Mele Kahola was our wonderful Hilo side home for our family of 5, which included our teenage son and daughter and my 88 year old mother. We spent the first half of our Hawaiian trip on the Kona side and then took a long trip around the southern island, with stops in South Point and Punalu'u, arriving after dark in the evening in the middle of a downpour. It was breathtaking opening up the doors and windows of the house to feel the forces of nature blow through. And then the sunrise the next morning and to be able to see far up the shores to the north and south! Whales breeching and spouting in the bay! The word awesome gets overused, but I would use it here. This spot is truly awesome! The location and the elegance of the house, with its tasteful art and comfortable beds and seating areas would be enough, but the hosts have provided so many lovely little details, from binoculars for whale gazing, to musical instruments and ukelele instructions for evening gatherings, to a massage chair and hot tub for weary volcano hikers, to snorkle and other gear for beach/ocean explorations. The neighborhood surrounding Mele Kahola is also lovely - we enjoyed our walks and jogs along the residential streets with beautiful lava rock gardens and the gentle coastal trail that begins adjacent to the home. A grassy area public access area adjacent to the home is also the perfect spot for sunrise yoga and afternoon hammocking (bring your own hammock). this was also the perfect location to explore this coast of Hawaii - with short drives to Volcano National Park, Hilo and areas to the north like Akaka Falls and the Hawaii Tropical Gardens Bioreserve. On a practical side, there are no shopping areas within the immediate vicinity of the house, but the town of Pahoa is a short distance away and Hilo only a little further, so with a little advance planning, we did not find this to be a problem. And we found Mele Kahola to be very well appointed and organized with all the kitchen, dining, bedding, washing up, and other supplies that were needed and in the places where you might expect them to be. The worst thing about Mele Kahola is that you will be so sad to leave and the best is you can't wait to return!