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A slice of paradise not often seen by tourists.

Photo gallery for A slice of paradise not often seen by tourists.

ranch sign on highway
entrance off of the highway
living room overlooking the riding arena
bedroom with kaulaili and hat used by Rally Greenwell, manager of Parker ranch. The picture over the bed is the rare occasion where all three major mountains have had snow on them
refrig. and couch in living room

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 2

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Kamuela, HI
  • Kohala
  • Waipio Valley Lookout
    ‪35 min drive‬
  • Mauna Kea Beach
    ‪40 min drive‬
  • Kamuela, HI (MUE-Waimea-Kohala)

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen
Dining area

About this property

A slice of paradise not often seen by tourists.

Come stay on the Rocking chair ranch, home of the the bridle suite and share in the Paniolo lifestyle. Walk downstairs in the morning with your coffee and say hello to the horses and Tequila the donkey. From your living room table you can look down on the cowboys all day in their daily activities of training, roping, cutting or dressage. .

You are only 5 miles from the best restaurants on the Big Island but you wake up every morning to green pastures and trees, not a house in sight! The ranch consist of 73 acres to hike, picnic and walk.

Were just 15 miles up from the white sand beaches of Maumai, Hapuna, Puako and Mauna Kea.

Property manager

Brian Anderson

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Parking available
Barbecue grill
Mountain view

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 12:00 PM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
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Pets

No pets allowed
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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: 20
Host has indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Kamuela

Located in Kamuela, this apartment is in a rural area. Parker Ranch Center and Isaacs Art Center are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Darrin Gee's Spirit of Golf Academy and Waipio Na'alapa Trail. WM Keck Observatory Office and Anna Ranch Heritage Center are also worth visiting. Swimming offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with ecotours and horse riding nearby.
Map
Kamuela, HI

What's nearby

  • Parker Ranch Center - 14 min drive - 11.6 km
  • Waimea Park - 15 min drive - 12.0 km
  • Waipio Valley Lookout - 35 min drive - 31.6 km
  • Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area - 37 min drive - 35.0 km
  • Mauna Kea Beach - 40 min drive - 35.0 km

Getting around

  • Kamuela, HI (MUE-Waimea-Kohala) - 14 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Fish & The Hog - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪L & L Drive-Inn - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Village Burger - ‬10 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is A slice of paradise not often seen by tourists. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at A slice of paradise not often seen by tourists.?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at A slice of paradise not often seen by tourists.?

Checkout is at 12:00 PM.

Where is A slice of paradise not often seen by tourists. located?

Situated in a rural location, this apartment building is steps from Hamakua Heritage Corridor and within 6 mi (10 km) of Waimea Reservoir and Darrin Gee's Spirit of Golf Academy. WM Keck Observatory Office and North Hawaii Community Hospital are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 46 out of 57 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 57 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 57 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 57 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 57 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Keith C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Ranch

Love the barn and ranch setting. Hastle free stay and folks very friendly.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Sheri A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Rocking chair ranch- peaceful

We love the solitude and beauty of this place. It is an easy drive to the beaches and locations north such as Hawi and the north Kohanaiki coast. We had spent several of our days in the Kona area which we also loved but this is a whole different wonderful experience!

10/10 Excellent

Glenn B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Authentic Hawaiian Experience

Not for pampered 5-star devotees or people who want to sleep late. This is a clean, well appointed unit located within a big horse arena structure. Rural setting with star-filled sky, livestock in the pasture & equestrian activities right out the window. Wonderful memorabilia evokes a connection with the history of the Parker Ranch. For us, a pleasing contrast to the artificiality of the Kona reaorts.

10/10 Excellent

Janelle P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Enjoyable ranch stay accommodation

Loved this ranch stay accommodation, everyone was so friendly, we will definitely be back.

8/10 Good

Jim C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice horses

Friendly

10/10 Excellent

charles a.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stay was wonderful quite and peaceful

Very peaceful got a good night sleep it was wonderful u
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Frank N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Tiny charming space for two

Well maintained horse ranch. Good looking horses. Unfortunately a significant winter storm with constant wind and rain kept me from strolling through pastures to get a better look. ATV and leaf blower used for cleaning stall mats and concrete pads fire up at 6:30am or shortly after. Early risers so no prob, but some might not enjoy. 🙂 kept me from strolling through the pastures to get a better look at them.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

marie c.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The best getaway!

I was looking for peace & quiet so this was the perfect place! I woke up each morn to the sound of birds chirping! The view from the back windows are breathtaking with the green rolling hills & seeing the horses & a donkey in the pasture. Btw, the horses loved the carrots! The other window looks out to the arena & you can watch everything going on. The accommodations were comfy & cozy. Memorabilia on the walls were, of course, cowboy style & that saddle is amazing.
Stayed 14 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Friendly

This is a peaceful and relaxing place to stay. Once you open the windows you have great cross breezes. Scenery is spectacular. Short drive to town and restaurants. It was exactly what we were looking for.

10/10 Excellent

Sherry B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful

Very peaceful, quiet, relaxing, & private. Definitely not a resort atmosphere, but just right for us country folks who don't like crowds.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Nancy P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Love horses?

Rocking Chair Ranch is a must-stay if you are a horse lover. Friendly horses and goat and breath-taking vistas. A little musty in our accommodations, but opening the window helped that.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Noele M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute little spot, great location & very cozy :)

No complaints at all very easy and hassle free very satisfied with the whole experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Don L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Horsing around

What a unique and refreshing stay if you like farm and ranch settings. We certainly did. The people there were great too. Really loved it

10/10 Excellent

Leslie C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Rustic stay in a fabulous location

Staying at an actual working horse arena was fantastic. The room is rustic and quaint with all the amenities one needs. If you are looking for an experience stay here, but if you are looking for a clean and sterile environment like a resort then don’t. The location is central to the western-type towns of Honoka’a and the larger city of Waimea. The views are heavenly. The room doesn’t have air conditioning but the weather is cool at night. Come experience the paniola life-style. Directions were left in the room for me so I never had to contact the property manager.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

8/10 Good

Brion N.

Visit to Panialo country.

This is visit to the country. In the morning the turns on the sky and lights up Mouna Kea and the green Waimea hills. At night the sky fills with stars. Everyone you meet on the ranch has time to say hello even the horses come to say hello. A place to forget the world is rushing around and you don't have to.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Mike F.

Great stay in a unique setting!

My wife and I wanted to surprise our granddaughter on our trip to the big island and we absolutely did with the Rocking Chair Ranch. All our interactions with other people were great and people seemed more than happy to talk with us even though none of them had any connection with the "Bridle Suite." My only suggestion would be to install a door or heavier curtain(s) into the bathroom!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Sylvie S.

Awesome

What a unique place to stay!!! Beautiful rolling hills filled with horses . Close to town. We definitely would come back has everything you need!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2019

8/10 Good

Janet G.

Something Different

Imagine waking up to the sound of a horse neighing right under your window. And then sitting at your small table looking down into an arena where there are riders working their horses. It's a unique scene. There are cattle and horses in the pastures out another window. The view is very pretty, and everyone is real friendly. This was a return visit for us, and we would come back again.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Judy C.

This property is unique, beautiful and the perfect representation of a working ranch.

We had no idea that our stay would include horses, goats and cows to bribe with apples for petting! Also, the Bridle Suite offers a large picture window looking over the adjacent arena where all sorts of training takes place on horseback. Calf roping, spins and something close to dressage all took place right outside our window! It was an absolute bonus in addition to our beautiful accommodations, with all amenities provided. Note: People coming to stay need to understand that a "working ranch" means just that - work starts early and at 6:30am cowboys are out feeding livestock and performing other chores. We LOVED it, but it may not be for everyone. There were always people around to answer questions, solve issues and share stories. Everyone seemed willing to accommodate us as guests and were very responsive.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019

4/10 Poor

LISA K., marquette

Needs a powerwasher.

The unit was clean on the inside but the outside could use a powerwash. The handrail going up leaves your hand red with dirt, the windows are full of webs and the cute little sitting area in the photo is thick with dirt and not useable. This unit sits above the riding arena like a birdbox. And Brian, there is soneone at 4am in a diesel truck clanging around below as a previous viewer complained. This is a working farm and a beautiful one. But also a vacation rental and on that the unit is lacking and disappointing. We booked 3 nights but the second night stayed at a B and B in Volcano. Returned late the 3rd night to sleep and were awoken again at 4 am by the same truck as the 1st night.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2019

6/10 Okay

Lori O.

Interesting being on a horse ranch.

The rental is upstairs above the barn where they exercise the horses. If you like horses this is a great place to stay. You can walk around and see the horses in their fields. You can often hear them whinnying. You can also smell them. :/ Workers run tractors around the area each morning. We couldn't get the hot plate to work. The shower takes a little time to figure out. Nice location not far from Waimea- we went to the grocery store there for food and to Spencer Beach to get in the water (where my daughter stepped on something spiny that got all through her foot necessitating a trip to the Waimea Urgent Care- but that is another story!). They had boogie boards and other things to use in the water there. All in all it was worthwhile. Pretty area with the green rolling hills. Could use double paned windows as they were foggy with condensation each morning.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Beth F.

Authentic Big Island Ranch Experience

My husband and I stayed at the Rocking Chair Ranch in Waimea on the Big Island. I'm a passionate horse lover and the experience lived up to it's promise of being surrounded by horses and the people who love them. The apartment overlooked the large Anderson Indoor Arena so you have a great view of horses and their riders. The ranch and horses are very well cared for. I was especially impressed with Dana, who manages the care of the horses. The arena is groomed daily which means you hear the machinery in the morning, but for us that just added to the authenticity. We really enjoyed our stay and would recommend it to others.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019

2/10 Terrible

Stan A.

6:15 am blaring wake up and live in a stable complex

This is a commercial ranch. You get to sleep in the complex with the neighing horses and the farm machinery starts blaring at 6:15 am. We could not sleep. We booked 2 nights but left after 1 it was so bad. The owner of the commercial ranch refused to make good for our sleepless night and our need to leave to find a decent restful place - most fair owners would refund 2 nights or at least 1. The owner left the door to our room open and when we got there specifically stated that he did not care if we were there or not. No service, no sleep, and piles of horse manure 30 feet from your room.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Geetha V.

Fantastic views, clean space and beautiful horses!

I highly recommend this place. We had a great time in Waimea area exploring near by places and just enjoying the birds and horses on the ranch as well. The place is super clean and the furniture and fixtures are so tasteful all designed around horses. My husband and I had a great time and will be back in the future. Thank you Brian and the friendly staff at the ranch!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018

About the host

Hosted by Brian Anderson

Host profile image
We were both born and raised in Hawaii. Brought up around horses and cattle and still actively rope and ride daily.Joan's dad was the manager of the Parker Ranch for many years and she has seen

Why they chose this property

You come to Hawaii to enjoy nature and the peace and quiet it offers. We are up country where nights are cool and the beaches are just minutes away. The best of both worlds.

What makes this property unique

Hawaii's largest equestrian center.

Languages:

English
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