Staying at Jim and Ted’s home was one of the highlights of our stay in the Hilo area. Unique does not begin to describe their home. We stayed in a wonderful downstairs apartment. Jim and Ted’s design and craftsmanship is evident everywhere you look - from the indoor pond to the bathroom shower that is open to the sky. They have incorporated wood from several old buildings, even blackboards from an old school. Jim was kind enough to have us up for a glass of wine one evening and we were treated to a tour of their upstairs home. Repurposed wood, windows, and doors abound. There is stone and lava rock, wonderful wood floors, and exquisite stained glass.
The apartment where we stayed was very spacious and well equipped. The shower is huge, surrounded with tile, lava rock, and glass. There is a nice rain shower head. The bedrooms are very large and the one we chose - next to the bathroom - had a very comfortable bed. There are lots of windows and there seemed to always be a breeze. For those who like to play, there is a pool table.
We were greeted with a bottle of wine when we arrived, plus a bowl of bananas and star fruit was waiting on the counter. Jim also
made sure we had a large container of fresh coffee beans (there is a grinder).
The house sits in a beautifully landscaped yard. There is a large koi pond and we had fun feeding the fish. The apartment has a small patio that overlooks the yard and we saw lots of wildlife, including chickens and even a few pigs!
The location was perfect for us. It was an easy drive from the airport in Hilo, and Hilo shopping is only about 15 minutes or so away. Volcano National Park is about 40 minutes away. The house is also a short drive from some fascinating lava flows from the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea.
If you are looking for a unique, yet welcoming place to stay when you visit the Hilo area, you can’t do better than to stay with Jim and Ted at their wonderful home. It will make your vacation extra special!