If you are looking for a rustic off-the-grid experience surrounded by hardened lava - this is it! The Lava Temple is an open air shelter that is a lot like camping, but with a comfortable couch, cozy beds, and flush toilet. I loved curling up on the couch with a book, looking out at the vast expanse of hardened lava. We even got a rainbow one day!
The kitchen has a camp oven/stove (no microwave) and a 3/4 refrigerator. It came stocked with coffee and a French press and the camp stove was easy to figure out so I had yummy coffee to sip while I sat on the couch. It was clean and well set up, but this is an outdoor experience! There is a bedroom in the back that can be closed off if you want to sleep inside, a bedroom to the side of the living room that is surrounded by bamboo screen, and our choice, a couple of beds on the second level, under roof but open to the outside with amazing sunset views.
My boys (middle schoolers) had a great time wandering the hardened lava and looking at the different flow patterns and the way that plants were just starting to grow back up through the cracks.
Jade left a book full of ideas for activities and restaurants and we visited Pahoa for dinner and followed her "red road" tour suggestions. It was great.
We had a good time and would be happy to return some day.