We agree with "Forget Mexico"!!!

Guest: Patti (Olalla, WA)
Date of Stay: 11/25/11 Review Submitted: 12/10/11

Hi Cathy, We just returned from our wonderful stay at your Beach House! It was everything I hoped it would be and more, I think we spent about 75% of our time at the house. Mike was gone to LA for most of our stay and the new house next door was empty so we were able to feel like we were totally alone. The atmosphere was so relaxing and the waves were incredible! We had a great storm the last night with 30’ers! The kids (adults) had a blast with the boogie boards, I got a little nervous when they would go down and play at night (after a few drinks), but they came away pretty unscathed, just a couple scratches from the rocks and a couple lost garments being pulled off by the water! LOL The stars were incredible, we saw some formations that we had never seen before, even when up in the mountains here. We are already planning our next trip (would really like to plan a move), we have found our new favorite place, but one week is not nearly enough! Thank you again and I hope we kept the place nice enough to be welcomed back! Mahalo, Patti and Larry Glasscock

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

The most relaxing vacation ever (forget Mexico)

Guest: none (Morro Bay, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/05/11 Review Submitted: 11/17/11

Myself and my 2 brothers stayed 8 days and the place was great. Be prepared is it a older beach house however, top of the line appliance's,TV,internet and feels like a very modern home with beach house charm. The locals that boogie board on your beach were very helpfull and really taught me how to do it (cathy has boogies boards,flippers,masks, snorkels, beach chairs,all the towels you need at the house. Thank goodness Mike happen to be home next door beacuse my brother sold his home in Morro Bay CA and we needed a printer and fax and he was most helpfull. We will be making it a yearly event with our whole family. (if you are looking for night life and young crowds this is not the place)

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

Amazing time at an amazing place

Guest: Martha (Des Moines, IA)
Date of Stay: 08/23/11 Review Submitted: 09/19/11

Cathy, thank you so much for such an amazing time. Everyone loved your place and cannot wait to come back again! My husband spent most evenings out on the beach staring up at the wonderful array of stars--we have never seen so many in the sky. I don't think we turned the TV on but maybe once because there is so much to do and see. The kids loved having all the snorkels, fins, goggles, wake-boards, etc. you provided on the porch where we didn't have to buy them there. Since there is no public beach access it felt like we owned it. The sound of the waves were very relaxing and we sat out on your deck at night to listen to the Shear-water birds. The hot tub was nice and we loved having a kitchen. The back yard was in near immaculate shape and kept up quite well. The coconut trees and other vegetation provided a secluded surrounding and breath-taking panorama. Honestly, the photos do NOT do the place justice. Our expectations were easily surpassed and we felt right at home. We HIGHLY recommend your house on the beach and will definitely come again. Thanks for making our stay easy and enjoyable.

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

Our best Hawaii vacation yet.

Guest: Sylvia (Bakersfield, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/11/11 Review Submitted: 06/22/11

We had a great time here on the North Shore. The place perfect for us and the location was excellent for being out in the country. We felt like we practically owned the beach where the house is located. We were there alone most of the time there were more green sea turtles there than people. It was so nice to be away from the crowded beaches (like in Waikiki) and it was such a treat being so close to the ocean. At night and in the evenings we could hear the gentle and relaxing surf from our bedroom and it felt like we had this Hawaiian utopia all to ourselves it was so very quiet. In fact, we were fairly close to where they used to film the TV show "Lost" and felt like we had the best of both worlds of isolation and civilization. The landscaping was nothing short of immaculate with palm trees, a private gate, flowers and a spectacular view of the Pacific. The Jacuzzi was a nice added touch. We lit the Tiki torches and made mai-tais (we loved having our own kitchen) while we relaxed after a wonderful day sightseeing in Haleiwa and other parts of the island. We visited Waimea Bay down the street and I jumped off the “Rock” myself along with the kids. This was our first time rented a home instead of a hotel room. There was no comparison to how much better our vacation was, than 5 years ago in Waikiki it’s was just too touristy for me. It was a pleasure dealing with Cathy and now we know why she is so proud of her little slice of paradise. We will recommend her house to our friends and hope to come back and experience a true Hawaiian vacation. Thanks!

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

Wonderful vacation! We did not want to leave.

Guest: Eileen (Waterbury, CT)
Date of Stay: 03/07/11 Review Submitted: 06/14/11

We had a wonderful stay at this beach house. I did not get to meet Cathy in person but she was lovely to communicate with and made our visit to Hawaii very pleasant. This is one time that the description and pictures of our destination did match our expectations. We were not disappointed. It was literally only a few steps to the beach with easy access. Both inside and outside were very well kept and clean. The kitchen was nice and made us feel right at home. Morning coffee on the patio planning our day was nice. I would love to come back and stay a few more days next time. I do recommend Cathy and her beach house to anyone wanting to visit Hawaii. It was a nice getaway and everyone had fun. Thank you.

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

Amazing stay

Guest: Kavika (Helotes, TX)
Date of Stay: 03/17/11 Review Submitted: 06/10/11

We've been at Cathy's beach house twice, and I have fallen in love with the North Shore and Haleiwa. The most beautiful stretch of white sand is about twenty steps from the hot tub, and the property is completely surrounded by tall palms and tropical landscaping. I literally thought we had the whole beach to ourselves, because there are almost no tourists on this stretch--almost entirely local homeowners for as far as I could see. Spring surf was gentle, perfect for snorkeling and swimming laps (which I did every morning). I've seen this beach in the winter, and it can have some really great rolling surf. So if you are into boarding, so you just have to pick your time of year. Spring and summer are pretty flat. The house is really sweet and we felt like we were living with the locals. Nothing touristy about it. We drove up and down the North Shore, exploring every beach on the way, and there are about a dozen of the world's most famous beaches just down the road: Sunset, Pipeline, Waimea. And Haleiwa Town has my favorite local hangout of all time: Matsumoto's for Shave Ice! Love it all!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Truly a tropical paradise!!!

Guest: Dave (Lake Jackson, Texas)
Date of Stay: 04/11/11 Review Submitted: 06/09/11

WOW! What can I say? We did not want to leave! Everyone really enjoyed the beach cottage (especially the hot tub!) and there was plenty of room to accommodate 5 adults. This was my first time to the North Shore and Haliewa (as I have been once to Waikiki in the 1990s). The view was absolutely gorgeous and much more private than I was expecting with great access to the beach (also perfect). Like the pictures would indicate this is a tropical paradise and was not disappointed with the facilities. The kitchen was nice but we didn't use it much since we wanted to experience as much of the local food as possible. The Grass Skirt Grill was awesome for such a small dive. We thought we would be spending more time in Honolulu sightseeing but there was plenty to do in and around the North Shore. We ended up going hiking in Waimea and to the farmer's market. We also heard there was polo but did not have time to check that out. The place was very nice and well maintained. Very clean when we got there (kudos to the cleaning crew). We had no problems whatsoever in making reservations, finding the house and having a wonderful time. I sincerely hope to come back to the North Shore and stay at Cathy's place again. I would definitely recommend this little hideaway!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, sightseeing, age 55+.

Cockroaches Interrupted an Otherwise Ideal Holiday

Guest: Rob H. (Lethbridge, Alberta)
Date of Stay: 05/21/11 Review Submitted: 05/31/11

First of all, I have to say that both Cathy was lovely to deal with in making arrangements to rent her property and while our contact with Mike (who maintains the property) was brief, he also seemed to be a very decent and sincere person in wishing to accomodate our needs. My parents who are older were having difficulty in making the climb down to the beach due to some sand erosion, and Mike put in some sandbags to make the step easier and that was appreciated. Also - the location is truly perfect. A few minutes drive from Haleiwa town, with acres of beautiful beach which we had almost to ourselves was truly a wonder. Our first day there, we went snorkelling and encounterered several sea turtles right outside our backdoor feeding on the rocks under the waves. Unfortunately, however, our stay was cut somewhat short when my wife awoke three days into our stay with a large cockroach on her face - which, understandably, was very traumatic for her. That same morning, as my mother went to make coffee, she found another similar sized cockroach in the sink. Now - I have travelled quite a bit, from Russia, to Greece, to Mexico.. and my expectations are realistic, and as Mike pointed out when I spoke to him briefly, this is a tropical location and part of that experience can include insects - so when I went to wash dishes and found a small colony of ants in the dishwasher, I was not at all concerned, nor was I concerned about seeing ant traps throughout the house. As well, when we sat on the deck one evening to have a drink and saw several cockroaches crawling around the deck, we did not overly react to that either as Mike said, "this is the tropics and insects are part of that". We kept all screen doors closed and cleaned all dishes immediately, leaving no food out to entice crawly critters. However, when your wife wakes up with a jumbo-sized cockroach on her face, it is difficult to continue to to enjoy your stay, and we were left to find accomodation in Honolulu In fairness, the day we let Cathy know we were leaving to stay in a hotel, Mike advised us that he would bring in an exterminator that day - also, when we went back to pick up some forgotten clothing, it was apparent that the carpet was being replaced with wood flooring to make it easier, no doubt, to keep clean - so that may help. So - nice people, great location, but insects could be a concern.

Owner response:Thank you for taking the time out to provide feedback on your stay. However, I do take each and every review seriously and no review is ever insignificant. Mike and I strive to make our property the best on the beach by providing a comfortable, clean and enjoyable atmosphere. With that in mind, I would first like to thank you and your family for selecting to stay at our house as we realize there are many choices available on the island. Being born and raised on Oahu, residents and visitors have to deal with all of nature's creations--this includes both wanted and unwanted creatures. But this is the "price" we pay for our piece of paradise. I do appreciate your situation and have immediately set in motion a plan of action to remedy the problems stated in your review and feel the dilemma has been fully rectified. As we have discussed before, Hawaii is a tropical environment with year-round warm temperatures with insects and bugs indigenous which can pose somewhat of a challenge on the island. Being the property owner of a rental house, I do rely on honest comments and feedback from my customers to inform me of any problems so we may address them immediately to hopefully prevent any unfortunate events from happening again. Our goal is to have ALL of our guests return for another enjoyable stay at the beach house. Because it is an older home and its location next to undeveloped land it is more susceptible to unwelcome nighttime invaders. We are constantly striving to improve the home with renovations and regular preventative maintenance and use valuable client feedback in situations such as yours. While my aim is for 100% satisfaction we are aware problems can and do arise. I will continue to try my best to provide a safe and welcoming home to all of our guests and maintain one of the best locations on the island with the privacy and enjoyment expected.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers.

Truely "North Shore" Hawaiian!

Guest: Jen (Alberta, Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/28/10 Review Submitted: 02/04/11

Although the house is directly on the highway, I was lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves on the beach. There was six of us, but plenty of room for us all. 2 of the girls were unhappy with the place, but I can say the majority of us enjoyed our stay, loved walking the beachfront in the morning, and chasing crabs on the beach at night. BTW I live in the prairies, but I have never seen such fantastic night stars! Give yourself a full day to see the Polynesian Cultural Centre, which is only 15 drive away, it's well worth it!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Exactly what I expected!

Guest: Eric (San Clemente, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/13/11 Review Submitted: 01/17/11

Just completed a quick 3 night stay and the house and location was perfect. The beach was really private since virtually no one walks up from the public area. Whales were spotted offshore, a big turtle came up on the beach and watched the surf go from 6 to10 feet to huge overnight. Sunsets in the hot tub and the sound of the waves at night were awesome. Not sure what the grip from the previous poster was - One mouse? I didn't see any mice, but when you're in the tropics you should probably expect a few "native" creatures roaming around. I did see two friendly cats...

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