The Kapehu Falls Retreat House: Grand, spacious, and elegant. Exceptional privacy: no neighbors in sight. Sweeping ocean views Architect-designed home with exquisite details. Surround yourself in nature and tropical beauty in all directions. Two streams. Private waterfall with a natural swimming pool beneath it. An entire orchard of fruit trees you can pick. Hot tub. Ten miles/15-20 minutes from Hilo, on the lush and scenic Hamakua Coast with ocean views, This is a storybook vacation paradise! Our property offers the peace, serenity, privacy and nature that will melt away your stress. We are located 10 miles (15-20 minutes) from downtown Hilo, on the lush and scenic Hamakua Coast of the Big Island, with stunning ocean views. Perfect for couples, families or groups looking to escape tourist traps and the hustle-bustle of city life and relax in the vibrant natural environment of authentic Hawaii. Enjoy the property’s private waterfall and swimming hole below it. No city lights to dim the night sky: great star-gazing! Utter peace and quiet - no traffic noise, no city sounds, no nearby neighbors. Absolute privacy: between you and the nearest road is a eucalyptus forest. ESTATE & GROUNDS - Experience exceptional privacy - Sweeping ocean views and the most amazing lanai from which to enjoy it. - Surround yourself in nature and tropical beauty in all directions. - Rolling gardens, including an orchard of fruit trees, banana groves, lilikoi (passion fruit) and pineapples. - 15 acres of replanted forest land. - Two streams. - Private waterfall with a natural swimming pool beneath it. - Nearly a mile of private road behind the gate for running or walking. HOME & AMENITIES: - Large house with 4 bedrooms, sleeps up to 10 maximum (4th bedroom available for parties of 5+ paid guests) - 3 full marble bathrooms and a half-bath, plus an outdoor shower for rinsing off after a hike or a trip to the beach. (3rd bath available in studio suite with 5+ paid guests) - Beautiful furnishings throughout the spacious home. - Fully equipped kitchen with ocean views, granite counters, gas range, large refrigerator with ice maker, oven, microwave, blender, toaster, coffee maker, rice cooker -- everything you need to prepare your gourmet meals. - Indoor dining room has a beautiful mango wood table and eight matching chairs. - Wraparound lanai has an outdoor dining table for eight, chaise lounges and a hot tub - Living room has a fireplace for those rare chilly evenings. - Marble-floored laundry room is equipped with washer and dryer. - Carport with space for two vehicles to keep out of the sun and rain. LOCATION: Ten miles (15-20 minutes from downtown Hilo) on the lush and scenic Hamakua Coast with ocean views, this is a storybook vacation paradise! Perfect location near beautiful waterfalls and river valleys. The Kapehu Retreat House offers the 'out in the country' feeling, yet you’re only a short drive from retail, restaurants and attractions Nearby: - Several black sand beaches for swimming or surfing - Several gorgeous botanical gardens - 2 zip line parks - Famous waterfalls - Sugar Mill and Train museums - Scenic Pepeekeo drive and trails through Onomea area - Akaka Falls State Park - Hamakua Coast - Honomu Village - One hour drive to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - One hour drive to Waipio Valley - All the conveniences of Hilo with access to many conveniences you’ll find on the mainland (movie theatre, shopping center, grocery stores, Starbucks, etc.) CLIMATE: The climate at Kapehu Retreat House is perfect year round. Situated at 900 feet elevation, the air is cooler than at the beach or in Hilo: upper 70's F to low 80's during the day, and upper 60's F to low 70’s at night most of the year. In the winter it can get down to the low 60's at night with a daytime high in the low to mid-70's. When you rent the Kapehu Retreat House with 5 or more paid guests, you get the main house plus the Owner's Suite (a second ocean view Master) - all to yourselves. You'll share the 20 acres with the guests of our Creekside Cottage vacation rental, but it's unlikely you'll see or hear them: the 1-bedroom cottage is across a creek and 2/10ths of a mile away. If you book 4 or fewer paid guests, you get the main house with 3 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths - including the Lanai Master bedroom and bath. All with the massive Great Room, Gourmet Kitchen, Laundry, Lanai, Hot tub, etc. You're welcome to pick the various fruit growing on the property (pineapples, papayas, figs, lilikoi/passion fruit, avocadoes, 3 varieties of bananas, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangerines). We leave our own snorkel gear in the house: you can borrow ours if it fits you, but please take good care of it - be sure to thoroughly rinse all the salt water out of it with fresh water after you use it, so it won't get damaged by mold. Or you can pick up your own snorkel gear very inexpensively in Hilo at the dive shops or Target. Our property manager will greet you on your arrival, and will be available by phone or text if you need anything during your stay. Usually he is within 20 or 30 minutes of the property. The owner is frequently on site as well, but will give you give you your privacy. Awesome serenity to soothe your soul. No roads in sight, no traffic sounds, no city lights. No nearby neighbors. There is a cottage on the same 20 acre estate, which is also a vacation rental, called the Kapehu Falls Creekside Cottage. Both houses have privacy, being separated by 1/4 mile distance and a creek and ravine. Kapehu Falls is just 10 miles from Hilo, Starbucks and all kinds of civilization if you want it. In the more immediate area are the Botanical Gardens, Onomea Scenic Drive, and Akaka Falls. There's plenty of parking for your rental vehicle including a covered carport. OFF-THE-GRID LIVING & LUXURIES: The property is located in a rural area, which means you can use this time to truly unplug, but we do have options available should you choose to stay connected. We do not have a landline phone, but most cell phone carriers work pretty well in the area. We offer DIRECTV and cable fiber Internet (recently upgraded). Water is provided from Hawaiian rainwater purified by filtration and UV light (catchment system). Propane tanks supply the gas for the stove, hot water heater and dryer. Like most homes in Hawaii, there is no air conditioning or heat on the property, but the home’s temperature can be regulated through the many windows which catch the cool ocean breezes. It rarely gets hot at this elevation, and the nights always cool down to 70 or below. If heat and humidity are a problem for you or your guests, you may wish to rent an air-conditioned hotel room.