Meet Maureen
It was 1984, and Maureen Goto, an X-ray technician in Baltimore, MD, went with a girlfriend to Hawaii Island on a vacation. Two things happened. First, she stayed at the home of friend who lived right near the beach in Hilo. The home’s uniqueness made an indelible impression. At the time, though, it was a private residence and used less as a home than a party house. Maureen thought the beauty and layout was perfect for a bed and breakfast and felt that the home deserved great people.
The second thing that happened was Maureen fell in love with Hawai`I Island – its people, the climate, the freshness in the air, and the openness with which people lived. In her heart, she felt free and home.
The Bed & Breakfast Dream
It took another five years, but by 1989, Maureen had made the final payment on the home purchase and entertained her very first bed and breakfast guest. “This is paradise, living here,” she says. “If heaven is anything like this, I am ready!” she notes with a twinkle in her eye.
The location of Maureen’s Bed and Breakfast, on the beach road but tucked away from the street and landscaped by a professional landscape architect years ago, is perfect for visitors to East Hawaii. That’s something Maureen sensed on her very first visit.
Friends Across the Globe
It’s that sensitivity that Maureen brings to her guests at her B&B. Meeting people from all over the world and hearing their stories at the breakfast table is one of the delights of her life. Taking care of the house and her guests from all across the globe is a great love; but tending to her Arabian and chestnut horses, Beau and Gabriel, is her greatest passion.
A Passion for Horses
Maureen’s been involved with horses, horseback riding, and horseracing since she was a child in Maryland. Going to the Preakness was an annual ritual for her, made all the more meaningful because her uncle as well as her first husband were jockeys, and she’s got a lot of stories if you ask.
Her love of horses is obvious if you take a careful look around. In the common areas like the great room and dining room, you can’t miss the tribute – the wall painting, the photographs, small equestrian statues, trinkets and mementos on shelves and tables. If you do ask, be prepared to settle in.
A Beautiful Story
Most inspiring and gratifying to Maureen is the stories that her guests bring "home" after they’ve been out around the island. She supports any kind of adventure by providing guidebooks, maps, picnic supplies, ideas for activities and vendors to contact to suit whatever interest.
As a warm and down-home kind of hostess in one of the most beautiful homes in Hilo, your stay at Maureen’s Bed & Breakfast is sure to be comfortable, memorable, and so full of all that’s special about Hawaii Island that you won’t want to leave when it’s time to depart.
