Guest Reviews

“Jon and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you what a fabulous time we had in Kona, and especially at Bears' Place! The view overlooking the ocean was breathtaking! Our accommodations exceeded our expectations, as did the gracious hospitality we received! I grieved that we had to come back to "reality" and leave! Anne, you are such a special hostess, and Jon and I will always cherish our time at Bears' Place! Please post this to your web site!!! We want everyone to know how awesome Bears' Place is!!!”

– C & J H, Midway, Arkansas

“My friends and I all wanted to thank you for letting us stay at your wonderful house. It was definitely one of the best aspects of being on the Big Island. I greatly appreciate everything you did for us.”

– A Q, Castaic, California

“A perfect escape on the Big Island. We were a family traveling with two kids and it was a great place to unwind and call home for a few days. Nanette was a wonderful host who has created a guest house that works great for the single traveler or the family. The house was extremely clean and well kept. Nanette added that personal touch when we would come home at the end of the day and find fresh picked fruit or treats. The location worked as central to most island exploring. We highly recommend this as a place to stay and hope to come back again.”

– R, J, K & J D, San Diego, California

“Thank you so much for everything. We loved the cake Anne baked! The fruit was also delicious! We will try to come back - the stay at your place was fantastic.”

– N & I K, Honolulu, Hawaii

“Thank you for the delightful Bears' Place. We enjoyed it very much. Slept well and will advertise it by mouth for you. Thanks for your love & care & the great chats we had with you both. Thanks for jelly & seeds.”

– N & K M, E. Wenatchee, Washington

“Thanks for all the frills - we very much appreciated having the beach chairs, towels, cooler, breakfast goodies etc. - it all made for a most comfortable & convenient stay for us.”

– P & J W, New York, NY

“Wir danken Euch fuer diesen wunderschoenen Aufenhalt und freuen uns schon auf den naechsten Besuch.”

– N & T H, Germany

“Thank you so much for our stay. We thoroughly enjoyed Bears' Place - the service and space exceeded all of our expectations! Mahalo nui.”

– UH Manoa Grad Students, Honolulu, Hawaii

“Nanette, It was so lovely meeting you and staying in the Plumeria Suite at Bears' Place! This has been our best vacation ever thanks to this fabulous setting and all the considerate EXTRAS you have provided, including information about Kona, restaurants, beaches, OOFOS, and living here. I hope we will be back soon. Cheers and thank you sooo much.”

– C & S, Salem, Oregon

“Thank you for the lovely four days we got to spend here at Bears' Place in Kailua! We had a great time and we really enjoyed ourselves, boogie boarding and snorkeling on the beaches you kindly recommended us. We wish you all the best! Mahalo!”

– K, P & SA, Helsinki, Finland

“Liebe Anne, Es war eine wunderschoene Zeit hier - auch Dank deiner vielen, guten Tipps (Mantas, Delfine und tolle Straende haben wir gesehen!)”

– M & AB, Cologne, Germany

“Thanks so much for all you've done to make our vacation comfortable & fun. We had a 7-day stretch of Hawaiian perfection. Hope to see you again.”

– W S & L, Petaluma, CA

“This is a beautiful house where peace & quiet give love to the earth and where people are glad to be together under the magic spell of nature. Thank you!!”

– G & The Italian Family, Carnate, Italy

“Thanks for everything! Wish we were here longer.”

– L, R T & A M, Lynden, Canada

“We highly recommend Bears' Place. If you're looking for a large luxury resort, this is not the place for you, but if you're looking for a clean, comfortable, affordable place to stay with lots of nice touches and super hosts, this is it. We loved it.”

– DK & C, Seattle, Washington

“Much mahalo for the nice studio, the warm welcome and All! We had a great time.”

– S & M K, Frankfurt, Germany

“We lucked out choosing Nanette's guest house for our last minute, short weekend trip to Kona. The neighborhood was exactly what we desired - local, surrounded by lush fauna and centrally located. The studio was perfect and as described. We loved having access to all the amenities provided. Our favorite part was eating breakfast in the spacious lanai - a truly Hawaiian experience. I would highly recommend this place to others. Thank you, Nanette!”

– JR, San Francisco, CA

“Thanks!! We had a wonderful time. We'll be sure to pass along your card to our friends and family.”

– K & T W, Wasilla, Alaska

“Had a great time. Great Place! Will definitely recommend! Mahalo.”

– J H & L C, Calgary, Canada

“This is a wonderful place to stay! Nanette and Ann are so nice, and very available. I felt so welcome here! Instructions were sent quickly and clearly, and everything was where she said it would be. A fresh welcome snack was in the fridge. My room was very comfy and beautiful. There was a comfy bed, a couch and a table where I could work on my laptop. The lanai was very relaxing, with cute furniture. They have thought of everything! There were dishes, silverware, a refrigerator, a coffeemaker with cups, extra bags and baggies to store opened food, even a cooler with a freezer pack already frozen and ready to use for the beach! Onsite laundry with detergent, and plenty of bath and beach towels. The location is close to everywhere I wanted to go, and there was plenty of parking. The area is very quiet, and I felt very safe there. This is a great place to stay on the Big Island!”

– PB, Downey, CA

“We enjoyed the stay in your house very much. Thank you!”

– D & I M, Berlin, Germany

“Thanks a lot, we enjoyed staying here and we will recommend it to anybody who wants to come to Big Island.”

– E & E J, Wabern, Switzerland

“Mahalo nui for your hospitality and extraordinary care you brought to me. I had a very pleasant stay here and you'll stay in my heart while I'm flying to Amsterdam. Many thanks and aloha.”

– Eric, Netherlands

“Thank you for the cookies, the nuts, the bananas, and for all your various kindnesses during my stay. You have made my stay in Kona on this project both comfortable and enjoyable. It is nice, when you are working out in the lava all day to know you have an inviting place to return to. Take care of yourselves. I will let you know when our next project in Kona comes up. Aloha.”

– RR, Hilo, Hawaii

“The Ginger Room was very clean, with great natural light. Amenities were perfect (mini-fridge, coffee pot, dishes, cups, storage containers, etc.). Little lanai was nice as well, with garden view and small patio table. Nanette was eager to give me tips about places to go, and directed me to a wonderful beach. She was always available to answer questions, and came down to point out on the maps (that she provided) places I should check out while cruising around the island. Additionally, I had a late flight in, and Nanette accommodated my late check-in, which was wonderful. Laundry is available for a small fee, which is nice when you're on an extended stay and don't want to check any luggage! The Guest House is about a 15 minute drive from Ali'i drive, but that's totally fine because that means it's nice and quiet. The neighborhood is very cool, with flowers and fruits everywhere; you'll probably even see a chicken or two! I would absolutely recommend Nanette's place, and next time I'm on the Big Island, I would love to stay here again!”

– AH

“Vielen Dank nochmals fuer die wunderschoene Zeit hier. Alles Gute.”

– S & E G, Moorenweis, Germany

“We love the place! Wish we could stay longer!! Thanks a bunch!”

– F A, Honolulu, Hawaii

“Thank you to both of you, Nanette and Anne, for your warmth and enthusiasm and for being such wonderful from-the-heart Be-ings.”

– C B, Calgary, Canada

“Thanks for the beautiful "home away from Canada". From the moment I landed on Big Island, I called it home. Now I don't know which is home! Thanks for your patience, knowledge and help. See you soon. Mahalo.”

– R M, Calgary, Canada

“Thank you very, very much. We loved your place. Thank you for being so welcoming. We will either be back or send you friends and relatives. Mahalo.”

– C Bl, J C, M & B, St-Jean Chrysostome, QC, Canada

“Thank you so much! You have a wonderful place - we enjoyed our stay immensely! We will be back!”

– P & D B, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

“Thank you so much for the lovely accommodations for our stay in Kona. It was a great way to kick off our vacation. It was such a pleasant surprise to find breakfast in the fridge on our first morning - especially the fresh fruit and homemade jelly. We will definitely recommend you to our friends and family.”

– J P & D W, Vancouver, BC, Canada

“Thank you so much for opening your home to us! Your hospitality is simply amazing and we hope to stay here again one day!”

– A K & D, Tacoma, WA

“You have gone out of your way to make sure that we experience the comforts of a loving home and beyond with our short but sweet stay on the Big Island. I am truly grateful for the help and the beautiful sights on this property that you have worked so hard for. You and your family have something really special and I will never forget it.”

– R M, Argyle, TX

“Vielen Dank! I had a GREAT TIME here! I will be sure to tell all my friends about Bears' Haus! Mahalo.”

– M L, Oakland, CA

“Thank you so much for everything! I had an amazing time on the Big Island and your Guest House is a great place to stay. Mahalo!”

– A M, Ruemlang, ZH, Switzerland

“Thank you so much for your hospitality. We enjoyed ourselves immensely, and this house and garden are beautiful. We will be sure to recommend this place if ever asked for somewhere to stay. Thanks again!”

– N P & C, Honolulu, Hawaii

“We enjoyed our stay at your beautiful guest house. We sure missed your quiet place once we moved to Alii Drive! Your place was the quietest place we stayed the whole trip!”

– R & T C, Thorne Bay, Alaska

“Nanette was very helpful giving us information before we arrived. Everything was where she said it would be. There was fruit and muffins to welcome us and the beds were nicely made up. Her space is very organized and well laid out with a shared dishwashing, laundry area for the two basement suites. Due to the beautiful trees shading the house our suite was cool which is lovely when its hot out there, but a sweater is good to have with you. The shady lanai made for a nice morning yoga practice area. Nanette was very accommodating in allowing us to store our luggage and borrow towels for the day since our plane did not leave until the evening. Very clean space!”

– JK, Squamish, BC

“We had a wonderful stay. Every day/night we arrived back here it felt like we were coming home. We became excited to see what little food treat was left in our room. Thank you for this yummy touch.”

– R & K W, Grass Valley, California

“Many thanks again for your wonderful accommodation. We should have come earlier! We will surely recommend your Bears' Place to our friends.”

– A & N Loick, Rostock, Germany

“Thank you very much for everything. I have really enjoyed staying with you. It is a pity that I have to go home...”

– J & M S, Nagoya, Japan

“Great Value even at Twice the Price. Cheerful, very roomy, lovely lanai (porch), quiet and calm. TV, microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, beach chairs and boogie boards. Service was friendly, and beyond expectations. Lent me a jacket for going high on Mauna Kea, and brought pants I forgot to my next hotel. Billed as guest house, not B&B but left me breakfast day 1, and cookies each afternoon. In the hills high above the airport, amidst the banana trees. Not for you if you wish to be in town, otherwise a great value for the money...or for twice the money.”

– L F, Syracuse, New York

“Great Place to Stay! I would recommend this place to anyone who decides to stay in Kona on the Big Island. It's only about 10 minutes from town and very quiet at night. The room was huge with its own couch, table and chairs, microwave, coffee maker, refrigerator w/freezer, balcony, and large bathroom. Not only was the place clean (and this is a big deal for me), but the hospitality of the owners was spectacular. Everyone that I'm telling of my trip to Hawaii will hear how great this place was to stay. Thank you Ann and Nanette!”

– SH, Cincinnati, Ohio

“A Perfect Escape. The house is beautifully kept and Nanette leaves sweet treats every day! The deck is lovely and having Kona coffee overlooking the sea is the best way to start the day. We were able to use boogie boards that were kept at the house and we were given fresh towels every two days. It was a wonderful experience and would highly suggest this spot.”

– CL, New York, New York