Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great place to stay

Guest: long beach sb (Long Beach, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/20/12 Review Submitted: 05/03/12

Just returned from several nights at this property. It was exactly as described and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. The studio is clean and very comfortable for 2 people. It was handy to have access to bikes, snorkels, etc and be able to prepare simple breakfasts. The owners are very friendly, yet give you space to enjoy your time there. We loved being so close to Waimea Falls, Haleiwa, Turtle Bay and Shark's Cove, but had a hard time leaving the amazing views from the comfortable beach chairs. The property is located close to the hwy, but the noise didn't bother us a bit. (As we drove around, we noticed most beachfront properties were close to the highway.) We absolutely would return here and recommed it to friends and family, and hope to return soon.

Owner response:Mahalo for the review.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Our Hawaii get away

Guest: beach time (De Queen, Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 04/05/12 Review Submitted: 04/24/12

We had a great time the studio was great the pictures of it and the beach is just like is shows and just right for us. We loved the location right on the beach the weather was a little rainy for a few days, but so what, YOU ARE IN HAWAII it is so amazingly beautiful and so relaxing. You are on the North shore close to all the best food, beaches and the most friendliest people you will ever meet. So we have decided starting now we are making our trips to Hawaii yearly. We recommend Zen Tropical Studio great place to stay.

Owner response:Mahalo for the review. You were wonderful guests and I look forward to seeing you again next year.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway.

Perfect North Shore Location

Guest: Tony (Las Vegas)
Date of Stay: 03/14/12 Review Submitted: 03/30/12

I stayed at this North Shore Oahu location mid-March 2012 because I wanted a Hawaii experience that was a little less touristy than Honolulu and a beach experience that involved bigger waves and more of a surfing vibe than Waikiki Beach. Despite some personal setbacks like catching a cold my second day in Hawaii, my stay at this location was one of the best vacations I've ever had. First of all, the room is a small studio with bath but is more spacious than a hotel room. The host family is very friendly and hospitable when you see them, but for the most part you do your thing and they do theirs. They also offer a number of items that you can use during your stay like mask and snorkel, bikes, cooler, etc. Then it all has to do with location, location, location. It was only about a 45 minute drive from Honolulu to this location and it was very easy to find with Mapquest. It was right on the beach. You cross the backyard then there you are on the beach. Making it even more amazing was the fact that there is a small reef right on the shoreline so when the waves break on the shore there is a big white splash, perfect for listening to and watching while you watch the sunset. You are within a long walking distance, a short bike ride, or very short drive to some amazing beaches like Ehukai Beach aka the Banzai Pipeline where you can see some awesome waves and watch some amazing surfers, Sunset Beach to watch more waves and surfers, Shark's Cove Beach where you can snorkel, Three Tables Beach where you can also snorkel, and Waimea Bay which is a little calmer beach. A short drive one way is Haleiwa where you can find stores, bars, and restaurants and the other way is Turtle Bay Resort where you can find a couple of bars and restaurants and even use their beach. For necessities, a Foodland and Starbucks is a couple minute drive away. So as to keep this review honest, I will say that if your looking to do a lot of swimming maybe Honolulu is a better spot because the ocean is a little rougher up on the North Shore. All in all, a great place exactly as advertised.

Owner response:Mahalo for your review and I look forward to your return visit. During mid October to begining of April the waves can be big on the North Shore and swimming can be difficult especially November-February. Of course it is not big every day, there are always a few days every month and even more days in October and March that it is pleasant to swim in front of our property. The ocean is flat and the snorkeling is great from May to September. Turtle Bay is always safe to swim.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Little Place

Guest: Willy & Vicki (Whidbey Island, Wa.)
Date of Stay: 02/20/12 Review Submitted: 03/05/12

Sweet people, sweet place, sweet location! ...on the beach! and the bike path! mid-way between Sunset and Waimea, just around the corner from Shark's Cove in one direction and just down the beach from Pipeline in the other! (..garlic shrimp at Ted's Bakery, etc..) Small, but clean, comfortable and private, a charming place with lovely hosts and perfect for us. We'll be back for a much longer stay!

Owner response:Mahalo for the review, I enjoyed meeting you and look forward to your next visit.

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Not noisy anymore.

Guest: Owner
Date of Stay: 11/16/11 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

I just purchased a new refrigerator so I hope the noise issue is mute. I appreciate it when my guests tell me verbally or by note if something is unsatisfactory. Mahalo to all my guests for their recommendations.

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Paradise Revisited

Guest: Doug and Julie (Schaumburg, IL)
Date of Stay: 11/09/11 Review Submitted: 12/15/11

This was our second stay with Tina. The unit has everything you need and Tina is very accommodating. Yes, the studio is small but with the beautiful island awaiting you how much time are you going to spend in the studio? You can hear the traffic on the road, but generally by bedtime traffic dies down and we do not find it distracting. We spend more time listening to the crashing waves! Tina has made some furniture changes, which were nice and made the space a little more user friendly. The location cannot be beat and most of the time we enjoyed Ke Iki beach all to ourselves. Great value, location and host. Now, we start counting the days until next year!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, sightseeing.

Noisy Room

Guest: Oahu Bound (BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 10/04/11 Review Submitted: 11/04/11

The studio is nice & clean. The issues we had were not being able to leave the air conditioner or fan on while being out for awhile & having to wait awhile for the room to cool off when we got back. We couldn't use the bathroom fan between 9-7am and when we were allowed we could only have it on for 5 min. The fridge makes a really loud bang when it shuts off(my husband thought there was a car crash out front), which woke us up a few times a night and the air conditioner turned off & on all night waking us up several times as well. The home is close to the highway which you can hear the traffic from as well. The parking is out front behind their gate. The beach is quiet & very nice-we weren't able to swim too much because of the waves.Tina was nice & welcoming but the studio was too loud and too hot for us. Even though we paid our full stay upon arrival we left after a few days-it was an unfortunate part of our trip.

Owner response:I am sorry that some people are extremely sensitive to any noise. I felt badly that this couple left 1 night early, I always want my guests to enjoy their stay. I have had hunderds of guests stay here with only positive responses. The room cools down within 10 min of turning on the AC so I don't see any reason to leave it on when not in the unit, just wasteful. I asked my most recent guests if the refrigerator was loud or bothersome and they said "no". This couple could have turned off the fridge at night if it bothered them. We do not have any AC in our house so I take a cool shower during the hotter months (May-October) before I go to bed, turn on the fan and I sleep well. We do live in the tropics and it is hotter and more humid here so that is why the guest unit has AC for the hot months(May-October)of the year. I suppose you can't please everyone although I do my best. Much aloha.

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Hope I'm Back Soon!!!

Guest: Happy Camper (Fort Lauderdale, FL )
Date of Stay: 07/22/11 Review Submitted: 08/19/11

This is such a great little (and it's little but you're at the beach all day!!!) studio to rent. The host couldn't be more gracious and hospitable, helpful and responsive. It was quiet (for the North Shore) and it's steps from the beach. The North Shore attractions and bike path are so accessible. Facilities were clean, well maintained and well stocked. I would recommend this place and would stay here again!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Amazing Location!

Guest: Tiffany (San Clemente, Ca)
Date of Stay: 04/20/11 Review Submitted: 05/25/11

This studio was perfect for my husband and I! Small, but we didnt spend much time in it anyways! Great Location on the North Shore and close to everything! The owners were so friendly and welcoming. Thanks soo much, we had a wonderful stay!

Owner response:It is the perfect size for a couple who is looking for a beautiful beach, garden and convenient location.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect!

Guest: Larry (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 02/19/11 Review Submitted: 04/06/11

We had a wonderful stay. The place was clean and the owners were very helpful and friendly. I would definitely recommend staying here. We saw whales while sitting on the beach chairs in the backyard. Also, there's a 5-mile walking/jogging/biking path right in front of the house which is wonderful for accessing the nearby beaches. Additionally, Ted's Bakery is just up the road: an absolute must! If we come again, we'll be back!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Would (and already have) recommend to ANYONE!!!

Guest: Ray & Breanna (Saskatchewan, Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/13/11 Review Submitted: 03/18/11

We had an amazing time staying at your studio, Tina. We had everything we needed to be comfortable in the suite, as well as extra provisions for any activities we wanted to do (towels, cooler, etc.). We were also able to make use of the bikes to check out the nearby surfing beaches - most of which are walking distance anyway!! Your location is amazing, and we will definitely be back!! Thank you!

Owner response:We have a beautiful spot here on the North Shore and I'm always so pleased that our guests enjoy it also. Aloha.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

PARADISE FOUND!!

Guest: Renee (Kelowna, BC)
Date of Stay: 01/29/11 Review Submitted: 02/08/11

What an incredible holiday we had on the North Shore last week...the perfect location, steps to your own private beach!! Relaxation at its best..Starbucks & shopping within walking distance, nobody on the beach, walk to Sharks Cove to snorkel, grab an awesome mahi mahi burger at one of the quaint restaurants, watch surfers & whales from your towel!!! Couldn't have been better, thank you Tina for sharing your zen tropical paradise with us...we can't stop talking about it, and we will definitely be back ASAP:) Mahalo, Renee & Paul

Owner response:I'm always so pleased when my guests enjoy their stay.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Great Relaxing Getaway

Guest: Paul & Alison (Portland, Or)
Date of Stay: 10/04/10 Review Submitted: 05/11/11

Awesome hideaway for two, right on the beach. Plenty of things to do and a great place to relax.

Owner response:I'm always pleased when my guests have a good visit. Mahalo for the review.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Very Relaxing

Guest: Emily and Matt (Auburn, WA USA)
Date of Stay: 06/13/10 Review Submitted: 08/08/10

We enjoyed our stay at the studio very much. It is located just down the beach from great snorkeling and some of the most beautiful beaches we've ever seen. The room was equipped with what we needed and we ended up saving a lot of money by shopping for meals at Costco and the nearby local Foodland Grocery. The property owners were very nice and helpful as well. We hope to stay here again next year or possibly even sooner than that and we would recommend this studio to anyone interested in visiting Oahu.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Absolutely Awesome!!!!

Guest: Lisa (Mishawaka, IN.)
Date of Stay: 05/26/10 Review Submitted: 09/08/10

My husband and I stayed at the studio while we were attending a friends wedding in May. The studio was just as described and very comfortable. We are so glad that we decided to stay on the North Shore rather than in middle of the city. The view from the back yard was absolutely gorgeous! Tina and Nathan were great and we would love to come stay there again the next we come back! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone!

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Great stay for our getaway!

Guest: JaniceG (Chilliwack, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 05/08/10 Review Submitted: 05/17/10

We definetly enjoyed our stay at this location and would stay there again. It is a studio, so yes space is limited, but who goes on vacation to sit in their room?? It has everything you need, and was a great price compared to others on the shore. Very close to anything you need, from scuba to groceries, everything was within a 10 minute walk. I spent many mornings on the lounge chairs enjoying my coffee and staring out at the beautiful beach, which most of the time we had to ourselves. Loved visiting the North Shore, and its relaxed atmosphere will bring us back, hopefully to this rental !

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

One word: "Perfect"

Guest: reiki gal (Haverhill, MA USA)
Date of Stay: 04/07/10 Review Submitted: 04/19/10

We totally enjoyed our stay and hope this studio is available the next time we visit Oahu because we will stay there again in a heartbeat. The pictures do not do it justice. The location was incredible. The best part is the expansive gorgeous white sandy beach right out back a short walk through the nicely landscaped yard. We had the beach practically to ourselves most mornings and the sunsets viewed from the lounge chairs is just beautiful. The room was very clean, quiet, had a comfortable bed, & you can hear the waves crashing on the beach. Everything was available to us that was listed in the description & the bike path was right at the end of the driveway so we took the cruiser bikes to many beaches and surfing/snorkeling areas, and can't forget to mention Ted's Bakery, a short bikeride away. Tina made sure we felt "at home" and we would highly recommend staying at the "Zen" tropical studio...a fitting name for this space.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Zen Tropical Beachfront Studio

Guest: Peter and Carol (Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 02/18/10 Review Submitted: 04/10/10

As listed, very nice and clean. It is small, but adequate and you can't beat the price. The most reasonable price for a studio that is newer and on the beach. Lots of amenities for the renters to use and very friendly owners. It is always nice when the owners live at the property.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.