I challenge the owner to sleep on the fold out couch that supposedly slept 2 people?? Imagine my feelings when I pulled it out for my good friend on her way thru?? Very ICK and OUCH! Also where exactly were the beaches shown on the pictures??? I have to say the smell outside the complex was so HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!! What goes on there with the sewer? I was VERY dissappointed to not be able to see the ocean due to a concrete wall about 4 feet tall on the patio!! We were not on the ground floor but had several floors above (5) who would shake sand down on us!!! Also had a few glass pieces one morning that I got in my feet!! We were not able to do laundry from start to finish due to nonworking appliances!! This side of the island is so great and special. I love it but would NEVER stay here again!

Janice L., Wasilla, AK, 3.12.12

Comment by Owner/Manager:

The sleeper sofa has been repaired and a brand new mattress has been purchased and installed.We have had heavy rains and when that happens some times we get a smell in the parking lot. You can't smell it from any condos just in the parking area and it is seldom that this happens. We are in the "country" and no sewers, here just self contained water treatment injection pumps systems. So if there are heavy rains the water table rises and the odor will sometimes occur only in the parking lot, not in condos or on the beach. All the beach photos are either right there or within a ten minute drive of the property. The lanai wall is a building code requirement and it does not block the view. The table and chairs for the outside lanai are raised and you have a perfect view of the water. The washer/dryer had a problem and we had Sears come out and it has been repaired. It is a German Bosch system and parts had to be ordered and installed. It is now working fine.

Apart from the smell of the main sewerage line at the front of the block, the apartment was neat and tidy although a tad small for the asking price. The sofa bed was un-useable and when unfolded it looked like a 400lb gorilla had bent the frame and the mattress was well past it's use-by date - we called it 'the rack'. You couldnt house more than two people comfortably, just too small. Royal Hawaiian? No, not really, false advertising here - just another unit with weird furnishings and a lot of 'clutter'. Oh, and what about the dead wreath on the front door - old, tired and tacky!!! The washing machine leaked and the clothes dryer kept stopping every 2 minutes, although the manager person organised for a service guy to fix, he didnt show up. Both these problems would/should have been known to management before our stay, but were not attended to. Would I come back and rent this place again - No....

Wayne N., Runaway Bay, , 2.26.12

Comment by Owner/Manager:

At the time of their stay there was a sewer problem from the building next door. It has been corrected and not a problem now. As for it being too small to accommodate four guests, we have never had a complaint that it was a small unit. It is just under 1000 SQ FT and if you add the large, 230 SQ FT out door lanai, this would be considered a very large one bedroom condo here in Hawaii. There were 2 couples and they should have rented a 2 bedroom place but with their low budget they opted to spend $155 per night and complain it was too small. Beach front and 1000 SQ FT for $155 per night is a deal in Hawaii. As for the sofa bed, I have personally never found one that is comfortable and I know most people will agree so they knew what they were getting into. This sofa bed is not any worse than any out there. The mattress was replaced 4 months ago and the entire mechanism was adjusted at the same time. As for Royal Hawaiian, it is just the name, no false advertizing here. The photos represent the property exactly as it is. This condo had a $100K remodel done two years ago and it is beautiful. All our guests have raved about how gorgeous it is with all the detail granite and tile work. Not our problem if these folks have no taste in furnishing and by the way, the wreath on the door is not a dead old wreath, it is a hand made very expensive silk flower wreath. The washing machine and dryer developed the problem when the cleaning crew was getting it ready for their check in. I called Bosch and arrange a service tech to come out and he did not show up. I called him back multiple times and no answer and finally got a call from his company and was told he had a stroke and they will send another tech ASAP. It was repaired the next day. I think this review is totally unrealistic and I would imaging these folks would not be satisfied with what ever they rented. The review does in no way reflect this property and it should be total ignored by anyone considering renting this wonderful, well maintained, and beautiful beach front condo at the bargain rate that it is offered at. Please read the other review to see just how far off this one is.

We really enjoyed and appreciated our recent stay in unit 314. The unit was very clean and well kept. We liked the proximity to the ocean/beach and the snorkling right from the beach! The customer service was fine. On landing at the airport we made the call to advise him of our imminent arrival. Even on Christmas Eve he was on call and ensured we would have no problem finding the condo's and gaining access. We were not in Hawaii for excitement - we were looking for a relaxed holiday away from crowds. This is sure the place for that! It is removed from the 'action' - and that's what we wanted. There aren't too many places to eat in the area, however, we really enjoyed the shrimp trucks, bbq'd chicken truck and Domino's! We could have tried some of the restaurants, but chose not too. Several days we went 'beach hopping', just to check out the other beaches. We were quite happy that we had a beach right out our door! Many visitors staying in other types of accomodations around Oahu had to use the public beaches or even PAY for snorkeling! We didn't. Also, our beach was alot calmer than most of the other beaches on the north shore due to the reef quite a ways from the beach breaking the waves. We were very close to Giovanni's Shrimp truck, BYU, Polynesian Centre, shave ice, and driving was quick and easy to Windward Mall and even Waikiki when we chose to make the drive. We drove the entire perimeter of the island (as much as we could!) and the central part of the island. The best insider tip I can give is rent 314 for a nice, relaxed vacation - with good clean accomodations, wonderful wi-fi connections, a view of the ocean (and the sound!), snorkel from the beach (they have fins and masks if you forget yours). We did contribute to the 'stash' in the unit by leaving a couple beach mats, replenishing the olive oil, paper towels, tissues, dish washer soap etc. That makes it even better for the next folks coming in! We appreciated what was left behind for us, that's for sure! It would be good to note that there is a hair dryer in the unit! I brought mine, but could have left the extra weight at home! Another insider tip is, the local grocery store - Tamura's - was open on Christmas Day (closed New Years Day) - they had good prices, and were close to the apartment. Alot of locals shop there, and that's usually a good sign! We did organize our own overnight trip to the Big Island to see Hawaii. We went with Hawaiian, and got a car and hotel for a good package price. Next time, we will explore Maui with an overnight trip! Thank you for making our stay comfortable and hassle free. We truly enjoyed it. Next time we may go at another time of year - the end of Dec/beginning of Jan this year was overly wet! But you can't control the weather! John and Denise

Denise P., Cambridge, Ontario, 1.10.11

The condo was very comfortable and well-furnished. We made good use of the home theatre system. We found the location to be somewhat remote and very relaxing, away from all the crowds. It was nice being right on the beach. We were within an hour's drive of everything we wanted to do: Hanauma Bay, Waikiki, Sunset Beach, Waimea Valley and Beach, the Dole Plantation, etc. The Polynesian Culture Center is a mere 10 min. drive up the road. Restaurant recommendations: Papa Ole's in the shopping center near Tamura's has very good teriyaki beef and ribs. Our favorite was down the road at Sunset Beach, Ted's Bakery. The garlic shrimp is to die for. Further down in Haleiwa, Matsumoto's shaved ice is fantastic. Other than relax on the beach, there's not much to do near Punaluu, so we did a fair amount of driving to get to other destinations, but even relatively laid back Sunset Beach, Waimea Beach and Haleiwa were crowded compared to Punaluu and Hauula, so it was really nice to return to the peace and quiet each evening.

David J., Portland, OR, 4.13.10

What I liked best about the unit was the updated furnishings, ad the BEAUTIFUL view! Costumer service was very good. The best part of my trip, although a bit of a drive, was swimming with the turtles at Paradise Cove!!! Snorkeling there as well was a great experience! The best restaurant we found was The Crouching Lion.........right down the street from the unit with a beautiful lagoon view! The best picture we took of ourselves was with the turtles!! I can't wait to tell my friends what a beautiful, natural environment that we enjoyed every day! My advice to someone else staying at this unit would be to be aware that you will be a god 45 to 60 minutes from many of the attractions, but it is worth it to enjoy going back to your comfortable unit with it's magnificent views and falling asleep to the sounds of the waves breaking. It was always windy here, so bring clothes for that, but the other side of the island is much less windy. I didn't have time on this trip, but next trip I will take the helicopter tour of the island and perhaps the sunset booze cruise out of Waikiki! The PCC was a good day, ending with a Luau and a fabulous performance held in the Amphitheater. It's a beautiful Island and the Royal Hawaiian Beach Front unit made our stay very comfortable!

Susan L., Mendon, MA, 4.5.10

Our rental was beautiful! We liked that it has a fully stocked kitchen (dishes and such). The only thing we had to get was food. I liked the large patio with the beautiful view. We ate breakfast out there every morning. There was a great little shoppette a 5 minute walk away. They had just about everything you would need. The security was great! I felt very comfortable there. Our kids loved swimming in the ocean. It was calm enough so that I didn't worry about larger waves coming in and overtaking inexperienced ocean swimmers. My husband and I tried to take a walk on the beach one evening, but the tide had come in and there wasn't much beach left to walk on. But we just went out earlier the next night and had a great walk. Reef shoes are a must for those who are going in the water. There are small to large pieces of coral all over just past the surf. In all, our stay was quiet, enjoyable and if we ever return to the island, we will definitely be staying again!

Gretchen W., Avondale, AZ, 3.26.10

This place was the definitely the nicest rental condo I have stayed in! It was clean, quiet and had a very warm feel! My family was very comfortable and we had a wonderful time. The view is amazing and the beach was perfect for swimming and snorkeling. There are not too many restaurants available in the immediate area, but it is not too far from Haleiwa to drive to have a nice dinner. There are two grocery stores in the area as well that have everything you need to eat in at the condo. I would recommend this to anyone who does not want to stay in Honolulu and would like to have a nice quiet vacation.

Catherine M., Eagle River, Ak, 2.10.10

After reading the description and viewing the photos of this condo, I was really looking forward to actually staying there. Having completed the trip now, I cannot express how exceptional my stay was. The condo has all of the upscale amenities listed (HD home theater system, stainless steel appliances, etc) but it also has conveniences that add to the luxury. A remote control operated AC system and ceiling fans and lights with adjustable level switches help keep the temperature comfortable. A fully stocked kitchen (blender, toaster, serving dishes, BBQ grill utensils, etc) make it easy to save money on dining out. The bathroom vanity and shower each have a glass shelf to make room for multiple guest's toiletries. The main bedroom has a memory foam mattress topper and was free of any sinking spots -- I have a Select Comfort Sleep Number bed at home, and I didn't even notice the difference between the two. There were several books to choose from as well as about 20 DVDs with popular movie titles and each television has a DVD player. I did not utilize the DVD collection as the view from the lanai and the beach front access were breath taking. The continental shelf breaks about 300 yards from the beach so the change in the color of the water is gorgeous. It also breaks the waves, so the beach is safe for children and is relaxing and easy when floating on a raft. The front door has a privacy deadbolt that locks automatically so that provides added security -- something I appreciated as a single 23 year old female vacationing alone (but be aware that if you leave the condo without your keys to take a look at the weather or grab something from the car...the deadbolt will lock itself automatically after about 30-60 seconds). The parking spot is right across from the elevator so it makes trips with luggage much easier. The elevator is accessed with a FOB, so that provides added security. The high speed internet access was very convenient, but mildly sketchy (video conferencing on Skype was only successful for about 30 seconds before it timed out -- regular internet browsing was more than capable though). The washer and dryer in the unit are excellent, high-efficiency machines (the dryer takes a while though, 2+ hours for a load of towels, so time it accordingly). I considered the location to be very convenient -- 45 minutes from Honolulu and about 45 minutes to Haleiwa on the North Shore. I went to the west shore just to see what it was about, it took an hour and it was a wasted trip -- the beach is full of tent and tarp communities and the beach is lined with large rocks, making the breaks and surf mildly dangerous for kids or inexperienced swimmers. Its also about 12 minutes from the Polynesian Cultural Center - something you definitely want to check out (I was there right before Halloween and they had a haunted lagoon exhibit, so I would imagine they rotate it out to include new exhibits regularly). I would also recommend driving past Haleiwa to the Kaena Point State Park -- I had rented a Jeep and there's a little route to offroad into the park. It takes you right along the beach and has little tangents that lead to packed sand hills that make great parking spots with great views and great sun. Since the condo is located on the windward side of the island, shortly after 12 noon the clouds come over the mountain and block the sun. The state park has a huge beach as well as the offroad sand hills that are always sunny and windy to keep sunbathers cool. The condo was an excellent place to come back to every day and it made it that more enjoyable. Book your stay in this condo now, because I will definitely be coming back and I might steal your dates! Enjoy!

Kelsey Z., Lakeville, Minnesota, 10.20.09

Comment by Owner/Manager:

COMMENTS FROM THE OWNER: Aloha Ms. Kelsey, What can I say I was blown away...Thank you so much for your sincere and kind words. We have tried to make our condo comfortable and appealing for those who are willing to pay a little more for upscale accommodations and who appreciate nice things. When I entered the condo, you had left it in excellent condition, you have no idea, how that makes me feel when I know my home was appreciated, respected and enjoyed. The letter you left for me, regarding the washcloth was priceless, again, your honesty and concern for my property, even as small as a washcloth was so touching, that shows you really cared, took the time to explain, because it was the "right" thing to do. It's the small stuff that always counts. BTW: no worries, I have plenty more. I'm so happy you and your family had a great experience on your vacation to Oahu and enjoyed staying at our condo, I appreciate the time you spent to share your comments and most importantly would recommend it to others for their stay in Hawaii. Please come back again you were the model of a perfect house guest! Mahalo, Debra PS-Thank you for the items you left behind, they will be used, I waste nothing.

We had a great time!! The apartment was beautiful, I don't think I'll ever want to stay in a hotel again. The beach is amazing and so private, no crowds to deal with. Neighbors were quiet and everyone was friendly. I've already sent your link to a friend that's interested, and I know we would love to come back next year. Thanks for everything!!

Sarah T., Hamilton, Ontario, 6.8.09

Comment by Owner/Manager:

Thank you for your comments. I hope you come back again. Aloha and Mahalo, Debra

The unit was very well appointed, providing beach towels, chairs, cooler, snorkeling gear, washer/dryer, full kitchen... The view from the lanai was beautiful, the sunrises were exceptional to look at. The unit has been fantastically renovated, the bed was very comfortable. It was perfect for a couple looking for a relaxing and romantic vacation. It is about 20-30 min from Turtle Bay Resort where you can find great restaurants and a beautiful beach. It is nearby the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Kualoa Ranch and many beautiful beaches. The only drawback is that there isn't anything really close by, driving is a must.

Martine N., Ottawa, ON, 5.27.09

Comment by Owner/Manager:

Thank you for your comments. I hope you come back again. Aloha and Mahalo, Debra