Hawaii Island Retreat at Ahu Pohaku Hoomaluhia

This is to date the best vacation my husband and I ever had. It is romantic, immpecably taken care of, quiet, has a world class chef (the most amazing food), the owners and all guest relations personnel cater to your needs. Had two massages, scrub, yoga and bath. I love seeing the stars at night and listening to the crash of the ocean waves. I love that it is in a small quiet town that has just enough but not too much of anything. I would not stay anywhere else on the North section of the Big Island without staying here. Just magical.

relaxing is an understatement. Serenity comes closer. Service, attitude, amenities are fantastic. And the saltwater infinity pool is the icing on the cake!!

Ahu Pohaku is very special. It is a wonderful combination of a luxurious lodge combined with a family like atmosphere, where you get to know the owners and staff. The food -- largely grown on site -- is spectacular. Moe makes breakfast every morning, and other meals on request. The beautiful, quiet infinity pool, yoga, massage, library and spectacular location all make for a super relaxing, wonderful experience. I'll be back every year.

The Kohala coast location was just magnificent. I went there with the intent to rejuvenate my soul, which is exactly what happened. It was peaceful and quiet and the food was absolutely spectacular. The chef (Moe) was amazing and the entire staff was friendly. The bodywork that I had done was both healing and dynamic. I stayed in the yurt which was quite nice, but it did get a bit warm in there during the day although there was a fan in the room for circulation. I would recommend Hawaii Island Retreat to those that are looking for a peaceful and relaxing vacation.

This is a very special place. Marianne and I stayed here in April 2010 and enjoyed every second. We stayed four nights and three of those we were the only guests there. Staff went out of their way to make our experience special. The chef came in to prepare dinner and breakfast for us...a unique experience for certain. Marianne scheduled a spa treatment and the staff made certain to stop all landscaping activities...perfectly quiet and peaceful...how cool is that? I hiked the many trails and found a beautiful, secluded location nearby. Bringing Marianne there the next day, I proposed and we'll be getting married in 2011, possibly returning to Ahu Pohaku for the ceremony. As the other reviewers mentioned, this is truly a unique place...something you read about or see in the movies...go there and see what Hawaii is really like.

Having been to the Big Isle over 30 times in about as many years, I never stayed up in Hawi or above the North Kohala coast but this place was total heaven. I was there in June for only a couple of days but it is the first place I'll go back to when I hit the shores again in Hawaii.

It's well off the beaten track, unlike a hotel or B&B, it's more like a linked set of private mini-homes in a self-sufficient beauty spot on the cliffs in a magic area all its own. And to top it off, it has a world class healer who fixed a major problem with my leg that had caused me immense pain and defied thew work of doctors, osteopaths and massage specialists. I was amazed.

The breakfasts were superb made by a Mexican cook one day and an engaging local pixie the next with killer Kona coffee and fresh fruit grown on the property. The property cocoons you in comfort from the elegant yet restrained decor inside to the library and media room for chilling out as well as cliffside panoramas, walking trails through the nearby woods and a clearing where King Kam held court with his advisers and many rituals were performed. The power of Mana (Hawaiian mysticism) was ever present and the Aloha Spirit was on high beam!

For a place that I only spent two days, it decompressed me by about a week's worth of relaxing anywhere else. It was too short. What was convenient were the great little local restaurants in Hawi and Kapaau including Bamboo (love those pot stickers and lilikoi margaritas), the local Sushi Rock where I went twice it was so good, Luke's Place and Tiki Lounge for a smack up local lunch, Mi Ranchito for cool Mex and the Kohala Coffee Mill for the morning fix of brewed beans.

Locally, it's a wonderland of scenery and old-style Hawaiian culture, just a short run up the hill to Waimea and a fast long run down it by bile if you're a thrill seeker. As a long term travel writer, this would be one of the top five places I've stayed in Hawaii for comfort, coolth and care.

We came here for a few nights during our honeymoon on the Big Island. It was off-season and we had the place entirely to ourselves for the first night. Beautiful surroundings and a very well-appointed resort building. No expense spared on the construction, very classy. felt like we were house-sitting for someone rich and famous. Our room had a beautiful patio and we were a few yards' walk from beautiful cliff-side views of the ocean. The open-air dining room was lovely, even for breakfast in November, and the breakfast was top-notch (and since we were the only people there the staff was quite accommodating). There was a large organic garden on premises, and local produce was used in the breakfast [the kitchen was not open for other meals]. We each had an excellent massage and some lovely dips in their invisible-edge 'infinity' pool. Absolutely enjoyable experience, very lush, secluded surroundings. We felt miles from anywhere, in a private world. The surrounding towns of Hawi and Kapa'au are small and don't offer much, but Sushi Rock is excellent for dinner, and nearby Pololu valley is quite lovely. In summary: a fantastic experience and a wonderful end to our honeymoon.

A perfect place to spend a quiet slow paced vacation. The lodge is gorgeous in an out of way location among the stunning pine woods and shear, rugged cliffs of Kohala. There's hiking, kyaking, snorkeling as well as other activities to add to your experience. The retreat is newly opened and adding services weekly. Much anticipated is the organic gardens and the full spa and pool. When this piece of heaven gets discovered, you won't be able to get a reservation, so go now!