For the last few days of our honeymoon, Pete & I booked the Royal Hibiscus Room at the Coconut…read moreCottage. Our honeymoon up to that point had been nothing short of disastrous. My over-adventurous eating choices and selection of swimming spots on Maui led to what I thought was a stomach bug, but ended up being parasites and an intestinal infection. I arrived at the Coconut Cottage rather green, feverish, in desperate need of hydration, and constantly watching my back because I feared Pete might willingly sacrifice me to Madame Pele.
When we pulled up, we immediately felt like we were coming home. The Coconut Cottage B & B is so welcoming and is set in such a beautiful and lush area. After spending some time on the drier Kailua-Kona side of the island, we were excited to be surrounded in so much greenery. The landscaping showed such keen attention to detail and the Hawaiian plants and flowers were so bright and vibrant. Upon entering the Coconut Cottage, every ounce of stress in my body washed away. The music, the trickling water from the fountains, the scents (I've never been in a home that smelled so good), the decor...all amazing. When we arrived the hosts were not there, but we were greeted with a sweet note and information on what to do in the area. We let ourselves in and took a long nap on the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. Actually, aside from a trip to the ER in the middle of the night, we mainly slept the whole time here. The room was so comfortable and the B & B was so quiet, we had trouble getting out of bed. We literally fell asleep by 8pm every night, woke up only to be spoiled by breakfast, and then napped...exactly what we needed.
Breakfasts were served at 8:30am on the lanai in the main house, and each morning we were shocked to see there were other guests there. We never heard or saw anyone except at breakfast-which is great if you are on your honeymoon (check) or really sick (check). Guests in the few days we were there were from various parts of Canada, England, and California. The guest book revealed guests from around the world had stayed in our room. One of the bed and breakfast owners was not there, so instead, Todd's mom was there to assist. What a warm and caring family. I felt completely taken care of. As Brooke mentioned, the hosts were very unobtrusive, but were available for questions any time we had them. They gave us great recommendations for dinner, outings, etc.
Breakfast always consisted of fresh tropical fruits, coffee, tea, and fruit juice and then something fabulous on the menu like Macadamia nut pancakes or vegetable quiche. When we booked the B & B online, we were asked for any dietary restrictions or food preferences, and those were all followed. On our last day, our flight left early, and they packed us a breakfast. So sweet.
Breakfasts gave us a chance to talk with other guests about places to go in the area and plan our day. Only a few miles from the Coconut Cottage is a Lava Viewing area. You just take Hwy. 130 until it ends. The Lava Viewing area is open from 5pm till 10pm, but the last car is let in at 8:00pm. Get there early so you don't have to walk over the hardened lava fields in the dark. I lost my footing quite a few times. Bring a flashlight for the walk back! The town of Pahoa, where the Coconut Cottage is located, also has some great restaurants and shops.
I would highly recommend the Coconut Cottage to anyone heading to the Big Island or anyone in need of relaxation.