Outstanding property in Hanalei

Guest: Dayneys (Denver, CO)
Date of Stay: 12/16/11 Review Submitted: 01/03/12

House is very new and and has all modern comforts. Block and a half from Hanalei town and 5 minute walk to beach. Really very comfortable lodging for family with two teenage girls

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

A Beautiful Stay in Hanalei !

Guest: Kayowe (Monterey)
Date of Stay: 10/27/11 Review Submitted: 11/09/11

This home is beautiful, even better than the pictures ! My husband and I were the only ones on this trip so we really didn't use 2 of the bedrooms and one of the bathrooms. Everything was clean and in good condition. The master suite had windows perfectly situated to catch the breezes. The master bath is spacious and conveniently laid out. The kitchen is beautiful and very well equipped. We used the gas BBQ two evenings to cook our own fresh fish dinners. We spent much of our time out on the back lanai. We found it a wonderful spot to set up our computers and do our online work, read ,or take a nap :) I loved sitting out there, warm and dry, when the rain was pouring down. The location was perfect ! Go to the end of the block and left one block and you are in the middle of town. We had a great time trying out all of the different restaurants. The beach was a few blocks in the other direction. We loved the little town of Hanalei ! A lot of people mentioned the roosters in their reviews. They were noisy ,but after a while it becomes background noise. They have absolutely no sense of time ! At night we left on the ceiling fan, closed all the windows, and turned on the "white noise" app on our ipod.( There is a convenient ipod player by the bed in the master). The first morning we woke up and wondered what happened to the noisy roosters. As soon as we opened the windows and turned off the ipod there they were !! They never disturbed our sleep :) My husband loved feeding the 5 cats that came around every morning and night. I am allergic so I was a little concerned but they don't come in the house ( I would have known !). They were very sweet and seemed to disappear when it wasn't feeding time. We bought some cat food the first day and then found a stash in the garage that we used after that. Joan, the owner, was easy to deal with and there is a property manager close by in case there were any problems. We never had to contact her but it was reassuring to know she was available if needed. In sum, we had a wonderful stay at this beautiful house and hope to come back again !

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

Perfect home in relaxing Hanalei

Guest: KM (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/07/11 Review Submitted: 10/23/11

We stayed in this beautiful home for 8 days earlier this October for a family vacation which included 6 adults and our 16-month old daughter. I can't speak highly enough of the experience. The house is at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac a minute's walk from the center of Hanalei, which is a wonderful little town with good restaurants, an organic market, a fresh fish market down the street, shopping, and yoga (we went almost every morning). The fact that the beach is only a 5 minute walk away made it easy to take spontaneous trips down to the beach (up to several times a day) or to go back for things we forgot (happens a lot, when you have a little kid). The house is beautifully decorated and immaculate: you can tell that a lot of care and love went into the selection of furnishings/decorations, and the upkeep of this home. The main room is spacious with high ceilings, windows opening out onto a nice deck and back yard, comfortable seating, and a big kitchen with every tool/appliance that one could need. As a result, we cooked most of our meals at the house, going out only occasionally for dinner, and ate very well! The master bedroom is spacious with a separate shower and tub/jacuzzi. The other two bedrooms (one with a queen bed, and the other with two twin beds) share a bathroom. The house is well-stocked with linens and towels, and has a washer/dryer that we took advantage of. In the garage, they have beach gear (mats, umbrellas, lots of snorkel gear, boogie boards, and sand toys for kids) that we used down at Hanalei Beach (a 5 minute walk) and the other beautiful beaches along the North Shore. We rented a high chair and crib from Ready Rentals (based on Joan's recommendation), and the gear had been delivered to the houseby the time we arrived. During this trip, we were also able to hike/camp the Napali Coast (Kalalu) Trail, with the grandparents babysitting our toddler -- an unforgettable experience. Overall, our experience at this Hanalei home was outstanding, and I recommend it without reservation. The owner, Joan, was very responsive to all of my questions and a pleasure to correspond with. We hope to plan another visit to Hanalei at some point, and will be sure to look again for this house!

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

Fantastic & Blissful!

Guest: Refreshed (Corte Madera, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/07/11 Review Submitted: 09/26/11

We rented this house with Grandma for our very first family vacation after a year of very serious health issues with our younger son. It was beyond our expectations! Yes, the photos do not do it justice. It is beautifully decorated, Hawaiian style without going cheesy. We'd decorate our own home this way. It is totally liveable - seriously functional! The central living/dining area with large open kitchen is this wonderful hub. We all totally loved the sliding doors that open to the deck and yard and, across the little creek, a field of goats! It really feels like you are miles away even though it's just two blocks from town and the best coffee shop on Earth. If you love Peet's you'll be blown away by Java Kai/Hanalei Roasters. The service there is fantastic. Back to the house - from the front porch you can see the 4-5 giantic waterfalls of Mount Wai?ale?ale...it was such a blissful surprise. And another surprise was how super kid friendly the yard is: flat and grassy with a papaya tree. Our boys ages 4 & 7 had such adventures! There is a little creek that is blocked by a neat, short, hedge but if you have a little devil on your hands, it can be snuck under. I was surprised, again, that our boys didn't. The house is immaculate yet not delicate. It's very comfortable. Our favorite beach was Kee Beach at the very end of the road - we saw a beautiful 4 foot long yellow headed Moray eel! Hanalei Pier is a local fun hangout and Pat's taco truck (open 11-2 or 12-3 only) is yummy. A visit to Hanalei and this house is sure to relax you. The moment we all walked in, there was this communal sign....ahhhh. PS as for the rain - yes, Kauai is a rainy island but imagine warm, gentle, soothing rain. And the roosters, yes, they don't know that they are supposed to crow only at dawn but it really only bothered us on the first morning - after that they were just white noise (mostly) ;)

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

Highly recommended, great for beach and town access

Guest: JC (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/28/10 Review Submitted: 09/09/11

We had a lovely week in this house in the heart of Hanalei. With a 17 yr old and a 20 yr old in our party it was important not to be dependent on a car, and in fact we all enjoyed walking the few minutes to the beach access to Hanalei Bay, and being able to pop to the shops and restaurants on foot. However access to the roads was easy and we enjoyed rediscovering the delights of the North Shore as well as a trip to Poipu and points south. The Lanai of this home has lovely views of the mountains and sky and we loved watching the light change on the hills. This house is a very well appointed home - very well equipped big kitchen and spacious rooms. The master bathroom was a real treat and the early morning light and green trees in the garden made waking up in Hanalei a dreamy experience - except for the ubiquitous feral chickens who shared our joy very early every day!

Owner response:Thank you for your wonderful feedback on our home, Judith. We're happy to hear you had a lovely stay and you all enjoyed the magic of Hanalei. Hope to see you for a return visit in the future! -Joan

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Wonderful rental in a great location

Guest: Kusum (San Francsico, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/25/11 Review Submitted: 08/01/11

The photo's do not do this house justice. The house is beautiful and clean, the gardens are lovely and it is a short walk to the beach. The layout was perfect for us. I have 2 children so we had the adjoining bedrooms and my sister and husband stayed in the bigger suite accross the sitting/kitchen area. The kitchen was well stocked with all the appliances you needed The view from the front porch is amazing and we saw the sunrise most mornings (toddler and infant waking up at 5am first few days due to time change). The beach close by was the one I loved the most, we visited a view on the north shore and this by far was the best of them if you have children. The only negatives I can mention is that my sister and myself got bitten a lot by mosquitos, however my children and husband didn't wear any repellent but didn't get a single bite! It did rain a fair amount so I wonder if that is why there where a lot of mosquitos around. The other thing was getting used to the noisy cockerels but they seem to be everywhere in Hanalei, so I don't think they can be avoided and we just got used to it. We mostly cooked in most nights and the fish taco place was good for quick lunches. I would highly recommend Bar Acuda for dinner, the food was great and the service excellent. We tried to get take out from Bouchons when they were not even busy and found them to be rude and unhelpful, so rule them of your list for a take out place. The fish from the local fish market was fresh and tasty, a little pricey but worth it. I would highly recommend this property and will propably rent it again in the future.

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

Lovely home, great set-up, everything you could need, and a short walk to the beach!!

Guest: Amy (Oakland, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/16/11 Review Submitted: 06/29/11

My family spent a wonderful vacation last week at this Hanalei home! It's beautiful both inside and out. The landscaping is very nice and the back yard looks onto a creek. The bedroom arrangement is very convenient for two couples traveling together with children. The house is stocked with everything you'll need for a perfect beach vacation. The house is just a five minute walk to the beach. It's just a two minute walk from town, but is set back in a culdesac that keeps it nice and quiet. I highly recommend this rental home!!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Great house and terrific location

Guest: Matt (Cameron Park, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/31/11 Review Submitted: 06/16/11

This is a great house and it's even nicer than in the photos. My family of six stayed here for just over a week. The house was beautiful and had everything that we needed to feel right at home. Although it is fairly close to the main road through Hanalei, you'd never know. It felt nicely secluded. My three year old daughter loved the neighborhood kitties and we all loved the close proximity to Hanalei beach and several others on the north side of Kauai. We definitely recommend the house and would love to stay there again.

Owner response:Thanks very much Matt. It was a pleasure having you and your family stay in our home and we hope to welcome you back for a return visit in the future! Mahalo! Joan

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

Great Hanalei vacation rental - close to everything North Shore!

Guest: Daniela (Sebastopol, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/19/11 Review Submitted: 03/31/11

We rented this amazing home with another couple. In total, there were 4 adults, and three little girls (ages 2, 3, and 4). They loved seeing the neighborhood kitties, as well as lots of chickens. The photos don't do the place justice - it's even nicer in person! The spa tubs were great. We really enjoyed being so close to town and the beach and were able to walk with the girls almost everywhere - the cul-de-sac feels private even though it is off a main road. Some of our favorite places to drive to were Ke'e Beach, Kilauea Lighthouse and the Princeville St. Regis for drinks and an awesome view of Hanalei Bay. Our favorites in town were Bouchons for sushi, the Dolphin Market for fresh fish and Hanalei Gourmet for fish tacos. The Hanalei Farmers' Market in Waipa (Tuesdays at 2) was a great place to get local fruit and other products. The owner was very helpful along the way in welcoming us and responding quickly to email. We'd definitely stay here again! Mahalo!

Owner response:Thanks very much. We're so glad you enjoyed your stay in our home and we hope to see you for a return visit in the future.

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

Perfect Hanalei location; secluded, quiet cul de sac

Guest: udivegirl (Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 10/07/10 Review Submitted: 10/27/10

This is a beautiful rental in a quiet cul de sac and a perfect location. We walked around the whole town pretty much and checked out a lot of rental locations and this cul de sac feels the most private. Very clean and neat home with all the amenities. Very comfortable furniture. The backyard feels like you're in a jungle when on the back porch. Nice grill. Got good use of the coolers and beach chairs. Some of our favorite restaurants are within 2 blocks of the house. The grocery store and shopping area is just across the street from the cul de sac. The beach is about 2 1/2 to 3 blocks the other direction. Couldn't ask for a better location. We loved Kalypso's, Bubba's Burgers for a quick dinner one night and Tropical Taco for lunch or after being at the beach. We grilled at the house a lot as well. It did get hot in the house as the day went on as it doesn't have air conditioning so it was hot at bedtime. The fans didn't seem to help much. However, most homes don't have air due to the trade winds. Unfortunately, the house is set back and blocked from those breezes by houses on either side.

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