You'll love staying with Lorelle -- she has this down to an art! The basement studio apartment is a little gem. You'll feel you're on a Hawaiian farm in a little rainforest, with a stunning view. Cats, dogs, chickens and a parrot -- it's so fun! She has all kinds of beach equipment you can borrow, including towels. That made life so easy for us. And Lorelle is just aloha personified, super energetic and full of positive spirit.
Though her place may seem out of the way the first time you drive there, you'll quickly find that it's a great location. Less than 15 minutes to get into town with places to eat and shop, or to the beach.
Pro tip: Bring earplugs, because the frogs are incredibly vocal at night. You'll still be able to hear them, but it will take he volume down enough to get to sleep! :-) Few homes in Hawaii are air conditioned, but there's a big fan and we were always comfortable (the house is at 1500 feet elevation, which helps). We intend to come back!