Staying at Kurt and Nariko’s elevated our experience on the Big Island. We chose to stay in Kona and we couldn’t have called a better place home for a week.
What makes their place stand out and why it was the perfect choice for us:
You must have a rental car to get around.. Kurt and Nariko provided us with OUR OWN personal parking spot for our massive jeep pick-up 4x4, which made it super easy to come and go. Having a spot to park your car is really important and we didn’t have go far to our car or pay extra for parking somewhere or have to move cars I order for someone to get out which was really helpful.
The elevation! It matters people! It means cooler temperatures at night which is better for sleeping and you get a killer view. Their home achieved all of this. Unless you want something out of National Geographic in your shower, avoid staying on an Airbnb right on the beach. There were no bugs except for 1 or 2 fruit flies (purely my fault for leaving a bowl of pineapple unattended) and Kurt came out with this super handy device that you plug in to at night and it catches everything. Very thoughtful of him!! Of course you need to do your part too and be mindful of fruits you bring in and leave out, I recommend keeping everything in the fridge provided.
TIP: I lived in Kona right on Magic Sands- it’s hotter/humid the closer you are to the beach, which means lots of unwelcome visitors no matter how careful you are….
The instructions for the WiFi are placed on the wall and include a scannable QR code, so simple and easy! Loved that detail.
Air conditioning is a must. The unit was on the wall so it didn’t take away from natural light or the ability to open the windows and get a cross breeze…always the perfect temperature in there.
The place is so thoughtfully decorated, with a few tropical plants and fresh picked tuberose and plumeria from Nariko’s garden placed in a vase along with some welcome goodies when you arrive. It was so sweet.
They give you a Roku! I’m not suggesting staying in and watching TV but after a long day of adventuring around, it was so nice to be showered, resting your legs in bed and turning on our HBO. Such a plus.
Finally our last day they prepared a beautiful breakfast for us and we all enjoyed it together from their lanai. Completely up to you if you want privacy but we hit it off and happy they joined us. Homegrown fruits, tasty granola, pastries, jams, yogurt parfait, and fresh coffee. Such a lovely way to send us off.
They provide scuba equipment, yoga and beach towels, and other accessories which was a bonus too! Loved the enormous citranella candle on our little lanai to keep bugs away while we enjoyed the view. Also, the travel book they have about the Big Island was super helpful for planning our day.
The kitchen includes a microwave, mini fridge, kuerig coffee maker, blender, cutting board, cutlery, plates/bowls/cups. You won’t be cooking in there but I’d prefer to get the most out of my days anyway rather than spend time in the kitchen prepping, cooking and cleaning. Their kitchen had all the essentials we needed, I never felt like I was doing without.
All in all, I wouldn’t choose any other place to stay on the BI. It fit our needs perfectly. If you are planning on lots of adventures and need a safe, clean, bug free, WiFi accessible space this is IT. Don’t waste time because this place books fast! Thank you again Kurt and Nariko! Mahalo Nui Loa! :)