Jacaranda Inn

Staying at the Jacaranda Inn, you have stepped into the ultimate island paradise. You are truly escaping away from the maddening crowd. I truly felt like we had escaped into another era, another dimension, completely where I wanted to be, and would love to be again.
This inn is on the west side of Waimea/​Kamuela on the main road and not too far from the W.M. Keck Observatory Headquarters. We were hoping to head up to the actual observatory on Mauna Kea, but the weather was too dangerous while we were there.
The owner, Mary Ellen, has done an incredible job of restoring all the buildings and grounds making up the Jacaranda Inn, which is considered Classic Hawaiian Plantation architecture. Our room, the Hibiscus Junior Suite, was lovely and homey, of another time period with its four-​poster bed and pale greens, peaches and yellows. I believe each room is actually a separate physical structure, which adds to the level of privacy from other guests. We enjoyed exploring the grounds, where it’s easy to find a cozy spot to curl up with a good book or have a picnic. There are many options to find good food at any of the restaurants nearby.
The Jacaranda Inn is located in the northern part of The Big Island, which I can now safely say is one of my favorite parts of the island. It’s not too far from Waipio Valley and the actual WM Keck Observatory.

There’s a lot to like about this place, with a couple of caveats. I should preface this review with a warning that when I have time off and stay on island, I am usually at a ocean side resort, or camping. This was my first experience staying in Waimea, and the first night we had a storm where winds on the summit of Mauna Kea hit 155 mph, and we didn’t sleep much that night. As you can see from the pictures, this is classic Hawaiian Plantation architecture, and we were delighted that the roof didn’t come off.
On the other hand, the wild weather provided the summit with lots of snow, providing a photographer’s dream. My wife grew somewhat irritated that I was out taking so many pictures, to tell the truth.
We stayed in the Lily Cottage, which has the benefit of a jacuzzi tub, and ample space. It felt a little cramped to be on a queen bed in such a large room, and I’m used to a king tempurpedic, so I was happy to leave the venerable pillowtop behind. It was not bad for two nights. The advantage of the White Lily Cottage is that it has more privacy and the tub. Don’t forget to bring a candle. There is also a mini fridge, so you could stock up with appetizers and enjoy your lanai with some champagne during your stay, or have juice in the morning. There are two excellent grocery stores in Waimea.
As other reviews mention there is absolutely no onsite services in terms of drinks, food. The owner will probably check you in. My iphone had no trouble finding it with google maps, but there was no indication at the entrance that you need to walk up the stairs in the main building and go down a hall, where the office is to the right. If Mary Ellen is not there you’ll see a phone with a number.
Inside the room there was a small coffee maker with a nice assortment of teas as well. We used bottled water as I’m somewhat of a fanatic, with a triple reverse osmosis at home, and the coffeemaker worked fine. A beautiful lanai with nobody around, and the sound of the stream as you sip Kona coffee? Priceless.
There’s a lot of history attached to the place, having once been owned by Rockefeller when he was building Mauna Kea Beach hotel. Jackie O was a guest of his. I wonder if she shot any pool there? If you are into photography there are ample subjects both inside and out to shoot. I found myself walking around the grounds happy that I had a digital cam with nearly endless photo capacity.
So overall, we enjoyed ourselves. I felt the room needs updating. A flat screen tv and a stereo would do much to improve the feeling, and open up space for a desk /​workspace, which is sorely needed for the business traveler of 2015.
Remember that Waimea can get cold at night, even in summer. In winter when there’s snow on Mauna Kea? Low 50’s. There was a space heater in the closet that we used in the morning, but we were fine with the bed covers to stay warm through the night.
So given the caveats, I think this is an excellent option for Waimea. Keep in mind that I did not see the insides of any other rooms; the place was pretty vacant. My wife saw another room while chatting with Mary Ellen and said it was quite nice. If and when we return to Waimea, this will be where we will want to stay. Mahalo.
Be sure to check out the RedWater Café as a dinner option.

We are in the white lily room and it’s awesome! Booked another room but were told we had choice of two when we arrived… chose this one. If peaceful tranquility is what you seek, this is it! Four poster pillow top queen, massive bath with jaccuzi mixed with history of royalty and the who’s who of America’s past make this a wonderful stay!

We came here as a little getaway over the weekend and were pleasantly surprised! This Inn is adorable. It has an old time feel to it. I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. When you enter the main house you come to a nice, open sitting area with an authentic antler chandelier. There is also a separate dining room which is beautiful, yet looks unused. We found ourselves in the billiard room playing some pool. This was probably my favorite room in the main house because of all the old books, the floor to ceiling shelves, and the comfy arm chair next to the old world style windows. I could spend hours in there just looking through everything. The main house allows you access to the other rooms through a courtyard/​walk way system (it looks much nicer than it sounds). We were in room 5, the Hibiscus room. It had a four post bed with curtains, it felt very 18^th or 19^th century (in a cozy way!). The whole room boasts of terracotta tile, which is beautiful, but gets pretty chilly at night (the space heater is your best friend)! The en suite bathroom was great as well. There is a two person shower with a built in bench/​sitting surface. There are two sinks available too, all of this with more terracotta tile. I highly recommend checking out The Jacaranda Inn, it is a beautiful place to stay and it allows you to go back in time if even just for a weekend.

This wonderful spot was perfect for our honeymoon whistle stop through Waimea, aka Kamuela. This was a great area to retreat to as we explored Waipio Valley, and the quiant town of Honoka’a.
A healthy walking distance from Merriman’s Restaurant, and the Hawaiian Style Café.
Jacaranda Inn’s main house is a victorian era mansion with an eerie elegant charm. Walking through its halls, and courtyard at night, I half expected to see the mansions’ previous occupants hoovering in the parlor wearing victorian garb. This was not a negative vibe at all, we enjoyed the Inn’s vibe 100%.
Our cottage was in the secluded area of the grounds, with a creek only steps away. It featured a HUGE bathroom with sunken oval jacuzzi bath, a shower big enough for many more than just two, and his/​her sinks.
I can’t enough about this place, you’ll just have to give Mary-​Ellen a call and check it out…

This is a very nice B&B conveniently situated in Waimea. The proprietress could use a bit of schooling in her manners, which are somewhat less than gracious/​welcoming, but the rooms are so lovely, as are the gardens, that you overlook that sort of thing.
Someone put a good deal of thought into the interior decorating, which is truly lovely. Our room had a couch, a magnificent bed with a lovely bedspread and lacy pillowcases, and lots of other homey touches that made me miss my mom. Best of all, the tubs are huge and jacuzzi-​style — easily big enough for two to really relax in! The digs inside are also beautiful, although the beds could be bigger (most are queen-​size). We barely heard a peep out of the other guests, which was a really nice thing. Overall, a beautiful spot and not too expensive.

The Jacaranda Inn is a wonderful place to stay if on the Big Island. The Inn is near the central island town of Waimea (AKA Kamuela; Kamuela is the name the US Postal Service gave it to distinguish it from the other Waimea’s’ in Hawaii). Waimea is a GREAT dining town. I think the place must have fewer than 2000 people and has at least 3 – 4 really good restaurants. That’s quite a proportion!
The Inn is within walking distance of the dining district (kinda a long walk though). Each room seems very nice, several have huge bathtubs!
Waimea is within a pretty easy drive of the west-​coast airport and resorts, as well as the west coast beaches.