We loved our stay at Susan & Larry's place. Their place was very comfortable, and Susan & Larry were the perfect hosts.
First of all, the location was very convenient to the 3 best snorkeling places in Big Island: Kahaluu, 2-Steps, and of course, Capt Cook. But more than that, their place was roomy and perfect for our downtimes. The pictures they have on Airbnb do not do it justice. The kitchen was large and well-equipped. The wares were stuff we would have purchased for our own home, not the scratched-n-dent that we have seen in other Airbnb’s. There were more than enough oil and spices for our cooking needs (3 types of oil…really). Bathroom was roomy. Shower was hot and strong. Towels were fluffy and comfy. Beds were comfortable for the 4 of us. There was a veranda attached that was a pleasant surprise. It had a nice view of the ocean and was perfect for morning breakfasts as we figured out our plans for the day. The place was removed from the main roads; so traffic noise was non-existent. What you may do is get to know the neighbor’s (?) rooster at dawn every morning. That was perfect for us, as we were on mainland time anyway.
I mentioned this to Susan, but I am convinced Larry, whom I interfaced with the most, was a hotelier in a past life. The ones who knew how to make guests feel welcome, and go out of their way to anticipate their guests’ needs and meet them before they were asked. Like the morning we wanted to borrow boogie boards for the beach and they were already put in front of our car before we asked. Like the personalized welcome message/sign when we first walked in, and the welcome basket of goodies for our use. Like the beach chairs, umbrellas, large beach towels, and beach mats already in the closet. Like the travel-sized toothpaste in the bathroom. Like the tupperware (good ones too) for our leftovers when we cook, and the sandwich bags for our lunches. Just a lot of nice touches that tells us they thought about what their guests may need, vs just the bare minimum to call it a rental.
I highly recommend this place, but slightly hesitantly, because then it may not be available when we come back next time :)