It would have been highly contradictory of me to be on the road each day researching unusual Hawaiian holidays while spending nights in mainstream resort-style hotels that could have popped up on any sandy beach or next to any palm tree in the world.  Large or small, historic or modern, accommodation listings below are out of the ordinary, each with a signature personality! Included you will find recommendations for a number of vacation rentals, an option that is particularly worthy of consideration if travelling with children or with a small group of adult friends or family members. Most of these have a minimum of two, some three, days for booking, but this is negotiable in low season.

I share here a sampling of my personal discoveries, while encouraging readers to visit the Hawaii Ecotourism Association website, www.hawaiiecotourism.org and the Hawaii Wellness Tourism Association website, www.hwta.net, for a variety of other alternative accommodation options.

To go straight to accommodation descriptions for each island, click on Oahu, Big Island [Hawaii], Maui, Kauai, and Molokai.

Oahu

Built in 1919, the Manoa Valley Inn is in a quiet residential district near the university, just a few minutes drive from Waikiki and the core attractions of Honolulu. Owner and personal host, Theresa Wery, has restored an historic gem of a house and garden property that invites visitors comfortably into a bygone era of Edwardian grace and polish, both in the distinctive bedroom designs and in shared areas of the house. www.manoavalleyinn.com
or phone (808) 947-6019.

Offering a wide range of vacation rental options along Oahu's North Shore, Team Real Estate's Monique Cole runs a professional booking service for those who like to spread out, make their own meals and enjoy a private garden or beachside stroll. From rustic cottage to ultra-modern villas, this is an option worth exploring, particularly for those planning to enjoy Oahu for a week or more. Check website listings: www.teamrealestate.com or phone
1-800-982-8602 or (808) 637-8881.

Hotel Equus is a boutique hotel of 56 rooms and 12 junior suites strategically located at the gateway to the Waikiki area and two miles from downtown Honolulu.  Also owned by polo enthusiast, Michael Dailey, is a self-contained Country Beach Cottage at his horse farm fronting on the beach just one hour’s drive to Oahu’s famous North Shore. It is an exquisite world apart, not to be missed. “Town and Country” packages with two nights at each location are good value.  www.hawaiipolo.com
or phone 1-800-669-7719 or (808) 949-0061.

Big Island

Lovingly restored by fifth generation member of the family, Barbara Andersen, Shipman House Bed & Breakfast Inn is a classic mansion from Hilo’s historic past.  Five bedrooms with 10 to 12 ft. ceilings, each with private bath, are individually decorated and furnished with family heirlooms, traditional fans and fresh flowers.

The word, magnificent, comes to mind when describing both the house/grounds and the mouth-watering breakfasts that feature old family recipes. If you're there on a Wednesday, traditional hula lessons take place in the mansion's spacious veranda.  www.hilo-hawaii.com or phone 1-800-627-8447 or (808) 934-8002.

The Tropical Hideaway is a Hawaiian garden retreat to remember, about a half hour drive south of the Kona International Airport near the Place of Refuge National Park. The self-catering cottage is truly an original in a lush garden setting with over 200 types of trees and plants, an outdoor shower and flush toilet, and a bed perched over a chunk of black lava. The studio suite in the main house is less distinctive in design but equally accommodating. Chris Reid is your gracious hostess, www.tropicalhideawayhawaii.com. or phone (808) 328-8672.

Volcano Village Vacation Rentals offers an amazing catalogue of self-catering house and duplex accommodations in a lush tropical forest setting just minutes from the contrasting dramatically barren landscapes of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This is a cooler part of the Big Island at 3,500 feet elevation with plenty to see and do, so plan to linger and enjoy the village and its natural areas.

Contact Bea Arnapole to experience some of the best area vacation housing at exceptional prices, www.volcanogallery.com/volcano__village_choice_.htm, or phone (808) 967-8617. Volcano Gallery's entire web directory is a comprehensive one-stop information window on the region and a true labor of love showcasing what's new and different on Bea's adopted island.

Volcano Rainforest Retreat and B & B defines ultimate privacy with its distinctive guest cottages secluded under the canopy of a native rainforest near Volcano Village. Hosts, Peter and Kathleen Golden, also offer health and wellness vacation packages at different times of the year for those who wish to nurture themselves through massage, energy healing, relationship counseling, personal growth workshops and guided spiritual retreats. www.volcanoretreat.com/ or phone 1-800-550-8696 or (808) 985-8696.

Macadamia Meadows Farm B & B is one of dozens of examples of Big Island agricultural tourism [ag tourism] where working nut, coffee, fruit and flower farms offer guest accommodation and breakfasts as well as farm tours. Located on the picturesque south coast near impressive beaches, Macadamia's wide range of rooms and suites is available year round. www.macadamiameadows.com or phone
1-888-929-8118 or (808) 929-8097.

Owner, Nita Isherwood, offers simple, home-like accommodation with a long name: Affordable Hawaii at Pomaika’i “Lucky” Farm B&B.  It is a century-old still-working macadamia nut/Kona coffee farm on the South Kona coast, surrounded by birds, tropical fruit, and exotic flowers.  Some rooms are in the garden and others in the main house; hearty farm breakfasts are included with many homemade specialties.  Nita’s knowledge of the area and interest in helping visitors discover it are definite bonuses.  www.luckyfarm.com or phone (808) 328-2112.

In a tree fern forest on six acres and just five miles from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, The Guesthouse lodging specializes in spacious, self-catering holiday accommodation ideal for families and groups of friends traveling together.  Two modern cottages on the property are wheelchair accessible.  www.volcanoguesthouse.com or phone (808) 967-7775.

Purchased in 1986 and completely renovated by renowned European chef, Albert Jeyte, and his wife, Lorna, Kilauea Lodge is ideally located in Volcano Village, a mile from Volcanoes National Park.  Originally a YMCA camp built in 1938, dormitory rooms have been transformed into 14 unique guest rooms and cottages with Hawaiian country furnishings and private bathrooms.  Breakfast is included.  Even if staying elsewhere, a meal is a must in the historic lodge restaurant with its enormous Fireplace of Friendship.  www.kilauealodge.com or phone (808) 967-7366.

Maui

Ka`anapali Beach Hotel on Maui's west shore is hard to describe, but well worth a visit. While the appearance and facilities are those of a large mainstream resort, the atmosphere is uniquely Hawaiian with a staff at every level of management whose pride in their workplace and a distinctive sense of Hawaiian hospitality must be experienced to appreciate why this property is called Hawaii's most Hawaiian hotel. The unusually large repeat clientele from around the world bear witness to the special "aloha" spirit of the resort. www.kbhmaui.com or phone 1-800-262-8450 or (808) 661-0011.

Under the expert hosting of Debra Greene, Maui House is a self-catering one-bedroom cottage set in a lush tropical half-acre garden, just one mile from Maui's best beaches and the traditional tourism mecca of Kihei. If you're looking for a bit of healing or re-direction in your life, Debra Greene is also an internationally respected transformational kinesiology specialist and a couples counsellor, working from her home office right next door to the garden cottage. www.MauiHouse.net or phone (808) 874-6441.

Located in Ulupono in the center of Maui, Old Wailuku Inn is a gracious 1920s home with seven large cool rooms, lots of public space and upscale, comfortable furnishings in Hawaiiana style. Personable and attentive Island-born innkeepers, Ton and Janice Fairbanks, share their knowledge of the local culture, and make you feel like 'Ohana (family), offering full gourmet breakfasts that capture the Hawaii of old while pampering guests in grand style. www.oldwailukuinn.com
or phone 1-800-305-4899 or (808) 244-5897.

Built in 1924 by a Portuguese immigrant family with 13 children, Hale Ho`okipa Inn is an historic Hawaiian plantation home, listed on both the Hawaii State and National Historic Registers. Located in the upcountry "Hawaiian rodeo meets New Age" town of Makawao, it is close to fabulous hiking and bird watching on Haleakala volcano and its national park. The property and house have been rescued from the wrecker's ball and lovingly restored by owner and host, Cherie Attix, www.maui-bed-and-breakfast.com or phone 1-877-572-6698
or (808) 572-6698.

Kauai

Strategically located at the gateway to Waimea Canyon [Hawaii's Grand Canyon] and Kauai's spectacular Napali Coast, Waimea Plantation Cottages is nestled in the midst of a century-old coconut grove that fringes a classic fine sand beach that beckons to be strolled. More than 50 historic worker's cottages on the 27-acre property are a living legacy from the sugar plantation boom era.

Each one has been carefully restored to capture the spirit and reality of the time while providing a full range of self-catering modern amenities for guests. Managed by Aston Hotels & Resorts, www.waimea-plantation.com or phone 1-800-922-7866 or (808) 338-1625.

Kualapa Cottage is an immaculate, self-catering, one-bedroom vacation cottage on the 5-acre fruit and tropical flower farm of Hans and Alisa Kersting, who also happen to be owners of the first class Japanese Wasabi Restaurant in nearby Kapa`a town. The secluded sundeck overlooks a state forest reserve where visitors may walk or ride along reserve trails to dramatic waterfalls. www.hawaiian.net/~kualapa or phone (808) 822-1626.

Find many vacation rentals with just a few clicks of the mouse, whether it is a Hawaii vacation home or a Costa Rica vacation rental.

You are invited to click on the Alternative Hawaii Table of Contents to explore the full collection of pages devoted to the many small-group tours operators, wellness tourism providers, spectacular bird photography, language and cultural treasures of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island [Hawaii] and Molokai.

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