Please note: since this article was written in 2001, it appears this B&B is no longer in business!

This B&B is located in Captain Cook, on the south Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.  It is about a half hour drive south along the main highway from the Kona-Keahole Airport.  The B&B is a working farm - both coffee and macadamia nuts are grown here.  The B&B is located below the highway and above the coast at about 800' elevation, so it tends to be comfortably cool, as compared with Kailua-Kona or other coastal locations.  At night, you will likely need a light blanket to keep warm, and during the day it will be moderate.  It is quite common to have a short rain shower in the late afternoon.

After you confirm your reservation, Roger will email you directions to A Place of Refuge B&B.  Follow them exactly and you won't have any problem finding the place, unless you are seriously directionally-challenged.  The road is narrow, and winds down the hill from the highway with lots of twists and turns, and the narrow driveway is marked with a sign that simply says "Connie & Roger". Roger is a very laid back farmer, and his wife Connie is a pharmacist at the local hospital. Roger splits his time between the B&B business and the five acre farm.

The Coffee

After I unpacked, Roger makes me a cup of coffee...from scratch. He dries the already sun-dried beans a bit further in a coffee roaster that looks like a popcorn popper, and then roasts them in a personal sized roaster (about the size of a coffeemaker). Then he grinds the beans and brews it in a Bodum. Pure Kona coffee at its best! He charges $15/lb for his estate coffee.  Take it from someone who had been drinking Kona coffee for over 25 years (ME) - you won't find any better tasting Pure Kona coffee anywhere.  Please don't buy those horrible Kona blends from the discount stores and global distributors - you will only encourage them!  Keep in mind, there is less than 10% pure Kona in the blends (with the emphasis on LESS THAN)!  Buy pure Kona. Treat yourself today to Aloha Farms Full City Roast.

The first day of my stay, I managed to find the B&B in the dark, and I'm sitting out on the lanai listening to the crickets and the rattle of the palm fronds in the warm, gentle, tropical breeze. Roger was kind enough to pick up some Fire Rock Pale Ale (and some Longboard Lager too - Kona Brewing Company) since he was going shopping in the afternoon, so I'm sipping on a locally brewed ale. It doesn't get much better than this.

The Rooms

I opted for the Ecotourist room, since I wanted to save a bit of money, and didn't mind that the room renovation wasn't finished.  This room offers clean, basic accommodation, but spartan furnishings. The other two rooms (Captain's Quarters and Explorer) are both finished, and offer very nice, yet reasonably-priced B&B accommodation.

2007 update - It appears that this B&B's website has vanished from the Internet, and I don't see any current telephone listings either.  Perhaps this B&B is no longer operating.  Please let me know if you have current contact information for this property, since I like to keep my website's information current.

The Breakfasts

While we had breakfast on the lanai one morning, we spot two whales just offshore below. They breach, tail slap and flipper flap. A special treat.

Kayak & Snorkel Trip - Kealakekua Bay - Another special treat came in the form of an offer from Roger to take everyone kayaking and snorkelling in Kealakekua Bay and the Captain Cook Monument.  Of course, we took him up on his generous offer! Roger supplied the transportation, the kayaks, the snorkel gear, and was also our tour guide for this half day tour. This serves to illustrate how B&B operators often go the extra mile to keep their guests happy.  Thanks again Roger!

My last day on the Big Island

I just lazed about on the lanai at the B&B in the morning, then spent a few hours at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, which is just a few minutes away by car. Good Mana in this place - I just love being here.  In the late afternoon, I'm back sitting on the lanai and it's just starting to rain. There is an exotic flower smell in the air. I think it is from the Plumeria. A very nice end to my vacation.

I am up at 6am the following morning to get started on my return journey. Connie  left me a baggie full of banana-nut muffins to take with me, which was very nice of her.