Patrick was there to welcome us when we arrived and show us around -- we were delighted to see a box of Maui Caramacs left in out suite (The Banana) as a welcome gift (big MAHALO).

The INN Waimea is a lovely traditional plantation-style home with 4 rooms total and common areas including a porch where guests hang out and mingle. The Banana suite is large with a living room and a hot tub -- I would go as far as saying it was "romantic". The decor is island-style shabby chic -- comfy, relaxed, and a bit quirky. We felt safe and happy and slept soundly at night. Our only minor criticism is that the rooms were hot and stuffy, so we ran the fans and the AC most of the time.

The INN Waimea is also well-loacted within walking distance to Ishihara's Market (best poke on island!), The Wrangler Restaurant and Aunty Likikoi's (for sweets!). There is also a beach a block away -- it's not swimmable but still great for sunsets and interacting with locals. On Sundays, there is wonderful singing wafting from the Hawaiian church, though be warned that Waimea Town pretty much shuts down on Sundays and Mondays -- you may have to go to Port Allen to find a restaurant.

I think what we loved most about the two nights we stayed here (after a week in Hanalei) was getting a sense of the character of the town and getting to feel more like locals than tourists. Also, we were close to Waimea Canyon, where we went on an incredible hike to the Alapaki Swamp (a must-do if you are in pretty good physical condition).

Patrick has a few other accommodations in the area as well. We would stay with him again if we came back to Waimea.