Words can never truly describe the alluring romance that dances in your mind once you have fallen in love with the Big Island.

Our name, “Hale Aloha Aina” reflects why we have chosen “Wood Valley” for our future home. Hale means Home or dwelling, Aloha means Love, and Aina means Land. “House of the loving land” While our home is quaint and modest, the land is luxurious and prestigious.

It was love at first sight…

Many of our guests have asked ‘How did you ever find this beautiful and remote location for our retirement?” It was our friends, Lori and Glenn, owners of Honu Java who introduced us to the previous owners fifteen minutes before our fight back to the mainland. When we saw the property we fell in love. Throwing caution to the wind and taking a big leap of faith, we decided to go home and buy it even though we knew we couldn’t realistically afford it. … If the cliché fits… This was in 2001 when the vacation rental business was really starting to take off… but who would rent it??? Are there really people out there like us who want total seclusion? The answer was YES!

Missy in Hawaii

Hale Aloha Aina has proven to be a destination spot for travelers seeking a romantic getaway to celebrate special occasions like honeymoons, anniversaries and birthdays. We have been amazed at the success. Who would have ever thought that Wood Valley would capture the hearts of so many guests from all over the world? Many have told us that they never had a desire to go to Hawaii until they found our website. They were not interested in the commercial tourist areas and elated to find that there are still areas of Hawaii that were not over developed.

When we started this venture, I had never used a computer, so you can imagine how my world changed. Now this has become my passion. It has taken many hours of work learning how to make brochures, writing and rewriting the text and finding successful ways of advertising… besides figuring out the big wide world of internet. I know that many of our guests are seeking the same refuge and frequently consult me on how they can make their dreams come true as well. I am always happy to help and having grown up on the Big Island I have a personal understanding of what the Hawaii has to offer.

The kids and their kids!

We are very thankful to our friends and family who have come together to help us make our dream come true. We never thought that hiring gardeners, housekeepers, web masters, marketers, carpenters and property managers as being part of our adventure. Since the cottage is located on the least populated area of the island we don’t have the option to hire a management company as most do. We have been fortunate that our friend Glenn is available to assist our grounds person with any work that requires heavy machine equipment and lives across the road if our guests need anything. Hence, his title is property manager. Davin is our full time gardener who keeps the place looking like a botanical park! He mows about two acres twice a week which keeps everything manicured for our guests as well as all the pruning and care of the flowers and fruit trees. You can see the pride he takes in his work just by looking at the photos. Our housekeeper Janis retired, but we have Mona now who is proud of the fact that our definition of clean is impeccable. She shows her aloha in the meticulous care of the cottage and makes sure our guests are well cared for. Without their help, we could not offer you this unique Hawaiian experience as your own secret hideaway. We feel very blessed to be the “caretakers” of this paradise and to share it with those who appreciate the same.

A little about US:

Tom and niece Amy

"Even though we live in the beautiful state of Oregon the “Aloha” of Hawaii keeps drawing us back."

We are both nature lovers and like outdoor activities. Tom is an avid archer, fisherman, snow skier and the most lovable supportive husband. In 2005, he retired his 30 year engineering career with Hewlett Packard. Since then, we have moved into our rental home that we have owned for several years in Bend, Oregon... an outdoor enthusiasts paradise! We spent much of the year traveling to Europe, Hawaii, Canada and several adventures with our RV.

As of 2008, we were officially capital gains free and started to plan our move to Hawaii in the next year or so. Well, as many of us found out the future was not as predictable as we thought. We could have just paid Uncle Sam the capital gains tax and still make a huge profit on our home if we sold in 2005. Thank goodness we love Bend and it is the perfect place to start two other small businesses from our hobbies. Tom is working in his shop tuning and repairing bows and making arrows since he started Central Oregon Archery. You can read about him at www.CentralOregonArchery.com

Missy with Koa!

As for me, I love to snorkel and chase the fish in the crystal blue waters of Hawaii most of all. Hiking, camping, fishing, snow skiing, photography, horseback riding, gardening, archery and a variety of craft works are my passions. Most of the photos on this website were taken by my Canon Powershot or Nikon d-70. I have been a dental hygienist for 20 years and loved working with people. Since moving to Bend, I have decided to pursue silversmith to fulfill my need to create and hopefully fund my obsession with silver and adornment. The perfect fit for an artist at heart and a hygienist by trade. I have avoided starting up another website but in time you will find me at Silver Falls Jewelry dot com!

Koa in Hawaii

I have to mention the love of our life. His name is Koa... a six pound bundle of joy...our Yorkshire terrier! He has taught us so much and filled an emptiness that only a parent would know. My son has been enlisted in the Army since 2001. He graduated from Fort Bragg before 911 to seek an education and to help him support his wife and son. They have survived four deployments so far, and it gets harder every time. I couldn't be prouder of the man my son has become. A faithful husband, a loyal soldier, and the best dad he can be considering the circumstances. They have two sons now and his wife is a full time mom. She is the glue that keeps it all together. I salute the sacrifice of our soldiers and their families. War is not kind. We support our troops in their effort to help facilitate freedom and democracy to less fortunate countries. This is the legacy I hope my son, our children and our country will always carry in their heart. A few of our soldiers and their families rendezvoused at Hale Aloha Aina and have some very special memories to take back with them. We are happy to give a Military discount to our soldiers. God Bless America… where dreams come true!