Temple Tree Retreat

Overlooking ancient lava ocean cliffs, Temple Tree Retreat is designed to see and feel nature all around you. Our home has three main living spaces - you get the entire property to yourselves. The main area hosts the kitchen, two bedrooms, bathroom and laundry room. Another area is a bedroom/bathroom suite and the third area is a library and office space with a pull out couch bed. The three areas are connected by a covered, open lanai that serves as a cool gangway with amazing ocean views from every plank. Live the Adventurer's life, be a pirate for a week, explore this astounding island from your home port of Temple Tree Retreat.

Temple Tree Retreat has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Please respect our max occupancy of 4 guests until our water system capacity is increased.

Here's a list of our amenities:
Bedroom 1 (up the spiral stairs): Cal-King bed, streaming TV, 360 degree windows with oceanfront views
Bedroom 2 (separate suite): Queen bed, streaming TV, ensuite bathroom, ocean views from your bed
Bedroom 3 (downstairs, main are): Full bed, near the bathroom
Library (separate area): Full size pull-out couch bed, desk, lounge chairs, stunning ocean views
FREE WiFi
Kitchen: refrigerator, cook top, oven, dishwasher, microwave, coffee maker and more. Also fully stocked with pots, pans, dishes and flatware.
Two bathrooms, each with a walk-in shower, toilet and sink.
Laundry room with washer and dryer
Gas grill on the lanai
Security alarm
Off street free parking
Gated entry driveway

This is a Hawaii County licensed short term rental.
TA-074-478-0288-01
STVR-19-363885
NUC-19-1500

Vacation Rental Reviews

• Great place!

  Stayed 5 days ending in March, 2024

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  a guest from Kirkland, WA recommends this vacation rental

  Beautiful house with amazing views. Had everything we needed for our stay. There was an issue with the water pump during our time and maintenance took care of it quickly and easily. We hope to come back!

  • Manager Responded on 4/8/2024

    Mahalo for your review, Paul. Come stay again soon - we'd love to host you, anytime! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Amazing Whale Watching House

  Stayed 7 days ending in January, 2024

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  Angie M from Fairfax, Virginia recommends this vacation rental

  We loved staying at Temple Tree Retreat, no one wanted to leave. I visit Hawaii every year and this is by far my favorite house on the Big Island. Highlights: Whale watching and listening to the sound of the waves and Coqui frogs at night.

  • Manager Responded on 2/11/2024

    Mahalo nui for your review, Angie. We're delighted to hear that you loved your stay at Temple Tree Retreat. We'll look forward to hosting you next time you visit!! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Peaceful and restful

  Stayed 4 days ending in January, 2024

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  Sarah M from N/A, CO recommends this vacation rental

  We enjoyed our stay very much. It was tranquil and allowed our family to reconnect and unwind.

  • Manager Responded on 1/19/2024

    Mahalo nui for your review, Sarah. We hope you'll keep us in mind next time your family wants to get away from it all. Temple Tree is a great spot for that :-) Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Great Vacation

  Stayed 8 days ending in December, 2023

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  Brian E from Mitchell, NE recommends this vacation rental

  We had an amazing time. You all communicated perfectly leading up to our stay, gave us a point of contact in case we needed anything then left us alone to enjoy our stay. I really appreciate that. The house was amazing and we loved it as a base camp while exploring the island. Thank you!

  • Manager Responded on 12/26/2023

    Mahalo nui for your review, Brian! We're so happy that you enjoyed the home and our services :-) Come stay again, anytime! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Beautiful location with a couple of improvements needed

  Stayed 3 days ending in November, 2023

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  Felice P from Airport west, VIC recommends this vacation rental

  Overall a wonderful stay in a beautiful location. However, the dining table and chairs were uncomfortable. The spiral staircase felt unsturdy with some loose pillars and the place could use a deep clean. It would be a perfect location with those areas fixed.

  • Manager Responded on 12/15/2023

    Mahalo nui for your review, Felice! We're so glad you enjoyed your visit. The rentals are deep cleaned every few months - I saw that Temple Tree was deep cleaned just after your stay. We apologize for any inconvenience! I have notified our handyman about the stairs situation so he can go and check on it. We appreciate you bringing it to our attention, and hope you'll keep us in mind if you return to the Puna coast! Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Overwhelmingly Perfect

  Stayed 8 days ending in November, 2023

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  Jonathan W from Bryant, AL recommends this vacation rental

  It was such a beautiful location and amazing beach house, that I don't know where to start. From the majesty of the giant waves crashing against the lava rock cliffs, to the sound of the rainforest surrounding us with the songs of birds and frogs, it was truly the quintessential paradise that we hoped for. Loved every minute there!

  • Manager Responded on 12/11/2023

    Mahalo nui for your review, Johnathan. We are so happy that you found your paradise at Temple Tree Retreat. We hope you'll keep us in mind if you travel this way again! Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Absolutely beautiful

  Stayed 3 days ending in September, 2023

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  Tessa M from N/A, CO recommends this vacation rental

  Temple tree retreat was the best place we stayed on the big island. This was for my 82 yr old grandmother's dream vacation she could stop talking about how amazing this place was!

  • Manager Responded on 10/26/2023

    Mahalo for your review, Tessa! We're so happy that you and your Gran enjoyed your time at Temple Tree Retreat. Kupuna have a very special place here in the islands and we are so happy she made some special memories. Come stay again anytime!! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Best place I’ve stayed in 29 visits to the islands!!!

  Stayed 6 days ending in August, 2023

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  Paul F from Cleveland, OH recommends this vacation rental

  This is my 29th visit to the islands and this is by far the best place I have stayed!! The views are absolutely breathtaking. The location is so quiet and peaceful! The house itself is very comfortable and perfect for a Hawaiian vacation! This has become the only place I will stay when on the Big Island! We brought a couple that have never been to the Big Island before, and they fell in love with it! See you next year, hopefully! Mahalo, for making it the most enjoyable vacation!

  • Manager Responded on 8/18/2023

    Mahalo nui for your wonderful review, Paul!! We are truly honored by your kind words :-) We look forward to hosting you again. Be sure to book directly next time so we can give you a returning guest discount! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Beautiful Stay!!

  Stayed 3 days ending in June, 2023

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  Shannon F from Wilmington, DE recommends this vacation rental

  Temple Tree Retreat is easily the most beautiful place we have ever stayed! Host communication was excellent, and the property is gorgeous. The house was clean and comfortable, and the view cannot be beat!

  • Manager Responded on 7/6/2023

    Mahalo nui loa for your review, Shannon. Your kind words put a big smile on my face :-D We're so glad you enjoyed Temple Tree and we hope to host you again if you come back to East Hawaii! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Beautiful!

  Stayed 4 days ending in May, 2023

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  a guest from Beaumont, CA recommends this vacation rental

  This place is beautiful! It had everything we needed plus more. A bit remote, which was good for us. We enjoyed our stay very much. The attention to details in respect to cleaning could be a bit better ( the stair edges and around the windows) and the blinds should be replaced. It is a bit open to the outside with no window coverings, but it kinda adds to the ambiance.
  Arriving late at night was kinda scary, but once the sun came up, it was amazing.

  • Manager Responded on 6/6/2023

    Mahalo for your review, Laurie. We're happy to hear that you enjoyed your visit. I reckon this wild place could be a bit intimidating in the dark if you're not used to it! But few things beat that sunrise view ;-) I will pass on your suggestions to our housekeeping manager so her team can pay extra attention to the stairs and window edges. We hope you'll come stay with us again next time you visit Puna! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Fantastic Temple Tree

  Stayed 6 days ending in May, 2023

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  Valerie H from Tacoma, WA recommends this vacation rental

  This was an absolutely magical spot overlooking the sea, close enough to Hilo but far enough off the beaten path to be relaxing and private! You do need a car. The unique house is filled with really cool artwork and antiques and gives everyone privacy. I’ll be back!

  • Manager Responded on 5/23/2023

    Mahalo for your review, Valerie. Temple Tree is such a special spot - we're glad you enjoyed it!! Come back anytime. Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• A Beautiful Spot On The Big Island!

  Stayed 17 days ending in April, 2023

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  a guest from NEW ALEXANDRIA, PA recommends this vacation rental

  This is a wonderful house in a great location! If you want a lot of crowds and to be really close to everything-do not stay here! It takes a bit of time to get to all the things to do on this Island, but worth every minute of driving. We spent 17 nights here and loved every minute. We actually looked forward to returning every day from our adventures because it is so beautiful.The house was clean, but could use some deep cleaning in the "library" area. The neighborhood is quiet and peaceful. There is a neighbor right next door that does inhibit the privacy some. He was not intrusive, but VERY close. He has security cameras all over and lights that go on and off all hours of the night and a weird blinking light thing in front of his home that was kind of annoying. But that is our only complaint about the spot. We would love to know the history of this building. It is not set up like a typical rental with all the different "areas", but this is what gives it charm. Every room has a beautiful view and we enjoyed them all! The question of the day is where should we sit this time? We sat on the cliffs, on each lanai, the kitchen area. It was all great! We got up every morning to have coffee and watch the sunrise! Be careful with your keys. There are a lot of doors and some use different keys so stay aware of who has the keys to which area! I am an avid review reader for any place I stay so appreciated the reviews for Temple Tree. Be cautious of the small farmers market at the end of Paradise Dr.and off to the left a small distance. The one lady charged my husband $30 for a pineapple and 2 other small bunches of fruit. He must have had "tourist" written on his shirt! The market on Sundays on the way to Pahoa is a great place for produce and souvenirs. Shipman Beach is a very close drive, but a long hike once you park, but worth every step. We saw about a dozen sea turtles there and the beach is stunning. We almost missed this gem! Highly recommend!

  • Manager Responded on 5/19/2023

    Mahalo nui for your thoughtful review, Victoria! We're so glad you loved your time at Temple Tree Retreat. Sorry to hear that the neighbor is a little over the top with 'security'.... strange since this area is very safe. Must be a recent transplant LOL Spring is slow season and housekeeping is doing deep cleans at all the properties. I will ask them to make sure to hit the library extra hard. We have heard that the door locks can be challenging and are working with the owner to change out the locks to keypads. That should help this issue. Ugh, so sorry to hear about the farmer's market. It took years of going to my favorite farm stand before I started getting a 'locals price' LOL. At least it's still cheaper than you'd pay at Safeway, and you're supporting supporting a hard working local small business :-) Please keep us in mind if your travels bring you back to the Puna district!! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew Salt Water Real Estate, Hilo HI

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• Quaint, rustic property

  Stayed 3 days ending in April, 2023

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  Jennifer J from Cochrane, AB recommends this vacation rental

  This property is quite far from Hilo but the location on the lava cliff is amazing. The property itself is quite rustic, and could use a bit of Tlc. For example the screen doors are broken. The main space that has the kitchen is lacking a couch. There is no where to just sit as a family while cooking supper. All
  In all we enjoyed our stay bit we were so busy sight seeing we spent very little time there other than sleeping.

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• Great little hideaway

  Stayed 3 days ending in April, 2023

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  Toshia B from El Cajon, CA recommends this vacation rental

  So beautiful. The rain on the roof at night with the ocean and local frog sounds made for such a relaxing setting. We had a few guests with us, geckos in the house! The kids loved it.

  • Manager Responded on 4/19/2023

    Aloha Toshia and thank you for the nice review. We're glad you enjoyed the home and Hawaii's little creatures! Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Crew

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• Great stay at Temple Tree Retreat

  Stayed 11 days ending in February, 2023

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  a guest from Circle Pines, MN recommends this vacation rental

  Enjoyed the unique home. Comfortable, quiet, private. Especially enjoyed listening to crashing waves while falling asleep and again waking up.

  • Manager Responded on 3/16/2023

    Mahalo for your review, Bonnie! We are so glad you enjoyed your stay. Come back when you start to miss the ocean's song. We'd love to host you again. Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew

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• A room with a view

  Stayed 4 days ending in January, 2023

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  a guest from Maple Grove, MN recommends this vacation rental

  We were excited about staying at this property and it did not disappoint. The pics were on point but still not as beautiful as the actual view. The house was well stocked and while the alarm went off in error the first night, we had a great time and would definitely stay again.

  • Manager Responded on 2/3/2023

    Mahalo for your review, Matt. Yep, it's hard to take photos that do justice to the amazing views in real life LOL We would love to host you again, so please keep us in mind if you return to our little corner of paradise :-) Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew

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• A place in Eden!

  Stayed 7 days ending in October, 2022

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  Patrick L from N/A, CO recommends this vacation rental

  If you want a place with stunning sunrises while you sip your coffee on the lanai, dramatic waves crashing against the lava cliffs, and a real relaxing time in a perfect Hawaiian setting, you have found the place! We spent a week at this retreat.... and it truly is, returning home with smiles and memorable days and evenings. I personally can not decide if the gorgeous sunrises every day or the sounds of the frog chorus lullaby every night were my favorite parts. Maybe the perfect house to be together, and also be apart were. ( great rooms and lanais to be alone! ) The location is spot on. 35 mins to the airport and the town of Hilo, short drive to Pahoa, Keaaau for some fun eats, and a beautiful ride up to Kilauea for the Volcano. The best farmers markets like 5 minutes away. Safe, friendly neighborhood to take walks and enjoy a tropical setting. A slice of Eden is what one friend said.
  I highly recommend this house as a rental. 5 stars without a single hesitation.

  • Manager Responded on 11/15/2022

    Mahalo nui for your review, Patrick! We are so happy that your group enjoyed their time at Temple Tree Retreat. It's such a special spot :-) Come back, anytime! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew

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• Beautiful stay - Amazing views

  Stayed 7 days ending in October, 2022

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  Susan v from San Diego, California recommends this vacation rental

  Unbelievable views. Great customer service. Very clean and well maintained. About 15 miles from Hilo airport. Easy drive to volcano. Would highly recommend.

  • Manager Responded on 10/20/2022

    Mahalo for your review, Susan. We're so glad you enjoyed your visit. Come back anytime! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew

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• Such a great spot!

  Stayed 4 days ending in September, 2022

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  Keith W from Sacramento, CA recommends this vacation rental

  So great listening to the waves & geckos.

  • Manager Responded on 10/20/2022

    Mahalo for your review, Keith. Come back anytime! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew

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• Temple Tree Retreat

  Stayed 8 days ending in August, 2022

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  Andrew O from oroville , California recommends this vacation rental

  great location, great property, had a great vacation. Would recommend for a group of 4.

  • Manager Responded on 10/20/2022

    Mahalo for your review, Andrew! We're so glad you enjoyed your stay. Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew

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• Tranquility in Paradise

  Stayed 4 days ending in July, 2022

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  Ken F from Arcadia, CA recommends this vacation rental

  This rental is ideal for anyone looking to relax, visit the eastside of the Big Island's point of interests, and get away from it all.
  
  We decided to rent this home so we could visit the Volcanoes Nat'l Park, Hilo, and Akaka Falls. Although these are all a 30 - 50 minute drive from the home, we wanted something that was off the beaten path and "local", this house was perfect for that type of vacation.
  
  If you want beautiful sunrises, pounding surf against a volcanic cliff, peace and quiet, a good place to read, do a puzzle or reflect, this is the house to rent.
  
  A couple of notes:
  1. There aren't any swimming beaches within walking distance of the house. We didn't stay here to swim so this wasn't an issue.
  
  2. There isn't a formal living room/family room. We used the office/library space which has a sofa and a couple of chairs. This is located in the non-attached room on the left when looking from the water.
  
  3. There isn't a traditional dinning table (there is kitchen/bar counter space and another high table for dinning).
  
  4. We were planning on and did cook dinner every night at the home. After exploring one of the POI's in the morning, and returning to the house ot relax, we didn't want to make the 30 min. commute back to Hilo.
  
  5. Check in/out was very easy.
  6. Management/Staff was very nice, helpful and accommodating.
  
  We would absolutely stay here again if we were looking for the same type of vacation.

  • Manager Responded on 10/3/2022

    Mahalo nui for your thoughtful review and excellent tips for future visitors, Ken. We would love to host you again, anytime! Warmest Aloha, The Salt Water Hawaii Vacations Crew

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