Recent Guest Comments From Our On Site Guest Book (Updated Regularly)

Some of Our Favorite Comments From Past Guestbooks (Undated Below)  

Past Guests May Add Additional Comments In Our Online Guestbook Here

• River Estate Rocks!! Agreed! (Drawing of two people) We don't want to leave! This is a perfect place. We'll be back. I want that jam session Mark! Mahalo....
  Steve and Allison Payne, Portland, Or. (02/14/10)
• Many thanks Mark for preparing such a wonderful home and property. Everything is just as it appeared online on your website. Extremely neat and clean. To whomever reads this... You're going to love all the privacy and all the amenities of the house. Here we found everything we needed for our vacation getaway.
  Scott and Sarah Demarest, Gilbert, Az (1/20/10)
• During the Christmas rush, caring for an ailing father and just every day crazy life, I kept hearing my husband play Brother Iz on the CD. I should have known something was up. Before I knew it we are on a plane to Kauai for our 3rd visit in as many years. We have traveled to Europe, China and many of our mainland states but nothing compares to this island. It is magical and so full of positive energy. Mark has been so wonderful making the arrangements for this trip. We had never stayed on the north shore before. I didn't think life could get any better but sure enough it is here. Mark your rental is truly a home. I giggled as I opened cabinets to find everything I needed. This is the first time we have ever stayed in just to enjoy the lodging! I am so relaxed and thankful. My best advice is to be flexible with your time. Restaurants are hit and miss up here so enjoy the kitchen in the house or ask Mark about where to eat. The fruit is excellent on the trees. Watch the surfing videos. Awesome! Most of all have fun!
  Greg and Shari Matthews, Camino, Ca. (1/9/10)
• Fabulous! We had such a great time here! Mark was so accommodating and he's a really nice guy. Gabe proposed to me on Lumahai Beach down the street and it was the happiest day of my life! (Dec. 8th) It was so nice to come back to the house every night. It has such good vibes. Gabe surfed every day which made him extremely happy. We hiked the Kalalau trail too. It was so beautiful. We hiked all the way to the 300 ft waterfall up Hanakapiai Valley as well. Kauai is beautiful and we'll be back hopefully sooner than later. We are so relaxed and in love! Thank you so much!
  Gabe Crane and Laura Lynne, Santa Barbara, Ca (12/20/09)
• Wow what a week, what a house. Things we loved about the house and our stay here. The river was quiet at high tide and loud at low tide. The beautiful smell of the garden filling the house. Sharp knives, cloth napkins and a fresh sponge. All of the items left by others, thank you. The quiet remote location. Mark's hospitality, knowledge and kindness. All the small touches that make the house beautiful. We leave on the red eye flight tonight, sad to go, but totally recharged. A week we'll never forget. Thank you Mark...
  Kate, Robert and Andie Biagini-Penrell (12/5/09)
• We loved it all. Even the flood in Hanalei didn't stop us from exploring and enjoying the amazing scenery. We agree with past guests...Snorkeling at Tunnels and Ke'e beaches were the best. For the runners - The run from Tunnels to Ke'e Beach at the end of the road is the best. Sashimi from the Dolphin Fish Market was our favorite. The Zipline tour was fantastic and a great way to see parts of the island. The Napali boat cruise as also great fun and we cruised with Spinner dolphins Mark can arrange it all for you be sure to ask him. We did explore the East, South and West shores but found the North to be the most beautiful and untouched by humans. We loved the beaches and sometimes you are the only ones there which is nice. We travelled far to come here and it sure was worth it! Thanks Mark. See you on Facebook!...
  Nathan Williams and Cate Boughton, Australia (11/22/09)
• The Guest House here at River Estate is simply epic! It's beautiful, comfortable and extremely relaxing. It has all the comforts of home with a river. To future guests...Do not let the to-do items on your list overwhelm you. Have breakfast here. Coffee tastes better by the river. Let mark book any adventures that must be scheduled. He doesn't have an agenda (Great guy) The zip line tour he sent us on was insane! Get lost...seriously. You'll find better hidden gems that way. To Mark: Thank you for your graciousness and accommodation approach. All the locals say good things about " The guy in the house before the double bridges" The house and the land here is truly awsome. We felt right at home. We were married on October 31st 2009 and we started the rest of our lives November 2nd to 9th here at River Estate! Aloha and Mahalo..
  Heather and Greg Cavlovic, Orange County, Ca (11/9/09)
• Life at River Estate has been good to say the least. We are both stricken by the idea of leaving tomorrow. Despite all the handy photos on the website River Estate still exceeded our expectations. The house is meticulously maintained and tastefully detailed as well as being extremely comfortable and convenient to live in. Mark was a gracious host, always available to answer our questions like "Where do we snorkel when the surf is high?" Th setting and grounds at River Estate are fabulous. The river on the right, the mountains behind, the neighbor's oversized tree providing borrowed scenery, the sense of drama and mystery as you come around the last corner at the end of the end of the driveway. The plants that punctuate the river bank, sometimes revealing sometimes concealing the clear flowing water. The garden is truly a fine senses experience. The citrus grove is useful and many of the flowers are fragrant. The sound of the river changes with the tide. The rustle of the giant bamboo grove across the river. We loved watching the Black Crowned Night Heron stalking it's prey on it's favorite submerged log and seeing the White Rumped Shamas chase each other around the garden and watching the Japanese White Eyes flittering through the bamboo. Thanks so much Mark for creating and sharing this magical place!
  Christa and Jesse Godfrey, San Leandro, Ca (11/2/09)
• Mark, thank you so much for providing such a relaxing, serene, beautiful place to make our temporary home here in Kauai. We saw beautiful sunsets and sunrises, listened to the soothing river and loved the privacy. We loved our snorkeling adventures here on Kauai especially at Tunnels and Salt Pond which were our favorites. We had great meals at Postcards, Bouchons and CJs that all were in easy driving distance of the house. Everyone here were so friendly. All in all it couldn't have been better.
  Jared and Shelly Noftle, Woodinville, Wa (10/13/09)
• We barely know what day it is any more. This is a fabulous property and accommodations. We love Kauai and this is the best little piece of paradise we have found. We've been here many many many times too! This "Little grass shack" is perfect. When we entered it was both homey and luxurious. Our very favorite part was waking up to the rain, river, birds and all the natural sounds of this private paradise. I adore the gardens and am taking home all kinds of ideas as well as memories of the wonderful time we spent here at River Estate. Mahalo and Aloha until next time.
  Jim and Jan Hunt, St. Petersburg, Fla.(9/16/09)
• We are sadly a the end of our 10 days on Kauai at the Guest House. As everyone has said this is a beautiful house in a place that is truly paradise. We spent most of our time exploring all of the north shore beaches. It's amazing how they are all different. We spent the majority of our time people watching at Hanalei Bay. The swimming there is wonderful and walking in the soft sand is such a treat. We also spent a lot of time at Lumahai Beach where the river flows into the ocean. It sure makes for great wading and cooling off while sunbathing. We cooked a lot a the house and enjoyed great breakfasts at the Wake Up cafe. Thanks Mark for sharing such a spectacular house with us. Mahalo!
  The Boone-Davis Party, Spring Hope, N.C. (9/12/09)
• Jimmy and I are on our Honeymoon. We came to Kauai after spending a week in Maui. River Estate is the second of these VRBO homes we are staying in. It is a lovely house that has the luxurious feel of a Manhattan loft with all the amenities of a jungle bungalow. We loved falling asleep to the sound of the running river and waking to the sound of the swaying palms outside the windows. The house is well decorated and the location is ideal in that beaches and town are nearby. My favorite list about the house includes...The stained glass window in the front door. The high ceiling and the kitchen island. The art work on the walls. The sound of the trees and river. The privacy of being at the end of the driveway. The very tasteful furniture. The numerous cross breezes. The very big and comfortable bed. The nice wood and slate floors. The lanai. The beach chairs and outdoor shower. If we are fortunate to make it back to Kauai in the future we will definitely stay here again. Thank you kindly for providing us with such great lodging Mark!
  Tasha and Jim Hickerson, New York, NY (8/18/09)
• By far the best trip to Kauai we've had yet. We stayed our first few nights at a large resort in Poipu but wish we had stayed here at River Estate the whole time. Nothing beats this part of Kauai! The highlights include awesome snorkeling at Tunnels which is so close to where we are, a wild ride down the Napali Coast with Napali Sea Breeze, Lumahai Beach which is just down the street, Anini Beach and biking the new 9 mile bike path in Kapaa. In between all this we had the most romantic week in our 13 years of marriage! This place is simply magical...Aloha!
  Sean and Madeline Sims, San Diego, Ca (8/8/09)
• What an amazing place! Thanks Mark for providing such a beautiful home base for our Kauai visit. Also thanks for all the help planning our trip. We had a great relaxing time and now want to figure out how to move here! To anyone else reading this...Snorkel with turtles at Tunnels and hike the Napali trail to Hanakapiai beach from the end of the road. (2 miles west) It's worth the effort. We'll be back soon!
  Justin and Cynthia Maxwell, Menlo Park, Ca. (7/18/09)
• What a wonderful stay we had here on Kauai and at River Estate. We loved the feeling of being away from it all yet still being close to town. The central location in the heart of the best of the north shore is special to say the least. We especially loved being close to Tunnels Beach and we went snorkeling every day. Thanks for keeping the house so clean and well equipped. We were absolutely thrilled to not find one single little critter. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful place.
  The Maurer Family, Redmond Wa. (7/10/09)
• Here's some random thoughts as we vacation here in this wonderful secluded and romantic haven...*The sounds of nature here are awesome. Who knew? *The kitchen and especially the spice collection is quite impressive. *Being here three nights isn't enough. We're just getting used to everything and settling in. *Nice art around the house Mark! The house is charming. *Thank you for providing such a wonderful place for our honeymoon. We only wish we had more time here. Guess we'll have to come back again
  Naomi and Erik Yasuda, Los Angeles, Ca (6/27/0
• Two weeks of Heaven!!! This is our 4th trip to Kauai and this is by far the best house we've stayed in. We spent a week on the Big Island prior to coming to Kauai and we were in the car most of the time. Here on Kauai we've enjoyed just hanging out in the Guest House. Thanks for the great peaceful place and furnishing us with all the great music. We added some of it to our IPods.
  Dan and Lori Craig, Apple Valley, Ca (6/6/09)
• If this is your first time visiting Kauai you're likely overwhelmed trying to cram it all in. The beaches, the jungles, the trails, the eating, the photo ops, the expected commercial come-ons, people watching, the what have you. All these things are great and if you haven't done them you should. You'll have plenty to talk about when you get back home. But those things aren't Kauai. Kauai is a state of mind and it will set your soul free. When you come here you'll realize that it's the place not the things to do that draws you here and keeps people coming back here. Just being here is sufficient. Do you feel it? Do you feel the energy? The energy coming together right here in Mark's back yard? Mark has an awsome responsibility being custodian of such a paradise and he does it well.
  Russell and Darlene Leisch, Bakersfield, Ca (5/18/2009)
• River Estate was beyond all our expectations! We adored the house. There is nothing about it we didn't love. We wanted to get away from it all and were certainly able to do that here. So peaceful! Thanks Mark! Sean and I were celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary. We were marrried here 5 years ago and the Hanalei area has not lost it's charm at all. I don't think we'll ever be able to stay at a resort again. They just don't offer the privacy and tranquility that River Estate does. We will never forget the river sounds. Waking up to that was such a treat. We will be back as soon as we can!
  Kelli and Sean Smalley, Scottsdale,m Az   (5/1/2009)
• We visited with a party of four, two couples. We were first time visitors to Hawaii. First I would observe that the island is stunning in natural beauty. The variety of colors, multiple shades and hues of green were so wonderful! The house is top notch - very comfortable with enough luxury to make you feel decadent. We hope you find what you're searching for here. Even if you don't we're sure the search for it here will be fun!
  Andrew and Sylvia Koczerzuk, BC Canada   (4/2/2009)
• Reading your guestbook was more valuable than any guidebook. Thanks Mark for having such a wonderful house and property. All the words that have been written in these pages are right on. Romantic setting, well stocked kitchen and a whole lot more. Remember above all RELAX! There are few more beautiful, laid back places to forget about your day to day life than right here at River Estate on the north shore of Kauai.
  Val and Will Aitchison (3/19/2009)
• What a marvelous place! Clean, beautifully decorated, relaxing, easy, comfortable - the list of positive descriptors could go on and on. We had a great time on the island and this is an excellent base. Being on the lanai made us feel like we were in the trees themselves. Very organic and natural. Thanks for making it available and sharing this special place with us.
  Betty Ann and Bill Trought, Dorchester NH (2/26/09)
• Thank you Mark being such a great host and having such a wonderful home away from home. I am the single person staying in the "Honeymoon Cottage!" It is beautiful and peaceful. I have had georgeous weather as well. I have hiked a lot of the trails on Kauai so this time I did a lot of walking by the house and nearby vicinity while I was here. It was always very quiet with spectacular views everywhere. This has been a wonderful vacation!
  Mary Taylor, Traverse City, Mi (2/13/09)

• Our stay was like a Stan Getz solo. A perfect melodic memory with everlasting lyricism.
  Christine and Eddie Vay, New York, Ny
• The estate is the crown and the Guest House is the jewel in the crown.
  Eric and Victoria Dandurand, Cambria, Ca
• Perfect. Can we stay here forever?
  Ted and Hillary Strauss, Fairfax , Ca
• What a gift you give to those who cross your path. This is heaven, Thank you!
  Frank and Renee Yerrace, Seattle, Wa
• Just like last time. We don't want to go home.
  Dennis Harrington, Mill Creek, Wa
• The positive energy of this place is contagious.
  Debra Perlson, San Francisco, Ca
• A paradise in the jungle. A lifetime of memories.
  Nicole and Alan Nutt, Austin, Tx
• Couldn't get any better than this.
  Noah Lifschey Los Angeles, Ca
• We Don't want to leave! This place is everything we were looking for and then some.
  Marie and Rick Morin, Somers, Ct
• We drove all around the island and found nowhere as wonderful as here.
  Amy and Ian McKinnon, Santa Monica, Ca
• This place has been perfect for our honeymoon. At first we had difficulties which we brought with us, but the healing and protecting spirits present on the property helped us to achieve harmony.
  Harold and Wind Shinsato. Missouls. Mt
• The beauty and serenity of this place were surpassed only by the graciousness of our host.
  Monika and Wolfgang Goy, Paradise Valley, Az
• The ambience of the house, the estate and the island can't be beat!
  Joe and Pam Drennan, Aurora, Ca
• Beautiful place to restore one's self.
  April Darden, Sunnyvale, Ca