Big Island Retreat — Hotel in Hawaii

So...I know Mgmt...I am so late writing this review! You were awesome, as was your Husband and the Owner who I got to meet. Super easy to work with to make the last minute reservation for me, my wife, and my 2 girls and crazy responsive with anything needed!!! It was a one room, with kitchen and living area with a pullout mattress. We pulled the mattress (with pad!) off the pullout couch and put it right on the cool floor. All 4 of us were comfortable. We used the kitchen for breakfast. And walked down, at the end of our days, to swim/snorkel at Kahalu’u Beach Park (great showers after you get out and feel fresh for the walk home) with the sea turtles and watched the sun go down. Really that is what it's about!||BUT, you must be realistic in what you want and Big Island Retreat was what I wanted. Arriving at sunset, be prepared as the room will feel the warmest. This was a quote from Liz A (July 2023) "It took us a little bit to get used to the lack of air conditioning, but we grew to like it and didn't miss the AC at all. We'd leave the windows open all day with the fans on and it was perfect." She is spot on and just remember her words! It may be hot and sweaty from the travels and unpacking, but get it done and take a walk to the beach...or just take a shower to cool off. With the ceiling fans and room fan in our room, it cooled off quickly and we had to cover ourselves in the night as it gets cool. Lot's of open, screened windows to let fresh air in.||This is part of the Terms & Conditions emailed to me. Should be no surprise for anyone arriving if you remember them!!!:||TERMS AND CONDITIONS|A/C: The hotel is NOT air conditioned, but being a short distance from the ocean means that the consistent Kona tradewinds help keep us cool. Each room is equipped with a ceiling fan, floor fan, and lots of screened windows. Due to the open-air nature of our property, our cute, friendly (i.e. harmless) neighborhood geckos often visit our rooms :)|||This is the room we had and the dates:|Room: Maile Room|Check-in: Sun, Jul 16, 2023|Check-out: Thu, Jul 20, 2023||I add this because we arrived and were in the parking lot when Curious38377908095 (July 2023) arrived (and left) and heard the whole conversation in his Review "Stay Away from this place"! He clearly didn't do his research on the Property, read the Terms and Conditions, see the benefits gained at Big Island Retreat, nor did he embody the Aloha Spirit that Kona and the Big Island gives back.||Get away from the city and tourist areas, and sit amongst the Locals to best enjoy the Islands.||Best part of the stay was the last night; We had perfect weather during the week, but it rained the last afternoon into the night. My 2 girls (12& 14) got up in the middle of the night and sat on the porch, overlooking the Beach below, and listened to the night rain and animal...

Our first impression of Big Island Retreat wasn't the best. After traveling all day and being awake for almost 24 hours (we were visiting from the northeastern US), all we wanted to do was shower and go to sleep... We had no trouble following the unconventional check-in instructions (there's no front desk), but we were dismayed to find the room had not been cleaned between guests! 😱 We immediately sent a text message to the contact number and they called back right away with an apology and instructions on where to wait. Less than 30 mins later, our room was clean and ready for use. Turns out, there was a misunderstanding with the housekeeper but we were just happy that it was resolved so quickly. ||It took us a little bit to get used to the lack of air conditioning, but we grew to like it and didn't miss the AC at all. We'd leave the windows open all day with the fans on and it was perfect. ||We loved being tucked into a residential area as it made the experience so much more immersive. It was our first time in Kona and we really liked having limited amenities as it forced us to only use the hotel for sleeping and showering. There's no need for a pool when there's a beach across the street! No need for an on-site restaurant when there are tons of locally owned coffee shops a short drive away. ||We were in the Honu Room and loved it. We wished we had a lana'i (balcony/patio), but the room was so large, we didn't miss it too much. Having a private outdoor area would have been nice to have so we could get our snorkeling gear dried in the abundant sunshine. We loved that the room was right next to the parking lot which made loading and unloading the car extremely easy. ||The place is so small that we rarely ran into other guests. It felt like we had the place to ourselves which added to immersive experience. ||If we ever travel to Kona again, were definitely...

We recently spent seven nights at The Big Island Retreat (BIR) and loved it. It is where we will stay when we visit Kailua-Kona. You can look at the pictures on the website to get a feel for the rooms and the grounds - they represent it well. The place has a serenity that few places have. A relaxed pace - definitely on "Hawaii time". The heart and soul of BIR is Gigi - the manager - and her staff. They are unobtrusive but there when you need them. The rooms and the grounds are immaculate. While daily maid service is not offered the staff replaced linens and refreshed the room on request. BIR also provides all you will need for the beach - umbrella, chairs, rubber shoes for walking on the sometimes rocky beaches and other beach must-haves. There are a washer and dryer - $2.00 for one load - includes washing and drying - just put the money in the cup. The rooms do not have A/C but do have a ceiling fan and an oscillating fan - we did not miss the A/C. Our room was very comfortable and nicely decorated - loved the traditional Hawaiian quilt on the bed. We used the open-air kitchen a few times - breakfast and dinner. All the kitchen equipment and most condiments and spices are provided. Non-perishables left by guests are, when appropriate, left for other guests to enjoy - yes that includes beer. If you want to go out ask Gigi for local's favorites - you'll enjoy some good food at a very fair price. This was our 5th visit to the Big Island and our first time not staying at one of the big hotels north of the airport (Waikoloa area). The BIR was a delightful change from the big...