Big Island Vacation Rental: Nanahounua Retreat

August 8th, 2007

When we were looking for a little getaway for the Big Island, we decided to do a search for Big Island Hawaii Vacation Rentals and came upon the Nanahounua Retreat. (One part of my travel planning business is to stay in rentals to see whether or not I’d recommend them to others, so expect any review of a rental to be very thorough.)

I was excited to stay there based on the pictures alone and it looked like it wasn’t far from Kona. However I was a little apprehensive after dealing with the booking agent. She seemed very nice in all of her correspondence but she just wasn’t very organized. She told me I would be receiving the final agreement and directions after I paid the final payment. I had to ask for it 3x and that was after I had to email her images of my cancelled checks showing I paid because she was never in the office when she checked her email regarding my reservation. That was a little nerve racking when your bank account is over $3000 lighter!

The drive in was a little further from Kona than anticipated, about 25 minutes away due to the traffic. There was an earthquake in October 2006 and while there’s no damage to the property, there’s damage to one of the roads leading to the property. It’s one lane and controlled by a stop light that is definitely on the slow side. There’s a beautiful white horse fence that surrounds the property and a nice stone driveway leading to the house. The house is a light pink with a large yard (rare) and a beautiful view of Kona. There were fresh flowers in the house as well as a nice welcome note. As you walk to the front door there’s a koi pond with several large koi fish and a small fountain. To the right of the koi pond are several containers of herbs you can use in your culinary adventures. As you walk into the foyer, there’s a water feature and bench. If you turn to the left, you will round into the front room with a pool table framed by a lava-esque fireplace. A pool table was a real plus for us as they are definitely a rare find in rental homes. The only problem is if you’re shooting on the end where the picture was taken, there’s a wall of breakables which makes it hard to play or you have to switch to the shortest stick. Beside that room is a formal dining room and a living room with a flat panel TV on the wall that can be angled how you choose. All the furnishings are nice and it’s obvious there have been recent renovations in most of the rooms. There are 2 bedrooms and bathroom on the first floor along with an office/computer and laundry room.

Then you get to the kitchen. It’s the one room that needs a facelift. It may not appear so from the picture but when you’re up close, the white paint is chipped and worn, the countertops could use a little updating and well, there were “friends” in the dishwasher. Now anyone who lives in the islands knows they do not tell tourists about the bug issues and I’m used to the geckos, ants and yes, the occasional roach but the dishwasher was INFESTED with roaches. I couldn’t bear to wash our dishes in there so we hand washed everything. When you’re paying $450+ per night, you expect to not have to worry about that. I am hoping that problem is rectified now.

Click “read more” to continue review….

You go up the bamboo steps to the second floor and there are 2 bedrooms to the left, one with a small lanai to look over the backyard and pools. If you go to the right, you pass a glass block wall and enter the master bedroom with a gorgeous 4 post bed and beautiful furnishings. This is definitely the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in. There’s a small lanai that overlooks the backyard and has a great view of Kona and you can smell the sweet scent of angel trumpet flowers that are just below the balcony. The master bathroom…hmm…well, it could use a bit of a facelift. There’s an old jacuzzi tub which my husband used our first night there and while he raved about it, I was less than thrilled that it sounded like there was a boat with a motor problem in our room. The colors are beige and pink tile and it’s just very dated…functional but dated.

Now comes the pools. Look at that pic. It was those pools that sold us on renting the home in the first place. The top one is a kiddie pool and the bottom is about 7′ according to the specs. I couldn’t wait to float around in them. I’m still waiting. The water is ICE COLD. When you’re in a higher elevation and have a pool, having a heater for the pool is a must. It threw my heart out of rhythm it was so cold! This was in May, we’re not talking December. I was highly disappointed with that. Plus the entrance to the pool could be an accident waiting to happen. No railing, slick and awkward rocks. Just be careful! Now to the left of the bottom pool is a hot tub which we did utilize almost every day. It too has a very awkward entry because there are no stairs going into it, just jagged, uneven flagstone and hiking your leg into it. Very ladylike. If it sounds like I’m being hard on the little things it’s because I used to work in insurance and its unfortunately engrained in me. These are things that could bite any vacation rental owner if they aren’t careful. Please keep that in mind if you own one.

There’s a caretaker on site as well. He’s very nice and all of the guest comments rave about him, we just didn’t get a chance to talk in depth with him. He keeps the grounds very well maintained and I have no beef with him. I do, however, wish that when I asked if anyone else shared the property that I had been told that his place was 20 feet away from the northernmost bedroom. It was never a problem but when I asked the question and was told no, I just kind of felt lied to when I got there. Two last irks, the dryer didn’t work after one go round. It had to be air dried which took forever. Also, they only allowed you 2 rolls of toilet paper per bathroom and then you had to buy your own. Come on…I’m paying over $450 per night and you can’t chip in unlimited TP? Especially when I can see masses of bulk TP in the locked portion of the pantry? I swear I’m not going to toilet paper the neighborhood. Sheesh!

In summary:

Pros
Large house to accommodate a large family (5 bedrooms)
Away from the hustle and bustle of Kona
Great view of Kona
Pool table
2 pools
Herb garden
Most of the house renovated
Helpful, nice caretaker available
Manicured grounds
Koi pond
Luxurious master bedroom
Secluded

Cons
A little too far from Kona if your goal is to run down to grab dinner and come back
A few outdated rooms
Pools are not heated and are cold due to higher elevation
Placement of fragrant Heather plants directly behind all loungers by pool attracts lots of bees
Bug problem in dishwasher
Awkward entries to lower pool and hot tub
Toilet paper limit
Caretaker cottage 20 ft from home

Recommended? Yes as long as you go in knowing what I consider the cons and are fine with them, have a great time!

Comments

3 Comments so far

Emilie on November 16, 2007 1:15 pm
I am so glad I found your review! My family and I have been considering this property for our vacation next May. Your comments are extremely helpful in making our decision.

Have you stayed at other properties in the Kona area you might recommend for a larger group (13-14)?

Thanks!
Pele on November 16, 2007 8:02 pm
I sent you an email, let me know if you have any other questions!
Aloha!
Rachel Carr on December 1, 2007 6:47 pm
We are also looking for a private home with nice grounds, gardens and a pool to hold a wedding. We have a group of 10 (5 couples) we need to accommodate the third week of May 2008. Thank you for any suggestions.