We had a wonderful but all-too-brief stay at this beautiful location. Located only a short distance off the road, you are on a private totally secluded promontory overlooking a beautiful valley, with a spectacular view out to the ocean. You are a little higher than the coast, so pleasantly cooler and benefit from nice evening breezes. The main airport at Kahului is 20+ minutes away. Within 15 minutes you can drive down to reach the laidback surfing town Paia, where you can also commence the drive to Hana if desired; or alternatively you can go the other way up in elevation to reach the cowboy/ranching town of Makawao. You can also easily go over to the south side of the island, and within an hour you can have gone all the way down to the end of the highway at Makena. So this is a very nice private location to stay which is away from the oceanside tourist areas, and yet which provides great access to various parts of the island. Sydney is a warm and kind hostess, and you will appreciate the personal touches like the flowers, the welcome message on the chalkboard, and the coffee from her estate which greet you upon your arrival. She was arranging things as we arrived, and it was a pleasure to chat with her, and to learn the history of the property and the region. Maliko Retreat is referred to as a “cottage/cabin”, which is quite an understatement. It is a beautiful two story building with every amenity, and whose restoration is almost complete (development of an additional bedroom is in progress). You are in a beautiful warm home, not a generic timeshare rental, and you will find every kitchen tool, dish, or cookware you could possibly imagine. Spotlessly clean and well maintained. Wireless internet, TV and DVD, and CD sound system; and with a nice library of DVD’s, CD’s, and books as well. We look forward to returning at a future date, and with more time to enjoy the Retreat, the area, and to visit and explore the plantation with Sydney! Mahalo Sydney!