Hedonisia Hawaii Tropical Farm Retreat
Hedonisia Guests Frequently Asked Questions
(For the Hedonisia Fair-Trade Volunteers FAQ: Click Here)
Arrival & Booking Related Questions:
- How long in advance should we reserve a space?
- What is the general location of the hostel?
- What is your airport pickup policy?
- What are your check-in hours?
- If I arrived past check-in times would there be someone to greet me?
- What is your policy on changing arrival dates?
Hedonisia Hawaii Hostel Questions:
- Is the internet connection for my laptop is included in the price? Is the Internet connection in the Jungle Reliable?
- Is it a long and difficult hike uphill to get to Ocean View?
- Is there a refrigerator in the Barn kitchen?
- What are your policies on children who visit Hedonisia?
- Will we have access to a near by market or store?
- Are there private lockers for storing personal items with the tent dorm?
- Are the facilities (restroom, showers) open 24 hours?
- Are the tents single-person or double-person occupancy?
- What is the MAXIMUM stay allowed as a Guest at Hedonisia?
- What's the distance to the closest beach in your area?
- What are your curfew times?
- What is your pet policy?
- What is the hostel's drinking water source?
- I'm a little confused about your business name, Hedonisia.
General Puna Region, East Hawaii or Big Island Questions:
- Since i don't have any kind of transportation...is it easy to hitchhike around in the Puna district where you are?
- Do any cell phone providers work in your area?
- What is the temperature like? Hottest?
- Is there a "monsoon" (rainy) season?
- How are the bugs and snakes?
- What about the nearby beaches.
- What is the driving distance from the hostel to Kona?
- Are there any particular tropical diseases or health issues we should be aware about in Big Island?
Arrival & Booking Related Questions:
1)How long in advance should we reserve a space? Hedonisia is a small friendly hostel. We like it that way, and judging by our feedback so do our guests and volunteers. We only have ten rental spaces on the property. So, Hedonisia can get booked rather quickly.
2) What is the general location of the hostel? We are located in East Hawaii about 4 miles from the town of Pahoa and 3 hours drive from Kona. We are only 16 miles away from the Kalapana active volcano lava flow.
3) What is your airport pickup policy? Unless a passenger is willing to pay a waiting and parking fee we will not leave for the airport unless we receive your call upon arrival. Flights get delayed even after they take off. So have a book and allow for one hour waiting time at the airport!
4) What are your check in hours? If you're arriving by car please try to arrive by or after 2PM. We do prefer check-ins during daylight hours. The property is very beautiful so it is nice to be able to see it! As well, for some out-of-the-way lodgings such as Ocean View, it is nice to see it during the day so that it is easier to walk to at night.
5) If I arrived past check in times would there be someone to greet me? If you already have a reservation we will have someone ready to greet you. If you are arriving past 10PM be sure to let us know so that we have someone to greet you and show you the bathroom facilities and your accommodations. Once rested we will give you a full tour of the hostel facilities during day light hours.
6) What is your policy on changing arrival dates? Yes it is okay for you to change your date of arrival or departure. For the first date change there is a charge of $10. For all other arrival date changes there is a $20 charge.
General Hedonisia Hawaii Hostel Questions
1) I was wondering if the internet connection for my laptop is included in the price or is that extra? For wireless connection we have a flat fee of $10.00 for the duration of your stay. If upon your stay ending you wish to return occasionally to Hedonisia to use our wireless internet you may continue to do so at a rate of $10.00 per week. Are there any reliability issues with the internet connection? We have a high speed DSL connection that is fully functional 95% of the time!
2) Is it a long and difficult hike uphill to get to Ocean View? It is not long nor is it difficult, however it can be challenging at night or when it rains. So, we do require that people who book the Ocean View Hut be fit and comfortable enough to walk around in nature at night. The trail that leads up to Ocean View is steep and gets very muddy and slippery when it rains.
3) Is there a refrigerator in the Barn kitchen? Yes. However, space is limited. For those who wish to store their food in a private cold place, we offer coolers located near to the refrigerator.
4) Are there many children who visit your place? We do welcome children and our Family Rate for them is only $5 per child extra per day. There is a volcanic crater on the property which can be a hazard, so we ask that parents be responsible for their childrens behavior.
Please note that some of our most child friendly accommodations, such as the Pop-Up Camper, the Love Bus and the Jungle Cottage feature decorative artworks that are sensual in nature. The artworks are from the collections of the World Art Erotica Virtual Museum which is part of the Hedonisia LLC family of websites. Parents who might feel uncomfortable exposing their children to erotic art might choose one of our other accommodations.
5) Will we have access to a near by market or store? The town of Pahoa is four miles away and is well stocked with markets and restaurants. The Island Naturals Supermarket is an especially good source of healthy food with an excellent hot bar.
6) Are there private lockers for storing personal items in the tent dorm? At present we have no private lockers. Guests may store valuables with the Manager in the Main House. We do encourage guests to be responsible for their personal property and valuables.
7) Are the facilities (restroom, showers) open 24 hours? Restroom and showers are open 24 hours ... However please do not cook after 10:30PM on weekdays and 11:30PM on weekends. The barn is a communal space, where some guests reside.
8) Are the tents single-person or double-person occupancy? The tents in the barn are for single-person occupancy only. Guava tent space, Jungle Breeze, Avocado tent and Sunnyside can be for single or double-person occupancy.
9) If I stay by the month, what is the maximum stay allowed at Hedonisia? All Guests who wish to pay a monthly rate must first telephone us at 808-269-2825 or 808-430-2545. Because we are a small eco-hostel of 10 spaces we need to know a little about any person(s) who wish to stay here for a longer time to ensure that we are a good fit. As well, any Guest who wishes to stay for the monthly price is obligated to have one cleaning day a week of the shared facilities.
10) What's the distance to the closest beach in your area? The distance to the closest beach (Kehena Beach) is 10 miles away. We are also located 4 miles away from natural steam vents, and warm ponds, approximately 6 miles away from tide pools great for snorkeling and swimming with turtles.
11) What are your curfew times? We do not have a curfew, guests and volunteers are free to come and go as they please. However we do have a Quiet Time that begins at 10:30PM on weekdays and 11PM on weekends. This does not mean guests have to go to bed by those times, it just means that the hostel should be quieter in the evenings and mornings out of respect for the sleeping and relaxation preferences of neighbors and guests.
12) What is your pet policy? Hedonisia Hawaii is pet friendly. We do accept dogs which count as a person. However, a dog can't work so we would have to charge an extra cost of $5 per day or 1 hour extra work. All pet owners are completely responsible for the care of their animals as well as cleaning up any mess that they make. This is especially important with regards to any detrimental effects they may have on guests, volunteers, or on the property itself. There is a $100 DAMAGE DEPOSIT that is required for pets. This deposit is refundable if owner and pet leave without any incident.
13) What is the hostel's drinking water source? Hedonisia Hawaii is fortunate in that we are one of the few locations in the area where we have clean drinkable water available straight from the tap. Some Guests and Volunteers choose to use a Brita water pitcher for further filtering but our tap water is very clean. And tastes great too! However, if you must pay money for water that comes in polluting plastic water bottles then that is your prerogative!
14) I'm a little confused about your business name, Hedonisia. We are a dedidedly different eco-hostel in Big Island, Hawaii. The name, Hedonisia is very similar to Hedonism III which is an Adult Resort located in Jamaica. In the future we may offer romantic vacations for couples with a clothing optional zone. But that is a plan for the future in about 2 years. In the meantime, we will continue to be a friendly romantic eco-hostel!
General Questions about Puna, Hawaii
1) Since i don't have any kind of transportation...is it easy to hitchhike around in the Puna district where you are? Hitchhiking in the Puna district is relatively easy. But a rental car does come in handy to fully explore and see the island.
2) Do any cell phone providers work in your area? At present Cingular, AT&T, and T-Mobile have great reception in the area of Hedonisia. Other companies cell phones do not work as well.
3) What is the temperature like? It's a tropical rainforest so it rains a lot. However, the days are warm and the nights are cooler. Ideal for sleeping!
4) Is there a "monsoon" (rainy) season? Yes, our rainy season is all year long. However, December - March is traditionally the rainy season.
5) How are the bugs and snakes? Lots of mosquitos in the summer months. Less in winter. Centipedes and cockroaches are the only other insect pests. There are no snakes in Hawaii.
6) What about the nearby beaches? We are only 14 miles away from the Kehena Black Sands Clothing optional beaches. Other beaches are located in Hilo. However, we also have Champagne Ponds, Kapoho Warm Ponds and Kapoho Tidepools which are perfect for snorkellers.
7) What is the driving distance from the hostel to Kona? We are located about 3 hours drive from Kona or roughly about 105 miles.
8) Are there any particular tropical diseases or health issues we should be aware about in Big Island? Hawaii has the safest rainforests in the world. There is nothing really poisonous. As well, we don't have the sorts of diseases that are prevalent in many tropical areas. In the desert the air is dry and dusty which brings it's own set of problems. However, we are living in a rainforest so there is dampness! This means that sometimes there is mold and some things smell damp and musty. If you have any acute sensitivities to mold then please take the necessary precautions or medications. On the other hand, our little area of East Hawaii has some of the cleanest equatorial air in the world.