Dave and Melissa S.
December 2023
We found Kumu Hale to be well appointed, and extremely clean. The house was tastefully decorated with art with a Hawaiian flair. We especially liked the large sea turtle wall hanging in the master bedroom.
It was nice to have comfortable places to hang out both inside and out on the screened lanai. Having the main living space in between the master bedroom and the other two bedrooms provided privacy and allowed for bedroom doors to stay open for airflow at night. The temperature ranged between 64 & 82 so overall the house stayed comfortable without A/C.
Lava right out the front door, tall foliage surrounding the yard, and of course the resident Coqui frogs made for an interesting and pleasing contrast to staying in a manicured resort area in Keauhou during the earlier part of our trip. Personally everyone in our group like the nighttime symphony of the frogs and whatever else was adding to the music of the night.
Access to the Malama grocery store made buying groceries easy, and Pāhoa Village was charming. We highly recommend the Tin Shack bakery for espresso and pastries.
Kumu Hale has easy access to the beautiful Government Road (formerly known as the red road) and from there the stark and bittersweet beauty of the recent lava flow of 2018 that devastated the Puna district.
Mahalo nui to our hosts Jenell and Tim for opening your lovely home to us.
Dave and Melissa S.
November 2023
We found Kumu Hale to be well appointed, and extremely clean. The house was tastefully decorated with art with a Hawaiian flair. We especially liked the large sea turtle wall hanging in the master bedroom.
It was nice to have comfortable places to hang out both inside and out on the screened lanai. Having the main living space in between the master bedroom and the other two bedrooms provided privacy and allowed for bedroom doors to stay open for airflow at night. The temperature ranged between 64 & 82 so overall the house stayed comfortable without A/C.
Lava right out the front door, tall foliage surrounding the yard, and of course the resident Coqui frogs made for an interesting and pleasing contrast to staying in a manicured resort area in Keauhou during the earlier part of our trip. Personally everyone in our group like the nighttime symphony of the frogs and whatever else was adding to the music of the night.
Access to the Malama grocery store made buying groceries easy, and Pāhoa Village was charming. We highly recommend the Tin Shack bakery for espresso and pastries.
Kumu Hale has easy access to the beautiful Government Road (formerly known as the red road) and from there the stark and bittersweet beauty of the recent lava flow of 2018 that devastated the Puna district.
Mahalo nui to our hosts Jenell and Tim for opening your lovely home to us.
Dave and Melissa S.
November 2023
We found Kumu Hale to be well appointed, and extremely clean. The house was tastefully decorated with art with a Hawaiian flair. We especially liked the large sea turtle wall hanging in the master bedroom.
It was nice to have comfortable places to hang out both inside and out on the screened lanai. Having the main living space in between the master bedroom and the other two bedrooms provided privacy and allowed for bedroom doors to stay open for airflow at night. The temperature ranged between 64 & 82 so overall the house stayed comfortable without A/C.
Lava right out the front door, tall foliage surrounding the yard, and of course the resident Coqui frogs made for an interesting and pleasing contrast to staying in a manicured resort area in Keauhou during the earlier part of our trip. Personally everyone in our group like the nighttime symphony of the frogs and whatever else was adding to the music of the night.
Access to the Malama grocery store made buying groceries easy, and Pāhoa Village was charming. We highly recommend the Tin Shack bakery for espresso and pastries.
Kumu Hale has easy access to the beautiful Government Road (formerly known as the red road) and from there the stark and bittersweet beauty of the recent lava flow of 2018 that devastated the Puna district.
Mahalo nui to our hosts Jenell and Tim for opening your lovely home to us.
Mickey M.
August 2023
From the beds to the screened in porch we were very pleased. Great kitchen, beautiful yard and we loved Alexa and the chickens. We will totally be back.
jeremy G.
August 2023
Great place to stay. Plenty of room and a relaxed feel. Enjoyed the thoughtfull amenities aswell.
Joyce C.
July 2023
The location is beautiful, and very convenient. The house was spotless, well furnished and very near a good shopping area with diverse businesses. We had grandkids who live in Keauu come to visit for a bit, they loved running around the grass in the back yard. We are all older people who are not able to do a lot of walking or hiking but found many locations easy for us to visit. I would highly recommend a drive through an area called "Government Road" which is directly down the road from the house. It is totally fascinating and we took the tour twice.
Kent A.
July 2023
Beautiful Interior furnished comfortable-beautiful decorated SUPER GREAT Kitchen was above and beyond- everything a kitchen should have and be
Patio room was just great - especially at night cool breezy -night sounds Great
ONLY bad-- distance from all most everything.
Tammi S.
July 2023
We enjoyed the house. It was very clean and was in a quiet neighborhood (other than the morning roosters, which for us wasn’t a big deal). My family members were uncomfortable, saying the beds were really hard and it was pretty warm in the rooms. There were no ceiling fans in the extra bedrooms. There were floor fans. The lanai was very nice and cool and a couple of evenings someone slept out there as it was much cooler. Nice that they had boogie boards, chairs, umbrella and coolers to use. Plenty of items to cook with, etc. The things we wanted to do were mostly in other parts of the island, so we drove a bit, but we chose to stay away from the touristy area. Overall, we had a nice stay other than being a bit warm.
June 2023
This was the perfect stay for the second half of our trip! Great location for exploring Hilo, Volcano National Park, and surrounding areas. Jenell was always very responsive and helpful. House was clean and perfect for 3 couples! Really enjoyed the three seasons porch.
April A.
June 2023
Your property was outstanding and exactly where we needed to be, location was just a minute from my Ohana and accommodations were excellent. Everything about this property was beautiful and comfortable, I highly recommend this property to families and friends looking for space and comfort.
Brandon E.
January 2023
The neighborhood is a little farther away from Hilo and Volcanos NP, but that gives you a nice, peaceful place to stay. The yard is edged with a variety of tropical plants with fruits and wonderful screened deck in the back for meal time. The beds are comfortable, plenty of helpful recommendations of lesser known places to see, and lots of water gear. Easy check in / check out process. Also plenty of small greats fruit stands nearby with very friendly, helpful sellers.
As mentioned many places, there are loud tree frogs and many geckos around. Just check around the doors before going in/out and you should have no problems with them getting inside. We would definitely consider this place on the top of our list next time we head to the big island.
Ryan A.
December 2022
Great property for a family getaway with easy check-in and departure. The house was very clean and comfortable and provided a great base for exploring the Big Island. We loved having beach chairs and coolers available for use. Look forward to coming back soon!
pam l.
December 2022
Overall the property was amazing. Just a few issues but managed to fix them as best we could.
Jerrod R.
December 2022
This was an beautiful home, with plenty of room, an awesome layout, great location based on our travel goals and all the necessities covered. Perfect amount of silver and flatware to have meals at home to save on restaurants. The washer and drying machines were so convenient allowing us to not pack as much. The kids toys were perfect for our little one to keep them entertained and having a TV with streaming services were perfect for those early return nights. The water shoes, snorkeling gear and boogie boards were in good working order and saved us from having to buy or rent them along the way. There were plenty of light weight/quick dry beach towels that also helped us with our beach excursions. The master bathroom showers were better than the hotel we stayed in at Kona for our first night of travel. We loved having the lanai in the mornings and evenings listening to the birds and cocqui frogs. On a clear night my wife was able to look up and see the stars. Overall, it was very easy just walk in the door, unpack and get right to the vacation. We’re looking forward to our home away from home on the next visit to Hawaii.
Meaghan O.
December 2022
We loved this property so much! Immediately felt comfortable entering the home and think that its exactly as described in the ad but even better in person. We spent much of the day driving around exploring the island, so it was perfect to come back after a long day and just relax. And in the mornings, we loved stepping outside to hear the lovely nature sounds and see the neighbors chickens in the front yard. Next time we visit the Big Island, we'd definitely want to stay here again!
Patricia M.
November 2022
Nice quite property, good landscaping, and nice layout. Enough space for a large family or two smaller ones. Some of the extra beach items were broken or needing a little love. So I’d rent or buy your own. Location can be tricky in planning your days on vacation and utilizing your traveling time around island. If I were staying/vacationing more on the Hilo side of the Island I’d rent again.
Stephen P.
November 2022
Stayed for three nights, and on first impression we could not believe how beautiful, clean and organized this house was. The layout of the home is perfect for relaxing, with a family friendly open layout and a bonus tranquil all season room in the back facing a lush green forest. Comfortable beds and living room furniture was a plus. As we cooked or went about our normal routines, pleasantly surprised at the thoughtful amenities located thru out the house. Everything needed just seemed to always be at our finger tips, so much so that we felt truly at home and relaxed thru the entirety of the stay. Communication with the owners was always with short turnaround, both leading up to and during our stay. Shopping, day trips to Volcano National Park and a diverse choice of beaches were also within a reasonable drive. Would highly recommend this beautiful home to anyone staying on the South East end of the Big Island.
Shawn O.
October 2022
This place is not close to anything but not to far from everything. Very clean well equpt. NO AC. Some fans. For the money u can't beat it.
Gene V.
October 2022
Due to location it worked out well for me to visit one of our production plants. We enjoyed the time spent there but not a lot of sightseeing in that area
Traffic can be bad on highway 11
Kathy K.
September 2022
This is the 2nd time I've stayed in your house and I will continue to stay in your house every time I come to the big island mahalo nui loa
Muey S.
September 2022
Love the house. So clean and quiet. We had a baseball tournament at the Pahoa District Park which was only 10min away so perfect for us. Would stay here again and highly recommend if you want to stay in a quiet neighborhood.
Haydee S.
August 2022
Such a great place, second year that my family and I have stayed here. The accommodations are so welcoming! Thank you Jenell and family- for making this trip feel like coming home, again.
Andre O.
August 2022
House had everything that we needed for our stay near Hilo. The house is about 30min from Hilo and 45min to Volcanos. House was very clean and updated. The house had boogie boards that my kids enoyed using at the beaches. The only thing that the house did not have was air conditioning, but there were plenty of fans that helped keep the house comfortable.
Melissa R.
August 2022
Great house, well equipped. Easy communication with renter.
Mary M.
August 2022
The pictures don't do the house justice. We loved it there and appreciated the kitchen items, beach & snorkel items, house and things to do info. We had a great time!
Thomas P.
August 2022
Your home is amazing! It was a wonderful get away from all the guests and hustle of our wedding. Thank you for allowing us inside your beautiful home.
Martha K.
July 2022
We enjoy everything here
Lee R.
July 2022
The house was spacious and plenty of room for a family of six. The backyard was beautiful with all the surrounding plants and trees. Very peaceful and relaxing. The house has snorkeling gear, boogie boards, beach towels and coolers making very easy to enjoy the beach.
Rodney H.
July 2022
We stayed there for four nights for my sons high school graduation. It is perfectly located on the East side of the island close to Hilo and every you could want to do on that side of the Island. Jenell was a great host and had everything in the house you could want from snorkeling gear to ice chests to beach towels and kitchen equipment. We got a taste of what it would feel like to live in the Puna district. I highly recommend this house if your planning on coming to the big island
Rosemary B.
July 2022
I could not be happier! This property was exceptionally clean and well equipped. The Lania Room makes the house: the breezes flow through and the surrounding vegetation gives the area privacy. It was a great place to enjoy the morning and evening breezes, frequent rain showers and avian serenades. Jenelle is very communicative, flexible and responsive to requests/suggestions. Pahoa is a pleasant area, with roadside produce stands and fish sellers. We did find ourselves driving a lot, as the things we wanted to do were often a fair distance away. All in all, it was the best place we could have asked for.
Corey W.
June 2022
Had a wonderful time during our stay! Was a great location for exploring all around the east and north side of the island. It was nice ending the day in a nice quiet neighborhood with beautiful scenery all around. The house itself was great and had everything we needed to cook our own breakfast and dinners. The house doesn't have AC but does has an attic fan to enjoy a nice cool evening. Would recommend to anyone looking to stay on the east side.
Shari S.
June 2022
I don't want to rave too much for fear it will become unavailable from so many bookings ;-), but this was our first vacation rental that did not disappoint in any way. A/C would make it perfect because it will only get hotter thru summer but, if you can take the heat (and there are ample fans thruout), it is a very comfortable, easy and super clean option. Nicely appointed from the furnishing, bedding, towels, and kitchen implements to the BBQ grill and beach accessories. Thank you, Jenell and Tim!
Kevin R.
June 2022
This place was perfect. It was extremely clean and we enjoyed every minute we stayed there!
Gary R.
May 2022
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this home. It was clean, comfortable, quiet and exactly as advertised. The lush landscaping is exactly what you think about when you think Hawaii. There is a well stocked convenience store 1 mile down the street. The owners were easy to contact and very responsive. We had a small scheduling issue that they were able to help us with. We would absolutely stay here again on our next visit to the big island of Hawaii.
Rod B.
April 2022
If you are on the Pahoa/Puna side of the Island and need some room this is the place. My Daughter lives near Pahoa, with our 3 grand children. Perfect Home for this. Kitchen fully stocked, Beach equipment, even a great entertainment Back Porch area "Lanai" with lantern type mood lights - i kid you not. We entertained 1 night some of my daughters friends, used a propane grill to cook. Used Lanai for that. I used it to do some work to isolate a bit as well. Its home away from home. Will be back when we can get away again.
Rod & Beth.
Kathy K.
April 2022
Both my sister and I thought the house was perfect. We loved the openness and the fact that even though it was open there was also privacy. We also loved how the house was equipped for several items i.e. booging boards, water shoes, beach chairs, detergent etc. I only have 1 complaint, the blue room had a heavy musty smell. But other then that it was a perfect house. In fact I have a reservation for September. Mahalo nui for letting us stay at your house
Howard D.
April 2022
We stayed for 4 days for our Hilo side adventures and my family loved this home. There’s so much thoughtfulness in this home that made our stay memorable and comfortable:
* fresh flower arrangements welcomes you
* the pictures don’t do this beautiful, spacious home justice. There’s ample room for my 4 teens to spread out. The reading nook with bean bags was a fav spot
* kitchen well stocked - we made good use of the rice cooker, coffee grinder and the grill.
* huge laundry room/mud room - I was so jealous and wished I had this at home. Made cleaning up our stuff after sweaty hikes a breeze.
* beach & snorkeling gear, coolers
* family movie nights (my kids got excited with Disney, HB0) and everyone wanted the recliners with the cozy throws
* we enjoyed feeling like a local and away from the resorts. The neighborhood is quiet and serene
Thank you Janell for allowing us to enjoy this home away from home.
Swapnil P.
April 2022
We stayed for 4 days in the house. The place is super clean. It has everything that a family with kids need. I liked the small details the host paid attention to such as fresh flowers, surf boards and all the condiments required. The beds are comfortable and the backyard is huge. We enjoyed our stay here and will come back if we ever come back to big island :)
teetah t.
March 2022
Property was booked and confirmed very fast! Checking into the house was extremely easy. House was in great condition! Clean, stocked with everything we may have needed and felt like home to my entire family!
Tom O.
January 2022
Great location and value for our East Side of the Big Island experience! Jennell was communicative and responsive; the house was exactly as advertised.
Denise C.
January 2022
We really enjoyed our week long stay at this property. It is lovely and clean. Nice bedding and kitchen is well equipped. It is off the beaten track which took a little orientation, but easy to navigate and get where you want to go. Quiet peaceful neighborhood. Owners were terrific.
Karl F.
January 2022
Great property located off the beaten path in a quiet residential neighborhood. The house was truly sprawling and had plenty of room for our family of 5. Fully equipped to cook, relax and just hangout - though we were out and about a majority of the time. No A/C but the fans and breezes made for a very comfortable stay (our weather was bit wet and cool). Really enjoyed listening to the coqui frogs at night. Working with Jennell and Tim was seamless and everything you would expect from a great host. This part of the island has a unique vibe as it has been impacted by lava flows (you are reminded constantly of the massiveness of the 2018 flows (some of which are still steaming in the rain!)) but is still a good location to base your visit - we visited Volcanoes NP (50 minutes away) to see the lava lake (at night), Mauna Kea Onizuka Visitor Center (1:15 away) to watch the sunset and star gaze and traversed lots of back roads. Akaka falls is one of the most lush, verdant and tropical locations we have ever seen and is just north of Hilo (a bit of traffic but still a close trip).
Mike M.
January 2022
Beautiful home, everything as advertised. Plenty of room, secure, comfortable and excellent communication with Jennell.
Steve H.
December 2021
The pictures really don't do the place justice. It's a great place with a lot of room! Jenell was super responsive when I had a couple questions during our stay. Definitely recommend!
Karl C.
December 2021
So.........my family and I stayed from November 28th until December 3rd 2021. This VRBO listing is EVERYTHING as advertised. What a beautiful home, area and landscape. I leave reviews on two occasions....when things are freaking horrible and when they are above and beyond advertised. VRBO renters going forward.....this listing is absolutely as advertised if not beyond. VRBO....if you have a an All-Star 5 Star rating then this listing should be on it. The house was immaculate, the landscaping was absolutely on point. The interior was "move in" ready. NOW....for the negatives....only because there have to be some..right?? The light switches need to be labeled. The BBQ grill needs replacing. AND.....there needs to be 900 thread count sheets on the bed. (REALLY????) If light switches grills and sheets are your "line in the sand" then DON'T rent this place because it's obviously a "joint". if my complaints don't matter, then rent this place with ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE!! 10 out of 5 Stars. Thank you...hope this helped with the renters decision. k
Paula M.
November 2021
I don't know if I'm even able to put together the words to describe this property and the experience we had. The pictures did it no justice, it was beautiful and most of all is it was squeaky clean. I mean it was no dust on the window sill kind of clean. Jenell responded to questions right away and when we arrived there was nothin left to do but make memories. A lot of elders made this trip and they moved around with ease, the house even offered a shower chair. We didn't make it to the beach but there was everything you needed if you wanted to. There were towels on top of towels, there were so many floaters, boogie boards, goggles, fins, I mean you name it and it was at your finger tips. The kitchen was fully stocked for our thanksgiving cooking and the colorful screened in patio allowed us to gather altogether 🙏🏽 There was even a propane barbecue stove. We didn't get the chance to use it but for sure on the next trip. Our elders continue to boast about this house and cannot stop thanking me for the selection. I can go on and on and on and on, but believe me this is a selection you want to make. The space, the cleanliness and all the extras leaves you no worries and allow you to go directly into vacation mode. Thank you sooooo much Jenell, from me and my entire ohana, it was everything!!
Chantal W.
November 2021
This is the best vacation rental we've ever had. Comfortable, clean, well-stocked with towels, linens, furnishings, kitchen items, and beach gear. Very spacious. Our family of 6 (including 4 little children) had plenty of space and I imagine the house would accommodate a bigger group easily. We stayed here for 5 nights and it was our home base for everything we wanted to do on the island-- volcano national park, Papakolea/ South point, beaches in Hilo, and waterfalls near Hilo. While we had an amazing experience around the island, I wish we had more leisure time to spend at the house. My kids loved exploring the front and back yards and hanging out in the lanai. The music of frogs at night and roosters in the morning made a magical atmosphere and the vegetation is tropical and beautiful.
This place would have been absolutely perfect for our family if it was not quite so far from Hilo. It was about a half hour drive from Hilo which was difficult for our young kids.
I would recommend this house 100% for anyone seeking a beautiful tropical getaway.
Cheri F.
October 2021
This is a great home and we chose to stay here again. It's clean, spacious and has everything you need. We really enjoyed ourselves. I would recommend to stay at this home.
To-Nguyen H.
September 2021
The house is located not too far from a shopping plaza. It was very convenient to get to all sightseeing locations. Our family enjoyed this part of Big Island and the rental house.
Sandra C.
August 2021
Very clean, beautiful. Easy access to all the things we wanted to do.
Dixie H.
August 2021
Our family of 7 had a wonderful time in this lovely home. Wonderful, stocked kitchen. Comfortable beds. As it's August, it does get warm, but the many fans helped cool things down, as we kept them running. Did have to close the bedroom windows as the coqui frogs are loud at night, as well as the next door rooster. We would highly recommend staying here! The added touches of bathroom and beach items was helpful. This is a nice location to see Volcanoes National Park and Hilo area sites The owners are very responsive, too
August 2021
Enjoyed our stay. The place was squeaky clean and comfortable! Mahalo!
Chris S.
August 2021
My family and I stayed here in July 2021 and had a great time. As my kids exclaimed as we walked in "this is awesome!". We really appreciated the availability of a few games that kept the kids busy while my wife and I unpacked. There are also a number of placards throughout the home to help visitors know how to use the house (and what light switches control what lights!). Being from the cold north we also appreciated the multitude of fans (and the attic fan) to keep the house cool at night.
This location also served as a great base to go explore the Volcano National Park for a few days as well as some of the beaches to the south and east.
Overall we had a very positive experience and would highly recommend other people staying here.
Christina W.
August 2021
Easy to check in and out and very clean. The beds were comfortable and the kitchen bathrooms updated. We would definitely stay there again!
Heidi S.
August 2021
This house is awesome! Very spacious and clean. The kitchen was beautiful and the master suite was perfect. Nice master bath with two sinks and two shower heads. The kitchen was well stocked with dishes and pots/pans. Easy communication with host. It was a little more rural than I expected but it wasn’t too far and there were lots of new places to eat in town that will be opening soon. The whole house fan was great!
Charles U.
August 2021
Upscale bedroom suite, kitchen appliances and utensils, even had snorkels, surf boards available. There were no bugs. The house had no air conditioning, but by opening windows and using fans, we were very comfortable. Alexa shut off lights and a few other things. The location is about 5 miles out of Pahoa towards the ocean front in a very quiet neighborhood. It felt like being in the country. I got the sense that the owners built the house for themselves, and then decided to rent it out after they moved. We don't know if this is true, but that is what it seemed like to me.
Kathy B.
August 2021
We spent a few days of our Hawaiian vacation on the East side and what a welcome break this house was! We’d already spent a week on Kauai in a smallish condo for our family of 6. Having some room to spread out, as well as a great kitchen to cook in was great! One of the best stocked rentals we’ve stayed in. Also, we loved that they had Alexa/echo devices. I didn’t realize how much we were missing ours until we wanted some music or a forecast. Comfy beds, quiet and comfortable sleeping with the fans (and I’m a hot sleeper).
The only drawback and it’s probably specific to our family, was the lack of a good area for us to run. We are all runners and if you want to get in a few easy miles, no problem. My boys are heading into their distance season though and had 12-16 mile runs to get in and it was tough to find a good area that wasn’t right on a road. However, they got their runs in safely and the slightly overcast and coolish mornings were great for their workouts.
Theresa J.
July 2021
We had the wonderful opportunity of a month long stay in this beautiful home! The moment we waked in we were welcome by beautiful flowers and lovely Hawaiian music. The entire home felt like a resort with all the conveniences of a home.
The bedrooms were very comfortable, large and my favorite part is the master is on the opposite side of the house of the other 2 bedrooms.
The bathrooms were stocked with basic needs in case you forget something and the master has a HUGE shower with 2 completely separate shower heads!!
The kitchen was stocked and I was easily able to cook our first dinner without any problems as they had all utensils, pots and pans that were needed.
My favorite part of the entire home however was the Lanai, backyard and opening the windows to listen to evening rain!!!
This home is tremendous and if you are considering staying here YES!! Do it!!! So amazing!!
The property managers were amazing as well, super helpful, accommodating and quick to respond to any questions!
FX B.
July 2021
We had a great time Staying at this house. The huge kitchen is very well equipped and the bedrooms are large.
Everything looked recently upgraded.
The lack of air conditioning wasn’t a concern during our stay and the many fans in the house are enough to keep the place cool.
We loved the beach chairs and the bodyboards here for us to use
Look no further this is the place to be if you want to stay in the Hilo area.
Scott H.
July 2021
The property was perfect size for our group of 5. Loved the Lanai! We ate a few meals out there and really enjoyed the party lights. Alexa was nice as well for playing music on the patio. The property manager was very helpful and attentive. Overall was a great stay!
Mandy M.
June 2021
Kumu Hale was perfect! At first, I wasn't so sure about no air conditioning, but the big fan was just fine! We are a family that likes it to be cold when we sleep, and we slept just fine!
The lanai was perfect! We enjoyed sitting out there, drinking coffee and enjoying nature! I highly recommend this property! I hope to return one day!
Arin S.
June 2021
We were very happy with our stay and the time we spent in this home was enjoyable. We really liked the large extra room that was screened to keep the bugs outside. Thank you for letting us stay in your home. We would definitely stay here again.
LAMONT N.
June 2021
Perfect place to chill. Continous sounds of wildlife throughout the day. Near by grocery store. Excellent grill for outdoor cooking Beach cliff area 3 min drive down the road.
Use the "Visit Owner's Website" link to read more reviews from the reservation site, including the latest reviews submitted by recent guests.