We stayed at Akiko's after several days on Waikiki beach and found it to be just what we needed to unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city! It's peaceful and quiet, tucked in a small village just north of Hilo, so it makes a good home base for exploring Hilo and Volcanos NP as well as the numerous waterfalls on that side of the island. We stayed in the Mango tree cottage, surrounded by beautiful native foliage and a gigantic mango tree. It's a spacious cottage, comfortable, private, and entirely powered by solar energy. The bathroom and kitchenette, located in a separate small building are shared by the mango tree cottage and the smaller banana tree cottage. It's simple and peaceful, though not roughing it by any means. Miss Akiko is a pleasure to talk to and made us feel at home immediately. We were sorry to leave!

Breakfast was wonderful! Hot tea, coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice, and a wide spread of fresh picked tree-ripened fruits, homemade sweet... more