Kailua reviews

Guest Rating:

We found the house in perfect order, well equiped, clean and welcoming. The hosts were delightful and helpful. We are not first time visitors to this part of the island so we know what we like and what we want in a vacation rental....this fit the bill to a T!!!!
Easy beach access, quiet street (although the main road is close it was not a problem).
Thoroughly enjoyed our time and would gladly stay there again...which is a first for us, to repeat a rental!!!

Betsy M., Courtenay, British Columbia, 3.18.10

Guest Rating:

The Hale Ohana house was very clean and comfortable. The kitchen was very well-stocked with cooking and food preparation items. What my family liked best about the house was its location to the beautiful Kailua Beach. The house was also very conveniently close to the Safeway store. We did have some trouble heating the jacuzzi, and I had been told that the pool could be heated. It was really a bit too cold for swimming in March.
We had a wonderful time at this beautiful location in Hawaii. We did something different everyday of our stay. There is a lot to do and see on the island of Ohau--many wonderful memories.

Larry and Kathy S., Brea, CA, 3.16.10

Guest Rating:

I wrote my personal message into the guest book in the house.

Ken S., Vancouver, BC, 3.14.10

Guest Rating:

Fantastic property with very helpful owners / property managers. Perfect location on the best beach in Oahu, close enough to Kailua town center to walk. Property manager shared great information on local restaurants, attractions and provided a great deal of beach equipment on-site. Loved the property and will stay there again when we return to Hawaii!

Jon S., New York, NY, 3.10.10

Guest Rating:

The home was an exceptional property, both in terms of location and convenience. The view was wonderful and we really enjoyed watching the sun rise from the bedroom balcony while having our first cup of coffee in the morning. The beach is just steps away. Everyone liked walking in the sand or watching the people strollling down the beach, many with their dogs. The guest book was especially helpful - full of advice, helpful hints and menus collected by guests on local places to eat. We were there almost six weeks and all our needs were met very quickly, Dave even installed a handrail for my mother to make getting into and out of the shower easier for her. Would love to fall asleep listening to the waves every night.

Kathryn G., , , 2.21.10

Guest Rating:

This home is in a great location. The home is clean and for the most part as advertisied. We were very disappointed that there wasn't a hot tub as adversitied. The beach was great but windy. We would probably look for a place with a hot tub and heated pool next time.

John K., El Dorado Hills, California, 2.14.10

Guest Rating:

We loved the beautiful beach in Kailua and the comfortable and spacious home. It was wonderful to go for daily walks/runs on the soft smooth sand. We splurged on Alan Wong's restaurant in Honolulu as a treat for the adults, and the kids loved boogie boarding, the Atlantis submarine ride, and Sea Life Park.

Kate L., ANchorage, AK, 2.1.10

Guest Rating:

I liked the convenience of the location in Kailua; the size of the rental was perfect for our family; and the backyard deck was great for reading, relaxing etc. The only downside to Ava's place was the noise -- lot's of street and neighbor activity. Misty was very responsive to my questions and comments...Would stay there again.

Jeff C., Victoria, British Columbia, 2.1.10

Guest Rating:

Loved the location, loved the beach access, Dave and Lori were wonderful, we'd come back again. Thanks.

Sheri H., Ripon, CA, 1.26.10

Guest Rating:

It's quiet here. You'll hear a lot of songbirds. I did in early January.

Near the entrance to the lane, Buzz's Restaurant has great food and service. Accepts cash only. Sunday nights are the most crowded. You'll be lucky to find a table outside. Ciappino (fish stew) is great. So is Cajun-style mahi mahi. Salad bar is good, if often crowded. The Buzz mai tai is good. Nice choices for dessert. (Rocky road ice-cream cake is awesome.)

Down the road (Kalaheo Drive) a couple of miles, Pinky's restaurant and sports bar is pretty good but the service may leave something to be desired. While I ate there, a mom and her teenage daughter sat down at a table, waited five or ten minutes and then walked out because none of the waitresses came by. This was at lunchtime on a Monday, and the place was not busy.

Go slow in the neighborhood. Take extra care exiting the lane -- traffic moves in both directions, even early in the morning -- because the Kailua Beach parking lot is directly across the street and it's a popular place all week.

Parking by the unit can be a little tight, so if you rent a car in Honolulu and have a choice between compact and larger car, go with the compact. You won't regret it unless you have a ton of gear. Even then a compact might be a better choice.

Remember to check out Lanikai beach nearby. Gorgeous sunrises! Finding a parking spot along the neighborhood street might be tough after ten or eleven in the morning. The entrance to the mountain climb in that neighborhood is hard to find. I drove by it once or twice and ended up asking one of the locals where it is. The climb itself is tough if you're over 40 or out of shape or carrying a heavy backpack. There is no paved path -- you'll be on rock, stones, and dirt the whole way up. Great views though. President Obama played golf at the private Pacific Club at the foot of the mountain when he was president-elect.

This is a good location if you play golf. Ko'olau, Olomana, Luana Hills, and Pali are all within a 15- or 20-minute drive of Baby Honu. The front nine of Luana Hills is diabolical, and some of the ravines at Ko'0lau are deadly. Talk about a challenge. Bring a big driver. Practice with your three wood a lot . . . In January, the golf courses on the western side of Oahu look dry by comparison. Took a look at Turtle Bay; to me, the golf courses look overrated (rather flat, and not visually appealing other than the fact that it has a lot of palm trees), from what I could see on the entrance road and from the clubhouse. Busy place, however.

The onsite manager of the Baby Honu is very friendly and knows a lot about the island.

If you bring a netbook or laptop, you can use the Wi-Fi for Web access -- no login or password required for the Wi-Fi.

Overall I enjoyed staying here a lot.

Ken S., Downers Grove, IL, 1.13.10