Vacation Rentals by Owner

First time Hawaii travelers

Guest: Mrs. R (Grand Rapids,MI)
Date of Stay: 01/19/12 Review Submitted: 02/06/12

My husband and I recently returned from our first trip to Hawaii and it was amazing. We enjoyed our stay at this condo and in this unit. The Whaler is in an amazing location, you are steps away from the beach and the ocean as well as great snorkeling. The grounds are beautiful and well maintained and all the staff was very helpful and courteous. The complex is about 2 door down from some great restaurants and shopping. The unit has been recently updated and looks great. There was new paint, carpet, and I believe newer kitchen appliances. It was very nice to have a full kitchen as we were there for about 10 days. There was plenty of room for my husband and I and the unit was clean upon our arrival. The view from this unit is ver beautiful, you look out and see the beach, ocean and courtyard. There were also beach chairs and boogie boards available for us to use which was nice. We hope to return some day and we would definitely stay at The Whaler and this unit again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Horrid condition of unit in stellar location

Guest: Mrs. Bee (California)
Date of Stay: 12/22/11 Review Submitted: 01/05/12

The Whaler complex itself is more than adequate. It fronts the BEST part of Kaanapali beach. However, you can tell it has past its hey-day. Overcrowded pool (daily fight for chaise lounges, not very relaxing) and hellow?...who runs out of towels EVERY day? (and then when avail, only for an hour!?) This unit, though, takes the cake. It looks like 4 frat boys have been living there for a couple of years. EVERY soft surface has horrid unidentifiable stains! Beds, bedding, cushions on chairs, futon/couch, carpet (that was the worst!) Even the walls, ceiling (?) and refrigerator were horribly stained. Obviously these fotos posted are VERY old. I spent half the time screaming GET UP to the kids every time they tried to sit on the rug. And the bed had some kind of strange foamy thing between the mattress and sheet that I didn't want to investigate for fear of seeing further stains. All of this MAY have been tolerable if the Whaler's Realty agent or the owner had been at all responsive to the situation. VERY snappy with the email replies before booking...after they got our payment, not so much. I'm still waiting on a reply to my last emails, a week ago!! DO NOT STAY HERE unless you are used to living outside or something, it will GROSS you out!! The facility's staff on site was GREAT, the beach is THE BEST, the proximity to Whaler's shops/restaurants is fantastic. But stay in a different unit!!

Owner response:It is very unfortunate that the stay with us was unpleasant. We take great pride in our unit at The Whaler. This is not some dorm room as insinuated but rather a half a million dollar investment property and we do our best to maintain the interior and exterior. We are not alone in the upkeep of the units interior and exterior. We have professional staff to help us oversee the property. The Whaler Management inspects and cleans the unit after every guest’s departure. The Whaler association maintains the exterior including the "overcrowded" pool area and towel distribution. The winter is a very busy time in Hawaii and all of the resorts do their best to accommodate guest. We treat all of our guest with respect and answer complaints as fast as we can. Upon receiving a notice of the guest’s comments we reviewed our emails and discovered "no email" from the guest complaining about the conditions of the unit. We emailed the guest and apologized for the inconvenience and outlined the steps that we were taking to correct the issues brought up. We wanted the guest to know that we take this matter very seriously and thought they would be interested to know the status of the complaints. We received an email from the guest “not to contact them”! Our goal when you rent from us and come to Hawaii is not to have your stay unpleasant. This is in nobody’s best interest. We want our guests to have a wonderful time and return year after year. As of 1/19/2012. The following renovations have been completed. All the walls have been stripped of wallpaper, skim coated, repainted and recaulked. The ceiling and all woodwork and doors have been all refinished. Brand New commercial grade carpet and pad have been installed. New appliances - a new whirlpool dishwasher and refrigerator have been installed. The "horrid unidentifiable stains" our guest is referring to are non-existent in the kitchen granite and in the bathroom sink area there are two "identifiable" water stains in the soft white marble. This is a common occurrence with this type of material if the sealant breaks down. We have had the stains treated and resealed. We have had the place professionally cleaned by an outside contractor from top to bottom. Futon/bedding etc. have been steam cleaned. The towel issue has been addressed as new striped beach towels have arrived and are available according to the The Whaler. All photos of the interior are new and up to date. Available 1/21.

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Highly recommended

Guest: Satisfied tenants (Florida)
Date of Stay: 03/18/10 Review Submitted: 03/26/10

My husband and I just returned from our first trip to Maui. We stayed at this condo for a week and were very happy with the location and the condo itself. The Whaler is very well maintained and the service is excellent. We spent a great deal of time watching the whales from the lanai. Everything was as described in the VRBO site. We were surprised to find that the condo functions in many ways as a luxury hotel. Clean beach towels are provided as often as needed. Coffee by the pool in the morning and lemonade in the afternoon are very nice touches. The concierge service is excellent. The view from the condo is spectacular. We also enjoyed the walkway by the beach and the access to the shopping area (Whaler's Village) next door. The only negative things to report (minor compared to the possitives) were the poor TV reception for some channels and the out-of-order washing machine in the laundry room on the third floor.

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

Guest: Kelly and Dave Schmidt (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 01/19/10 Review Submitted: 01/19/10

Had an excellent time. The view from the balcony was so nice and the location was perfect. We loved snorkeling at Black Rock and Kaanapali Beach was awesome. We look forward to coming back in the future.

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Guest: Megan47 (Westphalia, MI)
Date of Stay: 11/27/09 Review Submitted: 11/27/09

My husband and I recently returned from staying in this unit at The Whaler and had an excellent time. The work that The Whaler did last year on the inner courtyard turned out excellent and we put the new pool and hot tub to good use. Snorkling around Black Rock was so much fun and that section of Kaanapali Beach was so nice, very sandy. Condo was in very good condition and the view that we had every morning sitting on the balcony was amazing. We look forward to coming back and staying here for years to come.

Owner response:Thanks Megan, we look forward to having you guys back in the future.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/08 Review Submitted: 12/22/08

My husband and I got back from staying in Unit 364 a couple of weeks ago and we had a WONDERFUL time! My husband snorkeled at several locations but enjoyed Black Rock the best. The beach was amazing, the pool is beautiful, and the view from the lanai is wonderful. It's an idealic place to spend a vacation. Maui has many things to do when you want to be active and great places to just relax when you don't want to be on the go. I recommend the trip to everyone and would stay in Unit 364 every time I visit!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/31/07 Review Submitted: 01/31/07

Norma and I have been coming to Maui(Ka'anapali Beach) for about 25 years (every 2 years). In the beginning we were routine guests at the Sheraton at Black Rock. Then they renovated it from a traditional(cozy)Hawaiian hotel to the "too modern for us" palace that it now is. It was then that we discoved the Whaler..and have not looked back since. Our first stay at the Whaler was, in hindsight, lucky for us. We booked room 364 not knowing how much we would fall in love with this cozy, perfect room. As a result, we always tried to rebook it for each return vacation. So far we have been lucky, and it's availability always matched our schedule (most of the time). Recently, we could only get 364 for a part of our stay. Thus, we had to eventually move to another equivilant studio a few floors up. It was nice. However, we missed our 364 "home", and in the future, we will always strive to book well in advance to assure we stay in room 364. (Now that I'm retired, it will be yearly.) We echo the previous comments about room 364; ie, cleanliness, quality of the room, the mirrored walls (which add additional beauty to the room), the nice bath area, walk in closet room, the view from the lanai. Also we value it's convience to the elevators and the washing machine/dryer. And - the 3rd floor is absolutely ideal. The upgrade several year ago (eliminating the wall between the hall and kitchen counter) has greatly added to the openness/airiness of the condo. This was a good decision and is not in all studios. Regarding the Whaler; such easy walking (thru the side gate)to the Whaler Village, ABC store,(and Hula Grill for sunset "happy hour" on the beach). Also an easy walk to Ka'anapali Beach hotel's Mixed Grill when you (finally) crave a broad selection breakfast buffet and/or typical mainland food buffet at one reasonable price. Also, the convenient basement parking; handy carts for moving suitcases; the very friendly helpful Whaler staff; the gym with lots of equipment, free towels at the pool; outside grills...and the convenience of the pool. Other advantages that we value in this room: 1.)it faces inside, looking at the pool & black rock; awesome! And 2.) (unimportant to some perhaps)- mid day to late afternoon, you can comfortably sit on the Lanai in relative shade, compared to the rooms in the opposite tower. They also face inward (nice) but, they also face the blinding afternoon sun, requiring sun screen when sitting on the lanai, or proba

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/01/07 Review Submitted: 01/30/07

Norma and I have been coming to Maui(Ka'anapali Beach) for about 25 years (every 2 years). In the beginning we were routine guests at the Sheraton at Black Rock. Then they renovated it from a traditional(cozy)Hawaiian hotel to the "too modern for us" palace that it now is. It was then that we discoved the Whaler..and have not looked back since. Our first stay at the Whaler was, in hindsight, lucky for us. We booked room 364 not knowing how much we would fall in love with this cozy, perfect room. As a result, we always tried to rebook it for each return vacation. So far we have been lucky, and it's availability always matched our schedule (most of the time). Recently, we could only get 364 for a part of our stay. Thus, we had to eventually move to another equivilant studio a few floors up. It was nice. However, we missed our 364 "home", and in the future, we will always strive to book well in advance to assure we stay in room 364. (Now that I'm retired, it will be yearly.) We echo the previous comments about room 364; ie, cleanliness, quality of the room, the mirrored walls (which add additional beauty to the room), the nice bath area, walk in closet room, the view from the lanai. Also we value it's convience to the elevators and the washing machine/dryer. And - the 3rd floor is absolutely ideal. The upgrade several year ago (eliminating the wall between the hall and kitchen counter) has greatly added to the openness/airiness of the condo. This was a good decision and is not in all studios. Regarding the Whaler; such easy walking (thru the side gate)to the Whaler Village, ABC store,(and Hula Grill for sunset "happy hour" on the beach). Also an easy walk to Ka'anapali Beach hotel's Mixed Grill when you (finally) crave a broad selection breakfast buffet and/or typical mainland food buffet at one reasonable price. Also, the convenient basement parking; handy carts for moving suitcases; the very friendly helpful Whaler staff; the gym with lots of equipment, free towels at the pool; outside grills...and the convenience of the pool. Other advantages that we value in this room: 1.)it faces inside, looking at the pool & black rock; awesome! And 2.) (unimportant to some perhaps)- mid day to late afternoon, you can comfortably sit on the Lanai in relative shade, compared to the rooms in the opposite tower. They also face inward (nice) but, they also face the blinding afternoon sun, requiring sun screen when sitting on the lanai, or probably requiring the drapes to stay closed.

Owner response:Thanks for the great guestbook entry Howard and we look forward to you and your wife returning in January.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/06 Review Submitted: 09/22/06

Read all the comments and believe the experiemce is more than what we can describe! The unit is fab! The views WNW and ENE are fantastic...nothing is perfect, but this location and unit are near perfect! Almost to good to be true.....but it really is!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/06 Review Submitted: 08/24/06

We just returned from our second stay at the Whaler #364 and can't say enough about it! If you are looking for a clean, well kept condo to stay at this is the place to stay at. The location on Kaanapali Beach offers everything from the best view to snorkeling at Black Rock (which is a short walk down the beach) or shopping or dining at Whaler's Village or even just laying by the pool which is right on the beach with easy access right out to the beach! Underground parking is provided and there is even shopping carts to help you get everything up to your room with ease! Even if you just want to avoid driving you can head out the back way (through the parking garage at the Whaler) to the ABC store to pick up any odds and ends and be back on the beach with in minutes! There's even plenty of dishes and a nice little kitchen (or grills on the property) to cook your own food if you don't want to leave, which I must say is really hard to do! To us this felt like staying in a home! Last year we spent 7 nights here and our flight was cancelled so we were put up in the Hyatt by the airline, which was a gorgeous place, but also had no view (we looked at the roof and some air conditioning units)plus as many hotels do we had to walk through all of their shopping areas through a maze to find the elevators and up to our floor and several halls to our room, which was very nice, but certainly nothing like being RIGHT on the beach with a great view. This year we came back for 9 nights and stayed here again! Chris lived on Maui for 13 years and this has been his favorite place to stay! They have even added free internet access to the rooms, so you can check your emails or do your banking right there and be back on the beach in minutes! We are already planning our next trip back and will definately stay in the same unit! Feel free to email us with any questions or more photos we highly recommend this unit to anyone!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/06 Review Submitted: 06/11/06

Great unit & view. Had a wonderful time and will be back again!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/06 Review Submitted: 05/10/06

As an Interval Owner at the Whaler (July 12 to July 26), I can never get enough time in Kaanapali. October is beautiful and there no better place to stay then Unit 364 (although you could truly enjoy thie Unit anytime of the year). It is like medicine no doctor could prescribe. I look forward to spending many more years enjoying the ocean view from this location!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/05 Review Submitted: 11/15/05

I absolutely loved unit 364 when I stayed there for 2 nights in September 2005. The unit was bright, comfortable, beautifully decorated, convenient and spotlessly clean. The kitchen and bathroom have been upgraded and everything works perfectly. I really appreciated the small touches, like the beach chairs in the closet and the cooking oil, spices and selection of teas in the kitchen. There was even a place to put my shoes near the front door. Best of all, the screen doors (not all units have these) allowed me to leave the balcony doors open all night and wake up to the sound of the surf. And of course, the view is spectacular. I stayed in an identical unit on a higher floor the following week that wasn't nearly as well maintained. And the view from #364 is actually nicer than on the top floors because you don't have to look at surrounding rooftops and parking garages. I would absolutely return to unit 364 again -- and next time I will stay there for more than 2 nights!

Owner response:Thanks for the kind words Lisa. We look forward to having you stay with us again.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/05 Review Submitted: 11/01/05

We spent 7 wonderful nights at the Whaler in unit #364 - it was fantastic! This unit is clean and has everything you could think of! The kitchen (even though we didn't do much cooking!) was great! This unit also has the BEST shower at any hotel or condo we have been to! The shower head sends lots of water all over your tired body from all of the walking and diving and it feels great after a long day! This unit is also very close to the washer and dryer and the elevator making it easy to bring your things up and down! Extremely cozy and looks just like the photos! The Whaler is also a great location and the staff treated us like we were their only customers! We'll be going back in June and plan to stay there again! Excellent condo!

Owner response:Thanks for the nice words Chris and Michele. I look forward to having you back in June.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/05 Review Submitted: 06/25/05

We were honored to have spent nearly two weeks in #364. We arrived late at night and were travel-weary, but upon awakening the next morning to a mirrored room that reflected a view that we had only seen before in magazines, we knew we were in paradise. This was confirmed by helpful, wonderfully friendly employees and fellow travelers. By the third day we felt as if we were in our own home. The beauty is unearthly and we confirm this by pouring over the many photographs that we developed. We think of Kaanapali Beach every single day since our return.

Owner response:Thank you for the wonderful guestbook entry. We look forward to seeing you in the future.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/05 Review Submitted: 03/21/05

Enjoyed 6 days in #364 in January. Have stayed at the Whaler four times and this unit was top notch. Nice furnishings, beautiful view, excellent bed. Would definitely recommend this unit to anyone.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/04 Review Submitted: 07/19/04

Just got back from 10 days! We've stayed at the Whaler three times and consider it the best place for the money in the world. We live 60 miles from the Florida beaches and still travel to Maui and the Whaler. We enjoyed Unit 364 and would definitely stay there again. Here are some of the features we noticed: the kitchen is entirely new, the bathroom is spacious (white marble most places), a single large walk-in closet, views of Black Rock from the room (not just on the lanai), birds on the lanai every morning, new matress set, and the best location to stay in Maui. Our two children (8 and 5) slept on the convertable sofa and it was perfect for them. The Whaler facilities were great: free beach towel service, hot hot-tub, at least five new built in gas grills (granite tops). Granite picnic tables. Under ground parking. I may contact the owner for next July to stay for the entire month! Contact me with any questions.

Owner response:Thanks for the entry. We look forward to having you for an entire month in the future.

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