We stayed at the Kona magic sands several years ago years ago in one of the lower units without a lanai and although it was awesome I was Eyeballing those end units with the lanai's and thought wow that would be great, This time we lucked out and booked a week @ Barry's Longboard Studio on the top floor W/ lanai. Because its on the top floor there is no roof over the lanai giving the unit a very light and open to nature feel. When we unlocked the door and walked in the place was beautiful and clean, music was playing, The huge folding glass doors that open up the whole wall to the lanai were open exposing the interior of the unit to a nice ocean breeze and the sounds of the waves, it gave us a very welcomed feeling.
In the first few hours being there we saw whales and a huge pod of Hawaiian spinner dolphin's, I took photos of fish in the breaking waves right off the lanai. We had some big waves for a few days and had a birds eye view and took photos of some of the local boogie boarding in some surf that only the best of the best were tackling. Great place, we loved it and will be back some day.