Unique benefits for this location is being so close to an active volcano and having 11 of the 13 climate zones right here on one island! You don't have to travel far to be in a whole new world and we love that. If you wake up to endless rain in Hilo, go spend the day on the Kona side or make your way above the clouds and watch the sunset on Mauna Kea! Tip: You will be told that you need a 4WD vehicle to go to the summit of Mauna Kea and this is true, but only after you've reached the Visitor Center at the 9000ft. level. You can drive a non-4WD up to the Visitor's Center but the ascent can be very rough on vehicles, so I recommend that you stop and rest the car every mile or two for about 5 or 10 minutes. The Visitors Center is at the 6th mile. Things to see and do at this level are walking a path through the rare silversword plants and hiking to the top of a cinder cone hill to get a view of Mauna Loa, the clouds below and the sunset. The Visitor's Center also has a gift shop and hot drinks for sale.
As for the property itself, we fell in love with the spacious lanais that allow you to enjoy sitting outside in the cool breeze and just taking in all the sounds of nature, no matter if it is the heat of the day or if it is pouring rain. All of our dinners are had out on the lanai! Another great feature is the tankless hot water heaters - no running out of hot water, unless you run out of propane! In that case, we can have you hooked up with a new tank right away.