SHORT: WONDERFUL. MIDDLE: Truly 180 degree unobstructed view of the coast, looking into the sunset; under 4 minutes (I timed it) from 2 Step which was some of the best snorkeling we found on the island. Clean, comfortable, well designed. Earl and Linda are the people you always wanted as neighbors. LONG We spent a full week here. Quiet, rural, away from the shoulder to shoulder resorts of north Kona. Steep slope with coffee bushes below our room; we awoke to the delightful plunk plunk plunk of coffee cherries dropping in the buckets of coffee harvesters one AM. Earl and Linda are warm, welcoming, and oh-so-generous. Every day there was yet another surprise waiting for us - something they thought of which might make our stay more enjoyable: more fresh fruit from the property, beach chairs and shade umbrella, a boogie board, clothes drying rack, soft sided cooler to carry lunches, and so on it went. The kitchen was well stocked with more than just basics - there was oil for cooking and a lb of coffee, 1/2 & 1/2 for the coffee, a stick of butter in the fridge, popcorn for the microwave, etc, etc. We kept looking at eachother saying "Oh!, Oh!" as we looked in drawers and cupboards. The queen mattress was firm and comfortable, the bed is raised up on a tall pedestal so that, lying in bed, you look directly out at that immense view of the coast. On the shelves there is probably every guidebook to the island and large island maps. About 3 miles back north on the ring road is a little shop, Kona Seafood, which had lovely fresh Ahi and Ono every day at the best price we encountered anywhere, and next to it is Big Jake's BBQ (great ribs). Another 3 miles back is Choicemart - a large, well stocked supermarket. We cooked almost all our meals here: Kona coffee, fresh fruit and fresh fish every day all week. Some of the best snorkeling is right here, you see it out the window: 2 step and the marine sanctuary. (Under 4 minutes to 2 Step.) It is a bit more of a drive to the more crowded beaches/snorkeling of north Kona but I don't think we ever drove an hour to get anywhere along the Kona coast. Volcano was a bit further but you want to see it especially at night, so we cruised over to Volcano during the day, then onto snorkel tidepools at Kapoho, back to Volcano after dark, and were still home by 8 or 8:30PM. I see that there seem to be 2 schools of thought in building style. Here where the outside is so beautiful and inviting, the traditional island style of building provides shelter but makes as little distinction between the outside and inside as possible. Earl and Linda's is like this. The other style is transplanted from harsher climates. If you want a sealed box with AC - stay in north Kona.