Testimonials

Rick and Margarita Tonkinson

Rick and I wanted to thank you for the wonderful opportunity to stay at the Mauna Kea Lodge. Our family reunion was a total success. The home is really beautiful, very comfortable and well equipped for everyone's wishes and needs. We had a great time and also left a note on your guest book.

Bob Kaemmerlen

Doug was a very responsive and attentive owner who was very helpful in the planning of our business retreat in Breckenridge. The Mauna Kea Lodge was so comfortable and “homey”, with lots of areas to gather. Mont Blanc had an extremely spacious “great room” that worked perfectly for our meetings. The first floor common area really worked well for our group to all have plenty of their “own space”, yet feel connected. The comfortable and homey atmosphere of these two homes truly contributed to the success of our retreat.

Michael Hasan, Ft Collins CO

The house was fantastic! It was very convenient to downtown, and there were numerous areas for people to relax. The house was well-outfitted and had many more amenities than we expected.

Marjorie DeVries, Schererville IN

Our stay at the Mauna Kea was wonderful. It was the perfect size for our large group of 21, with lots of space for everyone to relax and not feel restricted. The cleanliness and western décor of the Mauna Kea made our stay over-the-top. Being only 2 blocks away from Peak 8 at Breckenridge Ski Area, it was perfect for us to come and go when we were ready. Mauna Kea Lodge is a definite must for families and friends vacationing in Breckenridge.

Heather Rifkin, Miami Fl

This house was so much more then we expected. We went with six adults and 7 kids aging from 12 months to 6 years old. We had the time of our lives. The location is perfect and the views are spectacular. We kept ourselves busy the whole time finding such fun things to do. I think the kids had a better time then we did. The house layout if perfect to for several families to go at the same time where you can all still have your own space. The owners thought of everthing! The kitchen had everything you could imagine and more! Here I was buying all the good stuff to make smores and come to find the fireplaces were gas! Worked out better for us because non of us knew what we doing if we were to have to light it up. Thanks for a great family and friends vacation.

Phyllis Wilbur, Salina KS

When making plans and finding a location for our family vacation, a top priority includes a place which will accommodate my Boxer dog, Sophie, to be a welcome guest. Consulting my travel agent Jan who knows my dog, she located Mauna Lua house, spoke with the owner, and learned there are conditions and considerations regarding a pet being acceptable. Thank you for understanding that some pets are family. Sophie has impeccable manners and is not destructive in any way. I am very grateful for the opportunity to include her as she is well loved among us. Our family of six, some of their spouses, two grandchildren, my Mom, one cousin, Sophie and myself were able to have a memorable vacation in a "home away from home" nestled in the pine forest above Breckenridge CO....Priceless. Thank you.

Christine Heinsohn, Elmdale KS

By the end of the week I found myself referring to the lodge as "Home". It just felt that way. It is a wonderfully accommodating space which is generously and functionally furnished and equiped. The fifteen of us had our private spaces with adequate storage to corral our personal stuff. The community spaces and there were several, allowed the group to gather en masse or in smaller clusters depending on interests. It was wonderful to have the use of a washer and dryer on such a trip. It made recovering from Brown's Canyon all that much easier. The kitchen is the best equipped I have run across in either vacation facilities or short term executive apartmants or boat rentals. The gourmet chefs of the family put it to good use. I would return "Home" again without question.

Camillia Heinsohn, Newport News VA

I agree, by the end of the week the house was home, but anytime the family is together no matter where we are, I am home. I enjoyed the fact that we were able to stay in one place and did not have to leave to spend time with the family, we could stay in and have family time. Of the places where I have stayed in Colorado or the east coast it was definitely the best equipped. Also for those of us who went to slide/ski slopes the location is a perfect five minute walk. I hope one day we will be able to return.

Jackie Wilbur, Gregg Blundell, Carlsbad CA

I just want to say that the house we stayed in, in Breckenridge was extraordinary. We have a large family and the house was perfect for all of us, our spouses etc. We had so much fun and it allowed us to all be together, be a family together, party together, cook together, hang out together and still have our own space and privacy. The setting was wonderful and I would love to go back and do it again!!!

Bobbie Wilbur, Marcella Gonzalez, Phoenix AZ and Galisteo NM

The house was awesome for a large family to be able to have our private spaces, but also wonderful public spaces that allowed us to enjoy each other's company, share meals and share fun experiences that we had during the day outside the house. We also had a few folks who took special advantage of the hot tub to be able to solve all of the serious problems in the world. It was the perfect family connection point.

Stephanie, Greg and Zackory Lollar, Altamont MO

The house was beautiful, much more than I imagined. Having children, I was very pleased that not only did it fully accommodate the grown-up's in the family but also the children. We had a great time and plenty of spaces to accommodate and to congregate as well as a beautiful countryside to view. The location of the house in relation to the slopes, even though we didn't do any skiing, was very convenient. There was nothing I would change, IT WAS PERFECT!

Michele Wilbur, Shawnee KS

Thank you for a wonderful setting for our family reunion. We had just the right amount of space for all 15 of us of us and our dog. Each had their own space and there were great common areas for us to all gather at once. We created some special memories that week and the house provided a very unique setting. The proximity to the slopes was perfect! The comfortable furniture was especially nice for those who had a little altitude sickness. Mauna Lua made a charming home for us, most of us live in different states so it means a great deal when we are all together. The only place better is my Mom's. I would definitely recommend this house to anyone seeking to have a great family experience in Breckenridge.

Lee & Lori Wilbur, Indianapolis IN

This home provided remarkable accommodation for 15 members of our family while in Breckenridge for a week. The architecture and layout of the home provided separate spaces for our large group, thus affording greater privacy than expected. The location within walking distance to Peak Eight adds to the value of the reservation fee. The home was better equipped, larger and had more luxury appointments than we had imagined. The subtle perks to future visitors: many movies available in the home theater room, two hot tubs, multiple separate bedroom suites, an upper level sauna with exercise room, large open kitchen design for entertaining, stainless gas grill, comfortable and expensive leather furniture, and an i-Pod tower on the main level. A few subtle suggestions for even greater comfort...construct an outside deck to improve experience for summertime guests, provide 2 or 3 mountain bikes for guests to explore the area, and mount ski/snowboard racks in garage for winter guests. All in all, we would return to this property without hesitation and would recommend it to our friends. Thank you to the owner and management company for a great experience.

Kelsey Bernhardt, Thornton CO

I was able to join the Wilbur family for a few days of fun in the mountains. We took a balloon ride one early morning. The house was nice, I stayed in the bunk room with the Lollars, could have picked any bed out of about six! Lots of fun!

Marcie Rahn, Centennial CO

We had a FANTASTIC time, and your home is spectacular. We had a family reunion with my husband's mother and her six grown children and their offspring, 22 people in all. Your bedroom/bathroom arrangements are very thoughtful and flexible, the kitchen is well stocked for a crowd, and I think we took advantage of every amenity you provided except for the sauna. I never stopped hearing from family members how much they loved the house. It was easy to care for it as if it were our own. We were surprised to find the summer activities at Peak 8 and the free shuttle bus SO close to the house. We've stayed in four vacation houses in various states, and this was the hands-down favorite. We definitely hope to visit again sometime!

Camilla Haley, Colorado Springs CO

We loved your Mauna Kea Lodge. It was the perfect size for our reunion. Everyone thought the kitchen was very well stocked and had so much counter space that it was easy for several people to be working there at once. It was great to have the two big refrigerators. Our main hangout was in the upstairs living room; we worked a puzzle there and had a sing-a-long one evening. It was also set up very nicely just for visiting. We had six boys from ages 6 to 13. They loved your backyard. We told them they could add to the teepees and fort, but they couldn't tear anything down. They had a wonderful time out there. The pool table and hot tub were also very popular. Everyone complimented Janet on finding such a fabulous place for us to stay, and I noticed in the guest book that all your recent visitors had a fun time there.

Jeanette Heyen, Colorado Springs CO

We had a wonderful time - everyone was amazed at how great the house was - we have never had a house that big before on our staff trips.

Rich R., New Hampshire

Mauna Kea was the absolute perfect spot for 14 instructors from Wildcat Mountain in New Hampshire. The house was beautiful and comfortable with plenty of places to find quiet and privacy and plenty of space to get together and talk about our great ski days at Breckenridge. We never felt crowded, and the large kitchen allowed for all of us to pursue individual interests when it came time for breakfast. In close proximity to the base of Peak 8, it was an easy walk to the lifts, and many of us chose to ski almost to the door on the way home. Even though we usually pursue variety in our yearly outings, we loved Mauna Kea so much that we are returning next year.

Denyse, Oregon WI

Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your place with us. We had a wonderful time and the accommodations were fantastic. The kids especially loved the bunk house and the guys spend several hours enjoying the pool table. The home was conveniently located just a short walk to the base of Peak 8 so we were able to come home for a bite to eat and head back to the slopes. After a long day of skiing and snowboarding the hot tub and sauna were a welcoming site.

Your home exceeded all of our expectations. We will definitely recommend the Mauna Kea Lodge to our friends and family.

Thank you again

Maddie Grindall, London UK

We had a really wonderful time at Mauna Kea Lodge. There was plenty of space to accommodate 11 adults and 7 children comfortably, while the facilities were great. Having wifi internet access was particularly helpful to those of us needing to keep in touch with jobs and family elsewhere! We loved the location - close enough to Peak 8 base to mean we didn't have to rely on cars to ferry the group around. Regular buses and the new gondola meant that we could get into town easily enough - but in truth we had very few reasons to leave your lovely house. Post ski, we would all meet in various hot tubs, or chill out over a game of pool or in one of the many sitting areas - comparing our achievements and the fantastic snow we'd had. I would certainly recommend Mauna Kea Lodge to others - a great house for a big party.

Tama Wood, Littleton CO

We wanted to thank you for the wonderful accommodations the Mauna Kea Lodge provided for us in Breckenridge. The house was truly amazing. The amount of space was overwhelming! We had 13 adults and 4 kids staying at the lodge and we were all very comfortable (even managed not to get on each others nerves). The kitchen was big enough to prepare a Thanksgiving feast including 2 turkeys and every side dish you can imagine. The location was also spectacular. It was very private while still being a couple houses from the peak 8 base. We hope that we can come back soon.

Douglas Fordyce, Houston TX

Our group thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Mauna Kea and Breckenridge. We have a group of 12 friends, all mid-to-late 30s, that have been taking a summer trip together for many years. Of all the places we have been, we enjoyed this trip the most.

Mauna Kea is large enough to comfortably accommodate all of us. It offers a number of separate gathering areas for people to catch-up, play cards, watch movies or sports or sit out back in the hot tubs, enjoying the Colorado nights. Our group also appreciated the Wifi access in the house, the huge HDTV and sound system in the media room for football, the downstairs bar and pool table area and the proximity of Mauna Kea to the lifts and summer activities at the base of the mountain, a three minute walk.

We had ample privacy and felt like we were in the mountains yet were close enough to town to take advantage of the restaurants, nightlife, shopping and golf that Breckenridge offers. We will definitely be back.

Gail O., Elmhurst IL

Our group loved this place and the wonderful layout. The lodge is great for many people to stay without too much togetherness if it is not wanted. The TV viewing area, hot tubs and pool table were well used by our group. The bunk room was the biggest hit of all with the kids. We’ll definitely recommend this place to others. Thanks for making such a perfect place available for our trip.

Calise T., Colorado Springs CO

Our family of 18 really enjoyed the Mauna Kea Lodge. It exceeded our expectations by far. Very roomy and every couple had their own private bedroom and bath. The bunkhouse room was fabulous for the seven grandchildren, 13 and under. We all enjoyed the pool table and screening room. We will definitely be reserving the Mauna Kea next time our family meets in Breckenridge!

Chuck Clay, Atlanta GA

Just wanted to thank you both for allowing us to stay in your house last week. The place is spectacular and is ideal for multi-family vacations. I have no doubt that I can refer you some business in the future and I'll be glad to do so because I know that whomever stays there will leave as pleased as we did. Well, perhaps not, simply because we couldn't have asked for a better week of weather.

Again, thank you very much! I look forward to hopefully renting it again in the future.

Scot Luther, Houston TX

I just finished my 17th annual guys ski trip. . We stayed at the Mauna Kea Lodge and enjoyed every minute. This was our first time in Breckenridge. We usually ski Aspen, Telluride and Jackson Hole. Our group is 7 mid 40’s guys and we are a fairly discriminating group. Mauna Kea was our favorite lodging in the 17 years we have been doing it. The kitchen area is great and we made lots of use of the pool table. The peak 8 lifts are a VERY short walk away which was nice. I would highly recommend this lodge to anyone considering a stay in Breckenridge.