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Review 977: Owner, Hale Heavenly Hana

www.haleheavenlyhana.com

Recommended
Review by Bruce B from TX

1bed/1bath house in Hana, Hawaii

When

March 2003, 6 days

Location

A mile or so outside of Hana, easily located, but invisible from the road. The house itself is probably a mile from the blue Pacific (which can be viewed through the trees from the porch).

Nearby Amenities

A car is necessary - the road into town is quite busy and doesn't offer suitable areas for walking.

The House/Apartment

The home itself is a very compact design and includes a living area (couch, rocker, coffee table), a breakfast/dining table that seats four, a tiny kitchen (sink, refrigerator, compact stove/oven), bathroom with tub, and a single bedroom (queen size bed).

Garden

Thr grounds of the home are exceptional. There is a nice-sized deck for sunning, and the house sits on about seven acres on which you can enjoy beautiful flowers, banana trees, avacados, mangos, papayas, some citrus, and dozens of macadamia trees. A special treat was the outdoor shower that is off of the bedroom and accesible via a sliding glass door.

Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas

All of the furnishings are comfortable and well kept. There are lots of windows and the exterior shades can be arranged to temper the sun's impact within the house. There are several beautiful orchids that grace the home as well.

Bedrooms/Bathrooms

The bedroom was nicely furnished and includes ample storage in drawers and closet. The bathroom is a bit dated with its darkish tile, but it is quite functional in all regards.

Kitchen

Compact but efficiently designed. All of the utensils you should need are included - you bring the food!

Problems or Bonuses

We enjoy the company that the geckos provide each evening. They are plentiful both outside and, to a much lesser extent, the inside. The bug population is kept at bay because of their efforts.

Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?

I heartily recommend this property. My only reservation in writing this review is that I may later regret having afforded this wonderful place more visibility as it may not be available when we next visit Maui!

Things to do in this area

Hana itself is very low-key in every regard. There are very limited dining venues, so I suggest that you buy groceries near the airport before making the drive to Hana, as you probably won't find yourself eating out more than a couple of times during your visit. There is little to no night-life, so if clubs, dancing and the bar scene are how you see Hawaii, this isn't the place for you. If, however, you enjoy being away from television (there is none at this home), like to read, listen to CDs, drink a glass (or two...) of wine, and enjoy the company of your spouse, then this is a great retreat.

We enjoy the hiking in the area - both along the black lava beachfront and the lush tropical areas near Hana, as well as snorkeling in Hana bay, kayaking and whale watching off the nearby coast.

An especially valuable aspect of this property is the journal that dates from the 1980s in which travelers have made note of their recommendations of what to see and what to avoid. It is here that you will learn of secret beaches (including one at which we only later discovered - we were the first there that morning - was a "clothing optional" site!), hikes and events that make Hana so special.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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