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Reviews of Off grid house with almost 100 fruit and veg plants, close to green sand beaches

Off grid house with almost 100 fruit and veg plants, close to green sand beaches
Captain Cook, HI

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 21 out of 31 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 31 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 31 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 31 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 31 reviews" "

8.8/10

Cleanliness

2.0/10

Staff & service

6.0/10

Amenities

6.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

Danna P.

Surprisingly less rustic than I thought
I stayed here for a month and felt quite at home. Michael, the host checked in and was prompt on returning texts or phone calls. Its a bit cool in the evenings so bring a long sleeve shirt or two and/or sweatshirt. If you hang laundry to dry, i recommend bringing it inside if it clouds up ir it won't get dry. Very private. Hot showers. Lots of different kinds of birds. Geckos and Jackson Chameleons. Two markets, convenience store, and laundromat just down at the highway. Best drinking water is at transfer station just before Na'alehu. Great place to start and end your day as there are many nearby places to explore. Highly recommend checking in during daylight hours so you are able to see the numbers on the locks! I would recommend this rental if you just want a nice private place to stay and are expecting more of a "glamping" experience.
Stayed 31 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Renne M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great for couples wanting to be out of the city life
Peacefully on the property. No one bothers u while your here. Very beautiful off grid home…
Stayed 41 nights in Nov 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Jan 2024
Thank you for trusting us with your long term rental needs!

10/10 Excellent

John B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Orchid hide out
So glad we found this gem of a rental!
Stayed 35 nights in Jun 2022

8/10 Good

Charles C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Orchid House 5 week Getaway
Off grid at 3200 ft elevation in Ocean View. A little chilly in AM but warms up quickly. 750 sq. ft. and nicely furnished. Good location for South Big Island adventures. Off grid issues attended to nicely by host Jeanette and multi-talented Nicole. Great price for adventure getaway. Highly recommend.
Stayed 35 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Maanihera K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Awesome getaway
Rustic place on the mountain. Nice and relaxing. Could use some TLC. Great communication with host.
Stayed 26 nights in Nov 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you! We do improvements every 3 months. New floors are this coming month.

6/10 Okay

Kenneth O.

Problem
Just to let you know, the power went out at 8pm Sunday night, due to low battery I believe. Also, I had to light the water heater which no one said would be off.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Apologies, that is why we state in several places that lights and power usage in rooms not being used. If you had contacted us when it happened we could have explained there is a small easy to start generator to charge the 8 batteries in about 15 to 20 minutes. Yes the water heater pilot can get blown out from high winds, but to relight it with the push of an electrical sparking button doesn't seem too much. Again We apologize for any inconvenience and can't state enough that off grid does not mean carefree. We have taken every effort to simplify it as much as we can.

8/10 Good

Jennifer P., Beaverton, Oregon

Cozy & Quirky ! Love it !
The Orchid House was perfect and suited our needs. We were the first guests since the COVID-19 shut down, so the house was a bit dusty etc but I can use a broom and didn't mind tiding up a bit while keeping in mind it is an off grid house. We're building a tiny home in the area and needed a place to stay & maximize worktime at our property. Having a cozy place to stay, enjoy a home-cooked meal and get the best nights rest ever was wonderful! Awaking to the birds singing is a peaceful way to start the day. Thank you Jeanette, for walking us through lighting the water heater and understanding how the solar batteries work !! We really appreciated your quick and clear communication !! Looking forward to our next visit, thanks again.
Stayed 14 nights in Dec 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you for the review!! And for your understanding, since we are here in person now we've already made big changes and like we said, we guarantee your next trip to work on your house, this place will be back to its pre-covid specs! We've already got a new huge off grid fridge and will be redoing the kitchen floor, new plants, and soon an on demand hot water tank. (that tank should have been pre-lit for you guys) Mahalo, Jeanette

10/10 Excellent

John B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Relaxing
Off grid so I was going into it knowing what i was getting into. Beautiful property with trees, birds, placidity. Really enjoyed being away from it all in what felt like a wilderness retreat.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

James B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Better then expected.
This is the best vacation rental we have ever been to. Very well set up and very private. If you want to get away this is the perfect place to go to.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jay A.

Liked: Cleanliness
Would come again!
What a wonderful & peaceful place to stay- accommodations were awesome - enjoyed everything about the place.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Fernanda Z.

Liked: Cleanliness
Breathtaking views from an orchard on the top of a mountain
Michael's house is truly one of a kind. Breathtaking views from the outdoor deck with an array of smells and beautiful nature. Amazing stars at night!! He has all kinds of fruit trees surrounding the home which support overall organic experience. The private outdoor shower in nature felt so refreshing. Do yourself a favor and give this place a try, especially if you are caught up in the hustle and bustle of life.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you Fernanda for staying at our little getaway spot! We love that you had a great time staying there.

8/10 Good

Geana H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Stay at Ocean View
The stay was peaceful and suited us. Good bang for the buck.
Stayed 8 nights in Feb 2020

2/10 Terrible

BuyerBeware

Disliked: Staff & service
I was given the incorrect access information and was unable to get into the house, slept in my car. Owner refused to refund my money and the owner and her boyfriend were rude and abusive. Property itself is ok, in a subdivision, no internet, the 100 fruit trees are some dwarf shrubs. Nothing special, but ok probably if you get correct information.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Patrick T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful off-grid cabin
This was everything I was hoping for and more. I booked a last minute solo trip to Hawaii looking for peace and quiet, and this was perfect, better than expected. I really enjoyed my coffee on the lanai listening to nature each morning. Hoping to come back sometime to enjoy even more of what is available.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you Patrick!

10/10 Excellent

Rob R., Edmonton

Liked: Cleanliness
Be back soon
We absolutely loved staying in this wonderful place second to none.The real star is the property manager nicole so helpful and informative we hope to be invited back soon
Stayed 8 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you Rob, from Nicole and I!

10/10 Excellent

Clifton L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Love this getaway spot!
Absolutely fantastic place to getaway from it all. Great location as a base for exploring the Big Island, or just to sit back, relax and enjoy nature. Haven't seen that many stars at night as, well, anywhere else. Slept as well as we have anywhere, just so quiet!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you Clifton! We are here now making more improvements 😀

10/10 Excellent

Jason B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great little hideaway
My wife and I enjoyed the cabin, it is a great home base to explore the big island. The property is very quiet and relaxing and the view of the stars at night is amazing! We cannot wait to come back
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

jiyuan l., MA, usa

Liked: Cleanliness
Very special and cool house
It’s more than a stay. Good place for medication
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you Jiyuan, we love the back Lanai for relaxing!

8/10 Good

Sheila S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great place but.... we need WiFi
The house is like the listing states. we liked the area it is in......The whole week we were there the solar fridge chest thing, didn't seem to keep food safe temps. we contacted the owner they claimed it does keep safe temps and suggested to keep ice in it to help, Nicole did come buy and put a thermometer the day before we left and it was still only at 50 degrees the day we left, maybe it got colder I don't know. We did keep ice in it all week which was suggested, to help keep things cold, however upon leaving, cleaning 1.5-2 inches of water out of the bottom was no fun! I guess I should have put the bags of ice in bowls or something so I didn't have such a mess! The outside shower and bathroom was cool, however, it's quite chilly When you turn the water off after the shower. Temps in the morning were 61-65 degrees, quite chilly when your wet! I'm sure staying in the summer months would be great! Being in an off the grid home was a real eye-opener for me, no use of a blow dryer, microwave, coffee pot...I bought an inverter for my car so I was able to at least use a hot iron brush to get my hair somewhat decent... Most of the week I wore hats! With that being said, we found we could live without some of things we definitely take for granted... the thing we missed the most was the Wi-Fi... we have Sprint and service was next to none!!!!!!!!!! I get the point is to be off grid get away from all the internet, work emails etc. . But for us it is not possible... Like I said It was real eye-opener for us and how much we depend on WiFi. with no WiFi we wouldn't stay here again, IF there IS ever WiFi , we would definitely stay here without a doubt!!!!! Over all we had a great time!
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you Sheila for your feedback. We will not be getting wifi. We had it and it doesn't work very good on the island and you get limited-time data and it only takes one guest to use all the data. The fridge is an actual fridge, just not the shape you are used to and yes it is solar so power to it can be inconsistent but is not usually a problem. No wifi, limited power, is why we ask everyone to read our listing thoroughly. From this we have learned that people who ask for blow-dryers and microwaves are probably not a good fit. We are more of a French pressed coffee, hot shower, conversations, tropical gardens, board games and reading kind of place... Neither are good or bad just different priorities. We do love feed back and improving the space even after renting it for the past 5 years. Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Off grid and adorable
My husband and I loved the charm of this place! There was so many unique decorations. We would call this a cabin in Northern Ca. The shower and bathroom out side is awesome. This is the perfect place to read, rest or write the great American novel. The price is fabulous and the comfort of the cabin is surprising for the price. There is a ton of birds that sing every morning. The place is secluded so we ran around in almost nothing. It can get a little chilly at night but there are tons of blankets. Wonderful stars at night if the sky is clear. Sprint is terrible so we did not have much cell coverage. That turned out to be a blessing!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you! I think we undersell it and always try to improve upon it. We are here now making improvements 😛

10/10 Excellent

Astrid H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Very lovely place with lots of peace and spirit
We had wonderful 14 days in total silence and full comfort. The communication with the owner was like a friend. The house is very unique and has everything you need to feel at home!!! Thanks for everything, it was a pleasure!!!
Stayed 13 nights in Aug 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Awwwww thank you! So happy you enjoyed your stay

10/10 Excellent

SUSAN E., North pole

Liked: Cleanliness
Relaxing, peaceful
Very lovely, peaceful get away. I would recommend the Orchid place to anyone who likes calm, relaxing and a quiet place to stay. Extremely clean, love the open air shower and deck.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you! To he Lanai is even better now, added a roof and lights . Pictures added soon! 😀

10/10 Excellent

Douglas C., Honolulu

Liked: Cleanliness
A unique mountain cabin
The cabin is filled with treasures from around the world. Its unusual w orkmanship is intriguing to me, such as doors that open with latches and string thru the walls and open windows. There is a light that looks like it came from an old big ship and a table that looks like it needed a ton of money and men to get here. This place is a treasure chest of ideas and living useful antiques and we thank the owners for letting us be here. The only drawback are the live in critters in the food area and the nasties around the shower that bite. The mosquito punks helped that. We would love to stay again. Douglas and Paula
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you Douglas! The critters are an island nuisance band constant battle, except for the Jackson chameleons. We have been making improvements to the place which has been making a different. And the Lanai deck is now covered and lit!

8/10 Good

Catherine G.

Birds abound
It was a great place to explore black sand beach and green sand beach, as it's "close" to them. We also recommend the Coffee Shack, it was about midway from OceanView to Kona, so a great first stop of the day. The cabin itself had a cozy bedroom, and a gorgeous kitchen table. We enjoyed having our breakfast on the large patio (as well as a quick yoga session), and listening to all the birds. The outdoor bathroom/shower was a little chilly while we were there: make sure you have warm pajamas if you are like me, and need to step out to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. In general: do bring sweaters &pants to best enjoy the cabin. All in all, great place!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

karen d., glen cove

Tranquil and beautiful
My husband and I loved the orchard house. The owner did a fabulous job on making this bungalow tranquil, peaceful and comfortable. We loved having breakfast out on the back deck overlooking the gardens. It is situated up high and surrounded by plants. Lots of privacy and beauty. It is also close to green sands beach and not too far from volcanoe national park.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

ea R.

Perfect get away
This little cabin has everything you need. It was cool at nights, and sunny during the day. The landscaping is almost all edible. The drive is far away from many things as advertised, but we did not mind. Thr bed was very comfortable ( for those with bad backs). I would note there is a large chest freezer, but no freezer. So come prepared with Iice and a cooler for outdoor excursions.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you for staying with us. The large chest freezer is actually a solar powered chest style fridge not a freezer. We have added a list of over 100 things to do on the island with many things not far at all and asking locals whats going on in the area is always a great idea. We have been going 4 times a year now for 5 years and still aren't even close to seeing everything :)

10/10 Excellent

Peter K.

Nice place, with everything you need for a comfortable stay.
Off the beaten path
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you!

8/10 Good

Shane A.

Well kept quirky out of the way location
The location is out of the way for most of the normal tourist attractions. Being off grid was a great experience and the next time I am in Hawaii I would definitely stay here again. Our stay was during a cold snap and all of the extra blankets around the house were appreciated. Being in a more remote area did pose some challenges but the night skies were amazing. How inconsequential we are compared to the vastness of space is on full display when viewing the stars from the deck.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Quirky is the perfect word! We have added a huge list of over 100 things to do that are not far at all. in fact this location has proven to be a great location to explore further East and northeast . Plus packaged with our place by the volcano in Kalapana you can easily cover 80 % of the big island now :) thank you for the review

10/10 Excellent

Steven G.

What a gem
Stayed here with my wife, we had tranquil nights and beautiful sunrises. The house is surrounded by all types of plants and trees. We were lucky enough to find delicious fruit nearby and it was delicious (don't tell the owner lol ). I would highly recommend this spot for anyone looking for a rustic setting and chill vibes.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Awww you are too kind. It was a real pleasure working with you two and and getting to share little get away spot. we look forward to your next visit and you getting to see all the changes we keep making to the space Mahalo, Jeanette

10/10 Excellent

Rob R., Edmonton

Nice country home
Loved the seclusion. Excellent!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
So happy you enjoyed your stay! Thank you!

8/10 Good

Alayna K.

Rugged comfort on the side of the volcano!
We had a wonderful time at Orchid house and in the surrounding area. Life off the grid and away from the manicured Hawaii most go to see was exactly what we needed. The house and its surrounding property gave us a great base camp for daily adventures into the wild side of the Big Island with just enough of the comforts from home that we wanted. The owner was also a pleasure to deal with throughout our trip and provided prompt responses to all of our questions. If you're looking for a unique Hawaii adventure, and are keen to live simply in close contact with nature, then Orchid House is a great fit. We're already planning our next trip!
Stayed 23 nights in Dec 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 8 July 2023
Thank you for staying at our little get away! The property keeps getting better, its been 4 years we've had it now and more fruit trees than ever. we will just keep adding to it! Mahalo, Jeanette.