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I'm just wondering why no one has replied to my post, although plenty have viewed it. If you would prefer to reply off forum, email me at my screen name at mcn dot org. Please, if you have any info--I have booked the place for a week, and I don't want to have a horrible time.
This trip is somewhat of a mission of mercy, to bring a good friend of mine back to Hilo to visit his fathers grave. Please let me know if there is an important reason not to stay here.
Many thanks!
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I would have replied but have never stayed there and have no idea what it is like. Good luck.
Andrew
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I have only stayed at two places in Puna. Both of them were wonderful, each in their own way: 1) The main upper unit in Orchidland
http://www.orchidlandvacationrentals.com/
and 2) The Rabbit and (I always get this wrong) Dragon [some improbable animal with another improbable animal].
The place in Orchidland is a jungley, otherwordly heavenly place with a fantastic kitchen and a unique, screened-in outdoor dining area. It is a great place to recuperate and I wish I had spent more than one night there.
The Rabbit and Dragon is in Kapoho and has its own naturally heated tidepool. You have to feel it to believe it.
Never heard of the Island Paradise Inn.
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Is this the place in downtown Pahoa? It looks OK. I was aware of a person that lived there for awhile while going through a job transfer and waiting for escrow to close. Recently when I drive by there...a lot of furniture seems to be piled on the front porch. Probably some rehab or deep cleaning going on. This cannot be a bad thing.
Why not check out some vacation rentals in the area?....most have only a 3 night minimum. If your stay is less than 3 nights...then I suppose the place in Pahoa would be OK.
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Are you referring to Paradise Vacation Rentals in HPP? If so, we stayed there during our last house hunt here two years ago. Very nice, very clean, very reasonable. Owners Mike and Cindy are longtime residents of the BI and a complete wealth of information on everything from culture to where to buy what. Aside from the rentals, Cindy owns and operates a private school; Mike owns and operates a swimming pool and catchment water business. Wonderful people, and close friends.
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Thanks for all your replies. Yes, I am talking about the place in downtown Pahoa. As far as I can tell, it is the cheapest place to stay on the BI, besides hostels or camping. As such, I am not expecting much, but someone on the Trip adviser forum scared me. Actually, specifically what he said was, it is "frequented by transient people who don't care about the beds that were discarded by Uncle Billy's, the moldy bathrooms, chipping paint, smelly rooms, etc." Anyway, I guess I'll take my chances.
The Orchidland place looks amazing, but they don't have availability for the dates of my visit.
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We stayed in the upstairs studio behind what was then a pizza place on main street. Noise from below, questionable activites in the ally below, and an awful band that played in one of the clubs till 1AM. Other than those things, it was clean.
I guess they have other cottages which I can't comment on and maybe things are better than several years ago
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I do not know about Island Paradise Inn, but I can strongly second the recommendation of Mike and Cyndi Greenlaw's units in HPP. They are just off Makuu on 19th. It is nice, clean quiet and reasonably priced.
Allen
Baton Rouge, LA & HPP
Allen
Finally in HPP
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Sephe:
Trip adviser was speaking the truth, although I've never stayed there, I have seen the place and would not recommend it.
I've heard many stories and feel sorry for those who didn't know any better.
Trying to save a few bucks will only ruin your stay in Puna.
Erik
Edited by - .E. on 01/22/2007 16:20:04
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sephe, you may want to call the number for Orchidland...not sure if that schedule is up-to-date. We stayed there in June and the sked was not correct then either...think it's for last year. Aloha.
Carrie
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." Groucho Marx
http://www.hellophoenix.com/art/dreamhawaii.Cfm
