Entire home
Kepharts' Ocean-view Hale: A Home Away from Home
Family-friendly holiday home in Kamuela
Photo gallery for Kepharts' Ocean-view Hale: A Home Away from Home
Reviews
10 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 15223.0 sq m
Popular amenities
Explore the area
Kamuela, HI
- Place, Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area17 min drive
- Place, Mauna Kea Beach18 min drive
- Place, Mauna Lani Resort Golf Course28 min drive
- Airport, Kailua-Kona, HI (KOA-Kona Intl.)52 min drive
Rooms & beds
5 bedrooms (sleeps 15)
Bedroom 1
1 Double Futon and 1 King Bed
Bedroom 2
1 Double Futon and 1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 3
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 4
1 Queen Bed and 1 Crib
Bedroom 5
1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Futon
3 bathrooms
Bathroom 1
Bathtub or shower · Toilet
Bathroom 2
Bathtub or shower · Toilet
Bathroom 3
Bathtub or shower · Toilet
Spaces
Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Kepharts' Ocean-view Hale: A Home Away from Home
This five-bedroom/three-bath home sits on five acres of land in the Kohala Estates. We specifically designed and built the house as a family vacation gathering spot. Its high ceilings and 760 square feet of windows make it particularly light and airy. Tradewinds and 13 ceiling fans help to keep it cool. The kitchen and the master bedroom have 180-degree ocean views plus the sweep of the Kohala Mountains, Maunakea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and nearly the entire Kona-Kohala Coast.
From the lanai, guests can watch a sprinkling of fishing boats, tour boats, military vessels, and pleasure boats. Several times a day a tug towing a barge pulls in and out of nearby Kawaihae Harbor. With good luck and timing, guests can spot Hawaiian spinner dolphins, humpback whales, and the occasional green flash. We can't guarantee blue skies and no mosquitoes; but odds are better here than anywhere else in the central Pacific. The house sits in the rain shadow of the Kohala Mountains, and annual rainfall totals are typically in the single digits!
We have tried to make our house a 'home away from home' for our guests. It is attractive and comfortable without being so fancy that guests are afraid to relax. The library boasts plenty of books and movies.
Extras: Guests will find enough kitchenware and linens to choke a flea market! The kitchen is well stocked with small appliances, utensils, pots and pans, dishes, glassware, flatware, and spices. Kids will enjoy several cubic feet of Legos and building blocks as well as puzzles, games, books, and other toys. Binoculars, beach towels, coolers, beach chairs, boogie boards, sand toys, and beach umbrellas are left out for guests to enjoy.. Visitors will not need to bring much besides their clothes and personal items.
Many of our guests consider this 'their' second home; and accordingly, our most popular times can be booked over a year in advance. Fall and late spring usually have the best availability.
Guests will also enjoy a Blu-Ray player in every bedroom, a satellite TV with Hi-Def in the living room, and WiFi Internet access.
Location, Location, Location: Most of our guests appreciate not only the ocean and mountain views but the house's convenient location. It is in a semi-rural neighborhood, which has no street lights and a myriad of stars at night. Weather is usually warm and dry. Within easy driving distance to the Big Island's premiere beaches and golf courses, it is also conveniently located within driving range of Kailua-Kona and Hilo. Good restaurants and shopping opportunities are an easy drive away. Neighboring houses are quite a distance away, and the neighborhood is quiet and safe.
Each day offers lovely sunrises and sunsets as well as moonrises and moonsets. The star-scape on a clear night is breathtaking.
Home away from home: The house is very comfortable, clean, and well-maintained. Many of our guests say that they feel right at home as soon as they walk in the door. The living room walls are lined with books, videos, and art work. The 2400-square-foot house features a large central great room with bedrooms and bathrooms across the back and south side. This open floor plan allows for privacy as well as communal activities.
Most of our guests especially appreciate the wrap-around lanai, which includes 840 square feet facing the ocean. The lanai has five table-and-chair sets, two lounge chairs, two small tables, and a gas barbecue, which makes it perfect for communal meals or individual relaxing and reading.
The driveway is large enough for off-street parking for up to six vehicles.
The house is surrounded with irrigated foliage and flowers, which are especially colorful and beautiful in the spring and summer months.
People who are looking for a getaway or a place to get-together at a reasonable price will find that Hale Kephart fills the bill.
Hosted Property
From the lanai, guests can watch a sprinkling of fishing boats, tour boats, military vessels, and pleasure boats. Several times a day a tug towing a barge pulls in and out of nearby Kawaihae Harbor. With good luck and timing, guests can spot Hawaiian spinner dolphins, humpback whales, and the occasional green flash. We can't guarantee blue skies and no mosquitoes; but odds are better here than anywhere else in the central Pacific. The house sits in the rain shadow of the Kohala Mountains, and annual rainfall totals are typically in the single digits!
We have tried to make our house a 'home away from home' for our guests. It is attractive and comfortable without being so fancy that guests are afraid to relax. The library boasts plenty of books and movies.
Extras: Guests will find enough kitchenware and linens to choke a flea market! The kitchen is well stocked with small appliances, utensils, pots and pans, dishes, glassware, flatware, and spices. Kids will enjoy several cubic feet of Legos and building blocks as well as puzzles, games, books, and other toys. Binoculars, beach towels, coolers, beach chairs, boogie boards, sand toys, and beach umbrellas are left out for guests to enjoy.. Visitors will not need to bring much besides their clothes and personal items.
Many of our guests consider this 'their' second home; and accordingly, our most popular times can be booked over a year in advance. Fall and late spring usually have the best availability.
Guests will also enjoy a Blu-Ray player in every bedroom, a satellite TV with Hi-Def in the living room, and WiFi Internet access.
Location, Location, Location: Most of our guests appreciate not only the ocean and mountain views but the house's convenient location. It is in a semi-rural neighborhood, which has no street lights and a myriad of stars at night. Weather is usually warm and dry. Within easy driving distance to the Big Island's premiere beaches and golf courses, it is also conveniently located within driving range of Kailua-Kona and Hilo. Good restaurants and shopping opportunities are an easy drive away. Neighboring houses are quite a distance away, and the neighborhood is quiet and safe.
Each day offers lovely sunrises and sunsets as well as moonrises and moonsets. The star-scape on a clear night is breathtaking.
Home away from home: The house is very comfortable, clean, and well-maintained. Many of our guests say that they feel right at home as soon as they walk in the door. The living room walls are lined with books, videos, and art work. The 2400-square-foot house features a large central great room with bedrooms and bathrooms across the back and south side. This open floor plan allows for privacy as well as communal activities.
Most of our guests especially appreciate the wrap-around lanai, which includes 840 square feet facing the ocean. The lanai has five table-and-chair sets, two lounge chairs, two small tables, and a gas barbecue, which makes it perfect for communal meals or individual relaxing and reading.
The driveway is large enough for off-street parking for up to six vehicles.
The house is surrounded with irrigated foliage and flowers, which are especially colorful and beautiful in the spring and summer months.
People who are looking for a getaway or a place to get-together at a reasonable price will find that Hale Kephart fills the bill.
Hosted Property
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Ocean view
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House Rules
Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
Children
Children allowed: ages 0–17
Toys, games, and kid-vids are available.
Events
Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
Clear with owners. No sound systems allowed.
Pets
No pets allowed
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 30
Note from host: Clear with owners. No sound systems allowed.
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
Property Registration Number GE-209-208-6258-01, TA-209-208-6285-01
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
A car is required for transport to and from this property
About the area
Kamuela
Located in Kohala Estates, a neighbourhood in Kamuela, this holiday home is in a rural area and by the sea. While the natural beauty of Mauna Kea Beach and Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area can be enjoyed by anyone, those looking for an activity can explore Mauna Lani Resort Golf Course.
Consider Anna Ranch Heritage Center for a night out or Pua Mau Place Botanic & Sculpture Garden if you're travelling with kids. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with ecotours and hunting.
Kamuela, HI
What's nearby
- Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area - 20 min drive - 14.0 km
- Mauna Kea Beach - 21 min drive - 13.2 km
- Mauna Kea Resort Golf Course - 22 min drive - 12.1 km
- Mauna Lani Resort Golf Course - 31 min drive - 24.9 km
- Mauna Lani Beach - 35 min drive - 26.8 km
Getting around
Restaurants
- Ikena Landing - 17 min drive
- Piko Coffee+Bar - 17 min drive
- Manta & Pavilion Wine Bar - 16 min drive
- The Seafood Bar - 9 min drive
- Naupaka Beach Grill - 17 min drive
Frequently asked questions
About the host
Hosted by Kerrill or Don
Don grew up in California, earned his B.S. and M.S. from Stanford University, and his PhD in biology from the University of Chicago. Kerrill moved to California from Michigan. She earned a B.A. from Eastern Michigan University and an M.A. in English literature from California State University in Long Beach. We both finished our teaching careers at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where we were able to teach the subjects we loved to students who made us laugh and think every day we spent with them.
We built Hale Kephart in 1989 during nine weeks of our summer vacation with the help of family and friends. We enjoyed staying in the house during spring, winter, and summer breaks for 14 years. Then we retired and built our current residence on the same five acres as the vacation rental and thus began another chapter in our lives.
Hawaii is our home now, and we cannot imagine wanting to live anywhere else. We love the climate, the dark and quiet nights, the fresh air, the ever-changing views of ocean, mountains, and sky. We have embraced the aloha spirit and the whole concept of ohana.
We also love the people. We have made friends from many walks of life; each one of them has enriched our lives in some meaningful way. Some of them have been guests at our vacation rental who kept coming back until our relationship metamorphosed into a deep friendship. Others we met while writing articles for the local newspaper or playing tennis at Mauna Kea's Seaside Tennis Club. Most we met through other friends.
Our lives have developed a rhythm to them that is both interesting and comfortable. Every year we take at least one trip to the mainland to touch bases with friends and family. We have enjoyed sojourns in Alaska, Australia, New England, Washington D.C, New Zealand, Micronesia, the Pacific Northwest., the Galapagos, Europe, and the Pacific Southwest. We have seen spectacular places and had breathtaking experiences, but we are always glad to come home.
We built Hale Kephart in 1989 during nine weeks of our summer vacation with the help of family and friends. We enjoyed staying in the house during spring, winter, and summer breaks for 14 years. Then we retired and built our current residence on the same five acres as the vacation rental and thus began another chapter in our lives.
Hawaii is our home now, and we cannot imagine wanting to live anywhere else. We love the climate, the dark and quiet nights, the fresh air, the ever-changing views of ocean, mountains, and sky. We have embraced the aloha spirit and the whole concept of ohana.
We also love the people. We have made friends from many walks of life; each one of them has enriched our lives in some meaningful way. Some of them have been guests at our vacation rental who kept coming back until our relationship metamorphosed into a deep friendship. Others we met while writing articles for the local newspaper or playing tennis at Mauna Kea's Seaside Tennis Club. Most we met through other friends.
Our lives have developed a rhythm to them that is both interesting and comfortable. Every year we take at least one trip to the mainland to touch bases with friends and family. We have enjoyed sojourns in Alaska, Australia, New England, Washington D.C, New Zealand, Micronesia, the Pacific Northwest., the Galapagos, Europe, and the Pacific Southwest. We have seen spectacular places and had breathtaking experiences, but we are always glad to come home.
Why they chose this property
Our son taught high-school mathematics for a year in Kona. We came out during spring break to see him and to see the Big Island--the only major Hawaiian island we had not visited. We fell in love with the spaciousness and the diversity of the island and kept finding ourselves drawn to Hapuna Beach, which is six miles south of us.
A few years later we came back and stayed at Puako. We began looking for property. Kerrill kept coming back to a windswept, almost barren piece of land on a hillside in the Kohala Estates. Don finally said, "If you can find anything green on that lot, I'll consider buying it with you." We are not sure that we ever did find anything green--only sere buffle grass and dead kiawe trees. But we kept coming back because the view was better than anywhere else we had looked. And, finally, the land spoke to Don, too, and we put in an offer.
We've never regretted it. We enjoyed the vacation rental for 14 years and then built our retirement home behind it on the same lot.
When we are not traveling or maintaining the property, we enjoy reading and writing--we have a library of close to 14,000 books. Don does woodworking, builds model wooden ships, makes and shoots off rockets, hunts feral goats and pigs, makes knives, and enjoys photography. Kerrill enjoys tennis and gardening.
A few years later we came back and stayed at Puako. We began looking for property. Kerrill kept coming back to a windswept, almost barren piece of land on a hillside in the Kohala Estates. Don finally said, "If you can find anything green on that lot, I'll consider buying it with you." We are not sure that we ever did find anything green--only sere buffle grass and dead kiawe trees. But we kept coming back because the view was better than anywhere else we had looked. And, finally, the land spoke to Don, too, and we put in an offer.
We've never regretted it. We enjoyed the vacation rental for 14 years and then built our retirement home behind it on the same lot.
When we are not traveling or maintaining the property, we enjoy reading and writing--we have a library of close to 14,000 books. Don does woodworking, builds model wooden ships, makes and shoots off rockets, hunts feral goats and pigs, makes knives, and enjoys photography. Kerrill enjoys tennis and gardening.
What makes this property unique
The unique benefits are self-explanatory to anyone who has visited our property. It enjoys an ideal location and an especially beautiful view. It is in a quiet neighborhood, one that so far has been so safe that most of our neighbors don't bother to lock their homes and cars. Besides, where else can you watch whales breaching against the backdrop of a full-sky sunset from your own front porch?
When we return to the mainland--as much as we enjoy seeing family and friends and taking in some of what it has to offer (theater, museums, specialty stores, national parks, restaurants, swap meets, etc.)--we soon become a little homesick. We especially appreciate the lower population density here. A traffic jam here would be considered a mild slowdown in most parts of Southern California.
When we are away we find ourselves missing the raucous calls of the gray francolins in the mornings, the trade winds blowing (sometimes gusting) through our palm trees and making their clattering fronds sound like falling rain, the panoramic and ever-changing vista that our eyes drink in as we look in any direction. We miss the fragrance of plumerias and gardenias, the bright and gaudy colors of the hibiscus and plumbagos and poincianas. We miss the fresh and soft air. We even miss the physical labor that it takes to keep up two houses and five acres of land.
We like to think that we have been here long enough now to consider ourselves kama'aina even though we weren't born here.
When we return to the mainland--as much as we enjoy seeing family and friends and taking in some of what it has to offer (theater, museums, specialty stores, national parks, restaurants, swap meets, etc.)--we soon become a little homesick. We especially appreciate the lower population density here. A traffic jam here would be considered a mild slowdown in most parts of Southern California.
When we are away we find ourselves missing the raucous calls of the gray francolins in the mornings, the trade winds blowing (sometimes gusting) through our palm trees and making their clattering fronds sound like falling rain, the panoramic and ever-changing vista that our eyes drink in as we look in any direction. We miss the fragrance of plumerias and gardenias, the bright and gaudy colors of the hibiscus and plumbagos and poincianas. We miss the fresh and soft air. We even miss the physical labor that it takes to keep up two houses and five acres of land.
We like to think that we have been here long enough now to consider ourselves kama'aina even though we weren't born here.
Languages:
English
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