The house was great--very comfortable. The beach was the best we were on. I would definately rent this property again. The manager was friendly and easy to get along with.
Judy R., McAlister, NewMexico, 6.4.11
We had a great trip to a lovely beach! We had a little anxiety when we first located the address. Don't be put off by the neighboring homes. Honu Hale was lovely (and we got great deals next door renting kayaks and paddle boards)! We loved kayaking to the twin islands off of Lanikai, biking, snorkeling (we swam with sea turtles!), and hiking up to the pillbox and to the falls at a local rainforest park. (Despite some earlier comments that the owner loaned their bikes and kayaks, that's not the case. We got good rates for water equipment from Jordan and Pete next door, and for bikes from The Bike Shop near the library.) We got a rewards card at the local Safeway and purchased groceries there. Lots on sale. Actually loved cooking in the kitchen and grilling in the lovely yard. We only got to Buzz's once, although Coldstone Creamery lured us several nights! The little deli was precious, but we never got around to eating there. (We had eaten out every night the week before in the city.) Find the incredible swimwear store near the bike shop and pawn store--something for everyone, even bikinis for the puritans! The college kids appreciated Starbucks in town, the movie theatre down the road, the wireless internet. (We never turned on the TVs!) And--despite early groans that they couldn't stay in an unairconditioned apartment--they loved the apartment, feeling they were in the treetops with the birds, and almost got cold at night! (It was in May, though.) The third room is tinier than tiny, but the 21-year-old loved his privacy there--and had the best view in the house! Do drive up to North Shore and the fruit stands (try the fried banana--trust me!) and down the picturesque coastal road towards Waikiki. But come back after the jaunt. We had stayed a week in Waikiki, and being in Kailua was truly paradise compared to the big city! We went to Oahu for a business trip, thinking we'd never return.....now I don't know about that ;-) !
Robin H., Burlington, NC, 6.1.11
Our second time at Honu Hale. Our experience was peaceful and tranquil. We spent 2 1/2 wks this time. Next year hopefully a month. When things get too quiet just drive to Waikiki for the day. Visit Zia's, the farmers' market and Champa Thai for great food. The beach OMG!.......it's why we love Kailua. Kimberly was very gracious and always there if something should go wrong, but nothing ever does.
Lydia F., Palmetto Bay, Florida, 5.1.11
Kimberly and Chuck were wonderfully friendly and helpful! The location was great - convenient, but quiet. I would suggest that you add a flashlight to the equipment provided as the alley can be quite dark if walking back at night. The building itself was comfortable, but is getting a bit tired - some dollars put into some maintenance might be good. The best "insider" tip was Kimberly's suggestion of the blueberry/cream cheese scones at Elvin's (sp?). Buzz's was good, as always, and their calamari steak (which we tried for the first time) was wonderful! We have family on the island, so have been over there several times. There's always something new, but much of the island is becoming quite comfortable.
Betty P., Orchard Park, NY, 2.2.11
We were greeted upon arrival and could get help as needed via phone. The location is great - directly across from Kailua Beach and just around the corner from Lanikai. The duplex is island style, with lots of open air (large screened-in porch, great tradewinds through the unit). As anywhere on the island, you have to keep the counters really clean and trash out regularly to keep from being overrun with ants in the kitchen. As for Kailua, the best restaurants are Lucy's (service isn't great, but the seafood is) and Casablanca (Moroccan with great ambiance). Make sure to get poke at Foodland, as well! The best beaches within walking distance are Kalama and Lanikai. Shopping in Kailua town is expensive, but Bookends is a great local book shop to get used and new books to read at the beach and for a good local lunch get a salad from Aloha Salads (uses locally grown produce) or an acai bowl or smoothie from Lanikai Juice. On other parts of the island, I would recommend visiting the USS Missouri and getting a tour by one of their guides (most prior Navy veterans), traveling up to the North Shore to watch surf competitions in the winter, going to Chinatown for First Friday (the first Friday of every month), body surfing at Mokapu (across from Sea Life Park), climbing Diamond Head or one of the more challenging hikes on the island, skydiving on the North Shore, going to a Sunday polo game on North Shore, or scuba diving (Aaron's dive shop is in Kailua and will give rides from Kailua and Waikiki). Anyone who gets island fever is crazy - there is so much to do on the island if you venture outside of Waikiki and all the tourist trap spots.
Michelle S., Wesley Chapel, Florida, 1.8.11
Don't judge Honu Hale as you first pull off the Highway onto the lane. It is a little difficult to see at night, and getting out of the lane is difficult as it is a blind corner. We love the beach across the street, it is very beautiful spot. The manager's, Chuck & Kim , were very helpful in finding places and recommendations on where to go and where to eat. Honu Hale is roomy with it's two bedrooms, the third bedroom is very small. If you have claustrophobia you won't want to stay in this room. The kitchen has everything you need, the closed in porch is great to sit and eat, visit, etc. It is a good value compared to your big hotels. Aloha
Patricia C., Des Moines, IA, 11.11.10
The Honu Hale was definately roomy enough for five adults. The beds are comfy and the two bathrooms handy. The kitchen is well equipped with everything you'd need. We used the barbecue grill several nights. The house is surrounded by trees so be ready to awake with the birds in the morning. They are loud and beautiful singers, they made me laugh. The location to the beach was just a couple of minutes walk down a lane and across the park. Take a stroll left down the beach to get away from the crowd, it's beautiful. Walk over the hill to Lanakai beach for the snorkelling. I wish we'd have found this out earlier in our trip since Kailua beach is all sand and no coral. Lanakai has both. Walk up the pillbox trail in the morning, it starts by the golf course in Lanakai. Great 360 degree views and so close by. BUZZs Steak House is worth a visit for the salad bar alone. We'd go back in a minute.
Cindy G., Norwood, NY, 1.12.10
The beach house was very cute and accomodating. I wasnt too happy about the ants in the kitchen and bathrooms, and the roaches that come out once the lights go out at night. Maui Tacos was great but be careful in the parking lot in the shopping center it is a high crime area and we had our rental vehicle broken into at 1045 in the morning and they stole our video camers which was well hidden, the police told us it was the 3rd break in that day. The beach house was just right across the street from the beach which was great, but we only got there once since it rained the whole time. This was our 5th trip to hawaii for our family so I think now were all island out. Best wishes to the next people and thanks to the rental people for booking this place for us, you guys did a great job. Aloha the Woehrle Family
Jennifer W., Stockton, CA, 3.8.09
Fantastic location, fantastic host, fantastic condo. Nothing negative to say at all. Absolutely wonderful! David Suggitt
David S., St Albert, AB, 1.14.09
Safe. Quiet. Clean. Great location (close to beach park, multiple activities, stores and medical facilities). Well "furnished" (plenty of beach towels, kitchen is well equipped, boogie boards, beach chairs and beach toys are a nice touch and the washer / dryer are a great help). Property Manager had great advice and recommendations. Not "5 Star Luxury" but a GREAT value for a family vacation. We will recommend highly to friends.
Doug H., Annapolis, Maryland, 8.19.08
The location and house were perfect for us. We were a few blocks from my daughter's house and just a few steps to the ocean.
Pat F., Hinesville, Georgia, 7.27.08
This beach house is magnificent! It more than met our expectations. The lush vegetation and flowers are beautiful. We appreciated being able to borrow beach items and use the washer and dryer in the garage. The beach is very close. Buzz is a great restauant just around the corner.
Kelly M., Tucumcari, NM, 7.15.08
The unit was very spacious and well equipped, very much a home from home. The location was excellent, in a quiet residential area and 2 minutes walk from the beach. Buzz' Steakhouse at the end of the drive is worth a go, there's excellent coffee at the market around the corner and fantastic Thai takeaways a couple of minutes drive away. I'd thoroughly recommend Honu Hale for a quiet family holiday.
Brian M., Kapiti, Wellington, 2.4.08
the unit was surprisingly spacious and very clean and fit our family comfortably. it was equipped with most everything we would need on vacation so that was a plus. free access to a washer and dryer was also a bonus. we loved that the beach was within walking distance, right across the street. it was definitely a great place to get together with family. we had lots of fun and we'd recommend it to anyone visiting hawaii!
Dayna B., La Crosse, Wisconsin, 9.12.07
KRISTA A LOVELY LADY QUIET GOOD VIEW FROM THE BACK PORCH EXCELLENT BEACH GRILLING AT HOME WAS THE BEST TOUR THE PERIMETER OF ALL OAHU FROM THE NORTH SHORE TO WAIKIKI DIVERSE AND PICTURESQUE ALL OF THE PICTURES ARE WINNERS I'LL COME AGAIN MAHALO !
Michael T., , , 8.31.07
Charming, relaxing place to stay. It's great to stay near the beach.
Peter S., Corte Madera, California, 8.27.07
We loved the living area at Honu Hale! The best part of the trip was visiting the Sea Life park. The best restaurant was Buzz's Steakhouse and it was just a short walk away! But make sure you make reservations! A picture of our family in our Hawaiian clothes was the best picture taken and all the pictures at the beach. We swam with dolphins. Go to Buzz's, enjoy the beach taking long walks and try Dave's icecream. Go the Sea Life park! Next time I would want to spend a longer time! I wish we would have had time to actual go on the Pearl Harbor memorial we only saw it from afar. We loved our time a Honu Hale.
Rick M., Arlington, Texas, 8.13.07
We loved the Honu Hale. The location was fabulous with the beach right across the street and the view from the screened in porch of the mountains was a great way to start the day.
Gwen B., , , 7.7.07
The quite location. Proximity to the beach was within walking distance. The Kailua beach was the second best beach I visited on the Island. The customer service I received was adaquate no problems at all. Best part was breath taking beaches. Cholos on North Shore was a great mexican resturant. Best picture of us was at Waimea Bay. I would say to someone staying at the unit is the accomodations are fabulous. snorkeling gear, boggie board, rafts, bar-b-que grill and the view were all awesome. What I would recommend to other is to go to Kailua Beach at 7:00 AM and view the sunrise on the beach.
Demetrius W., , , 6.25.07
Loved the location, size and view. Would choose this unit again. Steve Cox
Steve C., Birmingham, Alabama, 6.18.07
Hello there, What I liked best about the unit we rented was the proximity to the beach and the beautiful view of the golf course with the mountains in the background. That view was crucial to us giving this rental a thumbs up! Twice it rained and both times we were privileged to see rainbows coming from that direction! The unit itself was very clean and contained almost everything we needed (except a pen and pad of paper). It was so nice to find boogie boards, umbrellas and beach chairs available to us and that was really appreciated. We left some menus there and those types of "local" things (menus, maps, local guides) would have been nice to have had so that we did not have to do as much of the leg work. We had an amazing breakfast at a local cafe across the street from a parking lot and Long's Drugs- I cannot remember the name (something funky and cute) but they had the best pancake sauce (not your traditional syrup) that we have ever tasted. And I am not a pancake person usually! Go later in the morning. We had heard there was usually a long wait but on the weekday at 10:30am there was no wait. The best insider tip I can give to those traveling to the island for the first time is to try to get what you paid for when doing activities (in a nice way). Often fun filled adventure activities such as jet skiiing, para-sailing, surfing, waterskiing, and so on charge tourists based on time limits. Then, because you are not keeping track of time, they cut your adventure short so that they can make more money. We especially found this to be true last year with the Extreme Parasailing. After some of the passengers were questioning their given time (amongst the group), I started timing the rides. They were cutting our time short by quite a bit. We were the only ones who spoke up at the ticket booth and after several attempts at trying to get anything resolved, we politely stated that we would not leave until something was done- at that time the owner came up, asked us what we wanted and gave us free rides for future use. You have to be somewhat flexible and know that they have a different attitude generally about time. But we also wanted to get our money's worth. I hope this information helps. I wish you a wonderful trip. Aloha!!
Elizabeth B., , , 6.13.07
This was a great beach house, right across the street from the best beach in Oahu. Be sure to look for "D" as the other houses on the same street do not compare to Honu Hale. The owner is great, they leave their bikes, kayaks, beachtowels, snorkel equipment, etc for the guests to use. We had a great time and would definately stay again. It is away from the "big city" but only a 25 minute drive to Honolulu and it is a beautiful drive. I will stay again at this rental. in a s
Vicki C., , , 5.28.07
Beautiful views and great beach access.
Kecia W., , , 10.13.06
The BEST beach ever.
Benita D., Miaaion Viejo, CA, 8.9.06
we had a great time, especialy we enjoyed the lanai!
Petra F., Houston, Texas, 7.23.06
Honu Hale was great if you are looking for some peace and quiet and a sampling of Hawaii away from the city. rnThe house was clean and spacious and included a screen porch perfect for enjoying conversation with friends, or to sit at quietly and see birds from Hawaii. rnThe beach was easily within walking distance, and a nice clean beach for exploring and playing. rnOverall a nice experience after spending a few days in the hustle and bustle of Honolulu.
Deborah C., Mesquite, Tx, 7.16.06
We enjoyed our stay so much. The house was bueatiful and the people so nice. We will for sure be back and have actually referred a few friends to rent you bueatiful rental. Thanks again and we will be back! rnThe Akau's and Steeves
Sharon A., Gilbert, Arizona, 6.18.06
This house is in an amazing location just across the street from the beach. We especially enjoyed the lanai...so nice to be outdoors AND protected from the mosquitos. It was a perfect place to enjoy Kailua. Thanks!
Joy K., Helena, MT, 6.7.06
We had a wonderful time staying at Honu Hale. There was plenty of room and it had a very cozy, home like feeling. And of course the view from the screened porch was absolutely outstanding. Every time you looked at the mountain it was different depending on the sun and clouds. We spent many hours gazing out at the sun rise and at all times during the day and night. It was so relaxing. Thank you so very much!!!
Rita K., Downers Grove, IL, 6.3.06
I'm sure it would have been cleaner if the weather had not been so wet. A burner on stove didn't work. Tools in drawers could have been sorted and bad ones thrown out. Beyond your control was mud and trash in the yard. It was entirely adequate for our rainy stay. Hoping for better weather next time. Crista was nice to call us to say there was 2 feet of water in the lot and not to come home for a while. We hung out at the Ala Moana mall until late when the water went down. Mahalo
Polly R., Middleburg, VA, 4.4.06
Loved the surroundings. Literally, steps from the beach. The views were breathtaking. Terrific accomodations: Screened-in porch, boogie boards, water shoes, towels, barbecue pit, grassy area for picnicing. rnProblems? Minor ones. The main bedroom, with the single bed, needs a softer bed. Felt like sleeping on rocks. The main bathroom's shower didn't drain well. The manager was working on the drain so no worries. Bugs? Ants that were easy to get rid of and two roaches. But what do you expect from a tropical island? rnRecommendation? Gotta stay here again and again. Way better than a hotel.
Bradley C., Apple valley, California, 3.30.06
We enjoyed our stay at the Honu Hale very much. We loved the view of the golf course from our lanai, we had many meals out there and also enjoyed the sounds of the many birds that were hiding at times in the tropical foilage near our rental. We found our rental very comfortable, quiet, and peaceful. We also enjoyed that the rental came with the things we needed to live there. Thank you so much.
John and Nancy M., Santa Barbara, CA., 2.23.06
The property is excellent very homely the view breathtaking, the bay area is fantastic.
Tracy and Susan D., SYDNEY, NSW, 1.6.06
A lovely house very conveniently located within a brief walk to a sugar sand beach. I would strongly recommend this to anyone - especially families with children for a comfortable and relaxing vacation!! A real feel of Hawaii hawaiian style - not just Hawaiii for the tourists.
Colleen K., , , 7.23.05
Great place to stay, Short walk to very nice beach park. The veiw from the balcany over looks golf course, with mountains in the back ground. Not having any a/c was no problem, house stayed cool and we had to use blankets at night. We had a great time and if we come back look forward to staying in the Honu Hale again. Thanks for helping the family have a good time and providing everything we needed to do so.
Gary B., Houston, TX, 6.13.05
This was a wonderful house on the Kailua side of Oahu, allowing us to visit with family on the Winward side and an easy drive into family on the Pearlridge side of Honolulu. The beds were comfortable! Krista, the caretaker, is a doll and very friendly and helpful.
Elaine B., , , 1.14.05
Spacious, airy, pleasant. Neighbors can be noisy on the weekends.
Steve M., Lodi, Ca, 10.4.04
