Aloha and welcome to Koili Point! This oceanfront 2 bedroom, 2 bath home has everything you need to work remotely. Great WiFi, Pool and hot tub, AC, numerous appliances, hardwood tables and an open layout make it a retreat to rest after a long day sightseeing. Free parking, washer/dryer... Located just north of Hilo on Hamakua Coast. Guests love our focus on eco-living as we are powered 100% by solar. If not available, check out our nearly identical house: https://airbnb.com/h/koilipoint-waimea Koili Point is less than 1/4 mile from the 4 mile Scenic Drive route and close to the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls and the Hawaii Planation Museum. Our family has great respect for the land and hope you will as well. Realizing you, like most of our guests, are probably coming from an urban setting, our aim is to provide you with an oasis of natural comfort that will help you smoothly transition from noise and daily work pace to nature's sounds and rhythm. As such, we have chosen to power our house with solar using an array of 48 solar panels and Blue Ion batteries. We have also installed a Generac backup generator for those spates of cloudy days to ensure AC is abundant. For the most part, you would not even know the house is powered by the sun and augmented by propane as needed. Part of the experience we provide is that we are part of nature -- and not apart from it. We also chose to use Hawaii County water as the aquifer in Papa'ikou has to be one of the purest in the world. As we mentioned, we have another house which is on the opposite side of the pool, hot tub, and tiki hut patio. That house is a mirror image of this one and is 40 ft apart at its closest point. From the porch (lanai), in the winter, there is a very high probability you will be able to see whales breaching off shore. We have also seen dolphins resting in the bay just to the south of the property in the mid-morning hours. In the house, we have done our best to make it extremely comfortable. Organic cotton mattresses and sheets, teak and mango bedframes, TOTO washlets that are hands free with a remote control, possibly the best washer and dryer one can buy, teak swivel chairs on the island, top end appliances, handblown glass fixtures in the kitchen and dining room, usb outlets in various spots in case you forgot your adapter, etc... For beachgoers, we have beach mats, beach chairs, beach towels, and coolers. No to mention the resort style pool and hot tub with safety fence! Our landscaping efforts are a true work-in-progress both because we enjoy it and because it's a lot of work! We continue to plant new fruit trees and various ground covers so the look is always changing. We are always looking to improve yet hope you will be quite pleased with what we have to date. We decided to go completely off-grid in terms of electricity and are 100% solar powered. Important to know is that while this means the AC will run from the early morning into the dusk hours, it will not run 24 hours in order to ensure that the rest of the house is powered all through the night. Once the batteries recharge back to 90% full in the morning, the AC will start up and will run until the batteries reduce to 80% full. Once the AC automatically turns off after dusk, we have ceiling and floor fans as needed. Also, you might actually prefer to open the windows as nighttime temps in Pāpaʻikou are almost always in the 60s so enjoy nature! That is one of our goals! Also, to maximize AC running time, use the washer in the day time hours. On the property, there are coconuts year round for you to enjoy as well as various fruits ripening throughout the year for you to pick off the trees. We have a number of young trees as well and with each passing season, more are coming into bloom. Our Meyer lemon trees are superstars and for most months of the year, you will be able to squeeze 'just picked' lemons on your fresh fish. As avocadoes ripen, you may enjoy spreading them on toast for your breakfast choice. We have already picked many hands of bananas as well as lychee. This past summer, we have had papayas, bananas, lychees and mangos available. Cut up or blend into a smoothie? Next year we should have another 10 trees with fruits. Some guests enjoy spicing up their appetizers or meals with our Hawaiian chili peppers. They are small yet pack a punch! Maybe you would enjoy using the leaves from our curry or allspice trees in your favorite recipe as well. If you have never smelled a pua kenikeni flower, you will have the chance as well at Koili Point. In the winter months, there is nothing more magnificent than seeing humpback whales breaching as you sit on the lanai. We have seen them as early as December and as late as April. Some years have more than others and there are usually 3 official whale counts on all of the Hawaiian islands in late Jan, Feb and March of each year. And on clear nights when the moon is full, you will better understand why we call our home on the point, Koili -- which poetically translates to 'moonlight resting on the ocean'. Aloha and have a wonderful stay! Aloha, as a guest, you are treated like family. That means you are welcome to meander to the bluff and check out the ocean, grab any coconuts that may have fallen on the grass, or maybe take a stroll to the top part of the property and pick ripe fruits you see on the trees. On the south side of the property is a nearly 100 acre agricultural tract with no residents. And on the north side is a neighbor who is off-island most of the time. Very quiet setting in any case. We have another house on the property that shares the pool and hot tub. The other house is identical but with a Queen bed instead of 2 twins. airbnb.com/h/koilipoint-waimea Both houses are separate with their own private entrances and just like at a high end resort, all guests should be respectful of other guests. It is up to you the amount of interactions you may want to have with other guests. You will be welcomed with Aloha at Koili Point. Maggie, will meet you under most circumstances. That said, we offer self check-in as well. She can answer any questions you may have either concierge wise or logistically speaking. Maggie lives in another house on the property when she is not performing as a jazz musician at one of the top resorts in the Islands. We will provide her phone number to you as well as a backup number as needed. The name Papaikou, means the area of kou trees. Historically, the vast majority of this rich agricultural area was given to one of Hawaii's royalty during the Grand Mahele in 1848. Later, this Royal sold it to the Onomea Sugar Company which cultivated sugarcane for many years. In the past 30 years, the surrounding properties were sold again and finally to our family n 2014. Our location on the Hamakua Coast is absolutely breathtaking and there are many natural wonders all around to explore. Within walking distance is the Hawaii Planation Museum, the 4 mile Scenic Drive, the former Papaikou Sugar Mill with beach access, the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, and old plantation camps that will bring you back in time! You will undoubtedly note how prolific flora is on this side of the island. It's no wonder considering the area probably averages more than 11 feet deep of nutrient rich dirt. It is probably best to either have a car on the Big Island. Considering the island is as big as New Jersey, a vehicle will help make your stay more enjoyable. That said, depending on your bicycle riding prowess, there are great roads to explore in the Papaikou and Hamakua areas. From Koili Point, most guests drive to Volcano National Park, Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, Waimea town, and even take a day trip to Kona. FAQ from guests: -- Are the washer and dryer free? Yes, they are. They are located right inside the house in the utility room when you first walk in. -- Can we pick fruits from the trees to eat? Yes, we very much hope you do. When the trees are fruiting, there is an abundance. In Hawaii, that means sharing with friends and family. -- Do you use pesticides on the fruit trees? We do not use pesticides or herbicides. 100% natural. As you can imagine, in Hawaii, this takes a lot of work but we feel it's worth it as whatever we use seeps directly into the ocean. Please make sure you do not leave food out as it will be discovered by ants and others who have extra good senses of smell. -- Is there a high chair for toddlers at Koili Point? Yes, we do have a high chair and we also have a crib. Just let us know if you would like it made available for you. -- I understand Koili Point is 100% solar. Why did you choose that? One of our goals at Koili Point is to provide a very high level of comfort and at the same time, provide guests the opportunity to become even more aware of their natural surroundings. We monitor the battery power remotely and if they remain below a certain percentage, our backup generator automatically starts to ensure there is plenty of power for ordinary services. -- Will the AC and wifi be affected? Under most circumstances, you will not be aware that the house is powered by solar. During an extended period of cloudy days, the batteries take longer than 3-4 hours to go from 20% to 100% charge. Just remember that the sunnier the day, the quicker the batteries will recharge for that evening/night. -- How many solar panels does Koili Point have? We have 48 panels and 32 kilowatts of battery power. This is quite substantial for a house. -- AC will run from the morning until an hour or so after dusk -- until the batteries reduce to 90%. Once they recharge back up to 90% in the morning, the AC will automatically turn on. At night, there are ceiling and floor fans as well as plenty of windows to enjoy the normal nighttime temps in the 60s. -- Will you accept long-term? Yes. You can also search for Koili Point on the web to find more contact information regarding this and for special deals. -- If your preferred dates appear to be booked, we have a second, identical house on the property which may be available.