Hap and Mely are great hosts, offering lots of advice and happily showing us around their own property a short walk away. Feeding their donkeys, pigs and mini horses was fun. The plantation cottage has a nice and rustic decor. We got a bowl of tasty fruit and avocados from H&M's tropical garden and there was some snorkel gear we could take with us on days out. In Hawi there are restaurants/bars with live music on weekends (Bamboo, Kava Kafe) and arty souvenir shops. Kapaau also has some (we enjoyed Minnie's restaurant). It was great to be close to the Polulo Valley so that we could hike down early and avoid the crowds. H&M also recommend several other places of interest, such as snorkeling at Mahukona Bay which was very good. The cottage is a perfect base for exploring the Kohala coast!