This is a newly built, lovely space with a wonderful view of the ocean directly in front of a very comfortable bed. Large windows let in the fresh air and birdsong; I loved falling asleep to the frogs and crickets. Cooled by an overhead fan in the day and rotating fan at night (which is quieter upstairs), it stayed very pleasant all day and night for the temperatures in March.
Thoughtfully appointed, there’s a separate desk if you are teleworking with decent wifi. AT&T’s cell service is spotty in the house, but is usually fine in the yard or driveway.
The bathroom is spacious with fresh towels and washcloths, plenty of toilet paper and tissues, and good water pressure, which is great after a day at the beach.
The kitchen is functional with a small fridge, hot plate, microwave, toaster, blender, coffee maker and general cooking equipment.
Thoughtfully provided are lounge chairs, umbrella, a styrofoam cooler, water jugs and a boogie board, as well as beach towels.
Outside of the downstairs apartment itself, which provides privacy and peace and quite, this is a shared space. Kabira is the consummate hostess, offering enjoyment of her garden, access to her separate screened meditation/reading area, and use of the beautiful covered porch (off of her main living area) where she paints, gardens and generally appreciates both the natural beauty of the place, as well as the special touches she has added.
She willingly shares her time and knowledge of the area - she even took a whole day with me to go to a gorgeous beach north of Kona that I’d never have found without her.
The neighborhood is quiet, but populated, and Kabira’s house is at the end for the street, giving it a secluded feel. There is a lovely black rock beach at the bottom of the neighborhood (streets are extremely steep, so drive or get ready for a workout). It is a nice place to walk or catch the sunsets.
It takes about 20-30 minutes to get to a couple of good snorkeling spots. And about the same for groceries. It’s about 50-60 minutes to get to Kona, the Harbour (for excursions) and the lovely north beaches. The National Park is about an hour and a half in the other direction.
Overall, I enjoyed my time at “The Sanctuary.” It was just what I needed as a combo work and vacation break.