If you’re looking for the best private beachfront luxury rental in Hawaii, Kalaea House is your dream come true!
I tried out the most exclusive luxury rental in Hawaii – Kalae House
I had the unbelievable chance to stay at this dreamy Hawaiian getaway, and I spent some of the best days of my life sipping mai tais on the lanai and listening to the roar of the ocean right outside my doorstep.
The Kalae House VRBO listing states:
This oceanfront residence is located in a gated estate. Situated in a private neighborhood off of Kailua-Kona’s scenic Ali’i Drive, just 5 minutes from town. Recently remodeled, this home reflects a true sense of place with Hawaii-style architecture, expansive indoor-outdoor living spaces, wrap around lanais, lagoon-shaped swimming pool with spa and coco palms framing the amazing ocean and sunset views.
This 4 bedroom 4 bathroom home has enough room for the whole family!
Named Kalaeapuapuaʻa, or Kalae House for short, this privately-owned property is truly a hidden gem. Now open to guests through VRBO, anyone can have a taste of living like Hawaiian royalty! This is a very exclusive luxury rental, and the owners are very selective about who they hand the keys to. They do not host events or parties at Kalae House; only intimate vacations for a few guests or small families. If you want to book this exclusive kona vacation rental, check out the listing on VRBO, apply for a reservation, and the owner will message you if they have further questions.
Kalae House Location – Kona, Hawaii
Nestled along the pristine coastline and surrounded by lush forest and rolling black lava flows, you would never guess this Hawaiian getaway is only 5 minutes away from the heart of Kona town! Its spaciously manicured lawn is speckled with centennial palms, fragrant plumerias, bromeliads, and tropical flower beds.
Best Poolside View in Hawaii
This seriously is the most amazing, unique luxury rental in Hawaii. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw it. The pool looks as though it were carved from the ancient cooled lava flows beneath it. On an upper shelf a jacuzzi steams pleasantly, overlooking the endless ocean, and beneath it a waterfall cascades into the pool below.
At sunset I would often soak in the jacuzzi and look out to the darkening ocean, watching a pod of dolphins cruise by, a humpback raise its fin, or a manta spiral its huge body out of the waves and into the air. Once finished bathing in the pool, one need only to follow the lava stepping stones to an outdoor shower shaded by red hibiscus flowers and a pomelo tree, along with the privacy of hardwood walls.
Best Stargazing in Kona Town
At night, the house lights up into a jungle fairy land. The trickling pond glows with lilies and giant monstera leaves. A bridge crosses by the pond’s waterfall and leads to an intimate cabana, hugged by tea leaves and fitted with a sitting area- perfect for late night drinks or early misty morning tea.
On cloudless nights, the sky is full of bright stars and you can often see the milky way clearly. We even saw a few shooting stars!
Inside the Most Luxurious Vacation Rental in Hawaii, Kona
Inside the high ceilings are thatched with hand-woven straw mats and darkly stained koa wood, giving the modern home a warm island feel. The beautiful Kona rental can be cooled by it’s powerful a/c, or you can let nature do the cooling and slide open the entire ocean-facing glass paneled wall, allowing the sea breeze to swirl in.
The beds are comfortable and fitted with high thread-count, natural sheets and tropical duvets. Every room in the house is designed with its own unique, Hawaii-inspired architectures including raw hardwood posts, ocean-smoothed pebble tile, lava blocks, and other locally sourced materials. The bathrooms are bright and airy, and the kitchen is open and spacious and fitted with every cooking utensil and tool you could ever need. It’s induction stove, fridge, microwaves and dishwasher are top-of-the-line.
Beach Access from Kalae House
You can take a lovely stroll in the cooler morning or late evening after the midday heat has settled. The left of the backyard has a hidden steps leading over the property’s seawall and into a white-sand beach, its sand made from millions of sea shells (some shells in perfect condition and lovely to admire!). As you walk to the south you traverse black lava flows along the turquoise seaside, coming soon to a sacred Hawaiian site with carvings in the stone and a crumbling temple that the Hawaiian people lovingly reassemble year after year, keeping up with the harsh elements of the oceanside.
If you wish to go for a swim in the ocean, you can enter the sea from the lava flows to the northern side of the shore on a calm day. But for those who aren’t as experienced with the potential hazards of a lava flow ocean entry, the nearby Honl’s Beach is a great option. Honl’s is a beautiful white-sand beach with body-surfing and snorkeling with bright yellow tang and other tropical fish is only a 15 minutes walk down the main road, or a quick 3 minute drive.
Scuba Lessons in the Private Pool
One of our friends who was staying with us wanted to learn how to scuba, and we were able to use the estate’s private pool for her first lessons! Chris, the amazing scuba instructor and a local shore diving guide at his company Kona Shore Divers, came by and taught her one-on-one in the pool, and then once she passed those lessons he brought her to a nearby excellent dive shop, only 15 minutes away!
Hawaiian Flower Crown (Haku) Making
The talented local florists and lei / haku makers from Kona Haku offer super fun lessons on how to make these beautiful, fragrant creations. We had them over one day for a birthday party and had a really fun time selecting and weaving the flowers together, and learning a bit about their use in Hawaiian culture. These beautiful head leis are made and worn on special occasions such as luaus (parties), graduations, weddings, and ceremonies. Giving a lei is a special way to welcome someone, symbolizing friendship, love, and honor. In essence, it’s giving the spirit of aloha!
Best Attractions in Kona, Hawaii
Other nearby attractions include amazing snorkeling or whale watching adventures with Captain Zodiac, visiting Da Poke Shack for the freshest catch of the day, Luau at the Royal Kona, Captain Cook Bay Hike (instructions in this article), Manta night Dives or other scuba adventures with the friendly team at Aquatic Life Divers, lunch takeout from Broke Da Mouth Grinds for Hawaiian classics, and Hapuna Beach for the longest white sand beach.
Camping in Hawaii
If you’re looking for a more rugged, earthy experience in Kona, try camping right on the beach! I camped all over Hawaii on a budget, and wrote about it here.
