When we booked this trip for a Christmas away form the norm, we did not know much about the various islands of Hawaii. What we knew is that we wanted a tranquil setting to connect with the gorgeous natural landscape and not be trapped on a resort or hotel type accommodation. Well, in short- SUCCESS! Madeleine and Todd's cottage is an absolute gem on the Big Island. Despite rainier than normal weather, we were not deterred from swimming with giant sea turtles at Carlsmith (20 min drive), enjoying some excellent meals in downtown Hilo (15 min drive), ziplining Umauma Falls (10 min drive), a relaxing dip in the thermal pools of Ahalanui Park (1 hr drive), seeing the majestic canyon and caldera near of Volcanoes National Park (1 hr 15 min drive) and being utterly floored by the stargazing at the Mauna Loa Vistor's Center (1 hr 20 min drive). The Hulili Cottage provided the perfect base to come back to after taking in all the beauty and wonder of the surrounding areas. The view from the lanai is incredible! Each day provided a bit different sunrise, rainstorms rolling across the farm or pristine views of the Pacific Ocean. There were fresh avocados from the giant tree in the yard, as well as delicious bananas and lychee berries. We also took a stroll around the farm one afternoon, snapping a hundred photos and watching the birds play among the branches. The cottage itself has everything you need- a partitioned sleep area, a futon and the hanging bed for afternoon naps (highly recommended). We cooked a handful of meals in the kitchen, which is nicely equipped with everything you need save a full size oven. Our 9 year old daughter was delighted to have some playmates (Madeleine and Todd's children, their dog Kai) around and she wore herself out on the trampoline and grounds near the house. In summary, I'm so happy we decided to book our stay here and would highly recommend this cottage for anyone visiting the Big Island in the future!