Our stay at the Makalani Cottage was better than we could have ever imagined. We wanted to fully check out of civilization and experience the nature of the Big Island, and this small, charming cottage with separate meditation hut situated in a remote, private part of the Big Island was simply perfect! It was clean and well stocked with all things a visitor would need for their stay on the island, from snorkeling gear to mosquito repellents to Hawaii guide books to beach chairs to beach towels to sun screen, you name it. The owner also provided a booklet that contained all kinds of helpful information about best beaches to visit, best snorkeling spots, best places to eat, and general information about the island. The kitchen had just what we needed to make simple meals, and the seating area and main bed were very comfortable. We absolutely loved the ocean views from the cottage, and especially enjoyed our mornings on the lanai of the small meditation hut, with ocean view, grove of over 100 year old mango trees, and the gecko show in the morning on the palm tree in front of the lanai. The owner had many personal touches which made us feel so welcomed, from a welcome note to flower arrangements made from plants and flowers from the garden throughout cottage, meditation hut and outdoor bathroom, to little notes throughout the house to help us know how things worked throughout the cottage. And while we were a little hesitant about having an outdoor bathroom (separate building from cottage and walls mostly screens), it was perfectly fine even in the middle of the night, very clean with a great shower with lots of hot water. There is A LOT of life at the Cottage, Coqui frogs (three visited us personally while in the shower), bull frogs, chickens, all kinds if birds, saw an owl, some pigs, a millipede, and so much more, which we loved as part of our goal to be immersed in Hawaii nature. We only saw one person the whole time we were there, the owner who stopped by to make sure everything was ok. It was a wonderful place to start our days and come back to after long days adventuring all over the island. Overall, one of the best places we have ever stayed, our own private slice of Heaven on the Big Island of Hawaii. We plan to return to the cottage for a longer stay in the near future, we loved it that much. Mahalo to the owner for creating such a peaceful, beautiful place to stay...