Ana and Tom/Sharkey (and Bliss!) were simply phenomenal hosts and made us feel welcome as soon as we met. We arrived at the Zen Treehouse late in the evening and Ana greeted us at the gate, walking us through their property to the space where we would be living. What a space! The huge studio (a former bronze workshop) feels like a jungle palace, complete with gorgeous tropical plants you can reach out and touch from the porch. Situated in a tropical rainforest, it doesn't get much closer to nature.
Ana explained (with great humor) how to work the various lights, screens, doors, sprays, and safety habits (for example, how to keep the frogs out of the outdoor toilet) to ensure a smooth stay, which we definitely appreciated. It was immediately evident that she'd painstakingly thought through and prepared everything we might need, including kitchen tools, coffee machine, humidity gadgets, candles, flashlights, snacks, etc. Ana's attention to detail extended to peaceful zen motifs and family art across the walls as well; it really feels special and unique. It was also the perfect balance (for us) between luxury and the outdoors.
We met Sharkey on our first morning and helped him pollinate some vanilla plants, which immediately enthralled my partner until we dragged her away. Bliss (their doggo) was also super friendly, greeting is with a half-chewed cocoa pod. Later (we had some car trouble) Sharkey helped us (TWICE) to fill up some tires that were running low on our rental vehicle. During the tour of their farm, Sharkey was friendly, honest, informative, and hilarious as he explained the history of their farm, his own experiences learning to grow cocoa, coffee, and vanilla, and the process (in detail) of how to prepare each. We were free to help, taste, and discuss each element as we went, which made the whole thing that much more fun.
Both Ana and Sharkey were incredibly gracious hosts at every turn, and we loved our stay at their treehouse. If you're looking for a unique and welcoming place to spend some time around Hilo, I can't recommend their Zen treehouse highly enough.