Waterfalling Estate has just been sold by Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions in an auction with a reserve price of US$5.75 million. As of September 15 though, the winning bid had yet to be announced.

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The secluded property sits on almost four hectares (9.44 acres) on the northeast Hamakua Coast, a stretch of 80km on the Pacific Ocean between Hilo (served by an international airport) and Waipi’o, with the world’s tallest mountain (as measured from the seabed), Mauna Kea, at the coast’s back. Perched on a cliffside, its dramatic views are some of the most spectacular in the state, overlooking Manaloa Stream, which drops a shimmering 75 metres in two falls to tumble into the ocean.

But it’s the rambling, tiered house and complementing ohana – guest house – that really seals the deal for Waterfalling Estate. Built in 2005, its modern architecture boasts an entirely travertine (limestone) exterior, and incorporates amenities designed for the peak of luxury living, including your own private sporting venues – a floodlit tennis stadium that accommodates 450; a nine-hole golf course; a cliffside aquatics centre with a three-lane, 25-metre swimming pool and Duraflex diving boards – and no less than three helipads on top of the main residence. Elsewhere are a spa, a children’s lap pool, a two-storey waterslide (from a balcony), plus an outdoor jacuzzi, bar, grill and dining area.

All-in-all, the private, gated property has enough amenities to ensure that once there, you’ll have no need to leave.

Hawaiian property demands comprehensive outdoor living space, but the Waterfalling Estate’s interiors are just as impressive. Spanning nearly 11,000 sq ft across three storeys, the entire residence includes five bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, served by a central Daytona 1.3-metre round pneumatic air compression lift at the centre of an atrium.

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After arriving via the circular drive that ends at a four-car garage, the front door opens onto the second level – essentially the entertainment space that announces itself through the piano placed at the intersection of the core living areas.

The expansive central living area is flanked by a corner bar, dining area and state-of-the-art kitchen. Natural wood trim on the staircase, doors, recessed ceilings and kitchen cabinetry is the foundation of the design language for the entire estate. Neutral colours and natural stone (marble and granite) for tiling and floors bring the outside of the house inside, and emphasise the natural light flooding through massive windows and sliding doors, while glass balustrades create an open, airy mood throughout. In the main kitchen, there is no upper storage to obscure the light or the views out to the waterfalls and the Pacific Ocean beyond the wraparound deck.

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Down on the ground floor – the aquatic level – attention turns to housing guests as well as to more secluded entertainment. Dual bedroom suites and a bunk bedroom sit at the north and south ends of the house, with a billiard and games room, media area, sauna, outdoor kitchen and dining area in between. The ground level is also more atmospheric, designed to provoke intimate socialising with its muted lighting and rich, welcoming earth tones. A seating area and second indoor kitchen complete the space and put the final touches on one of Hawaii’s most singular homes.