Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/07 Review Submitted: 11/17/07

10/5-9/2007 - After a couple days in Waikiki, The Sharks Cove Getaway was an excellent way to spend our last few days in Oahu. We traveled the windward side of the island from Oahu and it was gorgeous. Our short stay did not warrant a Costco stop and with Foodland within walking distance we had everything we needed. Close to excellent snorkeling, a walk across the street to Sharks Cove, a short walk to Three Tables and a short drive to Waimea Bay. The house is spacious with ipod dock, high-speed internet access (and a desk with an excellent view of Shark’s Cove), a huge lanai, new bar-b-que, bikes and everything you need to enjoy a day at the beach. A shared full size washer and dryer with soap and dryer sheets was handy. The view from the bedrooms gives the feeling of being in a tree-house. We did not notice there was no TV in the room until our last night. Linens are new and plentiful. The nightly rain was enjoyable. This is the wet side of the island so lots of gorgeous vegetation.

Recommended for:

Sharks Cove Retreat Rocks!

Guest: Chris (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 12/08/11 Review Submitted: 12/15/11

Shark's Cove Retreat is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the experience of the North Shore. Situated at the mid point of the North Shore and across the street from the ocean, you can't ask for a better location. It's also in walking distance to Foodland and a short relaxing bike ride away from world famous Pipeline, Sunset Beach, and a bunch of other beaches. The owners have thought of everything- multiple beach cruisers, beach towels, snorkeling equipment, wi-fi, cable, washer/dryer, parking for multiple cars, and expansive deck with a water view. If you have any issues you can call Jack the on-site care taker or the owners. Both are very responsive and accommodating. This is our second visit and we'll be coming back for more!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

Another year- another great time

Guest: GB (Earlwood, NSW, Australia)
Date of Stay: 11/29/11 Review Submitted: 12/07/11

This was our second stay at this retreat and we are glad to have returned. Another great time for the 5 days that we were there (next time it will be definitely longer). Shark Cove itself is a great place to snorkle and then able to watch the surfing at Sunset beach was a bonus. The retreat is in a great spot - close to Foodland, beaches and a fantastic sunset off the verandah every night. Jack the caretaker again was helpful and always available if needed.

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

Surf Heaven...Even more amazing than I had imagined.

Guest: A,J. (St Leonards-On-Sea,Sussex. England.)
Date of Stay: 12/05/11 Review Submitted: 12/07/11

Thank you so much... We had such a great time staying at your vacation house in Sharks Cove. [Still don't understand why they call it that - maybe to discourage visitors] Fortunately, we were not scared off. [We asked around and couldn't find any locals who had ever heard of sharks being there]. The evening we arrived, after we had brought in our bags and sat down on the veranda to rest, we were completely amazed by probably the most amazing sunset I have ever seen in my life, with rays of light coming down through the clouds over Kaena Point. Every evening after that, we made a point of watching similar spectacles in the western sky as we prepared for supper. The location is fantastic. There is a good sized Supermarket within walking distance, [and a Starbucks], even though this is definitely North Shore country, with all the informal, laid-back charm that is famous world wide. I have heard about this place my whole life, and I had to keep pinching myself that I was actually in this legendary place that I had seen so many times in big wave surfing videos and films. We must have just timed it right, because the first day, the water of the cove, [literally right across the road], was smooth and clear, and true to what people had said, amazing for snorkeling, and full of brilliantly colored fish. Then, the next day we watched the waves getting bigger, as the North Shore surfing season began in earnest. Just down the road, [along the bike path], are Sunset Beach and Pipeline. The place is absolutely brilliant. Also, want to say thanks to Jack, the resident manager, who helped familiarize us with the area, and was very kind and friendly, and made us feel very comfortable.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

avoid this one

Guest: father (NEWPORT, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Date of Stay: 11/01/11 Review Submitted: 11/15/11

This place is dirty (dust, grime, gecko droppings); poorly maintained (bathroom door falling apart, rusty window latches, rusty stove, grimy windows) and suffers from an absent owner who has not visited in a year. The grounds are a mess. The bikes are grimy and rusty with flat tires. We visited four other homes for rent by vrbo in the area and this is the worst, by far. Give it a miss.

Owner response:We are very sorry that these guests didn't enjoy their experience at Shark's Cove Retreat, and we tried our best to rectify their dissatisfaction. When they called to notify us that the house cleaning was unsatisfactory, we immediately sent the cleaner out to address that. When they told us the coffee maker was not working, we sent the caretaker to town to buy a replacement. The unit was cleaned after the previous checkout and sat vacant for two weeks. Two weeks is plenty of time for the salty ocean air to leave a light coating on surfaces, and for the occasional gecko to make a dropping. The guests notified us that the unit was dirty, and we immediately sent someone to address the matter. I believe that the guests were never quite satisfied, which is unfortunate, as hundreds of previous visitors have had very pleasant experiences at our property. The bikes are an added plus that we make available, and there are instructions to talk to our onsite caretaker should they need tires pumped up etc. We didn't make an issue of the fact that these guests disregarded the rules that are clearly stated with the rental agreement, regarding onsite parking for only one car and limits on how many guests may come over. We also didn't make any mention that the coffee maker that was immediately replaced without question, actually worked, but that's okay a back-up is always good. We are not absentee owners as the review suggests, and we have a caretaker who has lived in the back house for over twenty years. We very recently put on a new roof, and extended the eave to cover the deck which created a nice outdoor living area-something that we felt would benefit the experience of our guests. We continue to maintain and fix up our home. While it is far from perfect, it is very well suited and situated to provide visitors with a pleasant, relaxing, and real North Shore experience. Aloha, Dave

Recommended for:Adventure seekers.

Awesome!

Guest: John (London, Ontario Canada)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/12/11

Fantastic location, beautiful sunsets and a house with everything (and I mean everything) you need. Am looking forward to going back and highly recommend it to anyone. Owners are very easy (and nice) to deal with.

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

This house will make you yearn for your next Hawaiian North Shore vacation

Guest: Karenh (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 02/14/11 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

We had the most enjoyable time on any of our Hawaiian vacations at this house. We took full advantage of the cruiser bikes and viewed the most amazing surfing we've ever witnessed. The bike trail terrain across the street is flat and makes riding doable even for people who don't usually ride bikes. Traffic on the North Shore is challenging, off and on, so good bikes can be a huge asset. Beautiful views, perfect location and had everything we needed to prepare food or just relax. Super clean and the linens are definitely high end. Right by Foodland supermarket, and there are 2 great food trucks ("Papukea Grill"...don't miss the tacos...and "Impossibles Pizza"...which stops by across the street Wed-Sun around 6pm and is crazy good, high quality italian food). These food options also make life on the North Shore very affordable as their portions are large for the price. Need anything? The Owners and Jack the Caretaker were great resources. Now we just need to figure out when to come back!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with teenagers.

How Good is this

Guest: GB (Earlwood, NSW, Australia)
Date of Stay: 11/13/10 Review Submitted: 12/05/10

What can I say- a fantastic location to kick off our Hawaii holiday. Easy access to the cove for snorkling and swimming, Foodland in walking distance and Waimea and Sunset only a bike ride away. Jock the caretaker made us feel welcome and gave his advice as a local. The property was clean and all the amenities you would want. A great place to relax before heading to Waikiki for our Wedding. Will definitely return and stay longer. Thanks again.

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

Pros and Cons

Guest: idahosandy (Boise)
Date of Stay: 11/20/10 Review Submitted: 11/28/10

Pros: -Views Cons:- traffic noise (constant) -Snorkeling at Shark's Cove -geckos (counted 10 in 2nd BR one a.m.) in the middle of -Bike path the night they make a loud screech! -location near stores/Starbucks - if you have little ones,watch out for busy road traffic -best shave ice next door -no seeums bite after dark on the deck, pack spray! -nice deck w/bbq -laundry (but no soap ) Overall, we got a feel for living like locals for the week and it was fun but next time will probably go the resort route. :)

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with teenagers.

Guest: Mindy19 (Waterford, Ca.)
Date of Stay: 03/02/10 Review Submitted: 03/02/10

Michelle- Once again the place was perfect. The deck was perfect. Our weather was AMAZING for February. The kids snokeled the cove and boogie boarded Waimea Bay. We even walked to the falls and swam this time. We had 8 perfect days of sun and then the Big Waves came and we got to watch the Professionals surf Waimea. Impossibles Pizza that parks across the street just after dark was an absolute treat. Gourmet Pizza and salad at a reasonable price. Thank You so much. P.S. Jack was so helfpul as usual Mindy and the boys

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