Comfortable House, Beautiful Beach

Guest: Shindog (Santa Fe, NM)
Date of Stay: 01/06/12 Review Submitted: 01/21/12

I would recommend this house to someone who wants a quiet uncrowded beach away from the crowds. .This side of the Island has some of the best beaches on Oahu and some of the least crowded. Try Hukilau, Malaekahana or Kahuku. Your own beach is steps away. We saw monk seals and turtles almost directly in front of the house. The views from the deck and dining area are stunning. The house is walking distance from BYU, the Polynesian Cultural Center, McDonalds, L&L Drive in (for good inexpensive local fare), the local movie theater, Foodland, Subway, a frozen yogurt shop and various other shops in the Laie center. Its a long drive from Honolulu, about 90 minutes. Other close things to do and see. Beautful hiking trails are close by in Hau'ula. Kahana Bay I think is one of the most beautiful bays in Hawaii, also close. People travel from all corners of Oahu to eat at the Kahuku shrimp trucks, a must do and only a few miles away. If you don't like shrimp the Kahuku corn is also tasty. There are a couple of places to go horseback riding close to Laie. For golfers Turtle Bay isn't too far if you want a resort type course. For a no frills course try Kahuku. Theres no clubhouse, no carts, no driving range and usually lots of wind. Don't look for any signs, just turn towards the beach at Kahukus only traffic light. The house was clean, bright with plenty of space. The owner and managment company were easy to deal with. I plan to stay here next time I visit Oahu. If you are looking for fine dining, night life, tourist traps or loads of other visitors don't stay here, go stay in Waikiki. If you want peace and quiet, beautiful uncrowded beaches and to get away from the hustle, bustle and crowds this could be the spot for you!

Recommended for:

Amazing

Guest: smilinnik (Salmon Arm BC Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/21/11 Review Submitted: 01/06/12

We rented the whole house for Christmas and New years.There were 8 of us 6 adults 2 teenagers.Gramma and Grampa had the suite downstairs while the rest of us stayed upstairs!The house is beautiful ,equipped with everything you need.The beach is only a few steps from the house and is the most beautiful beach we have ever been on.My husband and kids snorkeled right out front and found all sorts of intresting fish as well as lots of shells.We had a Hawaiian Monk seal on the beach twice on our stay,one of the locals said we were very lucky to see them as there are only about 1000 left.The Bus stop is not far from the house and there is a great Grocery store up the road about a 6 min walk that has everything you need.We will be back to stay at this place for sure,its absolutly an amazing place!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children.

AWESOME!

Guest: That girl (Farmington, Utah)
Date of Stay: 11/02/06 Review Submitted: 08/28/11

8 friends along with my husband and I stayed here a few years ago. AMAZING! Large yard, lots of privacy, private gate to beach. Walking distance to Huki lau Cafe where we ate a cheap yet large and yummy breakfast each morning with really nice people. Close to Laie Point, directly across the street from Polynesian Center. Close to a grocery store for cooking our own meals and ten minutes, if that, away from Turtle Bay for a "formal" dinner. The beach was amazing at this home! I woke up before everyone else, would make a cocktail, and walk out the back door to the beach and chill on my beach towel and wait for the next person to wake up. It was incredible! We BBQ'd, snorkeled, body boarded. The perfect vacation without all the touristy stuff right in your face. Ate at the fruit stands on the side of the road, went shopping ten minutes up the road at North Shore. Something for everyone. We even went to Waikiki one night to go bar and club hopping. I WILL rent this home again. Even the studio is awesome, which could sleep up to 4 if you needed no privacy. Not luxury, but nice. Who spends most of their time indoors on a trip to Hawaii anyway! This place is well worth the money and had enough room to party without bothering the neighbors too much :) Late night swims in the ocean, the beach to ourselves at all times because it's locals around you mostly. The pictures don't do this property justice, which can be really scary when you're showing up to somewhere you've only seen in photos. House even had water toys in the garage to play with. The waters were calm enough for young kids to play in even, but waves good enough to body board on. Well worth the money!!!!

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

A fabulous time!

Guest: Mereana E.
Date of Stay: 06/16/11 Review Submitted: 07/06/11

This home was perfect for a party of 9! We rented the whole house, 3 downstairs and 6 upstairs. We were excited to the find the house away from the main road and right next to the ocean. This place is well maintained and clean, which made it even better! Ocean sounds day and night reminded us of home, on the island of Rotuma! There were the constant ocean breeze which kept the place cool and the beautiful sunrises every morning. The kids loved swimming in the ocean at 5 in the morning when the crabs are out. They had fun crab catching. PCC is a short walk to and BYU, temple and Foodland are close by. It's about 15 mins or so to Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach, Kualoa Ranch, etc. This place is indeed a home away from home. Thanks, Janet, for opening your home to us. We had a fabulous time and will definitely return. Mereana E.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children.

Outstanding!

Guest: Lora A. (Worthington, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 06/10/11 Review Submitted: 06/29/11

This house could not have been better. The location is absolutely amazing. Love the deck and yard with plenty of furniture. One step through the gate and you are on a sandy beach. Everything you need for a great vacation is provided. Including body boards and quality snorkel equipment. Just pack your clothes, walk to the Foodland directly across the street and you are set for a fabulous vacation! The house was a perfect size for our family of four. Ocean sounds, breezes and views from the master bedroom are unbeatable.

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

a week in paradise

Guest: Rick (Aurora, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 05/18/11 Review Submitted: 06/28/11

Imagine finding a house where you are just steps from your own private beach with beautiful sunrises every morning, the quiet ambiance of the North Shore and where you are a short walk from the PCS and a quick drive to world famous surfing at Sunset Beach. Well this is your house. We spent a week in late May and we were stunned by the beauty and the laid back atmosphere of this side of the island. This house was perfect for our trip, my wife and I stayed downstairs and our daughter and her family stayed upstairs. We were close yet still enjoyed our privacy. The house and grounds are a bargin for the price. Very comfortable and quiet. Wide lanais to enjoy the warm breezes, large fenced yard to play or sit in the sun. The beach, while not really private was deserted the entire week, was perfect for our young grandkids to play and swim. It is protected by a reef so waves were small and gentle making for easy swimming and snorkleing for kids and adults. Would we rent this house again? YES!!!

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

Better than the pictures!

Guest: Rob D. (Provo, Utah)
Date of Stay: 02/15/11 Review Submitted: 05/31/11

We rented the entire house in Feb. to visit our daughter who lives there. First couple days were windy and stormy, but then the weather cleared and it was fabulous! The property was beautiful, well maintained, clean, and the fairly secluded beach was awesome for long walks, playing in the water (though the body surfing is not great at this particular beach), and relaxing. We have been on family vacations to Maui, Turtle Bay, Mexico, California, etc., and everyone said this was the best overall vacation so far! We will definitely be back, and I have already recommended it to several friends.

Owner response:Thank you for your review. Glad to hear you and family had such a good time relaxing. We would love to have you back anytime.

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

Fabulous time in La'ie!

Guest: Kauwaena (san diego ca)
Date of Stay: 12/02/09 Review Submitted: 12/15/09

Currently residents of Carlsbad, CA, i was raised in Nanakuli, Oahu...Staying at Alice's cute 'hale' in La'ie was the best part of our entire trip. Conveniently located right across the street from the grocery store we really didnt have to drive anywhere. Having the beach outside our back door was fabulous --- and the daily walks were an added bonus. The house had everything we needed in the way of supplies... If you are looking for a perfect, private, peaceful getaway --- check out this rental --- we've stayed in Malaekahana before, but this IS really the best spot! We'll be back! Much aloha!

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

Time of our Lives

Guest: Doug from Georgia (Atlanta, GA.)
Date of Stay: 03/03/08 Review Submitted: 05/14/09

My wife, mother, and I stayed in the studio unit last March for three days before spending four days in Waikiki. BIG MISTAKE! We spent our last four days of the vacation wishing that we'd rented this place for the whole trip. The property was very private to be so close to the highway. It is also very close to the essentials like fast food and the grocery store, and right across the street from the Polynesian Center. My wife and mother both smoke, but thanks to the wonderful Hawaii weather, they actually enjoyed going outside to smoke. If you're looking for peace and quiet in the most beautiful possible surroundings, this is your place. Also, the previous review mentioned that there was no futon sleeper in the studio as the ad states. We stayed there approximately six months later and there was a futon sleeper in the unit; a nice one.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

Family Vacation, ages 20-70

Guest: jennilee (Bay Area, California)
Date of Stay: 10/08/07 Review Submitted: 05/03/08

This was the first time my family had used a vacation rental...after our experience here I don't think any of us would choose to go back to staying in a hotel! Five nights at this property cost less than the 2 nights we spent in Waikiki! The rental and arrival process was very convenient and professional. The local contact was great! We had a toaster "out of order" and when we returned at the end of our day the replacement was there. The house and yard are away from the street and backed right up to the beach. I can't imagine a property of this size that could feel any more private. Each day my father had his morning coffee, watching the sunrise, with his toes in the sand, without another soul in sight. I've never seen him more relaxed! There are many other vacation rentals nearby. Friends of ours stayed on the same street and it was great to walk from our backyard down the beach to there backyard. Out of all 3 rentals my party was split among, our property here was by far the most inviting. The only strong complaint we had was the misleading discription of the bedroom with the king bed and sleeper sofa/futon...there is no futon, rather an inflatable queen matress in the closet and the only space to use it would have been the living room. Instead of having 2 persons sleep in the living room they used an extra room at one of our other rentals. Everyone was comfortable, but some were disappointed we had to change the sleeping arrangement. I would say the property is not suited for 10 adults. That said, we would absolutely stay at this property again!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children.