Name: Hamakua Guesthouse
Address: 28-1435 Old Mamalahoa Hwy., Honohina, Honohina, Honohina, HI 96783, United States of America
Rating: 9

Smoking areas

Smoke-free property

Garden

Television in lobby

Private check-in/check-out

Fire Extinguisher

Outdoor furniture

No elevators

General

Non-smoking rooms

Linens

Toiletries

Rooms

Common kitchen

Breakfast/lunch to go

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet access

Internet

Barbecue grill(s)

Hiking

Picnic area

Recreation

Parking

Beach/pool towels

Pool and beach

Snorkelling

Sports

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Extra decontamination measures

Personal protection equipment for guests

Contactless check-in and/or check-out

Individually packaged food

Additional measures against COVID-19

Health and Safety Measures

Location

At the guest house

Hilo International Airport

Hamakua Guesthouse

Honohina

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

10-beds

11-beds

12-beds

13-beds

14-beds

15-beds

16-beds

17-beds

18-beds

19-beds

2-beds

20-beds

21-beds

22-beds

23-beds

24-beds

25-beds

26-beds

27-beds

28-beds

29-beds

3-beds

30-beds

31-beds

32-beds

33-beds

34-beds

35-beds

36-beds

37-beds

38-beds

39-beds

4-beds

40-beds

5-beds

6-beds

7-beds

8-beds

9-beds

king-bed

queen-bed

limited-time

lounge

treatment

no-window

bay-view

bosphorus-view

canal-view

city-view

courtyard-view

garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

street-view

sunrise-view

sunset-view

water-view

with-view

annex

basement

main-building

1-bedroom

2-bedrooms

3-bedrooms

4-bedrooms

5-bedrooms

6-bedrooms

not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

Super relaxing off-grid accommodation. The house was well-equipped, and very quiet and relaxing even with other guests staying in another room. We had a great time, and plan to stay here again someday. The booking process was easy, and the communication we received was very intentional and timely.

Quiet and relaxing off-grid getaway

We loved staying at the Hamakua Guesthouse. It was definitely off the beaten track - excellent directions as we arrived well after dark without a hitch. We loved the night sounds of the coquilles, the ocean, the fresh air, the moon and stars, the huge mango tree with delicious hanging fruit, the avocado tree with its fruit. Our room was clean, comfortable with the breeze blowing through; the beds were comfortable. The living room, porch and kitchen downstairs were comfortable too. Other guests we ran into were friendly. The owner and manager were helpful with suggestions. Breakfast next morning at Mr. Ed's was great. (I could go on.) We highly recommend this place! It's the perfect place for those who love being in a "natural environment." Wish we could have stayed longer!

A very special out of the way place!

Worked here for a work exchange. Was an exceptional experience! Got to explore the island and work on site. The house is off grid and it’s powered by a generator and solar powers! Once in a lifetime experience. Would totally recommend to anyone!

Life-changing

Hamakua Guesthouse absolutely broke my heart on this trip. 

It was my second time to the Big Island and my second time staying at the guest house. I previously came here in March of 2020, weeks before the COVID lockdown started, and memories and photos of my short stay at the Hamakua Guesthouse were a true bright spot for me to reflect on during lockdown. I absolutely loved my visit in 2020 which is why I went out of my way to book a few days here again. The coqui frogs and the rain, the birds, being able to shower and witness a sunrise, sleeping in a hammock--being someone who lives and works in the heart of the East Coast this was balm for my soul.

I loved how minimalistic it was, how it has recycling, composting and is powered by solar and uses rain water. I love when I can minimize my impact on the natural resources of a place I am visiting.

I had 2 nights book for this second trip, and I had no real plans except to enjoy some reading time in the hammock, and hopefully use my gear from Snorkel Bob's one more time before I had to return it  and explore neighboring Hilo again. 

I arrived after sunset and parked my car--the parking situation had changed since my last visit. There were now these short, grey, rectangular planters on spindly metal legs being used as a sort of parking marker.

When I walked into my cabana, using my phone as flashlight I pulled the string of the lightbulb in the middle of the the cabana--and nothing happened.  I fiddled with it and ended up calling the property manager. He sent an intern down to help me, with them being solar powered, he said, they could be a little picky with how you turn them on.

I unpacked my car and grabbed the dinner I had picked up on my way, with the intention of eating it at the outdoor picnic tables that are behind the main house. I walked, flashlight and veggie wrap in one hand a can of flavored water and a can of beer in the other. There were a series of a few shallow steps to get to where the tables were. I'm scared of heights, so I'm usually really cautious on all steps. The steps however, weren't lit, and in my turning to look at the table and the people sitting at them I missed the bottom step and fell to the ground. My wrap flew into the bush in front of me, my drinks also went to the ground, both knees, my left hand and my right shoulder ended up being torn up--the knees especially. 

There were a few people sitting at the picnic table already--I heard them say 'is she alright?' but they never got up or did anything beyond that. I gathered myself, and my wrap and the two drink cans and went to clean myself up.

I retreated back to my camping cabana down the hill and learned that night exactly how important knee comfort is when getting in and out of a hammock. Luckily I had bandages and Neosporin with me and I was able to keep from bleeding all over the hammock. I ate my abused veggie wrap and sipped on the beer--I couldn't open the other can because it was so damaged in the fall, the beer was barely openable.

I did my best to get comfortable, which was awkward and turned off the light to fall asleep. I was just starting to doze when the light bulb in the middle of the tent turned itself back on. Awkwardly I hoisted myself out of the hammock, knees now stiffer and even more sore, and tugged at the string to turn the light off again. I then did the reverse process of trying to get myself into the hammock without my knees being touched by the folds of its fabric--this is shockingly hard, and went back about my business of trying to fall asleep.

Well, this same process repeated itself through the night. The light suddenly turning itself on, me having to maneuver myself and my shredded knees out of and back into the hammock--and then it was sunrise. I was exhausted, hurting and moving slowly. I didn't get my sunrise shower, and only really started to get up the energy to do something once it was getting close to lunch time. 

I got up and went to the main house, showered and walked into the main area where I saw tank tops for sale--I thought I would message the house manager later that day about wanting to get one--because I was still in love with the guesthouse at this point. I also wanted to talk to him about the lightbulb. 

So I go about getting ready to leave, hop into my rental and maneuver it out of the spot. as I am inching it backwards and forwards. The parking is now you parallel park, but its essentially along what is a long one way driveway, and there is one wider spot that is paved up near the house that you can use to turn around in to leave.  As I am doing this a young lady comes out and offers to help me park--and I say, thanks but I'm actually leaving and she walks away after that.

I drive off and am shopping around Hilo, and deciding what to do with my day, where to eat etc when I get a call from the house manager.

"Do you drive a white rental?"
"yes," mind you most rentals are white on the Big Island currently. 
"Well, you hit and broke one of our planters and you will need to pay for it."
"What? I'm sorry, Im not saying I didn't but, I'm not aware of hitting anything. I didn't hear or feeling anything"
"One of our staff saw you."
"Okay, Again, I'm sorry but I didn't feel or see anything. I wasn't even parked near that planter, there was another car parked ahead of me."
"That was our owner's truck and it wasn't him. You can pay cash or we can charge it to the card we have on file for you stay."
"How much is it?"

At this point I was assuming it was something they had bought locally. Because supporting the local economy is something that would be inline with the ideals a place like this supposedly has.

No.

It was a Costco planter, they had had to have shipped especially over.

239.22 plus 30 for someone to put it together.

That is how much it cost.

I looked on Facebook Marketplace and found first one made by a local artist for much cheaper--no.  I found one that looked exactly the same to me, he said it wasn't.

I was exhausted by this point, I hadn't eaten. Hilo is a tiny town, so everything was closing. As a relevant side note, there was nothing on the car to indicate anything happened.

What absolutely crushed me was that this person who witnessed me apparently murdering this planter, didn't come out and say anything to me when it happened. Instead I am in this presumed guilt limbo. And that this place that I believed really was living some earth saving ideal was insistent on not supporting a local craftsman but instead increasing its carbon footprint by 100% just to get another flimsy Costco planter that is in no way worth nearly $300. There was no care for me having injured myself pretty significantly. My knees are still scared months later.

I found another place to stay my final night, because I felt so wholly unwelcome, went back to the cabana and packed my bags. One spark of magic was still there in that one of the property cats insisted on keeping me company in addition to one of the little green lizards. The cat walked with me to and from my car as I packed everything.

I messaged the house manager I was not staying the night but that the light was still broken and turning itself on, to charge my card because I'm not just walking around with wads of cash and left.



Heartbreaking

Beautiful place with a view of the ocean.  The room was spacious and had lots of amenities.  There's a shared kitchen and a voucher for breakfast as well.  The private waterfall was gorgeous and great for swimming.  We wouldn't have wanted to stay anywhere else in Hawaii after our experience.  Highly recommended!  

Magical

Exceptionally clean with friendly owners visiting the premises. There was gear to borrow (snorkel equipment, Igloo coolers, generous sized beach towels.) Every room or cabana had its own refrigerator space, and sealed food storage containers. 
Our fee included breakfast at a nearby cafe that was very charming.

The price was right, and the location was perfect. I love the fact that they are "off the grid" and rely on solar power and rainwater.*

*I took off a star not for myself and daughter, but because there is a mild drought and people with longer hair or who absolutely need to thoroughly rinse shampoo and dry hair with a blow dryer might be uncomfortable. Itʻs more for those considering this to not be surprised. It is not because we had less than a five star good time ourselves.

Great place to stay on the Hilo/East side of the Big Island

Had a magical time, the land was beautiful, self sufficient and you have an array of fruit trees and a swimming hole wiht waterfall all to yourself. The host houston and his dog critter were amazing to me and my children and extremely resourceful with fun local things to do as well as the history of the island. It is the prefect place to relax off the grid and reconnect with nature and family. Definitley coming back .. =)

Magical off grid experience

Even if the Hamakua guest house was more of a jungle experience, we really liked our stay. The place was cute and the waterfall was amazing ! Nevertheless, the sofa bed was not really comfortable and could not fit 2 adult people.
Special thanks to Houston for the warm welcoming

Try here for a genuine jungle experience on Big Island

Couldn't have picked a better place to stay during my first trip to Hawaii. Right away I was greeted by a very friendly staff who made me feel right at home. I stayed both at the Guesthouse and in the Rainforest Cabin. Beautiful location in Honomu, only 15 minutes from Akaka Falls and walking distance to a delicious bakery and lovely local shops. The rooms I stayed in were lovely, clean, and full of local charm. It felt like a really authentic Hawaiian experience that I know I would hot have gotten at a hotel or resort. While I was there I joined the staff to a local event in Hilo which was a lot of fun. I enjoyed their company very much. If you're looking for a unique experience that gives you more than a surface level connection with the island than this is the place for you. If I go back to visit Hawaii, I'm definitely staying there again!

Outstanding  expereince!

It was fun for one night as an experience and the location is nice but it would have been so easy to do just a little bit more for the comfort of the guests... For ex it says in the description that linen is provided-no linen is not provided-old damp fleece blankets that have seen better days are provided. It is a long way to the bath/toilets if you need them in the night and the communal areas are not clean nor well organized.
Maybe if you are eighteen on a shoestring budget but not if you are 57.Its so much less comfortable than hiking/camping in a good campground. We had booked 4 nights but left after the first night.

Hamakua Guesthouse

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