Michelle R.
Yelp
Upon arriving at Ho'oili House we were in awe at how beautiful the grounds were and the way that the plumarias that kissed the walkway seemed to lead us right to the front door. We arrived later in the evening so there was a note taped to the front door for us. It welcomed us to the house and told us how to find our room. It also stated breakfast hours and informed us that Dan and Amy (the usual caretakers) were off the island so we could expect to be taken care of by Lester and Hal.
When we entered the house we immediately fell in love. It was gorgeous; the view, the decor, the smells, just everything. We stayed in the HONU room and it was very spacious and just as beautiful as the rest of the house. From the windows and door of the patio we could see the ocean and the meditation gazebo making for a wonderful view during our stay.
Words and pictures do this place very little justice and it is definitely a place that you must see to appreciate. Below I break down the things that I noticed during our stay that might be helpful to those looking to stay here.
Parking: As you drive up the hill to this house, there are 2 parking spaces as you come to the top of the hill, and when you enter the long driveway there are another 4 in front of one of the houses that is separate from the Ho'oilo house. You could probably squeeze one or 2 more, making enough room for possibly 6-8 cars. We never had a problem parking though, even when we returned to the house late at night.
The House:There are 6 rooms in this house total and each has a unique theme, beautiful view, and full access to the grounds. There are "quiet hours" but I can't remember for the life of me what they were. If you wish to spend time out of your room, the common area of the house has games, books, magazines, and a beautiful seating area to enjoy them in.
You may notice, depending on the time of year you visit, that this house shares its space with many other insects and reptiles. We didn't find it to be a problem although there was the occasional new bug bite we found after a good nights rest.
During our stay we only saw couples in the rooms and we varied in age from 25- 70 it seemed. The house was pretty quiet most of the time. I don't see why you couldn't bring kids here, however this place likely has less amenities than the larger resorts to keep them entertained. Although, I would say that that is part of its charm.
The Room (HONU): The room was beautiful and the bed was very comfortable. The room was much more spacious than the pictures appeared and we had enough room to spread out our suitcases at times and put all of our clothing away in the storage space. The A/C was fantastic and kept our room comfortable. The remote for the A/C allowed us to easily adjust the temperature throughout the night if we needed. The blackout shades helped when we wanted to sleep in a little later.
The outdoor shower was nice, although the water was quite hot, even on the lowest setting. I enjoyed this as I like the water slightly scalding hot when I shower, but it took a little getting used to for my husband. The water pressure was so so.
The room was cleaned everyday, however if you don't want your bed made up or the maid entering the room during the day, just leave a note on the door, or find her in the house before you leave to tell her.
I will say that there is no door on the bathroom, and while the toilet is tucked away out of view, the mirrored closet doors do little for privacy if someone is in the bathroom with you. This, again, was in no way a problem for us, but I could see how it maybe concerning to others.
One other concern that may arise is that there are no keys to the rooms, meaning that unless you are inside, your room is unlocked while you are away. The doors however do lock from the inside, so you can lock the room when you are sleeping at night. The house is also left unlocked at night and during the day so that people may come and go as they please. Again, this was no problem for us, but I know that not everyone find this as charming as we did.
Extra:This house is NOT within walking distance to anything other than the beach down the hill and Uber/Lyft aren't always available. I would definitely suggest a car if you plan on venturing out a lot. The only thing I wish I had done differently was to take a day and simply stay put here. I didn't feel as though I was able to appreciate the grounds enough, but I will definitely return and make up for that. We had an amazing stay here and if time and money allow, I would recommend booking the Zen Package with your room for a little extra love on the patio.