Needs improvement
Review Submitted: February 29, 2008
Date of Stay: December 2007
My husband and I stayed here for 10 days over New Years 2007 and enjoyed our time on the Big Island and sleeping to the sound of the frogs but we could have been a lot more comfortable. Between the brutal futon as a couch and the only den seating, the kitchen chairs on the porch and the non-existent mattress on the bed, we could not find a comfortable place to sit or lay down.
The lack of restaurants requires cooking and the very under equipped kitchen made it extremely challenging to prepare a meal. Unless of course you're a raw vegetable eater and cooking is not required.
In addition, more plates, cups, bowls, utensils so the water and washing could be kept more to a minimum. As it is, you have to wash by hand daily or run a very empty dishwasher...seems pretty wasteful for such a eco-friendly house,
But the Big Island is spectacular, Kehena Beach is really great especially when then dolphins visit, the steam vents are great, Kalapana is a sight to behold and Maune Kea is a must see.
Owner's Response: We appreciate feedback and have done everything possible to make our next visitors more comfortable at Hale Haumea. The futon mattress has been replaced with an innerspring version that is guaranteed not to get compressed by the humidity here in Hawaii. The bedroom mattress, which is only one year old, has been topped with a Tempurpedic foam pad for greater comfort and firmness as well. And we've added extra pillows to the Adirondack chairs on the lanai so guests can relax more comfortably as they watch the sunrise or the
stars come out at night.
I hope our guests take advantage of the fabulous tropical buffets served 3x day at the Kalani Oceanside Resort, just 1 mile away, or the breakfast & lunch available at Kalapana Village Cafe, which just opened a few miles down the oceanfront road where hikers can walk over a lava trail to the island's newest black sand beach. There are also excellent restaurants inland in Pahoa Town (13 miles away) and wonderful cooked entrees as well as raw produce at our local Farmers Markets in Hilo and Pahoa. There's even a Farmers Market just three blocks away every Saturday morning now at the new SeaView Performance Arts Center, home of the Hiccup Circus and Belly Acres entertainment and educational center for children. We just attended their grand opening performance and it rivaled Cirque de Soleil!
Our kitchen cupboards are stocked with place settings for 8 and, based on this feedback, we're adding more pots, pans and utensils to make cooking a happier experience at Hale Haumea. We strive to make our lovely cottage a home-away-from-home for travellers to our beautiful island. Aloha.
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Helpful votes: 7/7
