Vacation Rentals by Owner

Best Hawaii vacation ever!

Guest: Kris from Southern California (Camarillo, Californina)
Date of Stay: 02/14/12 Review Submitted: 03/10/12

My family loves Hawaii, really, who doesn't? North shore Kauai is our favorite area, and now we have a new favorite home to rent. We arrived on Valentine's day with two of our adult daughters and their partners. All six of us were so excited to vacation in such a beautiful home. The photos only gave us a glimpse of how beautifuly designed and decorated the home is. The reality is that this house is far nicer than we expected, and our expectations were pretty high based on the web site photos. It easily accomodated 3 couples and I think would be equally comfortable for any family . I found the kitchen to be very nicely equiped and very comfortable to cook in. Thank you for providing good kitchen kinves! The great room made a perfect gathering place for us. In fact, we celebrated a daughter's engagement while we were there. Another pleasant supprise was the view from the back lanai. The house backs up to a small creek and green belt, complete with free range goats. Every morning I was out there watching them feed while I drank my first cup of tea. Truly, everything is convenient. We walked everywhere. Hanalei town is steps away (don't miss the tapas at Baracuda and the passion fruit margaritas at Tahiti Nui's happy hour) The bay is less than a five minute stroll. The owners provide a full array of "beach toys". We found goggles, surf boards, umbrellas and beach chairs. Joan, the owner is gracious and easy to communicate with, as is Joan the "on Island" property manager. We can't wait to return.

Owner response:Thanks so much Kristine. It's great that you all had a wonderful vacation in beautiful Hanalei! We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Joan

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

Perfect Home Away From Home

Guest: Rebekah B. (Bellingham, WA)
Date of Stay: 01/30/12 Review Submitted: 02/16/12

The house was the perfect set up for our family with two little ones and both sets of grandparents. It's location couldn't have been a better fit for our group-on a quiet cul-de-sac away from the busy roads but close enough to walk to the beach or town. We stayed on Weke road for our last trip and the road was too busy for little ones. The kitchen was well stocked and well organized. We cooked all of our meals except the occasional visit to Pat's Taqueria Truck down by the Hanalei Pier. Our group loved sitting on the back lanai at night enjoying our dinner in such a private peaceful place. The roosters eventually began to blend in with the other neighborhood noises and with white noise or earplugs, they weren't a problem at night. Our little girls, who both turned 1 and 3 on the trip, especially took pleasure in feeding the 5 then at one point 6 cats in the morning and at night. The main room was comfy and great for down time. The beds were comfortable as well. We are very impressed with this home and hope to return very soon. My husband and I have our own vacation rental and have stayed at many homes, and this one is right at the top.

Owner response:We're so glad you and your family enjoyed your stay in our Hanalei home and we hope to welcome you back for a return visit in the future! Mahalo! Joan

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

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:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car.

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

Perfect home in relaxing Hanalei

Guest: KM (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/07/11 Review Submitted: 10/22/11

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

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

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:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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

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

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

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

LOVED YOUR HOME!

Guest: KiKi (Los Angeles)
Date of Stay: 09/07/10 Review Submitted: 09/15/10

I would like to thank you again for allowing us to stay in your wonderful house in Hanalei. It was such a cozy, loving spot to return to at the end of each day. There are so many things we enjoyed about it - your welcoming committee (the neighborhood cats), the garden, the view, the outdoor shower and the fresh papayas from your tree. We would loved to stay longer... Your home is a prototype for the house we want to build for ourselves because it was perfect in every way.

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

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

Beautiful, peaceful home - perfect location!

Guest: Katherine (Santa Cruz, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/18/10 Review Submitted: 09/04/10

This was our first time in Hanalei and we absolutely loved our stay in this beautiful home. The owner, Joan, is extremely responsive and gave us a warm feeling about the place from our very first communication. The home itself is immaculate - I've never stayed in a rental property that was so clean and well cared for. The kitchen has everything you need for cooking and preparing meals so we ate most of our meals at home. The beds were very comfortable - a big plus!. And in addition to the multiple ceiling fans in all of the rooms, there were a couple of extra standing/portable fans which we used in the bedrooms every night for extra cooling, and to block the sounds of the occasional rooster! This home is beautiful, comfortable, and ideally located. We have three young children ages 3 to 9 and the location was superb. We could walk to town, or to a gorgeous beach in a matter of minutes. We walked a short way to rent kayaks and paddled up the river. Walked to the beach for surf lessons at the pier. And it was a short drive to Tunnels (amazing snorkeling), Secret's Beach (breathtaking) and Queen's Bath (must-see lava pool- kids loved it!). And yet, because the house is down a little street on a cul-de-sac, it feels totally peaceful and removed from the bustle of town and traffic. The kids loved the outdoor shower which was enclosed for total privacy. I could go on and on! We absolutely loved Hanalei and we're already planning our return trip to this lovely home.

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

Kamaaina Family

Guest: Mommybert (Kailua - Oahu)
Date of Stay: 07/27/10 Review Submitted: 08/05/10

This was truly a "home" away from "home". This rental was equipped with every possible item you would need in a "home". The house was very well organized, designed, decorated and situated. 5 minute walk to a magical beach and a 2 minute walk to a quaint and delightful town. We had a magical vacation and it was nice to start and end every day with such a wonderful "home". Its the perfect launching pad and a amazing place to relax and enjoy. We would definitely rent this home again for any future family vacation to Hanalei.

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

Very nice vacation home

Guest: Angie (Palo Alto, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/10/10 Review Submitted: 07/26/10

Lovely home, new, clean, and well kept. Short walk to the beach park and just across the street from the shops and restaurants of Hanalei. No complaints other than windows need to be closed at bedtime to avoid being woken up by the roosters, and it was difficult to be outside for long without mosquito repellant. Hanalei is a beautiful place, and this home is a comfortable base for exploring the North shore. Owner was very responsive and easy to work with.

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

Could not be better...

Guest: Art (Durango, CO)
Date of Stay: 06/03/10 Review Submitted: 06/21/10

This is a beautiful home. The location is private at the end of a cul-de-sac, which was great for our family. The kids played outside all they wanted. It is an easy walk to the beach, restaurants, and shops. The listing description and photos are accurate. The property is beautifully landscaped and has a tropical feeling. The house is very clean and well maintained. The gourmet kitchen is well equiped with everything you could possibly need. The beds are comfortable and the furnishings are lovely. The music library has great Hawaiian music. There is so much to do in Hanalei and Kauai that we did not turn on the TV during our entire stay. The Napali Catamaran tour out of Hanalei Bay is outstanding. We rented surf boards and kayaks from Hawaiian Surf Adventures located across the road from Hanalei pier. The fish tacos at Pat's taco stand, also located near the pier, are delicious. If you enjoy hiking, the Napali coast trail offers world class scenery. I highly recommend this property. The owners are wonderful to work with and the home is lovely. You won't be disappointed.

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