This hidden gem, nestled amongst lush greenery in Paauilo Mauka, offers a peaceful refuge during your Big Island adventures. Wake up to the sounds of birds in the surrounding native O’hia, Kukui and Koa trees, relax in our Japanese-style wood soaking tub, take a cold dip in our pond or lie on the grass in the sun. You might even want to get the firepit going in the evening, listen to the tree frogs and crickets sing, and stargaze in the 1 acre backyard. Our restful two-bedroom Garden Apartment is nestled on the ground level of the multi unit Main House at Keolamauloa Homestead. This historic residence also hosts the upstairs Treetop Apartment, and street facing Storefront Apartment. While our accommodation is simply outfitted, it will feel like a cool and calming retreat. It includes a private entrance, a fully equipped kitchen, and a bathroom that looks out on ferns and the pond below. The warm and comfortable living room is stocked with books of Hawaiian cultural interest and includes a propane fireplace for cool evenings and a pull-out couch should our guests need additional sleeping arrangements. Most of our visitors come to explore the natural beauty of the Big Island and enjoy our homestead as a restful basecamp. Keolamauloa will welcome you home, whether you have taken a beautiful walk in our rural neighborhood, traveled a few miles to Kalopa State Park and our historic Honoka’a town, or taken a day trip to Kohala and the Kona Coast or to Hilo and the Volcano. Keolamauloa Homestead is located 37 miles north of Hilo, at the cool 1800 ft. elevation in Paauilo Mauka. A historic family property, it was originally developed in the 1930’s as a coffee farm. As a center of community life, this homestead included a family-run general store. Japanese movies were shown in the garage to homestead families and friends. The strength and resourcefulness of this family have inspired those who followed. Today, our family works and plays on this small family farm and share a vision of sustainable living. In addition to our work as educators in local schools, Keith and I own and operate Manukai Designs from our workshop/studio. Guests have full access to the top 1 acre of our 4 acre homestead. Shared spaces include our large pond, upper sun deck, backyard fire pit, outdoor dining, hot tub and a bar-b-que area. You may access the hotub from 8am-9pm. Keith and I live with our teenage daughter on the homestead in a separate cottage, and while we are happy to answer any questions if you see us, we will respect your privacy. We are full time educators during the week, and our evenings and weekends are filled with working on the homestead, working in our art studio, relaxing or surfing. We are 15 minutes from Honokaa town. Our favorite suggestions include hiking in the nearby Kalopa State Park, browsing for locally made goods in one of the many town shops, and attending Hamakua Harvest, a community farmers market that takes place in Honokaa on Sundays. We also recommend eating at the amazing Grandmas Kitchen, taking a day trip to Kohala, Kona, Hilo, or Volcano…or just enjoying the quiet of the homestead, a relaxing hot tub, and a walk in the Paauilo countryside. This is a great place to visit and we are happy to be able to share it. Our vacation rental has been in operation since 2006, owned by my mother Kaye, with "boots on the ground" hosting by Keith and I (as we live on the homestead.) She received excellent ratings on AirBnB, and Keolamauloa was recommended in Lonely Planet. However, we all decided to put the rental on hold during 2020 and most of 2021 due to the pandemic. Beginning September 2021 , Keith and I took over all aspects of managing the rental, which required us to create a new Airbnb account. So... while we have few reviews, please be assured we are well versed in excellent customer service. We have enjoyed welcoming guests back to Keolamauloa!