Penny H.
March 2025
The host was very caring and wanted to make sure things were going well for us. It was a great home base to use to explore the island. Unfortunately the brown double recliner couch was not on the property when we were there.
Vincent V.
February 2025
Loved the property. Great outdoor space. House was fully stocked with everything you could need. Really great rental.
Diane B.
November 2024
We enjoyed our stay at this house in the country. Host were very much in contact to assure everything was where it was and how it worked. Very quiet clean neighborhood and grounds. We enjoyed all the decor throughout the property.
Tracy S.
October 2024
Pretty setting, private yard. Was warm in the house during the day, cooled off after sunset. Clean, well equipped with our vacation activity needs.
Gary C.
September 2024
This was my second stay here for a week of rest and relaxation. I love coming here by myself to get away and enjoy the quiet and nature. I arrived the same day as Hurricane Hone was passing. The hosts were very accommadating in being flexible with my arrival and updating me on conditions, the rest of the week was perfect. The kitchen is well equipped and the house roomy and comfortable. Also love the outdoor space. I will be returning!
Meghan K.
August 2024
We were so lucky to have found Mama J’s! Wait until you see it. The property is secluded but close to the main roads as you go on day trips, shopping, out to eat, etc. From the relaxing front porch to the back covered lanai to the library room to all the home decor, it’s such a great place. Check in was a breeze thanks to all the information provided upfront. It has all the amenities that you'll need and then some. It's very clean. Beds are comfortable. Big screen TV and strong WiFi. Lots of fans for your use and it definitely cools down at night. So much thought has been put into this rental by the owner. We loved seeing all the wildlife also enjoy Mama J's yard. It's very peaceful. We loved returning to this retreat each night. When we return to visit our daughter who is attending graduate school at UH Hilo, we would love to book this place again.
Poorvi G.
August 2024
Our stay here was nothing short of awesome! The home is so beautifully decorated and everything is well stocked and well thought of in the house. Its a perfect place for a vacation. Will definitely rent again.
Kay H.
July 2024
Amazingly relaxing, yet close to everything. The hosts have thought of every little detail.
Shawna B.
May 2024
Beautiful property inside and out, everything we needed, exceptionally easy and enjoyable communications with Owners who went above and beyond to ensure a most excellent experience on the Big Island. The Library houses an amazing abundance of history, story, visual feed and I highly recommend perusing and immersing self with the treasures that lie within. We will definitely be returning.
Kay H.
April 2024
Absolutely amazing. Premier host indeed!! Not one item was forgotten or overlooked. WILL RETURN FOR SURE
March 2024
My wife and I absolutely loved the house. More than enough room for us. We had family staying nearby and we invited them to dinner. The house had everything we needed to entertain guests. Plenty of fans in the house to circulate the air but we didn't need any. The TV is huge and the covered carport is a great outdoor space. The property felt very secure with a fenced in yard and an electric remote-control gate. I have nothing negative to say about the property but it is very tropical. Bring earplugs if the Coqui frogs keep you awake. They lull me to sleep.
Pamela H.
February 2024
We make a stop for a few days each time we are on the big island at this home. It's a great pit stop for seeing so many sites. Parks, drives along the ocean, the zoo & botanical garden in Hilo. A nice grocery store is close by. The home is roomy & as of this year gated for a feeling of security. It's a comfortable for a couple or family/
Pamela M.
February 2024
The property was located exactly where I needed, near Pahoa and Hawaiian Beaches/Shores. The owners have added many beautiful personal touches, making for a very comfortable stay. The inside is very nicely appointed and the outside lanais are the best.
I look forward to staying again soon!
Aaron D.
December 2023
The house is great, in the jungle but close to everything, well equipped and very comfortable. We loved it!
Jason C.
October 2023
The good:
Beautiful lot
Secluded
Good water
Big tv
Good amount and selection of kitchenware
The not so good:
House was not clean
House was a sweatbox
Only 1 decent fan
Screens on windows ripped
Screen doors had gaps all around letting lizards and bugs in
House had bad smell
Katia V.
October 2023
Great location and very welcoming hosts. We would book this rental again. Mahalo!
Stephanie T.
October 2023
If I could give 10 stars I would! I can’t say enough great things about the property and Stan & Jahnys. The home was beautiful and inviting. Plenty of space for a large family. They had everything we needed and then some! The yard was beautiful and huge and the patio was amazing. The kids loved hanging out outside, playing with the games, finding geckos, drawing with the chalk, and star gazing on the grass at night. The neighborhood was beautiful and the neighbors super friendly. My kids loved hearing the frogs and seeing the pigs around town. Such a great true Hawaiian experience!
Stan and Jahnys were thee best!!! True kind hearted people with so much aloha! They opened their home to our Lahaina family after they lost theirs so we could all get together and heal. Words can’t express the appreciation we have for allowing us all in your home. They even invited us to watch Stan play in his band… he’s amazing! Go see him! And invited us by their own home to meet everyone. They made us all feel like family from the time of booking to the end of our trip. Communication was easy and great as well and Stan checked in often and let us know some great places and sights to visit.
They both are truly amazing people and their home is just as amazing. We can not wait to return!
Mahalo Stan and Jahnys! This was such a healing trip for our entire family that was much needed. Thank you for making it so special and a memory we will treasure forever.
Andrew B.
September 2023
An older house, very well looked after and clean, in the lovely Pahoa area. A bit out from Hilo, but close enough for easy trips in, and central to most of what the Puna district has to offer. We will be staying again.
Darrell Z.
September 2023
Beautiful property, had everything we needed. Quiet neighborhood, very nice patio. My family enjoyed our stay. We would have stayed longer if we had more time. Excellent host, very hospitable and great with communication.
Virginia B.
September 2023
Secluded but not isolated, this home was perfect for our family of three, but will accommodate up to six. The lush vegetation all around gave a feeling of being in the jungle, but we had easy access to all the area has to offer. The home is full of personal touches and the owners are so kind & attentive to every detail.
Melanie H.
August 2023
We has a great time, the house is clean its surrounded by nature.
We love the birds in the morning and the koki frogs at night.
Anuschka F.
July 2023
We had a great time in this welcoming home surrounded by lush greenery. We especially enjoyed having dinner outside. The large roof provided for ample space no matter the weather.
Michaelynn M.
June 2023
Great place. All amenities you need is there. Host was very accommodating. Would stay again.
Leslie K.
June 2023
If you are tired of all the tourist traps in the Hawaiian Islands then this is where you want to stay. Extremely quiet and peaceful. Yet close to shopping and beaches. The hosts supply virtually every thing you will need except food.,
So treat yourself to a true Hawaiian experience. You won’t regret it. We loved it! LK and SL
Patrycja P.
April 2023
Thank you for your hospitality. We had a wonderful week at your tropical house. We loved the garden, and the lanais, colorful birds chirping and peaceful location. The house was very spacious and well equipped.
Highest recommendation !!!
-Patricia
Pamela H.
February 2023
This is a very roomy property, nice comfortable furniture to relax in after busy days. Nice equipped kitchen for meal preparation. I knew what to expect as we are returning guest, we were pleasantly surprised with up dated bedding, a new set of knives & a nice brand of cookware. We visit the island often & always make room for a few days in the Pahoa area.
Vickie W.
January 2023
Nice home in a quiet neighborhood.
Carol S.
November 2022
Wonderful! Very private. Four of us and we could spread out all over the house. Very clean and well stocked with all the necessities.
The little things that made it special: clothes hangers, laundry baskets in closets, plenty of towels, beach towels, shampoo, sliding doors to lanai's, large living room and kitchen. The host's made it feel like home and we're very nice folks. We would stay there again.
October 2022
A wonderfully eclectic well-kept Hawaiian home in a country setting. Had all things needed to enjoy stay with lots of material about area. One note: it is in the country, there is lots of outdoors sounds. We apricated it, others may not.
Sterling G.
August 2022
It was a wonderful experence. Great place. We all had a nice time. Beautiful little jem. Just what we needed. Thank you. From all of us. Look forward to seeing u in the future. The Graham Clan
Elizabeth A.
July 2022
This place overall is the place to be if you want to get away and relax. We loved the stay and would recommend to our friends and family. The only downfall was the stuffiness in the day. Other then that its a spiritual place with alot of serenity.
maryse d.
July 2022
We staded at mama J's house for few days while we were visiting the Volcano state park and Hilo. We were 5 (2 adults, 2 chidren and a young baby). This house was just so perfect for us! Plus, this hoise is so beautiful with all the plants, trees and flowers. We highly recommand this place and we would come back for sure!
Hui L.
July 2022
We had a great time here, my two girls love the well designed decorations and enjoy the mornings woke up by chickens, and they are looking forward to revisiting this house again.
Cheryl v.
July 2022
The property listing is so well described, but I felt this stay went above and beyond! Our hosts were so helpful in setting up for our little family. We had a wonderful time relaxing with all the birdsong in the beautiful yard on our first major trip in many years. So much was provided to keep us occupied in the house that we didn't get to as we were out exploring, but on a return trip I'd definitely like to just chill at the property longer! Perfect space for our family of 4, highly recommend!
Corinne K.
June 2022
Nice house! It was great to have sliding doors in each of the rooms as it got warm. There's also ceiling fans in all the rooms and extra plug in fans in the closets, which was great. Loved the carport/lanai area of the home. It was a nice area with a picnic table, fish pond, hammock, outdoor games and even a bbq grill. My step daughter
and I enjoyed the decor of the house and looking in the study room at the history of Jahnys and Stan's previous tropical house. Lots of historic information regarding the nearby lava flows. And an awesome library of books pertaining to Hawaii.
The property was a great getaway from the fast pace of life on Oahu. Mahalo nui Jahnys & Stan for sharing your sweet & unique hale with us🌺
Susan C.
June 2022
Just what a small family needed to decompress from busy Oahu!!!!
We will hopefully be back soon.
Much Aloha, Susan
Wouter d.
June 2022
We (2 adults and 2 kids aged 10 and 12) had a great stay in this house. It's conveniently located to explore the north-east side of the island. The house is spacious and equiped with all you need to have for a pleasant stay.
Janet M.
April 2022
This is our 2nd stay at this wonderful place. It is very spacious including a huge covered outdoor space which is wonderful if it happens to rain. The incredible dense, tropical vegetation here needs some water, after all!!! Usually that comes down as a torrent of rain and then the sun comes out. The house is clean and well equipped and the grounds are lovely. The house has some wonderful original artwork and antiques. But, for me, the high point is the absolutely amazing library of everything Hawaii. I have been reading about Hawaii for the past 15 years but I have never seen most of the many books that are in the library here. This is also a good place if you want to experience old Hawaii and nature in the tropics and see how lava flows change the landscape. The 2016 lava flow came to the transfer station fencing 3 or 4 miles away and then stopped right there after its maybe 20 mile transit with a little lava oozing through the fence. From there it is another 6 miles or so to see the edge of the 2018 lava flow which is still steaming in a heavy rain and it is amazing to see. Highway 132 was rebuilt in 2019/2020 and goes right through the flow which is now greening up with young ferns starting to prosper. It was the largest flow in Hawaii recorded history and also one of the world's largest. From there you can go North on a wonderful narrow winding road with huge tropical trees overhanging the road and orchids and ferns attached to them and return to the house.
From the house it is not far to Volcano National Park or Hilo. Grocery shopping is relative close. Kaleo's just a few miles away is one of Hawaii Island's awarded restaurants - very reasonable for its excellent and imaginative meals and with outside dining in the highly quirky town of Pahoa. There is a wonderful Sunday market nearby but lots of farm stands along Route 130 every day, if you miss out on that. The owners are generous with their time and extremely knowledgeable about this unique part of the world. Highly recommended!!!
Colleen L.
April 2022
I would 100% return to this hale in Pahoa. The location is very central and easy to get to. The owners are the BEST owners I've ever rented through! I had a personal email from them as soon as I booked the hale. We continued our email conversations as I waited till it was finally time to go to Pahoa and because of that we built a friendship. More on that in a bit.
The house was perfect for the three of us who rented. Plenty of room inside and out. It had everything and anything that we could want. The library is amazing and very special! Don't miss it when you go. The only problem was that we were only there for three nights so we didn't have much time to read. The neighborhood is very quiet. Great TV and a very good selection of DVD's. Cute coffee "bar" too. The lani is very spacious and welcoming with tables, chairs and a fountain. It is the perfect hale if you want to be between Volcano National Park and Hilo.
Now the friendship part. We were very interested in seeing the aftermath of the 2018 lava flow and the owners Stan & Jahnys offered to give us a personal tour. We said absolutely! Our two hour tour turned into a 5 plus hour tour and I wouldn't change it in anyway!!! If they offer to take you on a tour say YES!
Don't miss the opportunity to rent this property. You won't be disappointed :)
Robin H.
April 2022
Property is as described.
Although it was just my husband and myself, this home is larger enough for a family.
JD M.
March 2022
I would give this place 6 stars if allowed. It was very nice to have a stash of everyday items in the house like ziplock bags, tape, and games to play. The beds were very comfortable and we enjoyed the songs of the birds as we fell asleep. Great host!
Pamela H.
March 2022
Jahnys & Stan are really easy to rent from & they now live on the Big Island to handle any problems or questions. It was our 2nd time staying at this home & we love the yard & nice size of the home. It was warm through the day time hours but cooled off nicely by evening for cooking & sleeping. Beautiful birds were fun to watch each morning before starting our day. Lots of plantings & greenery to enjoy while there. Overall this place fit all our needs for a two week stay & we would stay again & recommend to other travelers.
Juli J.
February 2022
We loved our experience at Mama J’s Tropical house! Home was very clean and had everything we needed for our stay. The bed in the main bedroom was so very comfortable and had beautiful handmade quilts In each room. Lovely artwork adorned the walls and the hardwood floors are just beautiful. Loved watching all the birds, geckos, pond fishes and other wildlife around the spacious covered patio while hanging out or grilling on the bbq. The lovely deck out front was so relaxing with comfortable lounge chairs to enjoy the natural surroundings. Nearby are lots of natural attractions including volcanoes, lava fields, caves for exploring, gorgeous waterfalls and swimming holes enjoyed by many locals. Make sure to stop and get some fresh pineapple and coconut as a refreshing treat at local roadside stand after visiting the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park!
Our hosts Stan and Jahnys, were wonderful and treated us to a great tour where the locals hang out and sites around Hilo, and as an added bonus gave us beautiful Hawaiian CD, flowers and fresh fruit from their yard. Talk about excellent hospitality! What a treat and wonderful time with gorgeous weather we had for our vacation. Truly a tropical paradise, complete with serenading coqui frogs at night!
Beverly E.
January 2022
Excellent care of property and hospitable hosts. Emerson into Hawaiian life. Everything needed was provided. We loved staying here away from tourists.
michelle r.
January 2022
The property was great. Exactly as stated, very convenient location.
SUZANNE B.
December 2021
Nice and quiet
rose s.
September 2021
Our ohana had such a wonderful time at the hale somewhere to go and unpack unwind rest and enjoy home living away from home we highly recommend to any local families visiting Hawaii island especially for large families mama J's all the way!!! Aloha no, Kawailehua & Ohana
Rebecca K.
September 2021
The only drawback for us was we did find it a bit difficult getting out of Pahoa in the morning. This is definitely a residential area and many folks just trying to get to work and school makes for a longer drive in the AM so keep that in mind. Bring your patience and kindness as this someone's home and we are all just visiting <3 Would stay here again in a heartbeat though! Thank you Jahnys!
Cameron F.
August 2021
Great property. I wish I would've taken a picture of my wife's note she left in the guestbook at the house and just uploaded it here. It explained everything well and had a nice picture in it.
marcus p.
August 2021
Wonderful well thought out vacation cottage. Very close to town yet set in a private quiet location. We loved the place so much that we did not venture out too much as it was so nice there on the porch. Excellent TV and internet. A place for families at a time when so many places only cater to young adult couples.
Nancy W.
August 2021
This was our first time visiting the Hawaiian Islands. We chose to stay on the Big Island because of the variety of things to see and do. This is a beautiful home, tucked away in a small, quiet neighborhood. Jahnys and Stan take great care of their place, and are very friendly. They have everything you need for a comfortable stay. It is very quiet during the day, and you may be visited by some chickens (and possibly a kitten or two), but they do not approach you and are usually just passing through. You will be serenaded at night by the Coqui frogs and crickets. It was very soothing and relaxing. We looked forward to this every night (and we are missing it terribly!).
If you get a chance to do a tour with Jahnys and Stan, do so!!! They will take you to places you don't usually get to see, and they can tell you all about this beautiful area of the island. We had a lot of fun learning about and exploring Pahoa!!
Diana H.
August 2021
My husband and I stayed at Mama J's for ten days for our Honeymoon and loved every minute of it! When we arrived it was clean, well kept, and had a variety of different amenities. This house is also filled with so much character and it felt like a home away from home for us. Just relaxing sitting outside watching the geckos scurry, the neighbors' chicken wander, and listening to the rain brought us such joy. The house is also surrounded by jungle and so there are beautiful plants and flowers all around and even some tasty mountain apple fruit tress which we enjoyed for breakfast. We really liked how this part of the island just feels much more real and not so touristy. If we wanted to go into Hilo it was about an easy 30 minute drive, but there are also so many things to explore around the area. The neighbors were great too and we were even invited to spend a local 4th of July with them, so much good food! :)
This was our first time using VRBO and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. Jahnys and Stan are absolutely wonderful hosts and are two of the kindest people we've ever met. They are both so knowledgeable of the area, plants, and history. If you have the opportunity to go on the tour with them we highly recommend it.
The hardest part about staying at Mama J's was leaving, but my husband and I are certainly hoping to go back for another trip. Mahalo!
Shakti b.
July 2021
Nice rustic house. Hosts seem to have thought of everything a guest would need and more. Enjoyed our stay.
Simone M.
June 2021
If you want an amazing experience in a local neighborhood, you definitely want to stay at Mama J's house. She has added her beautiful touch with meaningful furniture and decoration on every corner. The house is spacious and very, very clean. It has a gorgeous backyard, perfect for relaxing after a long day of exploring the area. Conviniently located between Hilo and the Volcanoes National Park, it has d'a store 5 minutes away.
Thank you, Mama J! Your kindness made our trip unforgettable.
Use the "Visit Owner's Website" link to read more reviews from the reservation site, including the latest reviews submitted by recent guests.