Where did the weekend go?! Seriously, I blinked and then it was gone. Not cool. It was beautiful for that second though, the weather was absolutely perfect!
Anyway, back to Hawaii. Last week I shared some photos of the
Waipio Valley and said it was Antoine and my favorite area that we visited on either island. Part of that was the actual beauty of the valley and part of that was the tour we took into the valley, but what really elevated our experience of the valley was the
Waipio Rim B&B where we eloped! Once I found the valley I immediately started searching for places to stay in the area and I very quickly stumbled across the this B&B. It's definitely out of our usual budget when it comes to accommodations on vacation, but the photos of the B&B and it's view were spectacular. And all the reviews on TripAdvisor and bedandbreakfast.com were nothing but glowing (seriously, 5 stars across the board).
So, I contacted the proprietors, Steve and Nancy, to see if they would be okay with a very private elopement in their backyard during our stay and they said "yes"! And they were so welcoming and accommodating. They are seriously two of the nicest people ever. And the B&B? Well, the pictures and the reviews just can't capture how wonderful it is! It was hands down the best B&B we've ever stayed in and it has ruined us for any other B&B in the future. Yeah, it was that awesome!
Unlike most B&Bs that have several rooms, this only has one and it's really not connected to their house. They originally bought their property and house and then had the B&B unit built. In the photo above, our room was actually the upper level of this building (the proprietors have the lower level for their use as a family room/study). So we had our own entrance, balcony, and a lot of privacy. And you can see our rental car parked in the designated & convenient parking spot next to the building.
Like most homes and accommodations in Hawaii, it did not have air conditioning. But unlike a lot of the other places we stayed it was not an issue at all. The fan and the plethora of windows really kept things cool and comfortable. Also, the bed wasn't messed up when we got there...that was Antoine's doing and I didn't notice while I was taking the photo.
(Above) The bathroom. (Below) The little sitting area. Across from that was a large wardrobe which held a tv, mini-fridge, plates, bowls, glasses, silverware, umbrellas, bug spray, etc. You name it, it was in there!
The surrounding property was lush and groomed perfectly. This is the spot in their backyard (or maybe it's really the front?) where we got married, right between those two benches!
They had a variety of flowers, plants and tress around the property, as well as some chickens and a sweet, shy dog.
After we lugged all our luggage up to the room (Steve kindly offered to help, but I always decline...why should anyone else pay for my keen ability to overpack) and we explored the property a bit, Steve and Nancy brought us a pupu/appetizer and told us there was a bottle of wine chilling in the fridge for us.
Then we talked a little about our elopement the next day, and I think they were as excited as we were! They were so sweet and asked several times if there was anything we needed and if we wanted anything moved around for the ceremony just to let them know and they'd take care of it! But nothing needed to be moved or adjusted, we were already so smitten with this place and thrilled that we'd chosen it for our ceremony and stay!
Now, let's talk about one of my most favorite parts...the breakfasts! They were amazing, and I'm not exaggerating.
The morning of our wedding Nancy made crepes with homemade lemon curd, fresh local strawberries, and some delightful cream cheese stuff. That combined with the deliciously strong coffee made for the absolutely best breakfast I could ask for on such a special day!
The view on Sunday as the sun was coming up.
Me, trying to do my hair though it didn't want to cooperate...but oh well. Who cares about hair when you're about to marry your partner and best friend?
While I was getting ready Antoine was taking a nap (yes, eloping is seriously that chill...it's kind of awesome) and when I peeked outside I saw that Steve and Nancy were busy in the yard, Steve tidying up (though it was already perfect) and Nancy moving all her potted orchids from their balcony and porch to the shrubs where we'd be standing. Isn't that the sweetest things ever? And she didn't even know how obsessed I am about orchids!
And that was our stay at the Waipio Rim B&B in a nutshell...absolute perfection! The accommodations, the view, the people, and the food were better than we could have imagined. If you're ever headed to the big island for vacation I would highly recommend a couple nights at this B&B, you won't be sorry!
