EXOTIC TREEHOUSE AT KILAUEA VOLCANO ~ HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK

My husband and I recently took a short vacation to the Big Island (5 days/4 nights), spending the first two above Waipio Valley and the following two at the Treehouse. As much as I was sad to leave the ocean, arriving at the Treehouse was one of the most incredible experiences, especially just to see my husband's face when we climbed up the stairs and he saw the outdoor grill, cedar hot tub, and then of course the trap door to the bedroom! I literally had to drag him away to get him to go hiking with me at the National Park (which of course was also INCREDIBLE--definitely check out the Pu'u crater from the Jaggar Museum at night--between the sunset and the fiery red glow, the view was heart-stopping!). Staying only minutes from the park entrance was also a huge bonus, as we beat the crowds and tour busses to the major sights in the park (even in the rain, there were still mobs of tourists on the weekend!), and we were able to hike nearly all of the trails we were interested in and then get back late afternoon to relax a bit before dinner. (Word of advice; purchase food BEFORE coming; the options at the General Store were extremely limited unless you enjoy eating junk food) and without cell phone service, we weren't able to make reservations at the Lodge. We instead waited nearly 30 minutes to be so much as acknowledged and have our name taken for the waiting list at Kiawe Kitchen--well-prepared food and nice wine list, yet overpriced and HORRIBLE service.)
Upon getting back to the Treehouse at night, we LOVED the outdoor shower and especially the hottub outside! Even in the cold and rain, both were a perfect way to end the evening (followed by drinking tea and watching Volcano movies inside before heading up the ladder to the amazingly comfortable bed upstairs! :)

Bottom line is that while we've stayed in some pretty incredible places during our travels, the Treehouse remains at the top of our list! I was so sad to leave I cried when we had to exit the Moongate on our last morning in Hawaii. Can't WAIT to come back!

The little tree house was very cool - so quiet and relaxing there, I'm surprised I managed to leave. It was a great place to unwind and soak in the hot tub with my girl and some drinks.
I'm really tall, so I always notice dust up high, but lower surfaces and the floors were clean. The trap door hole to the room is 2' by 2', and my 6'10" and 350lbs got up the sturdy ladder and through the trap door just fine. The bed linens and towels were clean & good-smelling. The kitchen was small but has just about everything you need. The inclusion of clean drinking water was thoughtful. The outdoor shower was fun, but because of my height the privacy bamboo wasn't quite enough for privacy - good thing there are only a couple other properties in sight! The Trader Joe's toiletries were different, but did the job with no off-putting scents. Don't let the compost toilet freak you out - my flusher @ home smells worse! Just follow the directions in the guide and you'll be fine.
From here, we took a lava boat tour, being lucky to escape the rain AND see some great flow. We went to the one @ sunrise, totally worth waking up early for. We also checked out some of the parks along the coast and saw some green turtles on our way to Kona. Kona is rather crowded and touristy, but if you like coffee and have a few bucks to spend, might as well do it there.
Since we were there during the rainy season, it rained much of the time, but we're from Seattle and it was in the 70s so it wasn't bad. We took about half a day to just drive around the entire island, and that was nice, though there would have been more landscape to see without the cloud cover.
We didn't bother with the restaurants near the tree house, as we preferred to cook and chill @ the tree house. Other than Bubba Gump in Kona, we mostly cooked. It was great.
This tree house is not what a traditionalist would be pleased with. But if you're open-minded and looking to actually get "away" on your get-away, call Gail and have yourself a different little adventure. Prepare to speak quieter, look and listen closer, move slower, enjoy the present and smile more.

The beauty of this property is impossible to capture in pictures. The craftsmanship is excellent and the natural beauty around it makes this a thrilling, but peaceful getaway. My wife and I stayed here as the last stop on our honeymoon a few weeks ago and we'll never forget it.