Volcano Rainforest Retreat

On one and a half acres, guests are warmly greeted and treated like ohana (family) by Kathleen and Peter Golden, the retreat's visionary proprietors. The original half-acre near the Kilauea Volcano was purchased in 1981. However, land preparation didn't begin until 1988, when Peter and his son Joshua used machetes to carve the original path into the dense Hawaiian rainforest.

Like their visitors, the Goldens also made a pilgrimage to the land of Aloha "once upon a time" in search of peace and beauty. Little did they know, when they left San Francisco in 1989 for the Big Island of Hawaii, that what was originally envisioned as their dream home location would evolve into a must-stay destination.

In 1995, the Goldens initially opened their first cottage to people traveling to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The decision to become a bed and breakfast retreat was made, offering solace for artists, romantics and world-weary travelers seeking a place of refuge and intimate contact with the living volcanic earth. The four private guest cottages gracefully evolved over 18 years, building and weaving each structure into the landscape, as Peter and Kathleen refined their designs and conveyed their vision to local builders and craftsmen.