Bears' Place Guest House, Kailua Kona Hawaii

Guest Reviews

What our guests have to say about their stay:
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

Thank you so much for your great hospitality, friendly conversation, yummy food and the delightful Pineapple Suite! Everything was terrific. - K & P T, Cambridge Bay, Canada

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! Love, 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

This was our first time booking online and so slightly nervous upon arrival. And I am so glad to say that our nerves quickly vanished upon meeting Nanette and her Impeccable guest house . We had fresh muffins and a fruit bowl on arrival in the fridge and a warm friendly greeting from Nanette ( what more could two tired travelers need ) . Location was perfect, all amenities spot on I really could not fault this place at all. Nanette was very helpful with places/beaches to visit and communication was perfect . And we are pleased we got to meet Anne ( Nanettes mum ) as we were leaving for the airport . Would 100% recommend to stay here . Thanks Nanette. - PR United Kingdom

Thanks for everything! Wish we were here longer. - L,R T &A M,
Lynden, Canada

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! Willl 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)

Anne & Nanette
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

"Fabulous hosts and super stay at Bears' Place Guest House in Kona"

We spent 4 nights at Bears' Place Guest House after reading reviews on TripAdvisor. Booking was very easy with friendly communications from Nanette, the daughter of the mother-and-daughter host pair. We liked the pictures online and the idea of staying in a place that was conveniently located, reasonably priced and with helpful hosts for our first trip to the Big Island were deciding factors. We could not have been happier.

We stayed in the Pineapple Suite, which was exactly as described and as seen in the photos. Everything was new and fresh and clean. The suite was larger than we expected, with everything we needed for a comfortable stay including plenty of dishes, utensils, a dining table, ceiling fans, refrigerator, microwave, toaster, coffee maker, wireless internet, etc. The lanai with a view of the ocean through the banana trees was delightful. The home was quiet, safe and private. It was a perfect "home base" as we ventured out each day to various parts of the island, up on a hill looking over the town, with easy parking.

Nanette welcomed us and answered our questions throughout the stay. Her recommendations were very helpful and helped us take advantage of our limited number of days, including a fantastic whale-watching cruise and a couple of great day itineraries. Anne recommended a seafood restaurant that turned out to be a very nice choice for our last night in town. They were both fabulous.

Each evening when we returned to the room we found a little treat, like some nuts or some chocolates. When we arrived, Nanette pointed out that it's a guest house and not a B&B, but the fridge was stocked with an ample yummy breakfast including some homemade passion fruit jelly. It was a very nice bonus.

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

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 to 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

とてもよかったです。キッチンにはなんでもあって、自炊も快適でした。バルコニーも広く、遠くに海を見ながら、デッキチェアでビールを飲み、本を読みすっかりくつろぎました。そこから見る夕日も星空もとても美しかったです。ビーチデッキ、ボディボードの貸し出し、なんでもそろっていてビーチも十分楽しみました。また行きたいです。
-MY Setagaya, Japan

Loved your place! If we visit again, we will be sure to come back! Thanks! - D & C K, Benton Harbor, Michigan

Thank you so much for your hospitality and care. We felt right at home here, and we will certainly recommend your place to any and all of our friends. We had such a great time here on the Big Island. Mahalo, - T,W & O R, Brandon, Florida

Vielen dank dass ich wohnen durfte in diesem schoenen appartement mit seinem herrlichen Blick! - C N, Germany

We stayed at the Plumeria suite. The rooms were spacious and very clean. We felt at home from the first moment. The hosts Anne and Nanette are very friendly and treated us daily with home-made jam, cookies etc. and gave us lots of hints where to go. From the lanai we enjoyed beautiful sunsets and if we ever go back to Big Island we certainly will stay at Bear's Place again B & T K, Dubendorf, Switzerland

Thank you so much! The raisin bread is delicious! As is your wonderful jam. Any chance I can have the recipes?! I love cooking. Thanks again - K & F J, Mooroopna, Australia

Mahalo nui loa for the beautiful, peaceful, quiet accommodations! The house and garden are lovely. Everything was perfect for our stay! - D & K I, Utah

Thank you for everything. We had a great stay. We hope to return. We will pass your info on to friends. - K A, Poulsbo, Washington

Much Mahalos! We enjoyed it thoroughly. If you ever come to Oahu let us know. - T D & R , Honolulu, Hawaii

Vielen lieben Dank fuer die Gastfreudlichkeit. Es hat uns hier sehr gut gefallen. - L&S, Pforzheim, Germany

Just wanted to say Thanks for being a great host. The island is peaceful, clean and the people are very friendly. Maybe in 10 yrs I could retire here but for now we have to go back to the city. I will recommend your place to others. I took some business cards along with me. I enjoyed your house very much. Thank you! R & NP, Honolulu, Hawaii

We enjoyed being here in your lovely B&B. Looks like you put a lot of loving thought into the place to make our stay comfortable. Thank you. Aloha! TP & S – Hilo

Thank you for the very nice accommodation. We had a lovely stay and would happily recommend it! MT & S

Great Value 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

Aloha Nanette and Anne,
Just wanting to let you know that we had a fantastic time visiting your island, and to thank you so much for our stay at Bear's Place. The Hibiscus Suite was the perfect size for us, it was clean and comfortable, and it had everything we needed. Each day we ate a good breakfast and packed a picnic lunch, then some days came back and made supper as well - all because you provided all the utensils to do so. We hope we left everything in good order for you when we left.

Thank you also for providing a cooler, beach towels and chairs, and even boogie boards - that made our stay even better. We did check out a few of the beaches and snorkel spots you told us about - and enjoyed everyone of them. We love to swim in the ocean and snorkel - so spending those last few days alone doing that was great, and each spot we hit was so much fun. We did not stay long enough - as there is still so much to see.

We hope one day to return to your beautiful island, and would certainly stay at Bear's Place when we do. We will recommend you to anyone going there as well. Mahalo for everything,
R&G M - Winnipeg, Canada

It was a really nice experience in a very peaceful and quiet environment. The room was big, nice, comfortable and very clean. For the price, it was definitely the best we got !! Owners are very friendly and everything is in a range of a 15-20 minutes drive.

Mahalo for letting us have a little home away from Home! We had a wonderful time and hope to see you again. M C & L S, Honolulu, Hawaii

You and your family have been a huge part of a wonderful visit to the Big Island. You have been most gracious hostesses. You have been part of lasting memories. Thanks again.  R M -  Argyle, TX

Thank you for your wonderful hospitality. We had a great time…definitely too short though! Looking forward to a repeat trip. L & R K,- Central Point, Oregon

Thank you so much Anne for all your great tips! Your place is so calm, we loved taking breakfast on the lanai. It was a great introduction to Hawaii! Mahalo! R V and M L- Montreal, Canada

Thanks again for the treats – we are having a blast and are so relaxed by the ocean and the stars and your lovely peace filled spot. All the amenities are great. You have a special place here! Thanks.
M C & B P - Oakland, CA

You have hospitality down to a fine art… and it is very much appreciated!! – E & V P – Cranbrook, B. C. Canada

It has felt like a home away from home. Thank you for everything. My family teases me because I’m a germophobe – this is the first place I’ve stayed away from home where everything was so fresh and clean – I was immediately put at ease!   - C C - Argyle, TX

Es hat uns sehr gut bei Euch gefallen, vor allem die netten “Betthupferl, waren ganz besonders reizend. Gerne geben wir Eure Unterkunft weiter. S & E B – Bobenheim- Roxheim, Germany

For a beautifully furnished and wonderfully relaxing “home away from home” – for the daily snack surprises – for good advice on where to go and what to do –for the beautiful grounds – we say ‘Mahalo.” B &M B – Portland OR

Thank you for letting us stay in your lovely house on your lovely island. – K P & W – Barker, NY

We are so glad that we selected Bears’ Place as our temporary home. The jam you left is mouth watering. We make our own jam also, but nothing as tasty as that. We took a stroll through your gardens this morning and ended up having to come up for our cameras. You have a beautiful place here. Once people stay here, how can they ever want to stay elsewhere.
R & K V – Mesa, AZ

"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