K&K stands for Big Island hosts Kenny and Kilohana

Their beautiful B&B could be called H&H (Hawaiian Heaven)

Arriving at Kalaekilohana at Kau on Hawaii’s Big Island, feels like coming home. That’s because a guest has indeed arrived at the home of Kenny Joyce and Kilohana Domingo, who are waiting to welcome one and all to their Island plantation-style B&B. Their friendly waves always beckon visitors up the long drive. It’s a tradition. Coming and going, guests enjoy the innkeepers welcome from the lanai, the inviting tropical-style porch that wraps around their Norman Rockwell home, glowing sunshine yellow against a startling blue sky. “E komo mai, welcome and come in,” they say.

A glimpse through the open front door promises extraordinary experiences: a music room, library shelves lined with art, artifacts and dozens of Hawaiian books, soft chairs for relaxing. Gleaming hardwood floors lead to the piko, the center of the home, where the wide and winding stairway turns up to luxurious guest rooms and a cupola with a breathtaking view. All this comes in the first glance. Yet beyond the anticipated relaxation, the true beauty of this casually elegant bed and breakfast is the spirit of the owners.

For Kenny and Kilohana – or “K&K” as they are sometimes called – the ultimate goal, is to share the experience of their hand-crafted Hawaiian home. Both had full-time jobs when they bought the land. Hundreds of loads of the weed bush Christmas berry had to be cleared. They had an idea for the placement of the house. As they cleared, bulldozed and graded, they say the land told them where the house should be.

One day they decided to take the giant leap, leave their jobs and build their dream home. Their original design pays homage to the gracious entry of Queen Emma Summer Palace. ‘Iolani Palace, the home of the Hawaiian monarchy, inspired the cupola at the top of the stair with a view of forever. The innkeepers-to-be spent their first years living in their workshop outbuilding. That building was topped with their test cupola.

“We just imagined the big house underneath. When we climbed the new stairs, our first view was snow atop the 14,000-foot peak of Mauna Kea. We said, ‘Oh my God’ in unison.”

It was learn-as-you-go as they mastered trade skills as designers, roofers, plumbers and fine craftsmen, building their inn. Every detail of door and floor is a perfect fit.

The vision was classic, but the building codes were modern. Kenny loves to point out the wide board on the top of the länai railing. “In the plantation homes that rail was low for sitting, a place to put a plate and a drink at a family dinner,” he says. “It didn’t block the view.” Today only a 36-inch high rail is legal. With a nod to the old-style plantation home galvanized pipe railings, Kenny satisfied the building code with an offset painted pipe. “You can still set a drink there and see a sunset,” he says with a satisfied carpenter’s smile.

Being a guest at Kaleakilohana is often called “Hawaiian Heaven.” After a day of exploring, or doing nothing, one is welcomed by host Kenny to a bar complete with glasses and olives. The gin is up to the guest. There are simple dining choices close by in Na’alehu or Ocean View. With four guest rooms, each with private baths, weekend roomies can be expected and new friendships enjoyed.

Dining in, potluck style, happens often when the rooms are full. Cooking is easy in the complete kitchen. K & K can be invited to dine at their own table, proving to be the perfect guests. They fill the evening with impromptu hula and music, a “speak Hawaiian-only” language lesson, complete with handout sheets.

Ocean breezes and the fragrance of apple sausage, macadamia waffles and eggs-made-to-order make a great alarm clock. The breakfast bounty, coffee, fruits, eggs, muffins, are all from the local farms.

Awake and satiated, guests find a new adventure awaits. Kilohana is ready to begin a class in lei making. He holds a degree in Hawaiian Studies from the University of Hawaii, is a member of the hula halau of Robert Cazimero, and the recipient of a Smithsonian fellowship for his feather lei work. The inn is filled with displays of his fine feather lei art.

Kilohana begins his class with a walk in the gardens and an oli, a chant in Hawaiian giving thanks to the ‘aina, the land. Gathering for lei making is an art in itself. Kilohana teaches respectful picking, never taking more than is needed. He quickly educates the untrained eye to find small greens and flowers to pick and weave into an intricate lei. Once the enthusiasm for lei making takes hold, guests often pass on beach hikes and stay for Kilohana’s beginning class on how to make a feather lei.

The namesake of Kalaekilohana is Ka Lae, the southernmost point of the United States, where the surf crashes and breaks, sending waves across the ocean toward different continents. Only an hour’s drive from the Kona airport, it feels remote. It is the spot to squint the eye and imagine Tahiti, far across the horizon. The wind-swept ocean cliffs have an energy that lends credibility to the theory that this was the first landfall to welcome the early Polynesian voyagers in A.D. 500.

The drive around the Kau district and on to Ka Lae is directed by Kenny and Kilohana via a CD tour that they recorded for their guests. A small booklet and map make the adventure easy. Guests and friends often encourage the innkeepers to publish the book. They laugh and say, “Of course, in our spare time.”

Offering up the experience of being home in Hawaii is their priority. “Our feeling,” says Kilohana, “is that Aloha shouldn’t sit in a museum. It should be experienced to give it life. We invite everyone to visit Kalaekilohana for the experience.”

Kalaekilohana Bed & Breakfast
92-2152 South Point Road,
Hawai’i Island
808-939-8052
www.kau-hawaii.com