My boyfriend and I had a wonderful 10 day stay at the cottage. Yes it’s small, but also super well planned and equipped! We had pretty much everything we needed to make all our breakfasts and many dinners there (there are frying pans to use on the grill). There are also a few types of cooking oil and some basic spices. The freezer is just a compartment in the mini fridge so it wasn’t super reliable. Bed was comfy, shower was nice. The privacy of the cottage itself is lovely, but the privacy of the bathroom not so much haha – it’s just a folding wooden screen “door,” so that takes some getting used to. Also there is no laundry on the premises, so we ended up handwashing some things because we didn’t want to waste precious time at a laundromat. Not sure which is the best way to go, the deck doesn’t get a lot of direct sun and it’s so humid that things took awhile to dry. But overall no biggie.
As far as location, it was so nice being close to the airport and many beaches, but just be aware it ends up being a lot of driving to go to Hilo, volcanoes, waterfalls, etc. The temperature was always pleasant, I surprisingly needed a light sweater in the morning/evenings (visited late April). Like everyone else has said, the geckos and symphony of birds is always entertaining. I wish the plumerias, wildflowers and fruit trees were a bit more in season, but there were plenty of other plants and wildlife to enjoy.
Overall it was a relaxing and beautiful stay. Martina was friendly and available if needed but gave you your space. We are so grateful for our time here, it was just what we needed. Thank you!!