Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great stay

Guest: arcticmary (Fairbanks, AK)
Date of Stay: 02/18/12 Review Submitted: 03/05/12

We had a very good stay in late Feb. The beds were comfortable, and the house was nicely laid out with plenty of nice touches like flower arrangements and a large fruit basket. If you don't feel like driving during your stay, or have multiple people wanting to go different places and only one rental car, there is a bus stop right by the house and TheBus runs frequently, easy to get to PCC or the North Shore with a short bus ride. There is a very beautiful sunrise view from the front room. We would stay here again if we have the chance.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Comfy Beach House with Great Amenities at Affordable Price

Guest: Jo (Honolulu, HI)
Date of Stay: 12/18/11 Review Submitted: 01/02/12

My family of four spend a wonderful two days at the Blue Ginger, and were thrilled with the coziness of the beach house, the serenity of the spacious back yard, and thoughtfulness of the manager in the many generous hostess gifts she provided. The manager clearly has an eye for decorating, and has done a great job furnishing the beach house to give it a warm and cozy atmosphere, with a good variety of island and antique items. The kitchen is truly amazing. Never have I seen such a large kitchen with such well-stocked cabinets and shelves--nor such beautiful pottery serving pieces. There was not one item we lacked for in creating fairly elaborate meals--from cooking utensils and equipment to consumable items like baggies and paper towels. Plus, the manager had generously provided many gifts for our stay: local coffee, chocolate, fruit, and a coconut! Delightful. The back yard is equally amazing--quite large, with a covered lanai and BBQ overlooking the yard and fish pond. A washer and dryer are included, along with an outdoor shower and beach gear. I can't think of anything she missed. The house is across the street from the beach, giving the front room a wonderful beach view, and the bed is extremely comfortable (it appears the manager went to some expense to get a high-quality mattress). Other reviewers have commented on traffic noise. Clearly this (and likely any) beach house is going to have some traffic noise, since beach homes will have a road either in front or behind of their property. We didn't find the noise to be an issue, and would happily return (already considering plans).

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

Wonderful Stay in Punaluu!

Guest: Beth (Oregon)
Date of Stay: 12/09/11 Review Submitted: 01/05/12

I've been to Oahu several times, and wanted to stay on part of an island that I never had been before. I was running the Honolulu Marathon, and especially wanted a place outside of the city, where I could be footsteps away from the beach. We found a perfect spot at the Punaluu Beach House. We had beautiful sunrises from a private beach. We had a blast walking on the beach and collecting shells. We made great use of the kayaks and snorkel gear, and the ocean in front of the house was perfect for these activities. The house was clean, charming, and had all of the necessities we needed. We cooked in a few nights, and it was great to have a kitchen that was so well stocked! We also made good use of the beautiful patio and yard, and we sat outside often. We had fun exploring the places to eat nearby – there were lots of local gems! The proximity to the North Shore was also great, as we made a couple trips up there to explore and watch the surfing. Huge THANK YOU to the owner Kathy, for the fresh fruit, chocolate, delicious coffee, and other treats! Kathy was terrific to work with!

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

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/11 Review Submitted: 12/15/11

Let's start with the best. The owner is great to deal with and the house is one of the best equipped rentals I've ever been in. She provided lots of tips on where to shop and what was in the area. She had provided fruit, coffee, half-and-half, chocolate, and other treats when we arrived. Top-notch kitchen gear, a great grill, and lots of beach and sports equipment (although if you want to snorkel, take your own equipment as 1 size can't fit all...). The house is very comfortable and the covered patio in back is a great place to relax, except... The worst. The house is 36 feet off of the Kamehameha Highway, and it is a highway. The main drag up the coast and the traffic is very heavy during the day and constant through the night. Take some ear plugs so you can sleep (or there's an Ace Hardware up the road). There's an iPod dock in the house so you can cover up some of the traffic noise when sitting outside. The other annoying factor was the construction across the road. The bridge that's 100 yards or so up the road has been replaced and they are now in the process of removing the temporary bridge structures. Lots of large construction equipment starting at 7 most weekday mornings. The foreman told me he expected they would be done around the beginning of February.

Owner response: Our home is beach "view" with great views of the ocean from the front of the house. The vast majority of our guests have loved staying at our home, but I realize we can't please everyone. The new bridge down the highway from our house is complete; they are currently re-landscaping the areas on either side of the bridge. We do our best to provide our guests with the best experience possible; fortunately most are anxious to return.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car

Peaceful retreat

Guest: John and Lynn (Pacifica, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/28/11 Review Submitted: 10/05/11

A wonderful beach house. So relaxing and comfortable. We really appreciated the care taken to make every detail perfect - from the tasteful decorations to the welcoming flowers and leis, fresh fruit and other treats. First Class all the way! Great location - walk across the street to swim in gentle rolling waves and search for shells and other treasures on the beach. Great starting point for exploring the north shore and eastern side of the island. Thank you Kathy for a wonderful escape.

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

Great location in the country.

Guest: Scott (Gilbert, AZ)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 09/11/11

My wife and I came for our 10 year anniversary and we wanted a laid back, local feeling vacation. This was my first time in Hawaii and my wife's 2nd. I didn't really know what to expect but I have a few friends that don't really like Hawaii because they feel it is crowded and too "touristy". We decided on this property due to the many comments talking about things we wanted to do. If you are looking for a luxurious vacation at one of the large resorts than go stay in Waikiki. If you want to live like a real Hawaiian, this property works great. Kathy paid attention to every detail with the amenities and extras like fruit and flowers when we arrived. There is a small shop named Ching's just a few hundred feet from the cottage that had everything we needed as far as groceries and supplies. In it's parking lot is the Shrimp Shack who had awesome food from 10-5. You just had to walk across the highway to the beach that is hardly used except for a few locals. Most beach properties along the North Shore are on the highway so we used earplugs at night to cancel out the road noise but it wasn't a big deal. The location was great and we were close drives from amazing things such as the Polynesian Cultural Center and remaining North Shore. We drove up to Ted's Bakery and Matsumoto's Shaved Ice every day. It all felt very genuine as most of the places we went there were mostly locals. Island life is not a nice shiny resort and we felt great getting to know some of the locals around us. Again, if you want a very relaxed and real Hawaii experience, including geckos, Kathy's place is the spot. If you want a very shiny, travel magazine experience and night life stay around Honolulu. What a great experience.

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

A Relaxing and "Surprising" Stay

Guest: Makani808 (Oahu)
Date of Stay: 10/20/10 Review Submitted: 10/23/10

My wife and I reside on Oahu, residents of East Oahu and for our anniversary and her birthday (yup, anniversary and wife's birthday is on the same day which makes it convenient for me to remember!), I decided to rent out a cottage and after looking over the property and meeting Kathy, I knew this would be the ideal place! In fact, so perfect that my sister-in-law helped me plan a surprise baby shower for my wife. The backyard was big enough and with all of the amenities in the home, it was an easy decision. Our stay was relaxing and we enjoyed our four nights here! To show how relaxing it is, I'm writing my review as I lay on the couch. Thanks so much Kathy and Steve! Thanks for the fresh fruits, coffee and chocolate! Oh yeah, I had fun grating my own coconut! Reynold & Susan H.

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

Loved it!!

Guest: Harvey & Kim (Phoenix, AZ)
Date of Stay: 06/22/10 Review Submitted: 02/14/11

Our family stayed at this beachhouse and boy were we impressed with EVERYTHING... The pictures do not do it justice, it is so beautiful, clean and well stocked that we just thought wow, we did good renting this home! The reviews are all true and I do not think anyone could say a thing negative about this home. Kathy the owner thought of every need and desire and provided it. We go to hawaii at least once a year and usually stay with family or at a hotel. But this year we wanted to try something different and thanks to this home we had the time of our lives. We were able to have family over for a BBQ and do some entertaining. We were close to our favorite beaches and got to do hawaii local style. We definately recommend this property and plan to stay here again.

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

Resort amenities in a cozy home!

Guest: Mark and Wendi (Corvallis, OR, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/20/10 Review Submitted: 05/31/10

Our stay at Punalu'u Beach house was a vacation in paradise. Our home away from home was clean, comfortable, and beautifully decorated with fresh flowers, we had the warm sand and waters of the beach across the street to ourselves, and the patio and backyard were private and relaxing. We played on the beach with the snorkels and kayaks that came with the house, enjoyed the delicious fruit, coffee, and chocolates that Kathy (the owner) left for us, and found the warm outdoor shower and washer/dryer perfect for cleaning up after a day of fun. The covered patio was a great place to sip coffee in the morning, and drink beer and nibble local shrimp during afternoon rainstorms. Honolulu was only about a forty minute drive along beaches, and the spectacular Pali Highway. We drove there and back several times to visit family and friends, and saw new things on each trip. We enjoyed the Polynesian Cultural Center, and since it was only ten minutes away we were able to go back for a couple hours on a second day to see exhibits we missed. We took home some lovely flowers from Kathy's flower cart--and they survived the 48 hour trip well. This was our first trip to Hawaii, and people were surprised that we stayed on the Windward side--but this was exactly the vacation we were looking for. A private, relaxed, and affordable home--outside the hubbub of the city and the glitz of resorts--that would allow us to vacation on "Hawaiian Time," following no one's schedule but our own! The people we met in Ching's store and on our strolls along the beach were friendly and warm--we swapped stories with fishermen, shopkeepers, and even a actress who moved nearby recently! Kathy, the owner, was very helpful, providing directions, ideas for activities, and a tour of her flower and fish farm near Chinaman's hat. I would certainly recommend this property to any couple looking for a romantic and relaxing getaway with easy access to other places on Oahu. I hope that we will have a chance to return! Mahalo, Kathy!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Cameron4 (Vancouver, BC)
Date of Stay: 12/09/09 Review Submitted: 12/09/09

This is a very well looked after property and everything was as advertised. The owner clearly takes great pride in providing a positive rental and vacation experience. We usually go to Maui for a 'quiet' Hawaii vacation and only thought of Oahu as Waikiki. That changed after this trip and we really enjoyed the visitor feeling you get on the north and windward shore as opposed to the tourist feeling you get in many other parts of hawaii. It was a very relaxing stay and we would recommend this property.

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Guest: Rachel and Richard1 (Santa Ana, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/11/09 Review Submitted: 09/11/09

This was our first trip to Oahu and what an experience it was. If you want to feel the heart of Oahu staying on the windward side is a gem location. Everything was near us and we felt like a resident from staying near locals. The home was comfort with a relaxing tropical exotic backyard paradise feeling. The front view of the house was the beach with beautiful sunrises. The sea breeze would blow all and night keeping the house nice and cool. It wasn’t until days later we decided to be wed in front of our rental home. We were so lucky that the owner is an amazing florist. She decorated our forever memorable ceremony and made my precious plumeria bouquet. We were touched with the view and each recommendation the owner provided to us. It was such a smooth process! We cannot stop thanking the owner for her generous input. After our ceremony we had a great dinner down the road at the Crouching Tiger. The next morning we grabbed the kayaks and snorkeling gear that’s included with our stay and headed out to the beach. Everything was local. The Polynesian cultural center luau was 10 minutes away to the north and china mans hat to the south. We honestly didn’t have time to do excursion’s. The area has fun active activities, local popular shrimp trucks. Having a great kitchen with quality amenities was a pleasure to cook in. Thank you for your hospitality! We will be returning very soon.

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Guest: Cristin and Ryan (Baltimore, MD)
Date of Stay: 09/07/09 Review Submitted: 09/07/09

We loved our stay at your Punaluu house. The house was perfect for us. Loved the nice big kitchen, and of course, the beautiful view of the ocean. Thank you for your kind hospitality-the lei's and flowers were beautiful, the fruit and coffee delicious. Ryan enjoyed feeding the fish, and attempting to catch one in the stream in the back yard. We loved exploring the island, but our beach time was the highlight of our trip. Mahalo Kathy!

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Guest: Nguhuia (Rotorua, New Zealand)
Date of Stay: 07/19/09 Review Submitted: 07/19/09

A wonderful home, exceeded expectation. The photo's do not do it justice. Ever need is catered for to ensure that one can just relax, while away time and enjoy balmy nights in Punaluu. The flowers were exceptional. Thanks very much you have thought of everything. We will be back.

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Guest: Rachel50 (Delran, NJ)
Date of Stay: 06/30/09 Review Submitted: 06/30/09

We loved this house!! We loved the town (every time we left to go elsewhere we'd find ourselves saying "Yay Punalu'u!" when we returned - we were even in Waikiki and we'd be going, "Well...it's no Punalu'u"), and how centrally located the town was - anywhere we wanted to go was 45 minutes away at most. The views of the beach and the mountains are gorgeous. The kitchen and all the cooking supplies are fantastic, as well as the grill! We loved the convenience of having the second bathroom outside, all the beach gear available, and the entire backyard was great. We couldn't get over the family of chickens out there, we even named them! Having the washer and dryer was such a relief - flying home with clean clothes was a new experience for us! The daybeds in the front room were perfect (I had been worried they might not be long enough for my friend and I because we're both tall) but we had no problem at all. The flowers and leis were beautiful and we loved the fish in all the various spots! We LOVED the indoor shower and the Aveda products you provided! The internet connection was very helpful to have, as were all the menus and guidebooks you provided. We visited Ching's at least twice a day and we started and ended our trip down the highway at Uncle Bobo's! The beach was great for taking walks on, especially in the morning. Staying at your beautiful house definitely made our vacation! We'd never want to do it any other way. Thank you so much for having us :)

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Guest: Assalian
Date of Stay: 06/02/09 Review Submitted: 06/01/09

Thank you Kathy for a wonderful stay at the Punalu'u Guest House. We appreciate the toys you left for our son as well as the fresh fruit and flowers. We greatly enjoyed our stay on Oahu and felt quite at home here. Our son had fun exploring the backyard and was very excited by the fish and birds. The beach house has everything we need for a comfortable cozy stay. We hope to make it back here again soon. Mahalo, Family with 2 year old from Emeryville, CA

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Guest: Fernando
Date of Stay: 05/18/09 Review Submitted: 05/17/09

It was heavenly being back on Oahu and in Punalu'u again, thanks in large part to our stay at your rental home. It has been 2 and a half years since our last visit--when we came to get married at Kualoa Beach Park. What a treat it was to play at Punalu'u Beach Park again, eat lunch at the shrimp truck and laze our days around the coast. We found your rental home to be a comfortable, cozy spot to rejuvenate our bodies and inspire the soul while on this island paradise. Thank you for your keen attention to detail--the fresh flowers, spices in the garden (Alex made a mean herb butter to accompany some fresh Kahuku corn), the goldfish in unexpected places, the well-equipped kitchen, the convenience of having an iron and washer/dryer, the overall cleanliness of everything, the snorkel and kayak equipment (we finally "learned" to kayak--and what a breeze it was!) and the delicious fruit waiting for us upon our arrival. A big "thank you" too for inviting us to your home to experience the awesome beauty of your home, gardens and fish farm -- all we can say is "WOW!"-- what a treat it was to get a glimpse into your passions and pastimes! Thank you also for being available to give advice on things to do and see--we have listed some of the fun things we did on the next page for inspiration: * Dinner at the Little Village and Noodle House- Chinatown *Beach time at Kailua and Lanikai beaches --heaven on earth! *Snorkeling at Shark's Cove and Turtle Bay, and hanging out at Waimea Bay--dive off the rocks if you dare! *Shave Ice at Matsumoto's and drinks at Breakers in Haleiwa. *Sunset catamaran ride at Waikiki Beach *Island reggae music live at The Shack in Waikiki on Wednesday and Saturday nights. *Good shopping and eats in downtown area of Kailua *Sunrise at Kualoa Beach Park *Famous mai tais at Mai Tai Beach Bar at Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki--watch out, they pack a punch! *Dinner on the patio at Jameson's restaurant in Haleiwa. *Walks down Punalu'u back roads (beware of the bull that lives at the end of Punalu'u Valley Road!) This visit won't be our last! Aloha and Mahalo, (Couple and Brother from San Diego, CA)

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Guest: Susannah and Chris
Date of Stay: 04/28/09 Review Submitted: 04/27/09

Our second guests at Punalu'u wrote: What wonderful memories we will take away from our short stay here in Punalu'u! A new love for "apple bananas"...yum! A coconut scented orchid...yum (just in thought...) Roast pork and gravy from Kaya's (just down the road...) again...yum!! But we didn't just eat - We mountain biked in the Waikane Valley at the Kualoa Ranch and nearly missed being flattened by a herd or VERY angry cattle (Bike Hawaii). We hiked up Pu'u Piei (Hike #36 in the "Hiker's Guide to Oahu" (on the table by the TV) NOT for the faint hearted!! (definitely need GOOD shoes and WATER!!) We paddled along the shore in the kayaks provided and found reefs to snorkel... We also had some lovely naps on the day bed listening to the surf. Thank you for sharing your little piece of Hawaii with us...from the leis upon arrival to the small thoughtful touches throughout the home - we appreciated your attention to detail and look forward to sharing our adventures with family and friends... Thanks - Mahalo! (Couple from Nashville, TN)

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Guest: Piao Family
Date of Stay: 03/30/09 Review Submitted: 03/29/09

Our first guests at Punalu'u wrote: Thank you for your hospitality and the refund of security deposit. Our trip to Hawaii was a great and memorable one, thanks in large part to the your beach house as our temporary home away from home. What works well: large living space (800 SF) for 4 people (2 couples); thoroughly equipped kitchen, with new large fridge and new range with ceramic glass cooktop (for easy cleanup); showers (one spacious indoor shower, and a convenient outside warm-water shower to wash away sand); Large grille on the backyard porch; Locally grown coffee, sugar and fresh flowers; ocean front view; the pacific ocean is less than 50 yards away; quiet and beautiful beach just across a two-lane highway; near north shore and polynesian culture center; Canoes (x2) and Snorkel gears (x3) We wish you and your family the best and hope we will visit you on the island in the future. (Family from Lincoln, RI)

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