We chose this farmhouse treasure largely for the spaciousness it provided for a blended family trip with three teens and two bathrooms. What a treat it was to arrive to lush developed tropical gardens, have plenty of space for spreading out when home, a well-stocked kitchen and an outdoor dining location where we spent most of our time when home. All fans were thankfully in great working order to salve the humidity and heat and we loved the large master bathroom. The outdoor shower was a perk and we loved the reliable proximity of local fruit stands and fish (and really missed those on our subsequent days in Kona). It's a great home base for visiting Volcanoes National Park - especially for the sunrise, as traffic was much lighter than other times of day and reachable within about 40 minutes.
We spent our days away from the house, so found the traffic to and from the house, particularly Hilo, heavier than anticipated and a decent distance for daily travels. Kosha the cat is the true resident of the house and likes attention on the lanai though overall unintrusive - she appears to be losing her eyesight and was a cute thrill for the kids.
I would absolutely recommend this home, beware the garden beauty may be more stunning than pictured!
Notes: The outdoor tub could potentially be filled with water from the hose for a nice cooling soak but does not have a stopper and appears to be more decorative than functional. The master bedroom bed is wonderfully positioned under the ceiling fan for staying cool on hot nights, though the mattress is quite soft and the least comfortable one in the house. The one thing that might prevent me from re-booking for a long term stay was the bed/sleep comfort in that room. . Marvelously, the cacophany of the night time coqui and the morning birdsong made the rainforest stay charming, but sensitive sleepers may like to have earplugs because the summer heat is likely to signal keeping windows open at night.
Also of note to first-time visitors, the roadside market stands in Kea'au were friendlier and much more economical than the Hilo Farmer's Market, with just as much variety. The roadside Ahi tuna is not to be missed! The tropical fruit and fresh fish were a real highlight of staying on this side of the Big Island.