Oahu reviews

Guest Rating:

We have already written in the guest book.
Mahalo

Bronwyn L., Newport Beach, California, 8.28.07

Guest Rating:

This was a wonderful vacation home. We went with a group of eight others and had a blast. The house is spacious and allows for privacy and alone time. The pool was great and relaxing, the yard could use a liitle cleaning of the shrubbery but very nice. The beach is very close by and the spend as much time there as possible, look out for the Honu that like to pop out of the water as well as the Portugese man of war (jellyfish) that tend to be in the water, don't touch them, swim away. Can't wait to go back! Sandy was a big help and very sweet. The Neighbor thought we were too loud one night but never mentioned anything beyond the second night. All was good. Mahalo Kuuipo

Raymond S., Hawthorne, CA, 8.27.07

Guest Rating:

Charming, relaxing place to stay. It's great to stay near the beach.

Peter S., Corte Madera, California, 8.27.07

Guest Rating:

It was neat to be nestled in a neighborhood, close to a little Korean restaurant. The short walk to the beach was very enjoyable and easy. The beach is a quiet, beautiful beach and great for relaxing. There is plenty of excitement at other beaches up the North Shore and one should really see a few others as well. Kawailoa Beach has lots of Sea Turtle residents (there's a horse ranch on the other side of the highway where you park). It's great surfing out further, but standing on the shore where the waves lap at your feet, the sea turtles are eating the algae that grows on the rocks and will surf right up to your feet on the shore. We watched them for two hours!! The wall along the path into the beach is painted by a local artist and his daughter. They have a shop in town, easily identified by the rows of painted surf boards. Ron Artis, "Art ... is," has been painting on broken surf boards and painting murals all over the North Shore area. His work is great! He also has a band with his children (about seven of the eleven) and will do an impromptu concert for you when asked with enthusiasm. Our visit with them was one of our highlights! The rental home itself was decorated adorably with cute little storage and plenty of space for suitcases. We could pack light knowing that we could use the washer and dryer. We were very comfortable there. We were really glad that it was close enough to the Polynesian Cultural Center, about a half hour. We spent a couple of days there ... taking advantage of their return invitation (free.) We, also, attended church with the local LDS ward and felt very welcomed. We shopped up and down the main street, turning right at Haleiwa Joe's Restaurant. (Left takes you across the bridge and then onto the Kamehameha Highway.) We loved the souvenier prices at Planet Surf. However, they do have some high-end clothes shopping available. There were mopeds and motorcycles for rent. And lots of other restaurants that we didn't have time to eat at. People suggested Haleiwa Joe's for dinner. We found it good seafood, but a little pricey. We ate in a lot, having the kitchen right there, and the grocery prices were not so bad at the local grocery store, by Ron Artis' place. However, the dairy products cost about double the mainland, and you can't get by that! It was fun to find that a lot of the condiments we needed had been left by previous tenants. I'm sure that we contirbuted, too. (Check it out before going to the store.) We enjoyed a nice Mexican dinner at the Rosie's Cantina across from Planet Surf. I think that my favorite was the little Italian/pizza place, Spaghettini, right next to the grocey store! Great fetticcini!! So, there is such a nice range of cuisines from fast food to fine dining. The Haleiwa Harbor had kayaking up the river to a waterfall available and jet ski rentals. We will certainly do that next time! We did go to the Waimea Falls Park and hiked to the falls. I wish we'd known we could swim! We'd have worn our swimming suits. It was beautiful and a nice walk. All in all we had a great time! My husband said that the stress of work is being handled much better having had such a relaxing week in Hawaii. Thanks!

Brenda V., Riverton, UT, 8.27.07

Guest Rating:

The unit was exceptionally clean and comfortable. My husband and I were thrilled to stay at Kuilima Estates 56 and will definitely be back. The unit has everything you could want, including a nice parking space and friendly neighbors. Within walking distance of the Turtle Bay resort which gives you access to fine dining, golfing, and the beach.

Elke H., Two Rivers, WI, 8.26.07

Guest Rating:

Finding and renting a condo unit through Hawaiian Beach Rentals was convenient and hassle-free, from the online reservation system (both booking and payment), to check-in and check-out once we were on Oahu. The unit we rented was accurately represented on the website, with no unpleasant surprises. It is located within the Turtle Bay property, which was nice because we were walking distance from the resort's public beach and restaurants. The condo complex is nice because it has parking, pools, and BBQ grills for the guests to use. The unit itself is decorated very nicely and had most everything we needed during our stay. However, there were two things about this unit that made our stay somewhat unpleasant. The first is that it is a studio unit with a lofted sleeping area. Because of this, the heat made it difficult to have a restful night of sleep. Thank goodness for the air conditioner, which we ended up running all night, every night. The other issue was the bugs. We're nature-loving, bug-tolerant people, but the number of bugs in the unit was definitely a problem. We encountered a giant cockroach the first night of our stay, and met the rest of its extended family throughout the rest of the week. There were also tiny bugs all over the kitchen area that would get into everything--the appliances, cabinets, even the fridge! Later, we realized that the screen doors weren't installed straight, so it wasn't serving its purpose of keeping the bugs out. Overall, the vacation was relaxing and enjoyable, but we will definitely avoid staying in this unit again.

Yuka H., San Francisco, CA, 8.25.07

Guest Rating:

The things I enjoyed about Baby Honu was the convenient location, but most of all how clean and fresh it was. I have stayed in several rentalS from LAnikai to Kaneohe and by far this was the cleanest. I was impressed also with the toiletries and nik-naks that usually you have to buy when you are in a rental , the quietness and friendly staff. I will recommend Baby Honu to my friends and look forward to coming back soon! Mahalo! Sarah Key-Marer

Sarah M., Mission Viejo, California, 8.24.07

Guest Rating:

This home was very family friendly and we loved the togetherness atmosphere it provided. We were greeted warmly and found everything we needed to make this another great Hawaiian vacation. Breakfast at Cinnamon's for breakfast is a must!!

Joan S., El Segundo, CA, 8.24.07

Guest Rating:

The unit was lovely. we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. we loved the space, and would certainly consider going back. Thanks!

Marissa S., Honolulu, HI, 8.23.07

Guest Rating:

As you can see from the photos, the house is right up against beautiful Lanikai beach. We saw sea turtles swimming along the beach almost everyday - right from the back yard of the house! A little night fishing from the back yard rewarded us with a nice size snapper which ended up on the barbeque grill the next evening. The house is very well equipped. All you need to bring is your clothes and groceries. Kia'aina, the owner of the property, lives just across the street and was very helpful. When we called him to make a few small repairs (change light bulb, etc.) he was right on it. The Welcome Basket filled with local treats like Macademia Nut Chocolate and Kona Coffee was also a nice addition. A few reminders about the natural environment. The house faces the eastern side of the island - the windward side. Wind from the ocean is fairly strong and very consistent (it never stopped, day or night, while we were there - excellent for windsurfers.) Noise from the wind, waves (only a few yards away from the master bedroom), and the sun light from the rising sun makes for very early mornings everyday. If you're planning on sleeping in during your vacation, choose a bedroom away from the ocean. The beach is beautiful (voted best beach in the Nation!). However, always remember you are dealing with nature. Our son got stung by a Protuguese Man-of-War (a type of jelly-fish). This is VERY painfull! (I've been stung before.) The pain will go away after an hour or two, but the scare all along his arm will take a little longer to go away. (Something to show-off to his friends when he goes back to school!)

Hiroki M., Pleasanton, California, 8.22.07