Our family of four, including two teenage boys, stayed at Mandy's house in June '22. We loved it! It was everything we hoped it would be and more. If you are planning to visit the Hilo side of the Big Island - staying here will make the experience the best it can be!
The house is so genuinely Hawaiian and comfortable. We will forever think about the sounds of nature that provided such a calming soundtrack at night. The location is great for trips to see Hilo, Akaka Falls, nearby beaches, Volcanoes National Park, Mauna Kea and more. That's how we spent our days and it was spectacular to return to the house and relax. All of us had the best nights of sleep ( our oldest son chose to sleep on the daybed in the lanai and said he'll never forget it ! ). Our youngest loved the hot tub.
Mandy is the best of the best as a host. She is thoughtful and puts a lot of energy to make sure her guests have what they need. You really do feel like you're staying at the house of a friend or family. The kitchen and bathroom are well stocked. In the garage, we had access to a washer/dryer, snorkels, beach chairs, coolers, beach towels, an umbrella, etc so that we did not have to worry about any of that for our daily excursions. These things are all so important if you plan to have busy days of exploration.
Mandy's knowledge of the island, and excitement to share it is so helpful. She was very responsive and quickly responded to questions. Kathy is the onsite host and lives downstairs. She is wonderful and we really enjoyed meeting her. She is attentive to your needs and respectful of your privacy. I enjoyed touring the property with her to learn about the fruit trees. She picked a pineapple for us from the garden and we all agreed it was the freshest we ever tasted.
Nearby Pahao is a quant, Hawaiian - hippy town but it closes early. We had a good meal at Kaleo's and the Malama Market is modern, clean, well stocked and has good prepared meals.