Y’all, if you’re thinking of booking the Pineapple Express for your time on the Big Island, do it. My husband and I spent 4 nights there and it truly exceeded expectations in every way. Everything from the floors to the counters was spotless, the view was gorgeous, the mattress was comfy, and there were so many amenities that other hosts don’t offer or don’t think of. Dishes, soap, towels, and spices in the kitchen, ice in the freezer, washer-dryer with detergent in the linen closet, an extra oscillating fan in the bedroom — it was all fabulous, really.
The lanai was wonderful, we spent just about all our time there, when we weren’t out exploring, of course. The hot tub was great as well, it was so nice to be able to soak and look up at the stars! The cottage isn’t quite in Captain Cook proper, it’s a little bit further south — it’s about 15 minutes east to the nearest grocery store and restaurants, and about an hour north to Kona, but that didn’t bother us at all! We were looking for a place in a quiet area that wasn’t too far of a drive from places we wanted to go, so this location was perfect for us.
There are birds chirping every morning, plenty of little geckos to watch running around on the Lanai (we just loved them!), and tons of beautiful plants around the house. The bugs definitely came out around dusk, but with bug spray and a fan we were able to avoid getting completely eaten by mosquitos. A word of advice — bring your own bug repellant. They have some in stores but it’ll run you $15-20 a bottle! Its a similar story with sunscreen, which you’ll definitely want, so you’ll be better off packing those and bringing them with you. A rental car is also a must as there’s not really any consistent forms of public transport on this island (the bus runs very sporadically) and I’d recommend one with some ground clearance. The roads on the Big Island are very hilly and very windy, with lots of sharp turns and switchbacks, and the road going to the Pineapple Express is no exception. But hey, while you’re winding your way down the road, you’ll pass at least 4 fresh fruit stands, so be sure to pick up some avocados there! Absolutely the best avocado I’ve ever had in my life.
All in all, we had a wonderful time, and we really can’t recommend the Pineapple Express highly enough. Mahalo to Albert and Marsal — if/when we make it back to the Big Island we will absolutely stay here again!