Where to begin. From the first moment I reached out to them, Theresa and Justin were prompt, kind, and engaging. Taking a family of 7 to Hawai'i is no easy feat, but our experience at the Mana House will surely be unforgettable.
I had a sense of the space from the photographs, but nothing could have prepared our family for the level of detail and attention Theresa and Justin put into the home. Upon arrival, Theresa greeted us with genuine enthusiasm and gave us a quick tour of the house. There was an audible gasp among our family as we entered the open-air structure-- protected by screen all around, the gorgeous lanai surrounds the meticulously designed and prepared rooms and common areas.
The amount of effort and attention to detail is apparent in every corner of the home. In the fully-stocked and spacious kitchen (a must for a family like us who love to cook), the utensils and cooking-ware were neatly arranged, as were the various teas, coffee beans (together with a coffee grinder and french press). There was even a cupboard stocked with organic honey, sugar, and basic condiments for daily cooking.
As you may have read in the description, the Mana House is completely off the grid and relies on captured rain water-- and plenty of it-- which is then filtered through various methods, including UV. Finally, Theresa and Justin offer a Berkeley Filter, beautifully setup next to the kitchen on furniture which, like the rest of the home, appear perfectly curated and sourced for the space.
Solar panels provide electricity to the entire home, and with a family of seven, even though we are conscious energy users, the power was available the entire 10 days (as was the satellite wifi), despite the fact that Pahoa isn't as sunny as the Kona side (more on that later).
Like the common areas, the three bedrooms were neatly prepared, with the beautiful Yamaguchi platform beds as the centerpieces. The bedrooms are open to the front lanai, or balcony, and are separated by thick curtains. Since the home is feet from the ocean (separated by a small road), you can hear the ocean in the distance all day and night. Surprisingly, that was one of our favorite experiences. From inside, the rooms do have physical doors for privacy.
The 1.5 bathrooms, like everything else in the home, are intricately-designed and contain everything you might need during your vacation. Anything from various types of shampoo and conditioner, to surprising (and very welcome) items such as sunburn relief, a full first aid kit, and even feminine care products. That's right, this is how thoughtful Theresa and Justin are about the space.
Plenty of towels, extra comfy blankets and even boardgames live in a large closet. In addition, our hosts provide yoga mats, a beach umbrella and two custom-made binders containing a bit of history about Pahoa, our hosts, and every possible recommendation for services and recreation nearby.
In addition to the three rooms, the house contains three couches, two hammocks, and a couple of comfy chairs sprinkled throughout the space, including on the lanai itself. There, there is also a beautiful, huge, wooden dining table, where we found ourselves often in the morning enjoying breakfast and coffee, basking in the light of the open air balcony.
There is also a washer and dryer, which we did not use.
The Mana House is located South-East of Hilo, about 50 minutes apart, but the town of Pahoa is about 25 minutes away. So, be sure to stock up on supplies before arriving, if possible.
Pahoa-Kalapana is certainly more remote than Hilo and, unfortunately, because of the recent 2018 lower Puna eruption, some of the historical features of the coast-- like swimming holes and the harbor at Isaac Hale Park-- were destroyed. Nonetheless, the surrounding few miles around the Mana House are a stunning natural wonder, and the coast, while perhaps less accessible than before given the most recent lava flow, has given birth to new coastline, and new things to do and see while you're in Pahoa. Our family spent one day exploring the famous Red Road (be sure to look it up as it's the road on which the Mana House exists), and it remains one of our most memorable experiences-- and we explored nearly the entire island.
About the rain: the East coast of the island does incur much more rain than on the Kona side-- after all, the Hilo side is a tropical rainforest. Still, in January, most of the torrential rain comes and goes in 15 minutes (and mostly in the evening). In fact, for most of the days where the forecast showed 60-90% chance of rain, we were able to experience partly sunny conditions and were able to swim given the warm weather.
Overall, if you are looking for one of the best, most attentive (as hands-off or hands-on as you like) host on Airbnb, and certainly one of the most traditional ways to experience Hawai'i lodging with all the comforts of a meticulously prepared and designed space, the Mana House will not disappoint.
We are so thankful to Theresa and Justin for making our stay in Hawai'i that much more special, and we hope we have a chance to stay at the Mana House again.