Avis Dolphin Bay View from the Chocolate Farm

The Hawaiian Kane Cottage was great for the four of us. You feel like there is no one for miles around, which was not common in Hawaii. Other than the roosters, which seem to have no predators in Hawaii and don't always wait until dawn to crow. We were able to prepare a lot of our meals in the open kitchen and Mike set up the Weber grill which was great for us. It does take a over half an hour to get it hot enough to cook meat, so keep that in mind in meal planning. Vika left us fresh eggs from their chickens, limes from their trees and showed us how to pick fresh papayas which were in season. We used them all. She also gave us a bag of very locally grown Kona coffee which was delicious. A few things to keep in mind: 1. There will be bugs. My wife was not happy with a cockroach she found in the kitchen, but that comes with "camping out." Everything was clean and there were plenty of towels, soaps and shampoo. 2. We had trouble getting hot water in the upper unit, but there was plenty on demand in the lower unit so folks just showered there. 3. It is at least a four minute drive from Napoopoo Road to the unit down the partially concrete, partially crushed lava rock drive, including getting through the pin-accessed gate. That can be an adventure on a very dark, rainy night but you are signing up here to be in the middle of an old Hawaii plantation. We really loved it.

I'll start by listing what we liked about this tropical retreat offered by Vika and Mike. 1. Everything. Really, our 5-night stay here was the highlight of our (me, my husband and my sister's) two-week trip to the beautiful state of Hawaii. Driving down the winding driveway that first time, past coffee and cacao trees, bananas and papayas, palms and beautiful flowering trees was awesome (and we had no trouble with directions - they were clear and accurate - or gate access). And then we ended up in this little corner of paradise so beautifully situated among gorgeous, fragrant plantings, with birds everywhere and views that just invited relaxation. We were speechless. Vika and Mike were delightful hosts, welcoming us with estate coffee, fresh fruit and good tips about snorkeling locations. The separate bedroom hales were very nice for a group like ours and everything was clean and comfortable - including the hammock! We had all we needed in the open-air kitchen and enjoyed lovely sunrise breakfasts and sunset dinners. We appreciated the nice beach chairs, towels and cooler provided for our use. We have our own snorkeling gear, but there is plenty of gear provided, if needed. We enjoyed the birds and the geckos that make this property their home. We saw geckos mainly sunning on the wooden posts - never did see one in the kitchen, and bugs were not a nuisance for us at all. The location of the property is also great - outside of the Kona tourist area but very convenient to Kealakekua Bay and other great snorkeling spots; easy access to volcano area too. All in all, if you're looking for a place to stay that feels like a tropical Hawaiian paradise, and you enjoy getting some separation from the tourist scene, then stay here. Thanks Vika and Mike for making this retreat available to travelers, and thanks too Vika for the travel tip to visit Manoa Chocolate on O'ahu. We did that and had a great tour.

Viktoriya and Michael were wonderful hosts. They regularly supplied us with free fruit from their own trees and unlimited coffee from their own plantation. The coffee was out of this world "delish." They brought towels and linens each week, even changing the beds for us. The cottage was immaculately clean when we arrived. The cottage (two separate cabins, each with bedroom, bathroom and lanai, plus an open kitchen building), was incredibly peaceful, with a beautiful view of the ocean. Each morning, we awoke to the sound of tropical birds. The property is conveniently located close to (five minutes) the village of Captain Cook, which has a good array of services (gas, groceries, restaurants, farmers market, etc.). The city of Kailua-Kona is a little over 1/2 hour away, outside of rush hour. We highly recommend this beautiful place, and our friendly and gracious hosts. Cheers, David & Yvonne.

Wonderful private experience. Comfortable living and sleeping, outstanding views, well equipped outdoor kitchen. Gracious hosts. Nice selection of beach accessories available.

A quiet retreat and great place to explore the West side from. Well appointed and unique accommodations.

We loved our time! The property is absolutely beautiful! The owners are wonderful and we loved the free coffee and fruit they provided! Hope to visit again

My husband, 2 sons and i stayed here for 1 1/2 weeks. Vika and Mike were super friendly and available hosts, giving us a tour of their property, identifying plants, offering us fresh fruit from their trees and sharing favorite snorkel spots and restaurants with us. We all loved the arrangement of 2 separate but close cottages with beautiful open air kitchen in between with large fridge, stove and seating for all with amazing views of jungle and ocean. My boys loved all the geckos, birds, millipedes and other insects they would find (or the creatures would find us)! The beds were super comfortable and so nice to turn on the ceiling fans in the eves to cool things off. My husband and i also enjoyed having the guitar to play while sitting on the porch. This place is perfect for those who have a sense of adventure and a healthy appreciation for the natural world. We had a great time and thanks to Mike and Vika for hosting us! Big thanks also to Vika's mother who insisted on personally taking on our laundry for the day, sending us to the beach instead. We really appreciated it! Happy Holidays to all of you and thanks again! Hope we can return someday!

Great Location & View. Bad Bugs! Would I stay there again? Unless they added a bug net around the outdoor kitchen and took a few other measures, no I wouldn’t. But if they did, yes! Good * Great Location (assuming you can find it - see below). It’s away from crowds, but still have a few great restaurants and groceries within 5 miles. Close to Two step - our favorite snorkeling spot where we felt like we were in an aquarium and swam with wild dolphins. No cost. Just freedom! * Ocean View is insane! The pics they post don’t do it justice. * Really Nice owners. They brought us fresh fruit, coffee, and farm fresh eggs. They’re only a call away - though no mobile service with AT&T so to call them you have to leave the property because they don’t answer texts). You can tell the owner takes pride in the property. * Private. It feels like you’re secluded in a rainforest. No sounds, but chirping birds all around you. * Coffee on the cottage porch is so serene and pleasant. Bad * The bugs and geckos * Day one got about 30 bites and dozens more in the days after. It was awful. I was super itchy and looked like I had the chicken pox the entire week there. Ants were covering the bathroom of the lower cottage so it was unusable. :( We did tell the owners, but they only brought us an organic bug spray, which didn’t work. You can’t cook in the kitchen at night without an unheard of bugs committing suicide in your boiling pasta after eating you as their last meal. We pretty much had to give up using the kitchen past afternoon. The bugs were just too much. We also had a bat size moth in our cottage swoop in one night. You think I’m kidding? Nope. And it happened in the time we opened, ran in and closed the door as fast as we could. A practice that’s s must. The bugs continued to attack us while we slept in our room. I think the rain brought them in somehow. And the Geckos... as cute as they are... they are not cute when they’re running across my bed while I’m in it. That was just too much. I almost wet myself. * Poorly stocked kitchen 2 coffee cups, no big bowls, only a couple cups, etc. so keep that in mind. * Good luck finding it. Do not arrive after dark. Owners gave us directions completely missing 2 key turns, the wrong cottage name and the wrong gate code to get in. We had to call him to guide us in and get the right code. You cannot google map it unfortunately. Won’t get you beyond the main street. * In the End.. we did enjoy our stay

The beautiful grounds and well designed layout of 2 structures and outdoor kitchen between them is an ideal set. *Important* - ditch your gps and follow the written directions.

We stayed here 4 nights with a family of four (daughters age 14 and 17). Having the two cottages was fun, and we really enjoyed the outdoor kitchen. The location is great, about 20 minutes south of the bustle of Kona, but still close enough. We like to stay in places off the regular path, and this one was perfect for that. Very quiet and peaceful, with incredible views. 5 min up the road are enough stores and services to keep you going, and 10-15 minutes the other direction is excellent snorkeling and beaches (like Two Steps). Everything was clean and included all the amenities you would want, including a bag of really good homegrown coffee! Since the location is a bit wild, and the kitchen is open-air, be prepared to share your space with a few critters, especially day geckos. They don't bother us, but they will be everywhere including the counter tops and showers. The owners are very friendly and easy to get a hold of. We had no issues with our accommodations, but they are there to help and always willing to answer questions. We had a wonderful time and absolutely would stay there again. Highly recommended if you want a more authentic Hawaiian experience and something other than a condo or resort.