Our family had the best time in Hawaii and that was largely due to staying at Joshua's place. It is a perfect spot to return to after a fun day at the beach or sightseeing. Located on a hillside, it has a panoramic view of the ocean. It is so relaxing to sit out on the huge lanai, eat a meal and watch the sunset.
We liked the neighborhood because it gave us a sense of what local life is like. And, being up at a higher elevation meant it was cooler on really hot days. The house has high vaulted ceilings with a swing in the living that our kids loved playing on. The landscaping is beautiful with lots of trees, flowers and of course, geckos. At the higher elevation it is more green and lush than Kona, which is so nice. We also experienced the sound of Coqui frogs, which I really like, though they might take a little getting used to. It didn't take long for Joshua's place to feel like home and one of our kids even said, "it feels like we live here now." Man, I wish that was so!!!