Each morning was spent enjoying the quiet environment with birds chirping, the occasional rafter of wild turkeys gobbling, hawks, owls, etc. while looking out an an incredible view. At 1,700 ft or so of elevation, the temperature is nearly perfect, with 85 degree days, and 65-70 degree nights.
The caretaker, Bob, is amazing, and was extremely helpful when we had any questions.
The house is generally a Mexican hacienda style, with excellent airflow and needs no AC. Old beams from a sugarcane barn are used to great effect in the house's design, and lend an air of history.
The house layout sets the master bedroom, master bathroom and a small bunk room separated from the main house by a breezeway. Although there were just three of us, this would work well for two families.The kitchen is well stocked with essential tools, and the BBQ is excellent.
We enjoyed the small pool and the sitting area next to it, as well as the large covered (shaded) lanai. The use of included beach chairs and snorkels, etc. was great.
This property is located in a gated community in North Kohala. The ~1600ft elevation provides very nice views of the Pacific Ocean looking west, The temperature is also cooler at this altitude compared to the coast. We found the house to be very well equipped from kitchen and BBQ tools to board games and snorkeling gear. Umbrellas, beach chairs, and water shoes for several kid and adult sizes were provided as well. The house is in a large gated plot with beautiful mature trees and is quite secluded from the neighbors. It is designed in two separate wings. One wing has the master bedroom and bathroom along with a small room with a bunkbed for 2. The other wing has the kitchen, living room, and two bedrooms and a bathroom. The bathroom in this wing is accessible from the outside. The two wings are separated by an outside hallway leading to the garage where all the water toys and laundry facilities are located. Our young kids enjoyed playing in the saltwater pool after a long day at the beach or hiking. The property owner and the property manager (who lives in the same community) are very helpful and responsive if you need something or have a question.
We found the location to be amenable to trips to the popular beaches in the North Kohala area (15-20 mins) in addition to quaint villages like Hawi (20 mins) in the north or Waimea (30 mins) to the east. There are some restaurants and a great fish market at Kawaihe harbor. There is also a food truck next to the fish market that makes excellent fish tacos. For groceries, your best bets are the Foodland Farms markets at Waimea or Mauna Lani (each about 30 minutes away). We tended to go to Mauna Lani as that is a 10-15 minute drive from the North Kohala beaches so we would stop by there on the way back from the beach. Larger stores like Target and Walmart can be found in Hilo (1.5 hr drive) or Kona (1hr drive). Kona also has a Costco if you are a member.
We spent more than two peaceful and quiet weeks at this house and our kids were sad to leave at the end. We had a great time with this house as our base for our Northern Big Island adventures.
A terrific place - a comfortable, restorative base for our explorations of the Big Island complete with all the necessities plus breezes, most of time, striking sunsets, majestic views, singing birds, tranquility. The spacing of the houses in Kohala Ranch provides for a sense of solitude, and the elevation of the house generally a few degrees cooler than the shore - and definitely more comfortable than back home! We can’t wait to return.
Wonderful; quiet; great owner and manager; great place
Our four generations aged 4 months to 90 years spent a week here. It was absolutely wonderful. There was something special for everyone right on site. Everything was convenient and comfortable. We especially appreciated the quality tools in the kitchen, the beach gear in the garage, the hand weights to keep us fit, the beautiful patio and barbecue, the comfortable beds and linens, the toys for the kids, the varied TV options, and the very excellent and reliable wifi. Thank you!
We thoroughly enjoyed our five night stay at Joe's Kohala Ranch house. We had all the privacy we could want, but the manager was always available if needed (he lives five minutes away). The Master Suite was lovely, with a big comfortable king bed and double bath tub, and there was always hot water when we wanted it. The kitchen had everything we needed and the large TV and patio were terrific.
The swimming pool was clean and inviting, but a bit cold because of the cool weather. Nice restaurants were only a few minutes away and swimming and snorkeling close at hand. We''ll certainly plan to return when we are fortunate enough to return to the big island.
All of the comforts of home with a beautiful view of the ocean. Exclusive, private and peaceful.
This is a very nice place and very well maintained. The owners keep it as a home than a rental place. It is in part of the ranch where we get best of the weathers. We (+kids) had a wonderful time, fireplace is a nice touch for winters. Kitchen is well stocked and the garage is full of pool / beach toys. Garden is full of fresh herbs. Again thank you Joe (owner) and Bob (property manager who also lives closeby), any issues get resolved asap. Look forward to being back.
My family just finished our second trip in 2017 to this home in December. On our first day, like in the picture, we were welcomed with a rainbow and on our last full day of our trip, we were welcomed with a second. The home is located in the cooler section of the development known as the Meadows which offers warm days and cool nights which make for a great night of sleep. The location is also tranquil and private - a great place to get away from it all. During our stay we enjoyed seeing and hearing the cattle nearby and even got to pet some horses on the road. We also enjoyed the abundance of wild birds which visited the yard daily including partridges and turkey. The home is warm and charming and accommodated my family well. We appreciated the well equipped kitchen and loved the new grill and patio furniture. Unfortunately, the temperatures this trip didn't allow us to use the pool much, however we made up for it using the outdoor fire place in the evening to do some amazing star gazing. We even got to see the milky way and watch a phenomenal meteor shower one evening. We are grateful to the owner who makes this house available through the vacation rental program and look forward to returning again in the future. We also appreciate the wonderful service provided by the Property Manager, Bob.
