Local businesses in Hawaii and around the country have been massively impacted by the pandemic and the effect that the restrictions surrounding the pandemic have had on business.
Businesses in Hawaii are particularly impacted by the pandemic due to the reliance of those businesses on tourism for their source of revenue. One such business is Volcano Heritage Cottages, a beloved destination for Hawaii visitors offering Hawaii-style homes as vacation rentals for those that are visiting the island state.
"My husband and I each own a plantation-style house on Hale Ohia Road which is a State Historic Road. In the beginning of 2020 we formed Volcano Heritage Cottages LLC offering our Hawai’i style homes as vacation rentals," Lorna Larsen-Jeyte told Big Island Times.
Volcano Heritage Cottages relies heavily on tourism for their revenue. Guests of the island are looking for an authentic experience when they visit. That's where Volcano Heritage Cottages comes in. Their offerings are extensive and offer a wide range of benefits.
"Our cottages are furnished in Old Hawai’i style rattan with Sig Zane fabrics. We showcase Volcano artists in paintings and stained glass. The road is located in the heart of Volcano Village and one can easily walk to a restaurant, store, post office, gift shop and gallery," Larsen-Jeyte said. "The location is perfect for enjoying a class at Niaulani, Volcano Art Center just mauka on Volcano Road. The two cottages, Ola’a House and Tutu’s Place, are across the road from each other and can be rented at the same time for larger family reunions. The neighborhood is peaceful and the houses are on spacious lots with ohia and tsugi pines."
Though Larsen-Jeyte and her husband have been able to provide a unique offering to tourists of the island, they are not impervious to the effects of the pandemic. They have been heavily impacted by the pandemic and have lost plenty of revenue as a result of travel restrictions. However, they are persevering in part due to their lucky location near an international attraction.
"Vacation rentals were closed from end of March 2020 until early Fall of 2020. Therefore, we had no income to pay taxes and insurance. The closure did give us a chance to repaint both properties, so that was a positive thing. Once we reopened, the challenge is deep cleaning after every guest using ultra violet, following CDC and Airbnb guidelines. The houses sit empty for two days before a new guest may check in," Larsen-Jeyte said.
When asked what else Lorna and Albert wanted potential customers to know, they said that Volcanoes National Park is just a mile away, there's plenty of ways to interact with nature nearby, and that the resort is committed to keeping their guests safe.