just a lovely place to stay. Tastefully decorated and outfitted, a very comfortable home.

Peaceful, quiet, private and charming. Great local restaurants in Hawi. 5 minutes away. Morning coffee at Kohala Coffee. Locals are welcoming some great conversations. Every morning the fellow with his dog and goat show,up. Sushi Rocks is great. Let the owner decide what to bring you for dinner. Gills,Taco Shed in Ka’paa is terrific. Stop for lunch after going to the end of the road (literally) and hike down to the black sand beach. Waimea and the Kona coast are a restful,30 minutes away if you decide you can’t stand being relaxed.

My husband and I stayed in the Miles Away cottage at Puakea Ranch in March 2011. I read about the ranch in Sunset magazine and was obsessed with the idea of staying there for many months before I could finally schedule a getaway. The cottage and the ranch did not disappoint. They were both beautiful and felt like the perfect home away from home. We made delicious breakfasts with eggs from the resident chickens and made friends with the dogs who learned our breakfast schedule. The view was amazing. And the bathhouse was better than a spa. The town of Hawi is adorable, with some of the best restaurants on the island (Zest, Sushi Rock). Due to 30 mph+ winds and rain during most of our stay we couldn't enjoy the pool as much as we would have wished. And the wind also caused the old windows to rattle mightily throughout the night, so sleeping was challenging. Locals assured us that the wind was unusually strong. In spite of the terrible weather, Miles Away is now our standard for vacation accommodations and we hope to be back soon --but I will check the weather forecast first.