Waimanalo Country Side Beach House

• Sweet Home Waimanalo

  Sweet Home Waimanalo

  • Guest Sarah
  • Date of stay 01/26/13
  • Review Submitted 02/10/13
  We just got back from our 2 week stay in Waimanalo and we LOVED this house. As soon as we walked in we felt at home. I even told the owner a week into our visit, we might just stay there forever. Wish we could! It’s perfect for a family with small children. The place was spotless when we arrived and the grounds are beautiful. The home is furnished and decorated just enough to make you perfectly comfortable but not too much where you have to worry about the kids destroying anything. All of the amenities you need are there, including wireless internet access. There were coloring books, games, and even a Hawaiian paper doll book for each of the kids (thank you!). The HUGE front yard is completely fenced and gated so kids can freely run in and out at their leisure without worry. Between the zipline and play house they were as happy as could be. Almost too happy as there were days we had to beg them to leave to go to the beach! We did go every day though as it is one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever seen (and we’ve been to a lot!). There was a big wagon that we put the kids in for the short walk (3 minutes max) to the beach. We would also load up with all of the beach toys available to us, including snorkel gear. We actually ended up spending more time at the property than at the beach though. Waimanalo is on the windward side and it is winter so it did get a bit breezy on the sand. However the property is so beautifully landscaped, instead of searching out calmer shores we often just hung out there. It has papaya trees, plumeria, breadfruit tree, coconut trees, and a massive lawn for playing croquet on (sets included). There’s also the hot tub in back that got a lot of use from us in the evenings and what looks like a brand new grill. This home is valued at well over $1M and we felt so lucky that the owners are kind enough to open their home to folks like us at a ridiculously reasonable price. I feel I’d be remiss if I did not address the review by Kristen below. As someone that has used VRBO for several vacations I know how 1 bad review can keep a person from even considering a home. Please don’t let her experience keep you from the opportunity of staying at this fantastic house. We stayed in an immaculate home w/fantastic ocean breezes and a non intrusive property manager we felt lucky to have met (she also travels the world helping establish world heritage sites). We had a wonderful vacation and hope you do too!

  Recommended for: Girls getaway, families with young children.

  Owner response: Thank you so much for the great review. We enjoyed having your family stay there and you are welcome back anytime. My family whole heartedly agrees with everything you say - We Love it too!! I wish the best of luck to you and your family with your new endeavors and careers. Take care and aloha from the Hinalea House!!!

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• Honest Review

  Honest Review

  • Guest Kristin
  • Date of stay 12/31/12
  • Review Submitted 01/08/13
  My family and I just returned home yesterday, we had a great time on Oahu but stayed out of the home as much as possible. I planned this trip for my daughters 16th birthday, and wanted it to be extra special.... unfortunately It just didn't go that way. The first day was horrible, I received 6 or 7 texts and calls from the property manager telling me all the rules of the house, the texts and calls continued.... The property manager lives ON the property and will just pop up at your back door at any given moment....During breakfast, when your in the spa, having dinner or trying to rest. There are no window coverings, so she can see you at any given time. She will come over to tell you when the spa cover is on the wrong side of the spa, or where you kids can or cant play on the yard. The covered parking was not available for us so we had to park on the street outside of a gate with the trash cans the whole week. We were told the gate was broken, but the property manager was using the gate and the covered parking? Air conditioning is pretty important to us, we are from California....there is only one small wall unit in the far bedroom, so the living room, dining room, and the two other bedrooms don't have any air. The house smells pretty bad, especially the bathrooms. Im pretty tolerant of certain conditions but could not deal with the old moldy shower and shower curtains. I had my kids shower in the backyard shower. The bedrooms smell pretty bad as well, the kids closet smells like pee....... If you visit Wiamanalo on any big holiday just note that this area of Oahu will blast loud illegal fireworks, and loud music until 4am, so if you are traveling with small kids it is not recommended. The pictures on this posting just don't give you a realistic idea of the home. I didn't post this review to bash the home or owner, I posted it but because I would of appreciated an honest review. I did contact the owner at one point so that he could call off the pesky property manager, and he did respond thats why I still gave him a fair rating. It is very expensive to travel with my kids during the holidays so this was definitely disappointing to all of us. This home is not what was advertised!

  Owner response: I am sad to hear you had such a bad experience. We have never had someone have an experience as the one you describe. There is a caretaker on-site who lives in a cottage and she does check people in and attend to their needs. She has a lot of aloha for all people and always wants to make sure tenants have what they need, i apologize is this was an over bearing experience for you. As a note to others, she is not always available as she travels to the South Pacific frequently. Unfortunately for your trip, the front mechanical gate did break (it has since been repaired) - it was a judgement call to make your stay easier to park outside and be able to come and go. Regarding the air conditioning, i am sorry that you thought the house had air conditioning throughout - it is a Hawaiian Style home that is very open and has a great breeze through it when everything is opened up. Regarding house smells - i just stayed out there this past weekend (approx. 1 week after you left) for a paintball tournament at Bellows. i did not encounter any foul or bad smells. Regarding the fireworks - i always tell people who come during New Years the following: Get Ready, it is the culture of Hawaii - we celebrate Chinese New Year and the fireworks go off for a long time. this is usually a major "eye-opener" for people coming from the mainland and elsewhere who have not experienced this. i spoke with you and your group the day after and i was under the impression that you liked it, especially since the neighbors invited you to come over for their party. i do know it is very expensive for people to come to Hawaii and vacation - we always try to make sure that your experience at our home is very relaxing and peaceful. Lastly, i wish you and your group had experienced better weather during your stay - i believe it would have made your stay more enjoyable. Aloha always, CRL

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• February 2012

  February 2012

  • Guest Reno's
  • Date of stay 02/16/12
  • Review Submitted 09/12/12
  We stayed there last Feburary, and had a great time. Very easy walk to one of the most beautiful secluded beaches on Oahu! We took our kids and grandkids. We were there for a wedding and lots of houses in the area were retned by our friends. Our experience was one of the best. The owners were awesome. There was even had a stroller and all kinds of toys to play in the ocean for us to use upon our arrival. The house is awesome and secure parking made for a great stay. Our Grandaughter enjoyed the zipline and swingset the most. We enjoyed the hot tub and back porch after a long day at the beach. A great stay, and and a nice, clean house. We would highly reccommend this home when visiting Hawaii.

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

  Owner response: Terri: Thank you for the response. We enjoyed having you and your family. We also think it is a great place and treasure our time there. Aloha, CRL

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• Hinalea house was Great!

  Hinalea house was Great!

  • Guest Matt
  • Date of stay 08/15/11
  • Review Submitted 05/23/12
  We stayed there last August, and had a great time. 3 minutes walk to one of the most secluded beaches on Oahu! Good location for large families, and secure parking Made for a great stay. Search on Youtube for Backyard Zipline Hawaii, and see how much fun my kids had as we chilled on the back porch after a long day at the beach. A great stay, and and a nice, clean house. We were pleasantly surprised from the beginning, and we visit Oahu a lot.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Location, Location, Location!

  Location, Location, Location!

  • Guest Rangerdude
  • Date of stay 10/08/11
  • Review Submitted 10/18/11
  We stayed at the Waimanalo house and had a great week with the family and enjoying everything Oahu has to offer. The owners were great and despite a small mix up on our reservation they were able to come through and also took some off on the total rental price. This location is off the beaten path so if you don't like the crowds and the commercial/touristy areas then this is for you. A short walk to the beach and it was the most perfect beach you could ask for. Waimanalo is a well kept secret. Be sure to eat at Serg's for some great mexican food and Sweet Home Waimanalo for BBQ, don't let the appearance fool you they serve some great food! Only small negative was ad states house is air conditioned, only Master bedroom had a window unit. However with the breeze and the openness of the house and the lanai this did not present a problem, the house was comfortable all day long. Mahala for sharing your home!

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Additional information about rental rates

Taxes are already included in all rates.

A security deposit is required to hold the reservation and then balance due upon arrival. Please communicate with owner for additional info.

Additional Fees and Taxes:

We include all fees and taxes in the quoted price - our cleaning fee is the only additional fee ($250). There are no hidden fees - we like to know what costs are when we travel and treat people the way we want to be treated.