Travel is an experience, and if you're looking to experience a unique stay in an eclectic and whimsical home with beautiful views amid a jungle-like setting, James and Keiko's place fits the bill. We enjoyed our time there, despite some discomforts.
Remember if you're considering staying here this is a house built around a tree from salvaged and other building materials, and lacks the comforts of a typical home or even a cheap hotel - such as air conditioning, bug-free rooms, doors or quiet nights. Beautiful with each morning sunrise and evening sunset, our two-night stay was less like paradise after dark. We spent our evenings picking numerous small beetles and other bugs off our bed, swatting mosquitoes and shooing away other flying insects and scurrying lizards and trying to sleep in summer heat and humidity. The screened-in windows let in the jungle sounds of frogs and birds and chickens, but also late-night rap music and party conversations from the neighboring homes. One of my daughters didn't want to sleep in the makeshift second room because it was hot, dark and small, and none wanted to take a shower for fear of spiders ants and geckos.
At a cost that was more than than a local beachfront resort we stayed a following night, we expected a little more, but that said, this stay delivered the uniqueness it promised. Keiko's hospitality and helpfulness, coupled with tasty morning smoothies and good coffee home-grown from the family farm, helped offset disappointments we may have had. We're glad for the experience.