We had a wonderful time at Marcus and Cynthia’s house. It’s a short drive from Hilo and only a mile or so from the coastline that is great to explore or have a picnic at. We loved how private and cozy the house felt. It’s small but well-appointed and perfect for a romantic getaway. As long as you can manage the stairs (just one flight) it’s great to be up a little higher and get the ocean breezes. The only time we ever had to use the AC was in the evening if we had the windows closed. I’d recommend closing the windows until you’ve turned the lights off at night as the bugs LOVE to try to get in. All the windows/screens are new but you always get one or two sneaking in. When you do have the windows open you can sleep to the sounds of the rainforest and hear local roosters in the morning (close enough to hear but not close enough to wake you up). Driving to the Kona side can take a while but it’s a beautiful drive and we preferred the black sand beaches and hiking around Hilo. The kitchen had everything you need to cook your own meals if you wanted and there were also beach towels if you needed extra. The bed was too firm for me but my wife didn’t have a problem with it at all and it didn’t affect my sleep. Overall it was an excellent value and a good location to have as a home base for daytrips even as far as Kona.