The Hawaiian term ‘aloha’ runs deeper than a word of salutation. Over many years of visits to the Big Island, we are grateful to have experienced aloha: kindness, mutual regard, warmth in caring. Now, with our renovated condo in Waikoloa Village, we are eager to offer that same aloha to guests. Want affordable comfort in a quiet scenic setting? Want a lanai with views? Check out our pictures! Want to explore the sunny and dry Kohala Coast? World-renowned beaches are minutes away!
Our trips to the Big Island began in the eighties! Upon retirement as educators in Alaska, we decided to purchase a property on the Big Island. It would have a dual purpose: to provide us with projects (giving us a purpose to spend a bit of time there) AND allow us to offer warm ‘aloha’ to family, friends, and unknown guests wanting to explore Hawaii.
The leeward (sunny and dry) side of the Big Island is our favorite. Since Kailua-Kona feels too hectic and busy for our style, we chose Waikoloa Village--less than a half hour drive from the airport to our condo. The Village’s small community vibe appeals to us. Within a ten to fifteen minute drive are three mega resorts (Waikoloa, Mauna Lani, and Mauna Kea) with fine dining, boutique shopping, and activities. Just as close is the Kohala Coast with a wide variety of sand beaches and tide pools—the best the Big Island has to offer. Fish, sail, swim, snorkel, kayak, paddle-board, view turtles, hike!
Location, location, location! Once we decided on Waikoloa Village, our next priority was to purchase a property with outdoor space and an unobstructed view. Success! Our ground-level corner unit at Paniolo Club has a landscaped side yard. The back lanai fronts a well maintained grassed lawn. A fifty-foot dry gully separates the lawn area from the 15th fairway of the Waikoloa Village Golf Club. The wide variety of bushes, flowers, and trees (even a banana tree) gives the property a tropical feel. Geckos along with a variety of birds congregate the space: parrots, canaries, red cardinals, wild turkeys, doves. The lanai, living room, and back bedroom all face the open expanse to the west, offering ever-changing sunset views.. A reserved parking spot is directly in front of unit. No steps make an easy entrance to the front door and a shaded porch area.
The 1100 square foot condo comfortably accommodates up to four guests. (A sofa bed could accommodate a fifth.) It is spacious for a couple or perfect for two couples wanting to share space and costs. Ohana (family) with keiki (children) are also welcome! Guests have passes to use the completely renovated, beautiful Aquatic Center--just a three minute drive from our condo!
Ken and I purchased our condo with a vision. A retired shop teacher, he relishes in renovations! The past (partial) winters spent in Hawaii have been a labor of love. The condo has been updated throughout. It is a continual work in process, always finding new projects to make our condo cozy, comfortable, unique. Our newest addition is adding ceiling fans to the two bedrooms.
Listed are some renovations. A solid wall with modern handcrafted 'honu' barn door replaces shoji doors to provide master bedroom privacy. Tile replaces carpet in bedrooms. New vinyl laminate flooring in dining room/living room space. ALL new appliances: refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, washer, drier as well as a new water heater. Fresh paint throughout. Top-down, bottom-up cell shades on some screened windows with new curtains for the other windows. Throughout the condo are furniture pieces handcrafted by Ken, made from reclaimed Hawaiian hardwoods (Sugi Pine, Monkey Pod, Kona, Norfolk Pine). Sandi collects unique baskets for the many shelves. The round dining table seats four to five. A reclining couch and matching recliner along with love seat provides place for comfy relaxing. The cement flooring of the lanai has been renovated, painted, protected.
The two ensuite bedrooms are spacious with plenty of closet and storage space. A bathtub/shower combo in one bathroom; a step-in shower in the other: both beautifully tiled areas. The master bath has a handcrafted vanity and mirror with vessel sink. Comfortable beds are a must! A four inch memory foam mattress topper has been added to the queen bed in the front bedroom and on the king bed in the bedroom facing the lanai. The new futon sofa in front bedroom comfortably sleeps an additional person, also with a foam pad available. .
The condo is comfortable, but our favorite hangout is the lanai. Cool and shaded, it is a great place to greet the morning. Returning early from a day of exploration? Relax on the lanai while watching the sun set, observing ever-changing hues reflected on cloud shapes in the expansive blue sky. Feel like grilling fresh fish? A barbecue grill is available, along with lounge chairs and side tables. (It is guests' responsibility to clean the barbecue grill after each use.) The lanai is well lit for evening use. Or turn off the lights for some spectacular star gazing. (Hawaii is the only state in US where both the North Star and the Southern Cross are visible.) Researching and finding unique flowers and shrubs for our private garden space surrounding our lanai is a constant. A yellow and orange hybrid hibiscus is our favorite this season!
A home-away-from-home? Yes! Continuous high speed internet is a must! A flat screen smart TV (cable) with Blue-Ray DVD player is available. The kitchen is fully equipped. Although there is no air conditioning, ceiling fans are installed throughout the condo (living room, kitchen, and both bedrooms). Waikoloa Village, located at 1200 feet above sea level, is cooler than at sea level. The light tropical breeze along with shade offered by the surrounding trees help to keep the unit cool. The screened windows throughout make the unit light and airy. Beach equipment includes a cooler, 2 beach chairs, 2 beach towels..
Convenience? Within a quarter of a mile of the condo is Waikoloa Highlands Shopping Center with a grocery store, gas station, eateries, and specialty shops. A brand new mall is in process of being completed with Ace Hardware, a Goodwill store, and several more restaurants. The local fire station with emergency services is also close by. Guest passes are provided to access tennis courts, swimming pool (already mentioned) and to receive discounts for the Waikoloa Village Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Feel like a walk at sunrise or an evening sunset stroll? At those times, the golf course backing our condo units (Paniolo Club) is available to anyone just for that. Are fresh, local, in-season fruits and vegetables desired? Head to the Farmer's Market located in Waimea (a 20 minute drive) on Wednesdays and Saturdays or the Saturday Market in Havi (a 25 minute drive).
Mahalo, another familiar Hawaiian term, expresses thankfulness and gratitude. We are grateful to have this condo that provides us with some projects while also being available to share with guests.. We appreciate our friendly, thoughtful neighbors. We are thankful for our cleaning crew attentive to details and for our local contact available to guests if needs arise. Most important, we express 'mahalo' to our wonderful guests (past and upcoming). And MAHALO to all that take the time to read this summary and to consider our condo (that we like to call WaikaloAloha ) as their home-away-from-home.
