Waterfront in heart of Hilo, 1 block to hotels. Built on pond w/ fish & turtles.

Hilo, Hawaii
$368 avg/night
Bed 5

Bed

Bath 3

Bath

Home Private Vacation Home

Property Type

Sleep 10

Max Sleeps

UNIQUE Two story home built over a pond that has both freshwater and saltwater fish plus turtles swimming together. Walk into the pond from the steps on lower level, very unique. Tastefully renovated home. 3 bedrooms/ 3 baths upstairs plus living area, large kitchen and open deck with great views. Downstairs has 2 bedrooms, laundry room with air bed, living area and covered lanai. Open and airy, room for everyone. Four TV's, stereo system, games and card table for family/friends time. Greatest bar-b-q setting in Hilo.

SPACIOUS AND COMFORTABLE:
Classic 2-story Hilo home updated and modernized. High ceilings, lots of windows, spacious and airy. Enter over the bridge, past the banana grove and pineapple field, and up the stone steps to large front porch. Note that this home is not ADA compatible. Enter double glass paned doors into living and dining rooms, with kitchen and office on the sides. Three well appointed bedrooms (one master) and three baths towards back (bayside) of home, with three entries onto large deck with great views of the Ice Pond, framed by mature and fruit-bearing mango, avocado, coconut and banana trees. Truly a tropical delight. Feel free to eat the fruits in season. A very, very enjoyable setting, fantastic for bar-b-q's or just hanging out.

Downstairs is a finished basement built literally over the on-property pond, with the fish swimming right under your feet. Two bedrooms, a laundry room, a gaming area and a boathouse open onto the covered back lanai and backyard. The one downstairs bathroom has an outside access and an outside shower, it is entered from the backyard. Note that access from upstairs to downstairs is at both the front and rear of the house, but it does NOT have interior access.

CENTRAL HILO TOWN LOCATION:
In town, on the fringe of the resort area and walking distance to the hotels. Within easy walking distance of a dozen restaurants; five bars; four beach parks; Queen Liliuokalani Park & Gardens (30 acres donated by a Queen and the largest Japanese Garden outside of Japan); the 9-hole golf and Frisbee golf Naniloa Golf Course; Moku ola (Coconut Island, accessible via a small pedestrian bridge); and Hilo's three main hotels with shops. About one mile to Hilo International Airport.

This home is in the urban core of Hilo, or at least as urban as Hilo gets. Note that there is some airplane noise from the airport; some road noise from the main street in front of the home; and some noise at night from the Suisan fish-packer across the street, in addition to the ever-present coqui frogs serenading each other (and you) at night throughout East Hawaii.

It is on the part of Hilo Bay that is protected by the breakwater, and is adjacent to the safe harbor anchorage for sailboats. It is quite 'malia' (calm) pretty much all of the time. It is great for kids or adults to enjoy the water activities of kayaking; standup paddle-boarding; snorkeling; sailing; swimming; and enjoying the beaches. There is a reason this is the most popular area for both tourists and locals for a day (or night) at the bay.

ENTRYWAY:
From the road and parking area you cross a small wooden bridge to access the classic stone steps up onto the old-fashioned covered porch.

LIVING ROOM:
Comfortable and airy, with large flat-screen TV; stereo system; and view overlooking the fishpond. Old fashioned wooden floors with throw rugs. Teak couch; love seat; and chair with matching end tables and coffee table. Large ceiling fan. Antique wardrobe which serves as hanging closet for nearby Master Bedroom Suite. Tropical artwork hangs on walls. Air conditioned.

LARGE KITCHEN:
Five burner gas stove, side-by-side stainless steel refrigerator with freezer underneath. Vegetable prep sink. Three bowl stainless steel commercial grade sink. No dishwasher, the family washes together in this home. Small dining table seats three. Old-school wooden cabinets with glass doors and granite countertops. Front window overlooks banana patch.

DINING AREA:
Oval wood dining table seats six comfortably. Overlooks the fishpond through a wall of windows. Old fashioned hardwood floors, opens onto the living room. Dining area is open to the living room. Air conditioned.

GUEST BATHROOM:
Guest bath is a full bathroom with antique claw-foot bathtub and shower enclosure. Tile floors and wooden cabinet with single sink. Window on wall allows fresh air circulation.

MASTER BEDROOM SUITE:
Good-sized master bedroom suite has king-sized teak poster bed with Egyptian cotton sheets and tropical bedspread and pillows. Matching bureau and side tables, with two reading lamps at bedside. Wall mounted flat screen TV with swivel mount. Radio with iPod port. No closet, make use of the wardrobe in the living room for your clothes hanging necessities. Nice ceiling fan keeps you cool. Steps from door to outside deck and yard. Air conditioned.

MASTER BATHROOM:
The master bathroom has an enclosed commode but the sink and glass block/tile shower are open to the bedroom. with nice wooden cabinet and single sink. Commercial hotel magnifying mirror at sink, and glass block and louvered windows let the light and air in. Tile floor.

BEDROOM 2:
Bedroom 2 is a compact bedroom with closet and carpet. Queen sized teak bed with tropical finish and high-quality linen. Matching bureau, flat screen TV with swivel mount. Direct access through glass paned door to outside deck and bar b q area. Served by private bathroom shared with Bedroom 3. A nice ceiling fan keeps you cool. Tropical painting above bed.

BEDROOM 3:
Bedroom 3 is on the pond side of the house, and overlooks the on-site brackish pond. It is bright and breezy, but is also the least quiet of the bedrooms due to the windows overlooking the nearby restaurant/parking lot. Also carpeted, and with a small closet. Wall mounted flat screen TV above bureau which matches the queen -sized teak bed set with side tables, with the ever present tropical finish. Bright art decorates the wall. The ceiling fan is wooden bladed.

PRIVATE BATHROOM:
The private bathroom serving these two bedrooms are accessible only through the bedrooms, with two separate doors. Tile floors and a high ceiling with skylight, tile shower stall (no bathtub) and sturdy wooden cabinet with a single sink. Small windows in the shower stall and above the commode allow great circulation.

OUTDOOR DECK:
The best room in the house. Large wooden deck with teak table and 6 matching Captain's chairs plus a large umbrella to keep the sun and/or rain off of your party. The Weber bar b q grill (charcoal fired) is ready to go when you arrive. Overlooking the Ice Pond and surrounded by avocado; mango; coconut; and banana trees. Watch the fish, birds, ducks, and people enjoy the life on and around the pond. Extremely relaxing and scenic. Wooden stairs down to the yard and the outdoor bathroom.

DOWNSTAIRS GREATROOM:
A hobbit-like door leads into the ground floor space of the house, basically a finished basement partly underground on one side. The Greatroom is built directly over the brackish fishpond. The railing separates you from the pond with both fresh fish (Koi) swimming with saltwater local fish and turtles. The water is a mix of fresh and salt, and both types of fish are able to thrive in this microenvironment.

You can feed the fish, just watch or you can walk down the stone steps and actually enter the pond, swimming with the fish or just dangling your feet in the water. Enjoy the cycle of the water rising and falling with the ebb and flow of the tides.

Note that the two stairways connecting upstairs to downstairs are both outside the house, and that the single bathroom serving downstairs is accessed from the outside. It is recommended that small children (under 10) should probably stay downstairs with adult supervision.

DOWNSTAIRS BEDROOM 4:
Medium sized bedroom with low (6 2) ceiling, this tiled floor room offers a queen size teak bed set with tropical finishes and matching bureau. Both floor lamp and table lamps on side tables. No ceiling fans downstairs, circulation is via windows and the open walls by the fishpond.

DOWNSTAIRS BEDROOM 5:
Another medium sized bedroom with low headroom, this carpeted bedroom has still another teak queen-sized bedroom set with matching bureau and a full-sized mirror. Side tables with lamps and a floor lamp provide lighting, while the single window provides mostly circulation.

LAUNDRY ROOM:
The tiled floor laundry room has a washer (electric) and dryer (gas) and laundry facilities. With windows on two walls, this is the brightest and airiest of the enclosed rooms downstairs.

COVERED LANAI:
Outside the back of the home on the ground floor is a covered lanai, underneath the second floor deck. With a picnic table and some folding chairs, this is a good place to hang out when it is rainy outside or while you wait for the paddlers to return.

THE BOATHOUSE:
An enclosed room over the pond which has storage area for the three kayaks (two singles and one tandem) plus paddles and accessories that come with the home. Additional water accessories are stored in a storage area portion of the Greatroom. It is quite convenient and easy to get the kayaks from the boathouse to the Ice Pond, and vice versa.

OUTSIDE BATHROOM:
The bathroom serving the downstairs as well as the covered lanai and deck is in the rear corner of the home, and accessed via a tile pathway. This bathroom has enclosed sink in a wooden cabinet with commode, plus an outdoor shower for use when returning from the pond or bay. It has automatic lights for use when accessing the bathroom at night.

BACKYARD:
The compact backyard fronts on both Ice Pond and the peaceful Kuhio Kalanianaole Beach Park. In addition to launching your boats at Ice Pond, you can also launch at the concrete boat ramp at the park. The park is great for kids, birthdays, and weddings. Parking lot is closed and locked at night by the County.

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  • Feature Features
  • Map Map
  • School District Availability
  • Review Review

Feature Features

  • PETS

    No Pets Allowed
  • BEACH

    Near The Beach
  • DINING

    Dining Table
  • SAFETY

    Carbon Monoxide Detector Not Reported (host Has Not Indicated Whether There Is A Carbon Monoxide Detector On The Property; Consider Bringing A Portable Detector) Deadbolt Lock Fire Extinguisher First Aid Kit Smoke Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Smoke Detector On The Property)
  • BEDROOM

    5 Bedrooms Bed Sheets Provided Egyptian Cotton Sheets
  • GENERAL

    Unit Size: 2050 Sq Ft (191 Sq M)
  • KITCHEN

    Blender Coffee/tea Maker Cookware/dishes/utensils Freezer Microwave Oven Refrigerator Stovetop Toaster
  • LAUNDRY

    Laundry Facilities Near Laundromat Washing Machine And Dryer
  • PARKING

    Car Recommended Onsite Parking
  • INTERNET

    Free WiFi
  • OUTDOORS

    Charcoal Grill Fenced Yard Garden Patio
  • POOL/SPA

    Private Pool
  • BATHROOMS

    3 Bathrooms Bathtub Or Shower Outdoor Shower Shared Bathroom Soap Toilet Paper Towels Provided
  • LANGS SPOKEN

    English
  • THINGS TO DO

    Ecotours Nearby Fitness Facilities Nearby Golf Nearby Golf Privileges Golfing On Site Hiking/biking Trails Nearby Kayak On Site Kayaking Nearby Mountain Biking Nearby Swimming Nearby Water Skiing Nearby Water Sports Equipment Water Tubing Nearby Whale Watching Nearby
  • ENTERTAINMENT

    Books Games Stereo Smart TV With Cable/satellite Service
  • LIVING SPACES

    Living Room
  • CLIMATE CONTROL

    Air Conditioning Ceiling Fan
  • FAMILY FRIENDLY

    Children's Toys Playground
  • LOCATION HIGHLIGHTS

    In The City Center Near A Hospital Near A Zoo Near The Bay Near The Ocean On The Waterfront
  • SERVICES AND CONVENIENCES

    Chef Housekeeping (on Request) Iron/ironing Board
  • SUITABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY

    Area Rugs In Public Areas Hardwood Flooring In Public Areas If You Have Requests For Specific Accessibility Needs, Please Contact The Property Using The Information On The Reservation Confirmation Received After Booking. Magnifying Mirror Note From Host: No Smoking Inside The Home. Smoke-free Property Tile Flooring In Public Areas

CheckIn Check-in : 03:00 PM CheckOut Check-out : 11:00 AM
No Wheelchair No smoking No pets Children allowed
Occupancy Max occupancy : 10

Map Map

School District Availability

Review Review

  • Zach M.

    Submitted Apr 20, 2026

    Stayed Mar 31, 2026

    Great location. House is quite big and has plenty of space for guests.

  • Ronald F.

    Submitted Feb 16, 2026

    Stayed Feb 12, 2026

    No host met me just the cleaning lady. It was okay but we are older people I wouldn't reccomend older people that have hard time going up to second floor. Very dangerous in falling. Also we saw someone probably a homeless person taking a shower on the outside bathroom

  • Jayme P.

    Submitted Jan 5, 2026

    Stayed Dec 30, 2025

    The house overall was great. Great location, we loved the canoes and life jackets. The rooms in the basement were a bit scary at first. There is not bathroom in the basement so you have to walk outside to the outdoor bathroom if you have to go at night. As expected in Hawaii, there are mosquitos and geckos, but nothing excessive. We enjoyed our stay and had no issues.

  • Jana S.

    Submitted Nov 7, 2025

    Stayed Oct 11, 2025

    Place was beautiful and great location, host very responsive and flexible, cleat and quick communication

  • Le'a G.

    Submitted Oct 10, 2025

    Stayed Oct 2, 2025

    This property is not as described. The photos are old and the house is no longer in good condition. It is right across the street from a very loud warehouse as well. We liked the location and did not have the option to leave, so we stayed. Certain parts of the house are clean-ish, so we could manage, but a lot of the house is in serious need of repair. The fridge, microwave, and oven were dirty. The oven did not work. Every windowsill had dirt and bug poop on it. The downstairs was not as pictured at all, with windows that were not secure, looking out on rotted fences. The flooring in these areas is not as pictured in the photos, and there are no blinds, just shabby curtains that feel pretty unsafe, given that these rooms are at walking-level to the ground outside. The house was full of construction materials and cleaning supplies, with parts of it that had blue tape on it from painting recently, and every closet in the home contained so much bedding that nobody could unpack. There were 3 rings of 10 keys each, none labeled or in any sensible way laid out. The area downstairs with water toys was a mess, and it contained only half of the gear pictured in the listing. Something has gone very wrong with this place. Again, we felt safe in the spaces that were clean, so we stayed because it was the better choice than relocate, but nobody should have to pay money for a place like this. In addition, the tide came up and flooded a majority of the downstairs during our stay.

  • Brian C.

    Submitted Oct 7, 2025

    Stayed Sep 21, 2025

    It was exactly what we needed for the work trip. The staff enjoyed the area as well.

  • Susan C.

    Submitted Jul 24, 2025

    Stayed Jul 18, 2025

    Location was great, kids loved fish pond house, great access to cove, so fun snorkeling from backyard to see a sea turtle, kayaking also from backyard delightful. Appreciated having the kayaks and life vests available. Had other family staying in nearby hotel, but joined for family meals on top outdoor deck. So perfect. Lovely time, would stay here again on next visit!

  • Debra C.

    Submitted Jul 12, 2025

    Stayed Jul 7, 2025

    Nice place to stay

  • Brandon N.

    Submitted Jul 5, 2025

    Stayed Jun 26, 2025

    Perfect place for family get away .. close to everything and your own private entry into Icepond

  • Joy G.

    Submitted Jun 23, 2025

    Stayed Jun 5, 2025

    We had an outstanding view of the Hilo Coast and peaceful surroundings. The home was conveniently situated for our trip and I was able to incorporate some successful work related activities. The capture of Episode 25 of the Kīlauea eruption was a life experience.Our host and his team quickly responded to when needed and communication was handled appropriately as well as timely. Grocery stores, dining and places of interest were nearby or if anything centrally located.Thank you again for the hospitality!Joy

  • Arlene L.

    Submitted Jun 23, 2025

    Stayed Jun 16, 2025

    Enjoyed this quirky historic home. Quaint and casual. Used the upper and lower level bedrooms. Great views from the back deck. The pond was great - put the two-person kayak right in the water from the backyard. Close to good beaches (5 min drives), very close walking to several restaurants and food trucks, and 5 min walk to nearby dive shop - we rented snorkeling gear for the week. We loved the sea turtles, lizards, many birds, koi fish at the house, and even saw nene from the house. Less than 10 min drive to the Hilo Farmers market. Noise wasn't bothersome. Quiet mornings waking up to hearing birds. A little feedback: Some written instructions inside the house would be helpful (some VRBO's have a notebook) and all the keys got confusing. All in all, we loved our 5 days at this house!

  • Erin L.

    Submitted May 20, 2025

    Stayed May 12, 2025

    The location for our son's college graduation was perfect! The view on the back deck is great!The house itself needs TLC - dining chairs wobbly, kitchen chair broken, needs a deep cleaning (walls, tub, appliances, window ledges, all dirty). Ran into at LEAST 10 Geicos in the kitchen & living room - maybe normal for Hawaii - but not something I've experienced in other tropical areas.It's a very noisy location, as expected. Close to everything & owner/property mgr very responsive.

  • brittany v.

    Submitted May 12, 2025

    Stayed May 9, 2025

    I grew up here on the Big Island and swim often in the ice pond. I have always wanted to stay in this beautiful home and am so incredibly happy I finally got the chance. This home is a beautiful old style home. There is major renovation needs but overall it was perfect!! My ohana and I will cherish the memories we made FOREVER!! We also appreciated the kyaks that were there!! We brought our own paddle boards and kyak but the ones you have are so much fun!!! I hope to stay here again in the near future!!!!

  • james c.

    Submitted Apr 30, 2025

    Stayed Apr 12, 2025

    We love this place. It was so accessible to the bay and very cozy bedrooms very clean huge kitchen.

  • Lisa A.

    Submitted Apr 27, 2025

    Stayed Apr 21, 2025

    House was very nice and clean, it’s an older house so some of the floorboards were sinking. Bathrooms have nice showers, beds are super comfortable. Plenty towels. In the kitchen, plenty pans, pots, coffee pot, slow cooker, and a cabinet with seasonings, oil, etc. Was a little disappointed that there was no stand up paddle boards as pictured. In the evening, the business across the main road runs generators so can be a bit noisy if you leave the windows open. Two suggestions to improve: Less house keys, some of the doors had 2 different keys for the knob and the deadbolt. The other would be instructions for the televisions, each of them had 3 remotes and we had a lot of trouble trying to figure out how to use them. FYI the wash machine is coin operated, so bring quarters.

  • Kimberly T.

    Submitted Apr 3, 2025

    Stayed Mar 29, 2025

    My family loved the bay access! Saw turtles in the bay. The home does have a lot of road noise as it's on a main road and a shipping factory in front of it, but still very enjoyable! Great check in and out

  • Bonnie K.

    Submitted Apr 2, 2025

    Stayed Mar 23, 2025

    The house worked out perfect for our group- we came for work, working with the local schools.

  • Cammie W.

    Submitted Mar 25, 2025

    Stayed Mar 7, 2025

    Richard was excellent to work with. We had a team of 2 guys come from the mainland to work. They loved the house and the view/experience on the bay. Check In/Out was easy and well communicated. Thank you, Richard. We will make sure to find your property for our future projects. Thank you so much!

  • Sehoon O.

    Submitted Mar 14, 2025

    Stayed Feb 28, 2025

    Good area

  • Gerry M.

    Submitted Mar 4, 2025

    Stayed Feb 18, 2025

    Unique location on the water of Reed's Bay and surrounded by a koi pond. Very convenient location to downtown Hilo, Queen Liliuokalani Gardens, keiki beaches and restaurants. However it is also across from the industrial district of Hilo and the Hilo Airport. The noise was an initial concern but the water access and central location more than made up for any disturbances. Our family enjoyed catching frogs, fish and shrimp, kayaking in the bay and heading to our nearby keiki beaches for more water play.

  • Tami B.

    Submitted Dec 31, 2024

    Stayed Dec 13, 2024

    This VRBO is very unique! The description and other reviews basically tell you all you need to know. If you are looking for luxury, this is not your place. If you are looking for rustic, quirky and unique, you've found it! The location was great with it being close to everything in Hilo and the water access is wonderful. Remie, the co-host, was very responsive and good to work with. We enjoyed watching the koi and the little turtle in the pond under the house, and the visits from geckos inside the house. The road noise and airplanes can be drowned out with the AC and floor fans in the house. The only thing that was not mentioned in the description is that the washing machine is coin-op. So bring your quarters! We enjoyed our stay here.

  • Cristella T.

    Submitted Dec 16, 2024

    Stayed Dec 6, 2024

    Interesting house. It did have a central location to Hilo and the kayaks were great. But we booked the home mostly for the kayaks and there were less than we expected. The owner said a previous guest had broken some of the equipment and they had not replaced yet. The beds weren't the most comfortable. There was a washer on site, but it required quarters to use. I don't know who travels with change anymore. And there were signs everywhere that said we are watching you, no extra guests allowed. They may have problems previously, but it just felt off. There also were about 8 towels total on the property in a cabinet that said we are monitoring how many towels are here. Okay place, but I'm not sure I would stay here next time.

  • Lisa W.

    Submitted Oct 6, 2024

    Stayed Sep 27, 2024

    If you like to wake up and paddle, this place is ideal. My teens loved the access to kayaks and made the most of paddling every morning before we set out to find more adventure. Thank you for sharing your home with us.

  • Hulali T.

    Submitted Sep 19, 2024

    Stayed Aug 31, 2024

    This is our second time renting this house. It’s such a great location, and lots of room for the family. The water access is what keeps bringing us back. You can’t beat it on a beautiful Hilo day. Both times we had extensive issues with red ants. They are all over the outside. On the trees, on the tables, the water toys- it is really an issue. Everyone got bit while outside. I was hopeful that the first time it was just a lapse in treatment, but they were there this time as well. The owner was notified and open to immediately treating the area. But was unable to because of the rain. I did remove all of the air fresheners on arrival as the house had a strong smell- there was over 20 scattered in the house. Other than those 2 things, the house is great. Older style. But lots of room. All of the amenities worked great. Parking is hard with only 3 small cars able to fit in the driveway. The park next door closes around 7, so after that our family had no where to park. The restaurant next door didn’t allow us to park there.

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Total

Includes taxes and fees
$496+
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