Vacation Rentals by Owner

Ala Muku House

Guest: Rachel H.
Date of Stay: 01/29/12 Review Submitted: 02/29/12

Very nice. Jim and Juliana were great to work with and very helpful. They really went above and beyond to assist us in with last-minute reservations and extended stays. We look forward to working with them again in the future.

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Fun return to Kauai after 35 yrs

Guest: peter s.
Date of Stay: 01/19/12 Review Submitted: 02/22/12

We honeymooned on Kauai 35 yrs ago and returned with our three kids and cousins for a fun memorable stay. We enjoyed our stay here tremendously. Everything was as advertised. More than enough space for the 8 of us. We walked, biked and drove to the beach easily. We hit costco when we arrived for big grocery shopping. The house was clean and airy. We usually had breakfast there and cooked half of our dinners. Kitchen was large and well equiped. The customer service the owners provided was wonderful. We had to fax some legal documents and the owners kindly went out of their way to help us with this. They also gave us some good advise on things to see and do. One of the highlights was a catamaran cruise up the na poli coast. Whales, porpoises, amazing coast line, secluded beaches. We highly recommend this house and experience.

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Great home for family trip

Guest: Maya R.
Date of Stay: 01/12/12 Review Submitted: 02/10/12

This home was the perfect location! We were a quick walk and extremely quick drive to the beach. The home was well equipped with everything one would need for a trip to the beach and lots of bikes. Laundry room made it easy to stay clean, though had restricted hours that were difficult for us. Comfortable beds and plenty of space. We spent a lot of time at Poipu Beach and were a drive away from anywhere on the island. Wonderful home!

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Ala Muku

Guest: Ishmael B.
Date of Stay: 01/04/12 Review Submitted: 02/01/12

Great trip, very accommodating owners. House was great and had all the necessities as well as bikes, body boards, etc. Family and friends had a great time. Thanks.

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Ala Muku Vacation Rental

Guest: Gayle D.
Date of Stay: 11/24/11 Review Submitted: 12/11/11

This is the perfect home for a family vacation - plenty of room for our party of 8 and wonderful kitchen and barbeque for all our meals. The house comes equiped with everything you would use on the beach from straw mats to snorkling equipment and bikes ! Our party was concerned about being 1/2 mile from the beach but ended up loving the short walk to the beach. We walked through the Hyatt one day and all commented on how nice it was having our own place instead of 4 small ( and expensive!) rooms in a hotel. Jim and Julianna are fantastic owners and will make sure your stay is perfect. Can't wait to return.

Owner response:Thank you so much Gayle for the nice review. Juliana and Jim work very hard to make our homes and condos clean and comfortable with all the amenities our guests will need on their vacation.

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Outstanding house, great location

Guest: Barry B.
Date of Stay: 10/29/11 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

We stayed for a week in this great house. There were five of us, and the house was large enough for us to be very comfortable. Everyone kept saying how much nicer it was to be staying in a house, compared to a hotel, or even a condo. The neighborhood was quiet and very centrally located, for our purposes. The kitchen was especially nice, with all the conveniences and appliances you could want. The wi-fi was fast and worked great for all three of the computers we had with us. The beach equipment was used and appreciated. The description is accurate and I can't really think of any criticism at all - it was just a wonderful place to be based for our first visit to Kauai. We happened to be there at Halloween, and we had been warned by the owners that Halloween is a big holiday in Hawaii. We had a great time sitting on the front porch and handing out candy (thank you Costco!) to over 250 trick or treaters.

Owner response:Halloween is a wonderful tradition in our neighborhood in Kauai. People have block parties, set up haunted houses, and just enjoy the evening watching the kids parade by. People frequently comment on the advantages of reserving a home instead of a hotel. It makes sense with 2400 square feet to enjoy instead of a little room. All of our rentals are centrally located in Poipu, close to the beach, restaurants, and boutiques. Thanks for the great recommendation, we are so glad you enjoyed our wonderful island.

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Like Having Our Own Home In Kauai

Guest: valerie w.
Date of Stay: 09/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/17/11

One of the great things about this vacation home is that it is outfitted with many amenities not usually available with other rentals. The hosts generously allowed us use of their bikes, beach towels, underwater sports gear, boogie boards, and beach chairs. Of course this was a great convenience and money-saver for us. The home is very nicely furnished and lovely in decor, well-equipped, spacious and incredibly clean. The house is located in a neighborhood about a half mile from the beaches and this was a perfect place for our family to be. The kids were free to walk or ride bikes down to the beaches and shops of Poipu. Staying at Ala Muku was like having a home of our own in Kauai.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Great house, location and price.

Guest: Stacy f. (Tucson, AZ)
Date of Stay: 06/10/11 Review Submitted: 07/04/11

This was my third trip to Kauai and this home was a great place to stay. Not only was the house very clean and warmly decorated, there was plenty of room for our entire family. The home is very relaxing with all the amenities you would want in your own home. We also loved using the bikes and beach chairs/equipment--very handy. We would definitely stay at this home again--the whole family commented throughout our entire stay of how nice it was to stay there. The price is also unbeatable for the number of beds/baths and location. We had 7 adults and 1 child in our family--this home is great for all ages. Thanks Jim and Juliana!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great home for families! Comfortable, great amenities, responsible owners

Guest: Bianca (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 06/02/11 Review Submitted: 06/15/11

We (four kids, mom and dad) stayed here early June 2011. The home has three spacious bedrooms and one smaller (but still reasonable!) bedroom. One great big bathroom and two good sized bathrooms, all with either bath or shower. The location was about a 3-5 minute drive from Poipu beach park. The owners live in a private apt in the back of the house and share the garage space (and laundry) but I never felt this was an issue. In fact, the few times we saw the owners, they were able to answer any questions we had about the area or the house amenities. We have a toddler and I thought this was a great place for him. The house was very pretty and comfortable but not crawling with breakable objects or delicate tchotkes that I would have to hide from our baby so he didn't try to grab them. They also had all the things a toddler or baby might need like high chairs, a crib and even a few toddler/baby books that incidentally our baby looooved. The house is also on a quiet cul de sac, which didn't have a ton of traffic and the neighbors (all locals I think rather than tourists) were really nice and helpful too. All in all, a really great experience. Oh and everything WORKED which is always nice :) Oh, and lots of windows that made for really pleasant breezes! It never got too hot.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Our Kauai vacation

Guest: Peggy (Loveland, CO)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 05/24/11

Mahalo for the opportunity of renting your lovely home on Kauai. It was everything we hoped for and more. So close to the beach and snorkling, great restaurants and so much more. Our family truly enjoyed our trip and hope to return in the future. Sincerely, Peggy and Brett Petersen

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Location, Location, Location!

Guest: chris C. (Antigo, Wisconsin, USA)
Date of Stay: 03/05/11 Review Submitted: 03/23/11

Nothing but good things to say about this property. The pictures are very nice and they don't do the place justice, the place has a perfect location to get anywhere on the island. We had lot's of outings planned (one every day ) but it was always nice to come back spread out and relax after all our outings. I have been telling all my friends that this is the place to stay if going to kauai. I did alot of research on the internet and even had some fellow travelers check several places out in person before we settled on this place. The value was great.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, sightseeing.

Great house

Guest: Pam (Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 02/26/11 Review Submitted: 03/16/11

Family and friends stayed here for a week in March. There were eight of us, and it was a perfect set-up. Everything that is advertised about this house is true and more. The kitchen was well equipped, and the beach equipment in the garage was great. We used the bikes, the beach chairs, the beach toys, the beach towels, and even used the washer and dryer. The beach is only two minutes away by car, and it is great. We had a 3 and 5 year old with us, and the baby beach was wonderful. The rest of us spent time on the regular beach and had a wonderful time. There are many shopping areas and restaurants nearby, so you really have everything you need. Jim and Julianna were always available to answer questions about the area. This is a wonderful place to stay on Kauai, so don't hesitate!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children.

Great home for a vacation!!

Guest: Nancy from Maine (Maine)
Date of Stay: 01/08/11 Review Submitted: 01/21/11

Kauai is beautiful! Our stay at Jim and Juliana's home was wonderful. The home on a quiet cul-de-sac was perfect for our family vacation. The master suite on the main floor was perfect for my son, his wife and two children. A king bed as well as a day bed for the kids in the same suite. My eighty year old mother enjoyed the "hula" bedroom, which was conveniently right next to the main bathroom. My 23 year old son and my brother we buddies in another bedroom which had twin beds. I LOVED the upstairs master suite with my own king bed and personal bathroom. It was great. You can easily prepare family meals in the huge kitchen, complete with up to date appliances...if you like coffee, there are THREE coffee pots! A large dining room table offers a great place to dine, or play board games/ cards on later in the evening. The home is conveniently located 1/2 mile from Poipu beach. Easy walk. The roosters are plentiful, and we were amused by the "rooster relief" ear plugs left on the night stands beside each bed. :) Nice touch! The living room was large and comfortable with two love seats and a sofa, along with TV, DVD and CD player. The garage was easily accessible with a convenient washer and dryer, bicycles for guest use, boogie boards, and an array of beach toys, beach towels, beach mats, coolers, etc, This place left you wanting for nothing! The onsite owners are very available, should you need anything. Another nice touch was the offer of fresh bananas and limes which grow on the property. My daughter-in-law made a limeade that was enjoyed from the fresh limes. I was a little leery about traveling across the country with seven others to stay in a home that I had never seen (other than photos) that I had rented online. Needless to say, once we arrived, all of my fears were replaced by comfort and excitement of our week ahead in beautiful Kauai. Thank you, Juliana and Jim for our wonderful place to stay!! Sincerely, Nancy from Maine P.S. We are looking at record breaking below zero temperatures and more snow fall in the coming week here in Maine....I will close my eyes and think of my warm, sunny week in beautiful Poipu at your Ala Muku home!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Kansas Family New Years Vacation - Jan. 2011

Guest: Treeman of Wichita, KS (US)
Date of Stay: 12/27/10 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

We had a remarkable time at this Kauai retreat and we found this place just as the photos and listed information are described on the website - the stay was perfect for our family of 10, 4 families including 2 children and we had plenty of room. We especially enjoyed the dinning room set up that could handle all of us comfortably and the nice spacious kitchen for preparing meals. Really enjoyed the front deck and the back yard that are well landscaped and perfect for taking a break or eating a snack. The amenities of washer/dryer, bikes, and beach stuff also made our stay so comfortable and convenient as we had many trips to the beach - just a short walk or ride, and then easy clean-up when we returned. We had 7 days and wish we could have had several more days to explore all that is in close proximity to this lovely home. We would love to return to this part of the island and would definitely recommend this to families! Very clean and well maintained property!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

Kauai 2010 Vacation

Guest: George & Shirley (Cameron Park, CA, USA)
Date of Stay: 08/02/10 Review Submitted: 08/24/10

We enjoyed staying at Ala Muku very much. Our group was an extended family. Parents, son and daughter-in-law, and (teenage) grandchildren. There was enough room to gather comfortably, and to retreat to privacy as you wish. It worked out well as a central point, to visit Poipu, and many other locations on the island. Lihue was about a fifteen minute drive, where we bought supplies at Costco, and the Star Market. Brennakes at Poipu Beach serves many great dishes, our favorite was the grilled mahi-mahi. Kee Beach for snorkeling, and enjoying the beach is worth the drive, but leave early. You need to get there by 8:30 AM or parking is very difficult. It is about an hour + drive to get there; no rushing. Although chickens are loose all over the island, they did not cause us any problems. The little bit of occasional crowing was easy to ignore. We are happy to recommend this vacation home to those who want to enjoy the island, without the hustle and bustle of a hotel.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

Ideal family vacation home.

Guest: Bob (Melbourne, Australia)
Date of Stay: 07/26/10 Review Submitted: 08/29/10

A beautiful well appointed home that will meet everyones needs. It is a very spacious home, extremely comfortable and well suited for large families or extended groups. It is Ideally located in a quite neighbor-hood and within easy walking distance to Poipu beach (though a little too far for toddlers). It's central location on the southern part of Kauai allows easy access to explore a number of major tourist attractions eg The Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon and Smith's Family Luau. Our family group comprised seven adults and four children (aged 4yrs and under) and all our needs were well catered for. Plenty of space to accommodate our large group in the dinning and lounge areas thus providing a cosy family atmosphere. We made good use of the outdoor gas BBQ as well as utilizing the beach equipment on our visit to the toddler friendly Poipu beach. Ala Muku is an extremely well maintained property and I believe represents good value when compared with similar rentals. Jim and Juliana provide excellent customer service. I would have no hessitation in recommending this property for those wishing to stay at Poipu,

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

A Picture Perfect Vacation

Guest: Howard/Cummings Family (Renton, WA)
Date of Stay: 04/11/10 Review Submitted: 05/04/10

Over the last 15 years my multi-generational family has made multiple visits to Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. We always try and rent properties vs. staying in hotel/motels... This property by far is the best we have ever had the pleasure to stay in!! Excellent layout of the property, two differed patio's to enjoy with seating. Amazingly clean (I can't emphasis how important this is to us, especially in Hawaii) bug free and well appointed. There was enough recreational equipment to fully suit all of our needs, from bikes to coolers and beach mats! It is located near everything in the Poipu Beach area, yet tucked back in a quiet little neighborhood! Becasue the owners are on site, our TV outage was addressed in minutes (can't miss the Baseball game :-) Our neighbors from home overlapped a couple of days and were staying in another property up north, the first day they came to visit they were ready to move in... They just kept going on and on about how much nicer our property was and for less cost!! We plan on coming back again and again... Thank you so much for the wonderful vacation!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect house for a group of seven

Guest: Lu (Minneapolis, MN, USA)
Date of Stay: 04/03/10 Review Submitted: 02/08/11

We loved this house. With two master en-suites, it makes it a perfect house for 2 families. The place was spotless, the beds are comfortable. They even thought to give earplugs for the occasional middle of the night rooster noise, but that really wasn't a issue at all. The owners are friendly and had good recommendations. They live in the apartment above the garage but we rarely saw them and never heard them. There's pool toys/bikes in the garage to use. The beach is a short 10-15 minute walk max. Ask the owner for the shortcut. We would stay there again in a heartbeat. Can't say enough good things. Thanks for a wonderful vacation.

Owner response:Aloha Lucy, thank you for the lovely review. We are so glad you had an enjoyable experience on Kauai and in our comfortable home. Juliana and I work hard to keep things nice for our guests.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A very happy 3 generation vacation

Guest: family travel agent (Missouri)
Date of Stay: 10/06/09 Review Submitted: 11/10/09

Our week’s stay at Ala Muku home couldn’t have been better, including the fact that 9 of us had very comfortable lodgings for about the price of a single Kauai hotel room. The house was immaculate, perfectly maintained, with a fresh, casual, tropical decor. The location was perfect. It was in a quiet neighborhood, but within easy walking distance (even for a 6 yr old and grandmother), to what proved to be, after sampling several others, our favorite kid friendly, snorkeling beach. Loved the sounds of tropical birds in the morning. Having room for 4 and 6 year old Midwestern kids to be up and moving VERY early in the morning, was good for everyones’ enjoyment of their vacation. The multichannel TV was much appreciated by our son, who was able to watch his pro football team play live, even if it was at 7 a.m Sunday morning. The kitchen, dining room, barbeque grill all more than met our needs, especially for our freshly caught, grilled tuna dinner, in honor of our son and his fiancee. The wide variety of beach gear was put to use daily, as well as the bikes. And the washer and dryer were another plus on a weight restricted, bag limited trip. Your personal hospitality helped us to truly relax and enjoy the beautiful island. All in all, our 3 generations thoroughly enjoyed the stay. Our 4 year old grandson said his favorite part of the trip was your house and the well spaced master bedrooms would certainly also suit house-sharing by several couples. Based on this experience, we hope to return to Kauai for even more exploration and feel confident that rental of any of your properties in the future would prove to be an excellent plan. Thank you. John and Jo

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Your Kauai Home

Guest: Pam T. (Trabuco Canyon, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/19/08 Review Submitted: 01/24/09

Dear Jim and Juliana, We want to thank you so very much for your beautiful home for our vacation. Not only was your home very nice and clean, you had everything we could have needed and wanted! The kitchen was perfect for family meals and we all enjoyed the space the house offered. We really were comfortable with 12 in the home for a few days and the cousins all enjoyed being together! All the bikes and beach gear were perfect also. The days that it was just the two of us it was extra nice to feel so at home! We have fallen in love with your island and all the beauty it offers. I am sure we will be back for a visit and next time we want to bring friends! Mahalo from our hearts and have a blessed Holiday season, Pam and the whole family

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/11/08

Hello Jim and Juliana, I just wanted to send a quick message to thank you for the wonderful accommodations your home provided for my family during our vacation. Everything was so beautiful, comfortable and welcoming. I made notes of some of the decor, especially in the master bedroom, so that I can have some great ideas when decorating my bedroom (my next big project). Your thoughtfulness in providing even the smallest items throughout the home made sure we did not want for anything. Once we went to Costco and the grocery store, we were set. I've never been to Kauai before; however, it is now my favorite island. We drove up into the Waimea canyon, kayaked the Wailua river, explored the north shores and relaxed on the beaches. My son and brother also enjoyed a few of the beautiful golf courses. Thank you again for providing us the opportunity to enjoy an incredible vacation. Not only will I recommend your home to anyone heading to Kauai, but I'm sure we'll be back in the future. Sincerely,

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/11/08

We had a wonderful (understatement) time in Kauai. We did all that we wanted and then some. Your hale was perfect, the size was just right for our family and we (Ron and I ) were very impressed with the upstairs bedroom. The whole house was impressive, very clean and had everything we needed- we will definitely recommend it and you to all our friends that go to the island. Your directions to the house were very good- we found it in the dark and was raining.

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What a great find.....

Guest: islandgirlsmom (Whidbey Island, WA)
Date of Stay: 11/23/07 Review Submitted: 10/05/08

We loved staying at Jim and Julianna's house in Poipu. It was so convenient to everything! The house had plenty of room for all 6 of us - it's also fully outfitted with everything you could need for a vacation. The kids rode the bikes everyday over to Brenneke's Beach; the grocery store is right down the road and the washer and dryer made life so much easier. I can't say enough good things about our experience with the house and Jim and Julianna - we will definitely be going back.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.