We've felt very much at home in Hale Melemele! It is a separate house on the property, with direct access from the street. It offers full privacy, even if we were invited to explore the beautiful shared garden around the house and across the street.
David and Kevin are truly SUPER hosts. They clearly have put great effort and sense of detail into creating a welcoming and safe space for their guests from the comfortable lanai, cosy living room, fully equipped kitchenette, practical bathroom to the wonderful sleeping experience in the bedroom. The pillow with the word Relax sums it all up!
A fun detail is the outdoor shower, which even features a light for use after dark! It comes in handy after a visit and (cautious!) dip into the ocean at nearby Kehena Black Sand Beach, which by the way is tolerated "clothing optional" due to its secluded nature and somewhat difficult access.
We further loved the outdoor gas-BBQ to prepare for our dinners on the lanai.
Sitting outside with dimmed lighting we could fully enjoy the calmness of the surroundings - I can't say stillness of the night, because of the many Coqui-frogs all around, yet these somehow blend in to the background. Their sound and other tropical sounds never disturbed our sleep.
Outdoor lighting is kept to a minimum in this part of the Island to allow for undisturbed stargazing - unfortunately during our stay the skies were mostly covered at night.
Hilo and the Puna region are famous for having lots of rain. Don't let this reputation scare you! Even on rainy days there's a lot to enjoy and in our personal experience the weather has been astonishingly warm and sunny. Due to ocean and mountains the weather can change quickly, or be completely different just a few miles away.
The Puna-district is a welcome pause after the busy east coast and the nature is lush up to the ocean.