I'll start with a question, "When can I move in?" We stayed in Toby's lovely abode for three nights. We were a party of three adults with young kiddos (2 years and 4 months) and it couldn't have been any more pleasant.
The Location: The location was ideal. It couldn't have been more than a 15 minute drive from the Kona airport. It was an easy commute to all of our destinations (beaches, coffee farms, state parks etc). The road to the home itself is off a main road, but the road was never so busy that it was difficult to get to or leave the house.
The Home: Upon entering, the home feels spacious and welcoming. Be prepared to carry your luggage up a set of stairs to reach the 2 bedroom 1 bath space you will be residing. The stairwell is wide, well lit, with solid steps. If you have small children just note that there is no gate blocking the steps. We easily remedied this by placing our large suitcases there. The beds were comfortable, the bathroom recently renovated and clean and the kitchen/living space were nicely decorated and well furnished. Also, the kitchen offers a french press and auto-drop coffee maker because that is a NECESSITY when visiting Kona. At least for us it was :).
Because the home is located in at a higher elevation, it offers an amazing view of the ocean. It is also a bit cooler as a result. The beautifully manicured backyard was perfect for my toddler to run in to let off steam and my husband appreciated the outside gym for burning off all that Kona coffee brittle we ate.
The Host: Toby was excellent. Very kind, helpful, personable and quick to respond to any question we had during our stay. I had trouble logging on to wifi (to upload the bazillion pictures I took) and Toby was quick to help. He also was kind enough to lend us some of his beach gear (boogie boards, snorkel gear, chairs etc.). I needed a pack and play for my 4 month old to sleep in and Toby mentioned that his friend has a baby gear rental business. He took care of all the arrangements (and for an extremely reasonable price) the pack n play was ready and set up for us when we arrived!
I only have wonderful things to say about our stay and would gladly stay here again.
Things to Consider: Moku. Moku the cat likes to hang out in the backyard. Moku was calm, kind and extremely patient with our very excited toddler. Mosquitos. It's Hawaii and mosquitos are everywhere, be prepared. Frogs. At night, what sounds like hundreds of little frogs make the most soothing sound. All of us found this ribbiting relaxing to fall asleep to. If you have trouble with noise though, you may consider bringing a pair of earplugs.