver their fish right to them each day and the produce is from local farms. Kealia Ranch store has local beef and fresh fruit ice pops and shave ice. Ho’okena is a true local fishing village with a spectacular gray sand beach, tropical reef and lots of spinner dolphins. Stay here!! But leave some dates for me :) we can’t wait to go back.

The pool and the hot tub are so lovely, we hardly wanted to leave the house. We shopped at Choicemart (15 min drive) for delicious meals prepared in a spacious kitchen. With beautiful koa wood throughout the house, sunset views, and daily (and nightly!) swimming, we will be dreaming of returning again.

Relaxing stay in a unique ranch house on a large farm property complete with a small citrus orchard. Beautiful Koa wood paneling throughout. Pool was clean and refreshing. Great food spots within 10 minutes drive. Conveniently located just off the road to Ho'okena Beach that has a great reef and family style beach.Can't wait to come back.

Relaxing stay in a unique ranch house on a large farm property complete with a small citrus orchard. Beautiful Koa wood paneling throughout. Pool was clean and refreshing. Great food spots within 10 minutes drive. Conveniently located just off the road to Ho'okena Beach that has a great reef and family style beach. Can't wait to come back.

We had a wonderful stay here and would definitely go back. The pictures don’t do it justice.

We had a great time here. The pool area was beautiful, we used it everyday. The kitchen was probably the best part of this home. We also enjoyed Ho’okena beach, a short drive down the road.

Beautiful old ranch style home with gourmet kitchen. Since we cook a lot at vacation rentals we look for that. They had a complete set of spices and oil. We barbecued outside several times. They were missing a few pots for the stove top but we made do. I always carry a portable knife sharpener which came in handy since the knives were pretty dull but not surprising. Wished the spa had worked and Neflix acted like dial up so was not really watchable. The beds were very comfortable but be prepared for VERY loud frogs at night. Great for a family though. Lots of room for kids to play and spread out.

The house is beautifully restored, and has a spacious deck with a pool. The kitchen is well appointed and clean. Meghan was very responsive about check-in. Wild pigs and roosters roam the surrounding woods. We would definitely stay there again

This is an incredible house. Not a typical impersonal vacation rental. The kitchen is well-stocked and updated. The whole house is paneled in native woods. There’s a gorgeous brick terrace surrounded by flowering trees and chirping birds and a wonderful pool. The beach down the road is beautiful. It is bay and we saw dolphins up close.I cannot recommend it enough. All communications with Megan were easy and she was very attentive.

Our family spent a wonderful week here and I feel lucky to have found this place. This was our second trip to the big island. Previously, we had stayed in Kailua-Kona and spent a lot of time driving back and forth to the destinations we wanted to visit, so for us, this was a vast improvement on staying in town. Located near Captain Cook, we were very glad to stay someplace less touristy and instead have more of an authentic island living experience. Ho-okena beach is down the road, and the excellent snorkeling at Honaunau Bay and Kealakekua Bay are close by. The house and property are ideal for families with children, or for a group reunion gathering. We made good use of the large gourmet kitchen and the multiple places to lounge, gather, relax, and socialize--the patio, the living room, walking around the surrounding area. Communication with Meghan was great and she made sure the house was well-equipped with all the necessities you might need (or have forgotten). Highly recommended!