Vacation Rentals by Owner

Four night stay Feb 2012

Guest: El (Oklahoma City)
Date of Stay: 02/15/12 Review Submitted: 02/28/12

Loved our recent stay. Can't beat the location or the price. Unit was very clean, yes, there were some microscopic ants, but I just kept wiping them away when in the kitchen, and kept ALL food in refrigerator. Cooked several meals, and would like to suggest more pots and pans, and cooking utensils on the A side unit. As well as towels. We washed several times in the machine, but with a clothes line and as much rain as we got it was very hard to get anything to dry! Thanks goodness we had stopped at Costco and bought our own beach towels! Loved the size of the unit, and the great sound of the Ocean. We were extremely pleased, and plan on returning next year. Gave 4 stars instead of 5 because of the lack of extra linens, and kitchen items.

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

Good stay at Tutut's house

Guest: Petra (Switzerland)
Date of Stay: 11/18/11 Review Submitted: 01/15/12

We stayed 2 nights at Tutu's House in November and had a great time. The house was quite spacious, really nice porch in the front and a garden in the back. We used the kitchen to cook, it had the basics, barbecue in the garden. We found it clean, comfortable bed, bathroom with washing machine, the porch and the garden had plenty of furniture to sit outside. We would stay here again.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Tutu Hale aka Kauwila cottage

Guest: Liz P. (Kula, Hawaii)
Date of Stay: 11/05/11 Review Submitted: 11/08/11

The Kauwila cottage was excellent from meeting the owners, doing a walk through, making sure my family and I were satisfied, spending a night at the cottage, everything was clean and neat! Very spacious and comfortable. I am asthmatic and I have allergies aka allergic to dust and pet smells, and I will say, my allergies and asthma never once interfered with my stay. My son loved the place, and if he could, he would stay in doors during the whole day. I would definitely recommend this cottage to all my friends and family. Thank you to the owners who met me, and made sure I was satisfied. This is the place I would have my family and friends stay for future vacations. Excellent for children of all ages.

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

Little Slice of Heaven

Guest: MamaLove (Orange County, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/22/11 Review Submitted: 10/31/11

My family and I had the pleasure of staying at Tutu's for 2 nights while we on Maui. There is something wonderful about the rustic charm of this place. Our 2 year old had the time of his life picking fresh bananas and playing on the big rocking chair on the fantastic front porch. We had everything we needed to make our 2 night stay comfortable. We met with Keala when we first arrived and she made us feel right at home. We enjoyed using Tutu's as our home base while we explored all that Hana, Kipahulu etc. had to offer. We look forward to coming back next year and maybe spending 4 nights. I would strongly suggest bug spray as the mosquitos loved my haole blood. We loved Tutu's House and are thankful we had the opportunity to stay here.

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

Tutu's House

Guest: Linda (Oregon)
Date of Stay: 10/18/11 Review Submitted: 11/04/11

We stayed 2 nights at Tutu's House in October and had a great time. The home was no frills but clean and very convenient. The bathroom seemed to have been recently updated, the shower curtain was brand new. The bed was very comfortable, bathroom was clean. It was a bargain. The view from the back porch was of Hana harbor and we listened to the waves crashing each night. There is a washer but no dryer. We did not use the kitchen for any cooking. The pictures on the internet were accurate. We had dinner at the Hana Ranch Restaurant which was excellent. The Thai restaurant along the roadside was great also.

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

TuTu's House is great!

Guest: Linda (San Juan Capistrano, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 10/02/11 Review Submitted: 10/14/11

We stayed 3 nights at your house and loved every minute. It is rather an old house but it has alot of character. The view from the back porch is fabulous. We spent every evening having our wine and cheese tray on the back porch. We left the windows open at night while we were sleeping and it was great being able to hear the ocean waves breaking outside our window. The kitchen has everything you need. Our computer worked fine and the TV was great, We met the owners and they were available if we needed them. This is not a 4 star hotel so don't come expecting that. This is a house that you can get the feel of how life is in Hana. We will stay here again without a question.. Thank you for sharing Tutu's house with us.

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

JUST SAY AHHHHHH~LOHA!!!!

Guest: Uncleherb (Tigard, Oregon. USA)
Date of Stay: 09/13/11 Review Submitted: 02/21/12

I have lived in Maui for two years (Lahainia side) and never got to visit the "Hana side" much before returning to Oregon in 2008. I recently got the chance to return to Maui in 2011 and plan a wedding for friends that had never been to the island. After the hustle and bustle of planning, catering and setting up a wedding in Napili, my girlfriend and I decided to spend some "quite" time in Hana. I started doing my homework just like you are now. Thats when I found "Tutu's House". Now let me give you some insight, TUTU means "GRANDMA" in Hawaiian. This is exactly what this is, not the Ritz or Hilton, but a nice QUITE, cozy place with awesome views and a nice homey place. I personaly loved this place! The big front porch (never saw the "Big spider), all sorts of tropical fruit trees and plants on the property. The orange tabby cat sunning itself on the walkway when we arrived and then the backyard!!! YES, a "private" backyard with a great veiw of Hana bay and the sound of the crashing waves. The interior of the house was just like walking into Gramma's house, (To John in Ohio, are you a home inspector on vacation?) Yes it has outdated furniture, worn 1950 cabinets and old sink, refridgerator and stove. While the bathroom was updated a few years back. The Bedroom still has beautiful antique drawers, but the newer bed is VERY confortable. Sleeping with the windows open sounded like the waves were crashing on the outside wall. I LOVED IT!! Now this place is in a perfect location for discovering this side of the island. Oeho gulch (seven sacered pools) are just a veiw miles away, aswell all the other beaches you come to see here. The town shuts down quit early but there is a nice resturaunt accross the street from the famous Hasegawa general store. Now to Dan M from Illinois, your on a tropical island!! yes there are bugs and spiders! I checked in right after you checked out, so I guess I need to thank you for killing the cockroach because we never saw one. Did you stop and look at the spider and its web? I hate spiders just like most people do, but what I am assuming was a Priest spider are very beautiful and their web is amazing the way they weave with a "Z" pattern. Hana Bay is noy really a "Beach", it's a fishing village, did you know that? guess you should have walked directly accross the street to the heritage museum. So back to the reader, I hope this will give you a good idea of what kind of Aloha Tutu's has to offer. Ma'halo!!

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

Yuck! Roaches in the kitchen and we left one day early and didn't get our money back!

Guest: Dan M. (Barrington, IL)
Date of Stay: 09/11/11 Review Submitted: 12/01/11

Don't bother staying here! When we arrived there was a huge spider in its web on the front porch furniture. Upon entering the unit my wife could not believe how dated everything was. There were small ants on the kitchen counter tops, the backsplash, and the furniture in the back yard. The worst were the roaches though. My wife came in screaming that she saw a huge roach in the kitchen and that it went under the sink. Needless to say I could not find it and we could not go to sleep after this episode. An hour later I went to get a drink in the kitchen and there was another huge roach on the counter that I killed with a book and left it there for the owner to see. We left at 6am the next morning and paid additional monies to stay elsewhere. The renter, Milaneta, never returned numerous calls and emails requesting a refund for the second night. The beach at this location is dirty and the water cloudy. There was nothing desirable about this property and we would not stay here for FREE! This is our third trip to Maui and we have no desire to return to Hana.

Owner response:Unfortunately Hana is located in the middle of a tropical rain forest and there is no way anyone can control the insects (i.e spiders, ants and roaches) especially outside. If the door to the rental is left wide open, it provides an opportunity for roaches to fly in (yes, the roaches here do fly). Our rentals are thoroughly cleaned between guests and we rarely see insects in any of our units. As for the ocean, we have never had complaints about the water being cloudy and the beach being dirty. The county workers clean it daily. We have no factories or big industrial buildings anywhere near are town to pollute or ocean so I don't know how the water could be cloudy. Hana is not for everyone. It has no huge shopping malls or movie theaters. It is very peaceful and quiet with several beautiful beaches, waterfalls and tropical flowers.

Recommended for:

Great views, poorly maintained interior

Guest: john (columbus oh)
Date of Stay: 08/01/11 Review Submitted: 08/18/11

Tutu’s place was in a great location and had a great view of the ocean. The back deck and lawn area were perfect for relaxing or enjoying a meal while watching the ocean. Bring bug spray to keep away those pesty mosquito’s. The interior of the house however was lacking in many ways (notice there are no pictures). I was not expecting a posh updated home, but I was expecting it to be well kept and clean. Neither of these were true. When we first walked in we noticed a lot of dust on the two ceiling fans and had to clean this off. Some of the lights were missing fixtures. The linoleum floor which had to be at least 30 years old was torn in places exposing the sub floor. There were too different types of vinyl flooring that converged at the opening to the bedroom and there was no transition strip which gave a sloppy, dirty look. The walls were dirty and were in desperate need of a paint job. The wood on the door frames and window frames were rotting, again giving a dirty appearance. We found several ants in the kitchen and bathroom, and the house had a musty smell. The caulk along the bathtub and sink were very old and as a result discolored and dirty. The towels were literally like sandpaper. I have no idea where you can get towels like that. Again I would have no complaints if the place was outdated, but the lack of cleanliness and routine maintenance made being in the house an unpleasant experience. Simple and cheap solutions such as more thorough cleaning, painting, re-caulking, and replacing some of the trim work on the doors and windows would go a long way. Again the views were great and the outside area was wonderful but the inside was not the most pleasant.

Recommended for:

Perfect location if not perfect property

Guest: Ang and Rico (Maryland)
Date of Stay: 07/20/11 Review Submitted: 07/31/11

Hana may be the most beautiful place on earth, and the best thing about this property was its location. Right on Hana Bay, where we fell asleep and woke up to the sound of waves crashing. The house itself had plenty of space and it's great to have a washing machine and full kitchen. 4 stars and not five because the house was a bit run down had not been thoroughly cleaned before we arrived. The coffee pot and machine were rather filthy, and the rack for drying dishes had schmutz on it. The property needs more maintenance in general, but you can't beat the location.

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

A Great Location and Terrific View

Guest: Ken in Moraga (Moraga, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 06/15/11 Review Submitted: 06/27/11

The two of us stayed at Tutu's house in January 2011. This is an historic residence which some time ago was divided into two units. All the basics are here and the location is terrific. Having a cup of coffee in the morning overlooking Hana Bay was always a great start to our day. The owners are very helpful. It's an easy walk to the Hotel Hana Maui if you want to have a drink or that "big splurge" dinner and you'll be lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves. This is also a good central location for walking around Hana. We look forward to staying here again.

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

Overall Good Stay at Tutu's

Guest: Victoria (Bellingham, WA)
Date of Stay: 06/10/11 Review Submitted: 07/17/11

We spent two nights in June at Tutu's. I was a little worried prior to our arrival since we have never purchased from VRBO before but was happy to see what our apartment in a 2-unit house was clean and spacious. It was great to have our own large kitchen since we decided to make our own dinner the first night. Large living room and good size bedroom as well as nice back porch to watch the sunrise from - views were amazing. You can't beat the location - it was so close to everything - beaches, stores, Hana Hotel, Black Sand and Red Sand beaches/parks. The only issue that we had was that there seemed to be no air conditioner. The house is right on the bay so if you keep the windows open it's not hot at all, it was just a little too warm for my husband who was used to cooler temperatures. Both nights it has been raining a lot and as a sensitive sleeper I kept waking up every hour due to rain and sounds of waves coming form the bay since we couldn't close windows or it would get too hot. Other than that, everything else was wonderful.

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

happy in hana

Guest: sd (Pittsburgh, PA)
Date of Stay: 04/25/11 Review Submitted: 05/14/11

My husband and I had the pleasure of staying at Tutu's House for 2 nights in late April 2011. It was just what we had hoped for. Very clean and comfortable. The view in the back yard was great. We spent our mornings exploring then headed back to Tutu's and had lunch. After lunch we went back to our sightseeing. The evenings were spent relaxing in the back yard. Enjoyed a cup of coffee on the front porch in the morning. Tutu's is what Hana is all about! If you want a great place to relax in between your exploring you won't go wrong here. If you want the something like the Hyatt this is not your place but if you want to experience the true Hana you can get it here. Thanks so much for sharing your place with us. I would highly recommend your place (already have). HANA WAS WONDERFUL!!!

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

Exactly what we were looking for!

Guest: Marie P. (Boulder, CO)
Date of Stay: 11/21/10 Review Submitted: 11/30/10

My family and I recently stayed at Tutu's house. It was a wonderful decision! We have driven through Hana many times, but never taken the time to stay a night. We are so glad we did! Not only did we thoroughly enjoy Tutu's, it gave us the opportunity to experience many things in Hana we simply never had time to before. I LOVED the fact that we could sleep with the bedroom windows open, enjoy the tropical breeze, and hear the ocean all night long. The home was clean and comfortable, but simple. If you are looking for a luxury retreat, you need to check out another place. Tutu's house is all about location and relaxation. My kids played on the lawn with the ocean crashing just below them, I sat on the back lanai and enjoyed the moon coming up over the ocean. We walked up to dinner, and basically relaxed. It was perfect!! The owner was welcoming and informative, and very kind to my kids. Not all owner's are family-friendly, but Tutu's house certainly was. What anyone staying a night in Hana needs to know is... bring with you anything you think you may need. We were up and ready to start our day long before a breakfast place was open. Have with you two days worth of food, as the drive to Hana and back requires supplies, and Hana is very limited in it's shopping options. Come to Hana prepared to chill out and relax, and you won't be disappointed. Tutu's was the perfect choice for my family, and I know we will be back! Mahalo and aloha!!

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

Wonderful Hana Retreat

Guest: Jane (Roseau MN)
Date of Stay: 09/08/10 Review Submitted: 09/22/10

My girlfriends and I stayed at "tutu's" while in Hana during our celebration vacation. We were met with one of the nicest host that we ever had. She explained to us that "Tutu" means grandmother in Hawaiian and that now she is Tutu (property has been handed down through generations). "Tutu" really made us feel we were a part of her extended family while there. The facilities were perfect for the 3 of us. Very roomy, full kitchen, great back yard, full laundry facilities and a perfect location. I know that the other reviews all mentioned the waves crashing when going to sleep/waking up, and i'm not going to be any different. That is one of the biggest perks of the place. I loved being right on the ocean and falling asleep to the rhythmic sounds. Tutu's was within walking distance of most things in Hana including Hana bay, the local grocery stores and restaurants and the red sand beach. My only regret is that we were only there a few days. I could've spent my entire time on Maui at Tutu's place. We all agreed that when (not if) we go back we will be staying with "Tutu" again. Mahalo Tutu !

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

We Loved Tutu's House

Guest: Kathy (Oklahoma City, OK)
Date of Stay: 07/14/10 Review Submitted: 07/22/10

My husband and I went to Hana for 6 days for some R&R and found Tutu's to be the perfect place for us. It is a very simple place but charming and we loved the history of the house. The owner couldn't have been more hospitible and helpful. The big plus for us was the fact that every night we went to sleep to the sound of waves crashing against the rocks and surf outside our bedroom window and woke up to the most amazing sunrises I've ever seen. While we were there we looked around at other possible places for us to stay in the future when we return to Hana and both came to the conclusion that we would return to Tutu's.

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

Great place overall!

Guest: Jameson & Jennifer (Columbia, SC, USA)
Date of Stay: 04/23/10 Review Submitted: 06/07/10

Tutu's House is a great little place in the heart of Hana. The cottage is rustic and roomy and looks as it appears on the website. We especially enjoyed being lulled to sleep by the crashing waves below, the wonderful back yard with an ocean view, fresh mangos from the tree out front, and the two-minute walk to the great little beach below. Our two-year old keeps telling us she wants to go back to "Tutu's." Great place overall. Best, Jameson and Jennifer

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

Hana hangout

Guest: Mountain Mutt (Park City, Utah, USA)
Date of Stay: 01/23/10 Review Submitted: 01/30/10

Totally casual cottage style duplex. Sitting on the back lawn for happy hour was the best. Ocean 20 feet away, whales jumping offshore. Very laid back. This property is in a great location. You are a 1-2 minute walk down to the sandy park at Hana Bay, everything else in "town" is a 5 -10 minute stroll. Only rental unit we saw with the ocean right out the back door. No complaints and the owner is very friendly and helpful.

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

Heavenly Hana

Guest: O2bthereagain (BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/11/10 Review Submitted: 01/20/10

The listing description was very accurate, however, this rental property far exceeded our expectations. The unit was very clean and very roomy. We only met the owner for a very short period, when she brought by keys and a list of dvd's that she had in her personal collection and offered to us for free. Her husband, Marvin, was working on a small office space, for the two days that we were there, and was so kind, and knowledgeable about the island, key places to see, and local history. He was wonderful. We found the prices of goods very high, however, considering everything had to be transported to this remote area it was understandable. The banana's growing on the property were delicious, the areas surrounding were awesome, Haleakala guard was a sweetheart, however we had a hard time understanding how she could be cold and need a jacket. The road to Hana was of course amazing, they don't exaggerate about the road though...all in all...wonderful! Thank you...Mahalo for sharing your island with us.

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