Hawaii reviews

Guest Rating:

The Kalihiwai Oceanview Estates was the perfect place for our family vacation! The houses were beautiful, clean and well-stocked making our stay easy and enjoyable. The staff and owner were incredibly helpful beforehand helping us locate a chef, answering all of our questions and even setting up one of the houses with baby and child needs. The pool provided several hours of family fun and the pool house was so well-stocked it even had swim diapers! We had been to Kauai before and enjoyed returning to some of our favorite restaurants -- Sushi Blues & Hanalai Gourmet -- as well as finding some new favorites -- Bar Acuda. Banana Joe's was a staple for the freshest fruit. The whole week was filled with laughter and relaxation! Thanks for helping to make it happen!

Kim K., Seattle, WA, 6.16.08

Guest Rating:

Terrific place, despite the rip off cleaning fee. Well located, comfortable. I would happily recommend it to friends if you guys fix the cleaning fee situation.

Kim K., Berkeley, CA, 6.16.08

Guest Rating:

The unit was truly beautiful on the inside, it was great to have a home away from home!

Sara S., Graham, AL, 6.15.08

Guest Rating:

The only reason for 4, not 5 stars was that you need to bring your own shampoo/lotion/coffee... :) Everything was beautiful!!

Traci T., Boerne, Tx, 6.15.08

Guest Rating:

The best restaurant in Kailua is "Pinky's" (in our opinion). The best things about the unit we rented are location, cleanliness, friendly folks in the town of Kailua. The best guidebook for Oahu is "Oahu Revealed", by Wizard Publications.

Debbie D., Louisville, KY, 6.14.08

Guest Rating:

What we liked best was the view and proximity to the two beaches on either side. The master bathroom and tub were fabulous and the outdoor shower very helpful. The deck and bbq were great.
The problems were:
1-horrible, uncomfortable seats (we had to purchase beach chairs at the market to bring in to the house so we could sit more than 2 people to watch tv) and not enough seating in the den area to accommodate 6 adults at one time AND the deck chairs were also incredibly uncomfortable
2-it really does not sleep 6 people, as the couch/futon in the third room is small and uncomfortable (and we were traveling with 4 college kids and 2 parents, not with 3 couples)
3-nobody responded to our calls when we needed help (with making the dvd player work and a need for more toilet paper and garbage bags)....on the plus side, they DID respond when the toilet was broken and they sent repair people over quickly (i.e., unimpressive customer service while we were there, which was in contrast to the efficient customer service i received on line prior to arriving)
4-we prefer to recylce things so tried to drive the recycling in to Haleiwa each day, but it was challenging....mb a recylce bin and a regular bin??

Jody J., Northridge, CA, 6.14.08

Guest Rating:

The view from the condo was spectacular. We had some of the most beautiful sunsets not to mention the beautiful view of the coast and ocean during the day. We even saw several rainbows. The bed upstairs was very nice and we slept well. We had trouble with a ceiling fan but the maintenance people took care of that. My advice to someone else staying in this unit would be that the main floor bed isn't very comfortable but the upstairs one is. There isn't alot of extra seating but what is there is comfortable. Don't feed the birds (our neighbors did) or you will have no peace. We enjoyed trying many of the local restaurants; we recommend JJ Broilers, Kalypso, Bubba's Burgers and of course the Saffron restaurant food was delicious. We loved our helicopter ride with Blue Hawaii and the Luau at Smith's. We took one day and drove the road on Kuaui from one end to the other and saw some of the quick sites. Then we went back on other days to see the sites that take more time. We enjoyed the spouting hole down in PoiPu and of course the souvenir shopping all over the island. We took one day and booked a tour (the best way to go) to Oahu and did the Pearl Harbor tour, Honolulu and Waikeke Beach area. It was a long day but well worth it. Then we took the last couple of days and just enjoyed relaxing. Next time (yes there will definitely be a next time) we want to explore more the southern part of the island and take a cruise to the Napali coast and explore more of the beaches and maybe even try snorkeling. Definitely a trip to be remembered. Bring your laptop to down load your pictures each night. We had a great 25th Anniversary!!!

Don D., Pickerington, Ohio, 6.13.08

Guest Rating:

Aloha
We all had a great time in Hawaii. The appartment was great. The best was the big balcony overlooking the ocean. We sat there every night after Dinner for a couple of drinks.
I wish though that the beach at the complex was a little nicer. They cleaned up the beach every morning but the water is not clear and not very inviting. But it is a very small negative as there are so many beautiful beaches in Maui.
My friend got married and I have to say it was the most beautiful wedding I ever attended. 8 am in the morning, the beach all to ourself and the most beautiful surroundings you can wish for a wedding. If I ever ......
The best Restaurant we found was in the Wailea Beach resort at Wailea. It was called Humpalumpasomething. A long name it is. Can't remember. It is built like a classy Tikki Bar on top of a saltwater pool right next to the ocean. It has a waterfall and a couple of aquariums. And the fresh fish is niiiiiiiiiiiice.
Take the time to drive around the island. Don't just hang around where you stay. The north shore and the road to Hana are amazing. A must do. And of course the Haleakala in the morning. DO IT.
The best insider tip I got is about gorcery shopping. Go to Safeway and ask for their membership card. You safe about 1/3 on your shopping. This will leave you with more money to go diving and do all the fun stuff.
Thanks to everyone at Hawaiian Beach rental. They answered all my questions and were very helpful. They rock.
Mahalo plenty and I hope I will be in Maui again soon.
Seppe

Werner W., Orlando, FL, 6.12.08

Guest Rating:

While this unit looks kind of old from the road - the inside of our unit (#301) was very nice. Lots of upgrades etc. The very best part was the view!!! It was so wonderful. The gentlemen that takes care of these properties really keeps things looking nice. He works very hard and it shows!! We had a problem with the DVD player and the rental agents took care of the problem immediately.

I cannot speak to the condition of the other units as I believe they are all privately owned - I just know that 301 is one that we want to come back to again and again.

We will definately use Hawaiian Beach rentals again.

Rita R., Chula Vista, CA, 6.10.08

Guest Rating:

Clean, peaceful and well-equipped, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Garden Lanai. The thoughtful extras such as the covered parking were appreciated and the owners and rental agency were responsive to any questions we had. To anyone seeking an affordable, quality, self-catering home way from home on Oahu I totally recommend this unit.

Ben B., Victoria, BC, 6.10.08