Kohala coast. 5br,3ba house with ocean/mtn views

Description from the owner

This 5-bedroom, 3-bath house sits on 5 acres of land in the North Kohala district of the Big Island. We specifically designed it as a family vacation gathering spot, and we built it ourselves in 1989. At about 300 feet elevation, it has terrific 180-degree ocean views. You can also see Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Hualalai, and most of the Kohala "Gold Coast." With luck and timing, you can also spot humpback whales in winter, spinner dolphins year-round, and the occasional green flash at sunset.

Because the house sits in the rain shadow of the Kohala Mountains, days are typically sunny and breezy compared to Kona's humid overcast. We even have... some "regulars" who come over from Hilo to enjoy long weekends in the sun when available! With high ceilings, 13 ceiling fans, and over 750 square feet of windows, the house has a very open and airy feeling.

Most guests find themselves spending most of their "at home" time on the ocean-facing lanai, which stretches 84 feet across the house. It features a gas barbecue, hammock, lounge chairs, and four table-and-chair sets as well as a small refrigerator and microwave.

The floor plan of the house is open, and the bedrooms are spacious. Each bedroom has either a queen-sized or king-sized bed. Three of them also have futons, and one has a baby crib. All five of the bedrooms have ceiling fans, televisions, and DVD players. The living area has two table-and-chair sets, a convertible couch, two recliners, a love seat, another chair, end tables, and two coffee tables. It also has one wall full of books and DVDs as well as a DVD player and a large television set that is hooked up to DISH satellite.

You will probably not find another vacation rental that is furnished as completely as this one. It has a large supply of dishes, glassware, tableware, linens, cooking and baking pots and pans, knives, kitchen utensils, small appliances, Tupperware, casserole dishes, cutting boards, colanders, measuring cups, etc.

It also has two microwaves, a washer and dryer, a dishwasher, a refrigerator with freezer and ice-maker, a garbage disposal, an electric stove and oven, and an over-sized hot water heater.

Additionally, it offers a family supply of beach towels, beach chairs, boogie boards, and coolers as well as a bucket of sand toys. Inside the closets are games, toys, and puzzles for your enjoyment.

The house is set up for WiFi and local telephone service.

The surrounding area is fairly rural in character, so you will find this a quiet place to relax after a day of sightseeing or reading a novel at the beach. With no street lights to create ambient light, the starshow at night is spectacular. Several excellent restaurants are only 5 minutes away in Kawaihae, along with diving, sportfishing, and fine art galleries. Spencer Beach State Park (great for little kids, with shade and very gentle surf) is only 5 minutes from the house, and Hapuna Beach State Park (great for teenagers, with beautiful white coral sand and impressive waves) is only 10 minutes from the house.

The whole Kona-Kohala coast is bordered with a coral reef, so snorkeling is beautiful. North Kohala also offers several exciting and scenic zipline tours, ATV tours, and a flume tour through the Kohala ditch, which was built during the heyday of sugar plantations. It also offers several historic sites and tours as well as a few wonderful restaurants, art galleries, and Tropical Dreams Ice Cream. Hiking and horseback riding are other local options. It even has an inexpensive six-hole golf course and two very modern tennis courts as well as an Olympic-sized pool, playground, and gymnasium at Kamehameha Park.

Nearby Waimea, which is in the saddle of the Kohala Mountains, is a ranching community. It also offers horseback riding, ATV tours, historic tours, live theater, fine restaurants, two supermarkets, an award-winning hospital, and the headquarters for two of the telescopes atop Mauna Kea.

Less than an hour away is Kona-Kailua, which offers coffee tours, snorkeling tours, manta-ray snorkel/dive tours, parasailing, jet-skiing, air tours, a submarine tour, golf, shopping, movie theaters, historic sites and tours, and everyone's favorite place to shop--Costco.

Only an hour and a half away is historic Hilo, Hawaii Island's largest population center. It offers a municipal golf course, movie theaters, two excellent museums, local restaurants, live theater, helicopter tours, zipline tours, waterfalls, and a beautiful botanic garden.

Another half hour away is the not-to-be-missed Volcanoes National Park. You can see the volcano and the lava flows from the air, from the sea, and from the land. Don't miss Thurston Lava Tube and Kilauea Ike Trail in the park itself. Outside of the park, you may want to take in the winery,tea plantation, or golf course.

You will find this to be a very comfortable home away from home; many of our guests come back for repeat visits.Read more

Additional Location Information

The vacation rental is 30 miles north of Kona-Keohole Airport and three miles north of Kawaihae port and village. It is about 18 miles from Waimea and 85 miles from Hilo. The house is about 300 feet above sea level and about 2000 feet from the shoreline. It has a spectacular view of the mountains and the Kona-Kohala coastline.

Location Type Ocean, Rural, Tropical

Rental fees

Additional notes from owner

Taxes are actually 13.25%, but this program won't accept the extra one-quarter percent for some reason.

Security/cleaning deposit of $200.00 is for group sizes up to 12 people. Over 12 people requires a higher deposit depending upon the number of guests.

We charge an extra $5 per head per night for groups larger than eight in size.

What Past Guests Are Saying

• melarobi
  60713

  Perfect for a large group on a budget

  Left on 11/22/2011 for a stay in November 2011
  
  

  The Kephart home will feel like home away from home. It's not too fancy in the furnishings so you won't worry about getting a bit of sand on the floor. The house has an open airy feel and a beautiful wrap around lanai porch so you can have a large group dinner outside while you watch the sunset over the ocean.
  
  The Kephart's themselves built this home and have done their best to provide visitors with all they would need... beach chairs, boogie boards, tons of beach towels, fully stocked kitchen, free wi-fi, great library and video library... the only thing I wish they'd added was a yoga mat or two.
  
  This isn't the place if you are looking for glamour but it is a great place if you want a nice, comfortable, affordable spot for a big group on the Big Island. I would definitely stay here again.

  More Details ►

  Detailed ratings for this rental

  • Check in
    
  • Cleanliness
    
  • Comfort
    
  • Location
    
  • Service
    
  • Value
    

  
  

  
  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Friends, Groups, Families w children

  ---

  Was this review helpful? Yes

• Don
  Clemmons, NC

  Dream vacation for a family

  Left on 09/27/2011 for a stay in June 2011
  
  

  We stayed here for two weeks from the end of June to early July 2011 with our family, which included four granddaughters ages 3 to 12; there were ten of us. When we arrived the home was exactly as described by the owners and more. The spacious common areas were a real treat; we could engage in several activities at once and not interfere with one another, whether it was watching one of the huge collection of Dvds, reading a book from the huge library, playing one of the many games, or doing a puzzle. We ate every meal outside on the lanai save one when the trade winds were too strong. It was great to look out on the Pacific to begin the day and watch the sun set and wait for the star show above. The grounds are beautiful, parking was spacious, and we felt right at home. The owners also provided beach towels, coolers, and equipment to include snorkeling gear. Don and Kerrill treated us to a memorable 4th of July dinner and evening watching the stars and fireworks from the resorts along the Kona coast. Family friendly beaches were ten to fifteen minutes away by car on good roads. Lots of history in the area. We liked it best because of the great location, a quiet place but with easy access to the rest of the island and nearby cities for shopping or sightseeing. I suppose if there was one thing we didn't care for it was the ants, but then, who doesn't have them? It's hard to find anything not to like about this wonderful home and we heartily recommend it(and have to several friends) for a great family vacation.

  More Details ►

  Detailed ratings for this rental

  • Check in
    
  • Cleanliness
    
  • Comfort
    
  • Location
    
  • Service
    
  • Value
    

  
  

  
  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  ---

  Was this review helpful? Yes

• SkyhawkTX
  Wharton, TX

  The perfect Rental House!!

  Left on 08/08/2011 for a stay in July 2011
  
  

  We stayed at Hale Kephart with our daughter and 2 grand-daughters (and their spouses) and 4 great-grandchildren for a week in July 2011. We had a great stay! It is in a perfect location, an absolutely beautiful house, and great hosts. I could not ask for a better place to have a family vacation. The kids (and adults) loved the large wraparound lanai with great views of the Pacific to the west - perfect for sunsets, stars and even shooting stars. The kids even had a bedroom all to themselves. There were toys, movies and books galore. It is isolated enough that you will think there is no one else around, but close enough that you can get to beaches, groceries, and necessities easily and quickly.
  There are 5 large Br's and 3 baths,so everyone had their own space without intruding on others. The common areas are huge. Big enough for the whole family to get together for meals, games and entertainment. Don and Kerrill provide all the staples you will need and even a fruit basket and goodies as a welcome gift. The live on-site, close enough to be available for any questions, reccommendations, or problems, but far enough away that they never intrude. They are great hosts - even to the point of sending a left-behind item free of cost. If you are looking for a rental house for upwards of 10 people on the Big Island, you could not do better than Hale Kephart.

  More Details ►

  Detailed ratings for this rental

  • Check in
    
  • Cleanliness
    
  • Comfort
    
  • Location
    
  • Service
    
  • Value
    

  
  

  
  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Travelers, Friends, Groups, Tourists, Families w teenagers, Luxury, Families w children, Rugged

  ---

  Was this review helpful? Yes