The Falls at Kawainui.

I%26#39;d like some feedback on this one please:

The Falls at Kawainui,

http://www.vrbo.com/49625

http://www.fallsatkawainui.com/

Thanks for any input. Also, at the end of May, can you let me know if it%26#39;s generally okay without an a/c.

Thanks in advance...

The Falls at Kawainui.

This is a beautiful area, about two miles north farther out of Hilo than where I live. I%26#39;ve not seen the property though.

I have seen a boatload of for sale ads for it on craigslist, everything from gentleman%26#39;s ranch to nudust retreat, marketing it from every angle.

Price at two million three or thereabouts, it hasn%26#39;t sold yet and the owners seem very anxious to sell it.

So do communicate with them as to the contingencies.

It is the buyer who generally decides whether the property will continue as a B%26amp;B/rental. If they buy it to use as a personal estate, obviously the reservations would have to be canceled.

While the seller CAN make it a term that all existing reservations be honored, these people really want to sell and I do not think they would try to make the buyers do vacation rental if the buyer has other plans.

Whether or not you need A/C depends entirely on the building and the way it%26#39;s sited to get the trade breezes, so I can%26#39;t give a general answer. One place could be stifling, another cool.

By the end of May things have warmed up and there can be very warm days, the transition from winter is over. But it is not typically as muggy as the true summer. I live in the area without A/C and only ceiling fans, but I%26#39;m used to not having A/C.

I will say that A/C is very rare in island homes on this side. It costs too much to run and we have good breezes. It%26#39;s condos, hotel rooms and apartments that are built with side by side rooms and no cross flow that really require A/C.

If you do rent this, I would love to hear what it%26#39;s like. The land sounds lovely.

The Falls at Kawainui.

I happened to drive by the gate today ... this property is really an exceptional location. To me this area is some of the prettiest on the island. I looked at all the slide shows and I%26#39;m impressed by the setting, the landscaping, and the interior decoration. Very nice, and I can see how much trouble they went to over the details.

I hope my earlier post didn%26#39;t put you off it. Any time something is for sale, and you%26#39;re staying 7-8 months out, that%26#39;s a concern, and you should ask about it.

Would I stay at this property? Yes. Which of the three houses are you looking at? They all look nice, and the main house looks amazing, especially at night.

One thing about this area that I know from living in it, is there will likely be mosquitoes in shade and around the stream. The houses are screened, but it might be a factor on an unscreened porch. The main house looks best sited not to have mosquitoes, and the lowest cottage, the Pineapple, looks most likely to have them.

Not having been there, this is just my guess from the photos. You should ask if it%26#39;s a concern. You can always burn citronella too.

As to the proximity of other things, you are about 10 miles or 15-20 minutes out of Hilo, but close to some wonderful attractions. This gated property would, I think, be very serene and a piece of the real Hawai%26#39;i (on the upscale side).

(There will be almost certainly be coqui frogs, probably by the stream, but they don%26#39;t bother a lot of people. Just ask if they are very loud, and in which of the houses. I%26#39;m used to them and besides there are few places in East Hawai%26#39;i you don%26#39;t get them.)

Thanks for the update. I did contact the owner and he did confirm that the property is for sale. He is hopeful that it will continue as a vacation rental. However, he did say that all charges would be refunded. He is only asking for a credit card to hold the dates. We are looking at the upper cottage. It is only $95 a night with a $35 cleaning charge, what a steal! This is half the current rates listed on the webite. I%26#39;m thinking that a full rental calendar would be attractive to a potential buyer. I once had reservation at a b%26amp;b, and it was sold shortly before my arrival. I had to scramble to find alternate accommodations, so I am a little concerned. I still have plenty of time, so I%26#39;ll put this on my ';A'; list and keep looking. It is a challenge to sift through all the ';Hilo'; listing to find rentals that are actually in Hilo or north of Hilo vs. the Puna area. Since I have 2 teenage boys, I also need a second bedroom with twin beds or a 3 bedroom. I%26#39;m sure I%26#39;ll find the perfect place! I%26#39;ll post a few more soon, and I do truly appreciate your input.

I looked at both of the links and it seems that the vrbo link shows $95.00 a night and the other link shows $195.00 a night. I guess I would double-check with them to make sure you get the rate you want. But it sure does look nice And it%26#39;s not too far from What%26#39;s Shakin!

There is a half price special going on ... thus the disparity.

SmithFamily, $95 a night for a house in that location is a steal! You could pay that or more for one shabby hotel room in Hilo, or stay in the country at a two million dollar property. Hmm, such choices!

I agree that it%26#39;s tough on VRBO to find true Hilo listings because VRBO doesn%26#39;t oversee its site enough and owners of Puna rentals list under Hilo. I guess they think it has more name recognition? Anyway, they should not. Kapoho listings under Hilo, ridiculous!

There are two rentals across the street from What%26#39;s Shakin, a plantation house right on the road, and what I think is a multi-facetted redwood house behind it.

Neither of their locations compare favorably to the Falls.

The same with the 20%26#39;s house by Low%26#39;s store. Not a great location, too much local traffic, across from the park.

I helped someone last year who was looking for Merrie Monarch lodgings in this area, so that%26#39;s how I became familiar with some of the listings.

Amazing property. Even more spectacular than the website. I have stayed there several times. All rooms have ceiling fans. AC is not needed especially in May.

Because of the trade winds and proximity to river, the houses stay very comfortable.

We stayed in the Pineapple Cottage in February 2009. We found the cottage, well, shabby. Funky is another word that comes to mind, but it’s not a good funky. The website fails to mention that there are no windows that you can close – everything is just screens. The bedrooms lack blinds, so don’t expect much privacy. And, if there’s been any rain recently, don’t expect to be able to hear yourself think – the stream that supplies the waterfalls on the property is within spitting distance from the cottage, and it can be LOUD! Everything in the cottage – everything, including the bedsheets – was just slightly damp, kinda clammy.

The website brags about its amenities. Shall we look at them one at a time?

“Newly decorated in tropical bamboo decor throughout.” What’s recent? The couch was broken – don’t sit on the right end! – and stained.

“Fully equipped kitchen, with appliances %26amp; utensils.” The fridge is rusty, the selection of utensils almost useless for cooking, and not a single decent wine glass!

“Quality Towels %26amp; Linens.” Hmmm, it just doesn’t say that it’s HIGH quality! No washcloths, and sheets that have been so well used the fabric is pilling.

“TV, VCR, Stereo, CD player.” I looked and looked for that stereo, and finally found it in a TV with stereo sound that plays DVDs and CDs. Wow.

“Washer and dryer.” Yep, one of each. That dryer was a life saver! Ah to have dry sheets at bedtime! We stripped that bed every night and dried the sheets. Heaven!

The entire estate looks as though a lot of maintenance has been deferred. The front gate didn’t work. The silly golf cart supplied to get from the parking area to the cottage and back was ready to play its last hole. Careful stepping on that right side, the floor is about to go!

All in all, I guess we got what we paid for. $95 a night for a three-bedroom cottage shoulda been a big red flag. Lesson learned: don’t trust that beautiful website.

In truth...thats the norm for the tropics and the eastern side of the island...rural , rugged and simple

....Lush and rivers mean high humidity, frequent rain and everything rusts and molds even in the box..... no matter the quality... its what happens normaly... ancicipate it expect it... rentals only have catchment water...and are limited . This is how most people live here and have come to accept it. You too will have to adapt....

If you want real Hawaii.... this is it...dont expect a resort quality room in a rural area...

many do however.... Life there is basic and simple.

Becareful what you ask for