Vacation Rentals by Owner

Home Away from Home

Guest: Lila (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/11/12 Review Submitted: 05/21/12

The condo was wonderful~ it felt like a home away from home. The owner (Dean) stocked so many important items that made our trip so easy and comfortable. We had beach mats, snorkel gear, towels, a large cooler plus the small insulated bag that we used almost every day. Trust me if you had to rent or buy these things, not to mention take them back home, it would cost a fortune and be such a hassle. The convenience of having so may things at our disposal was really great! We loved the abundance of travel books for Kauai and used them to get around and book our excursions. The condo was clean, the kitchen well stocked with spices and condiments, the bathroom had everything you may have forgotten to bring. The bed in the living room was so comfortable and the sound of the ocean lulled us to sleep. This is a great location, with a great view and the owner put a lot of thought into what would make guests comfortable. Thanks Dean, we had a great stay!

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

Very Good Value

Guest: Roy (Palm Springs, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/05/11 Review Submitted: 11/10/11

We spent two weeks here and enjoyed every moment. The newly tiled floors, electronic door lock, the room safe, the big screen TV and broadband internet, even details like providing paper products, soap, coffee filters, etc. What's not to love? Perfect location, very nice resort, great owners. You won't be sorry if you book this one. We've been coming to the islands for 25 years and never had a better time. We recommend Smith's luau, just down the street on the Wailua river. Great food, nice show, really nice people.

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

Perfect in many ways

Guest: Michelle (Eugene, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 09/11/11 Review Submitted: 09/18/11

This condo and it's location did not disappoint. First of all the condo comes with everything you need. Beach chairs & towels, a fully stocked kitchen, wi-fi, and a great view! Not to mention how great of an experience it is to sleep on the murphy bed and listen to the ocean at night. The Pono Kai resort is also superb. Great location as it is close to everything. Across the street is Shaved Ice and around the corner from there is the Island's best Ahi Poke (for those that like Sushi & raw fish... gotta try this!). You can walk down the boardwalk to enjoy a sunrise while getting a local cup of coffee or go in the evening to enjoy a sunset dinner in the charming little town of Kapaa. It's location is perfect for exploring and experiencing the whole Island. You can head up North or South to some great beaches and hikes. At the same time you can stay close and go to "Baby Beach". Sometimes you can check out a place online... and arrive to disapointment. With this condo... you will only be pleasantly surprised! -- Also owners are very easy to work with and very accommodating.

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

Oceanfront Vacation

Guest: Brent and Jennie (Beaverton, OR)
Date of Stay: 08/06/11 Review Submitted: 08/30/11

My husband and I spent 2 fabulous weeks in this lovely condo facing the ocean. We celebrated our 44th anniversary there. The location was fantastic, and the owners have put in many extra touches to make their guests comfortable. The condo was clean, quiet, and well maintained. Even before the trip, my husband asked some questions about the area and was promptly answered by the owner. They are great hosts. We recommend the Pono Kai Welcome Meeting at the pool. We had fun with some of the activities we learned about there. (catamaran trip and snorkeling, ziplining and tubing) Free gifts are given away at these orientation meetings, also. The concierges and the people at the desk are very friendly. Great place to stay, and we also liked the central location so we could explore the north and south sides of the island without so far to go.

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

A great location and great Condo

Guest: Joel (Chandler, AZ)
Date of Stay: 03/11/11 Review Submitted: 03/18/11

My wife and I recently stayed in this unit and had a wonderful time. The location of the condo is great being centered on the east coast making it easy to visit the rest of the island. The condo was clean and well maintained and the grounds were also very nice. One thing that I would like to point out as a positive is the little touches that the owners have placed into this unit. My wife and I have rented numerous properties through VRBO and have not be been disappointed, but it is the little things here that make this location special. Items like a first aid kit (very nice to be able to have access to band-aids for blisters without immediately running to the store), a laundry basket, a cooler to use, and sun screen and bug spray in case you run out or left it behind make this unit special. We loved Kauai and definitely want to come back. We'll look to stay here again when we can make it.

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

breakfast watching the sun rise over the ocean

Guest: Pascale (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/11/10 Review Submitted: 10/03/10

This place is wonderful! It has a gorgeous view over the ocean (you're really right near the ocean front), and the condo is very comfortable. The owners are very friendly and go out of their way to make the place comfortable. We stayed in Kapaa, which allowed us to visit all of Kauai. The place is baby-friendly- our 15 month old loved it the moment he entered the apartment. The kitchen is well-stocked for cooking, we made fresh fruit smoothies with the blender and made some nice fish. The bed is quite comfortable, and it's nice to have air conditioning in the bedroom. Except for the pool at the Pono Kai resort, we did not spend much time there, but people were quite friendly. Dean really cares about the well-being of his guests, has some great tips about Kauai and was quite accommodating. He also promptly returned my keys, which I forgot. I'm already getting "home sick" writing this, we hope to be back some day! Pascale

Owner response:Thank you so much for the glowing review.

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

Pono Kai C305

Guest: Alec (San Diego, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/22/10 Review Submitted: 07/08/10

Your condo was a wonderful home away from home and in a perfect location with central access to all areas of the Island. The ocean breeze and view from the lanai was fantastic! We loved the Murphy bed as it was very comfortable - pulled it out for the kids at night and then pushed it back up during the day for more room in living room. We liked that you had a cooler to borrow for our snorkeling adventures and that the unit had a safe. The kitchen was outfitted with everything that we needed to prepare/cook all of our meals. The TV was nice and specifically the cable access was a treat for us as we were able to watch all of the World Cup soccer matches (and the Food Network too). We do not have cable at home, but are big soccer fans - our daughter plays. We had to get up very early to watch, but that was OK. We liked the grounds around the complex and the walking path outside the complex too. What can we say - everything was great! we appreciated the little touches to make it more comfortable for our stay - brochures, AAA book, paper towels, toilet paper, hand soap, dish detergent, night lights, beach towels to borrow and of course the Carmacs and fresh pitcher of britta water.

Recommended for:

Oceanfront views and sounds of the waves to sleep by

Guest: Jenn and Jim (Bellingham, WA)
Date of Stay: 04/07/10 Review Submitted: 04/18/10

We had a great stay in Dean & Glenda's condo. This was our 4th trip to Kauai and BY FAR this is the best location we've ever stayed. Right on the water was wonderful, and we were within walking distance of so many things in Kapaa. Of the 6 days we were there, we only used our rental car twice since we walked everywhere (and rented bikes for the bike path). We are adventurous ocean swimmers and there is a swimming beach within walking distance (and in sight of) the room. Even though this condo has a separate bedroom, we used the Murphy fold-down bed in the living room since it was so nice to sleep while listening to the waves. Best sleeping we've ever had!! And lots of crowing roosters to wake us in the morning. Those wild feral barnyard fowl everywhere make me smile every time I see one.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/10 Review Submitted: 02/01/10

The best thing about this condo was that it was on Kauai - the least commercialized and most laid back of the islands. Secondly, it was located in Kapaa, which puts it in a central location for seeing the entire island. Next, it is in Old Kapaa town, so there are several restaurants within walking distance. The condo is facing the ocean and the deck is a great place to watch the sun rise in the morning. There is nice 4 mile paved ocean walk along the water for running, walking or biking. And of course there is the beach right out behind the unit. About your condo. Compared to other places we have seen, it was perfect. It was not new, but it was spacious, perfect view and priced reasonably. We are older, so we probably do not look for the same things that the younger crowd does, but we loved the place. The kitchen is good sized and fully equipped. The large flat panel TV in the living room is very nice. The bedroom was big and the bed large and comfortable. There was also a wall bed in the living room if needed. Again a lot of space for the money. Definitely not like the cookie-cutter hotel room type condos. Will definitely stay here again.

Recommended for:

Guest: The Schaefers (-)
Date of Stay: 12/08/09 Review Submitted: 12/07/09

Having spent 9 days in early December in this unit, we were very pleased with everything about it; the location, the amenities provided by the very cooperative owners, the pool and the property in general. It isn't new but was spotless and very comfortably furnished. It is a great value and we would return in a heartbeat.

Recommended for:

Guest: shirley & bob1 (san diego)
Date of Stay: 10/23/09 Review Submitted: 10/23/09

we stayed at the May's lovely condo, in Oct. we enjoyed it very much, it's lovely and very well appointed.. comfortable bed and ALL our needs were met. The roosters rise early, but we didn't mind at all, they were also very beautiful to look at. I took lots of pics. The sunrise every am was so beautiful, sitting on the lanai having coffee made such a great way to greet the day, lovely place for any occasion.

Recommended for:

Guest: Andrew & Nelli (California)
Date of Stay: 09/01/09 Review Submitted: 09/01/09

We have spent two weeks in the condo (Pono Kai Resort, Unit 305C) and will try to come there again. The condo is nice and cozy; it has all the necessary amenities for a family vacation. The bedroom is air conditioned, which is important in summer. The sea view is gorgeous. As for us, the location is one of the best at the East cost of the island. There is a variety of beaches around as well as a number of shopping centers and restaurants. We also are appreciative for multiple helpful conversations with the owner of the property, Mr. Dean May. Overall, we are very satisfied with the vacation.

Recommended for:

Guest: Harold Oshima (Boston, MA)
Date of Stay: 08/15/09 Review Submitted: 08/15/09

My wife and I spent over two weeks in late July/ early August at this clean, well-appointed condo on Kauai's East shore. It is close to everything, equidistant to the North and South shores. We woke up in the morning and looked out the glass doors to see the sun rising over the ocean. On the few days that the weather was hot and humid, the air conditioning made all the difference in the world. The owners are a delight to deal with. If you go, please spread a few sunflower seeds for the cardinal that makes daily visits.

Recommended for:

Guest: Kathy Hauser (-)
Date of Stay: 07/03/09 Review Submitted: 07/03/09

This is a very nice condo for a reasonable rental price. The ocean view is great. We spent a lot of time watching the waves. The location is good for travel to both the north or the south, with restaurants and stores nearby. We were happy with our choice and hope to visit again someday.

Recommended for: