An Amazing Holiday Retreat

Guest: Cindy and Weldon (Shaunavon, Saskatchewan)
Date of Stay: 04/10/09 Review Submitted: 09/05/09

Iam so sorry it took so long to do this!! My husband and I spent 12 wonderful days in the cabana. We were greated with a friendly welcome from Gerry and gift basket from Julie. We arrived late that first night, after a long day of sight seeing, and were so blessed to come in to the cozy and comfortable cabana. Julie and Gerry had prepared a helpful binder with places to go, eat, maps, etc. Everything a nubie tourist could need. Gerry even helped us with some driving tips and a language lesson. What a blessing it was to not to have to pack beach supplies (leaves much more suitcase room for all our purchases). The beach was lovely and only a few hundred metres away! Kailua was an excellent place to come back to as it is so much more quiet that all the touristy places out there. If you needed to purchase something, it was no more than 10 min away. I have to admit, I thought all the talk about the outdoor shower was .... weird. Infact, it was the big joke with us and our friends before we left (and actually the first thing we were asked about when we got off the plane). The first time out was a bit nerve wracking (checking to make sure no one could see me in my birthday suit!) But it was, indeed,exillerating. Great way to start your day, but even better way to end it. You have to experience it to believe it. Every couple of days, we would come back to find the cabana had magically been cleaned. We didn't really get much of a chance to talk to Julie and Gerry (we were gone alot!), but the times we did, we found them to be extremely pleasant and very helpful. True Hawaiian spirit. If you're looking for a romantic get away or a place to stay out of the hubub of tourists, I would highly recomend you stay here. Being able to escape back here, at the end of a crazy, hot day, was a true blessing. Don't hesitate to stay here.

Owner response:Aloha Cindy and Weldon, It was our pleasure having you in our little slice of paradise and we hope you will come back again and again! Mahalo, Julie and Gerry

Recommended for:

Perfect getaway for two

Guest: Miss Needle (Brooklyn, NY)
Date of Stay: 12/21/11 Review Submitted: 01/07/12

It was the most perfect place to stay during our vacation. Anything one could possibly want is located here -- beach chairs, coolers, snorkel, suntan lotion, boogie boards, movies, music, wine glasses, etc. And it is immaculate -- this was actually the first place I've ever stayed in outside of my own home where I trusted that everything was clean. I really appreciated the no-pets policy as I'm allergic to cats. We had such a wonderful and comfortable stay. Location was great. Just a few steps from beautiful Kailua beach and five minutes away from Kailua town where one can find restaurants, drug stores and supermarkets. I especially liked Uahi Island Grill for casual fare. Lanikai Juice (also located in Kailua) was great for acai bowls, juices, smoothies and my dose of wheatgrass shots. Don't miss Agnes Portuguese Bakery for the best malasadas -- I thought it was even better than the famous Leonard's. Also a 15 minute drive from He'eia Pier General Store and Deli for gourmet plate lunches headed by the former sous chef of Mavro. Kailua is also less than a half an hour from Honolulu if you're up for some action. And if you want to experience the most beautiful beach in Oahu, Lanikai Beach is only a 5 minute drive away. Julie and Gerry are incredibly sweet and helpful and embody the aloha spirit. I actually ran into President Obama on the Lanikai Pillbox hike that was recommended by Julie! I will forever remember my experience there and hope to be back soon.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

Outstanding place to stay

Guest: Tony and Nita (Texas)
Date of Stay: 06/09/11 Review Submitted: 06/24/11

The best decision we made concerning our trip to Hawaii was to stay in Julie's cabana. So quiet and peaceful! From waking up to the birds singing, to watching the sunset on Kailua beach, this was the perfect setting for our anniversary trip. The cabana was tastefully decorated, the welcome basket was delicious, and the outdoor shower was.....oh yeah! All in all, our stay here was everything we could have hoped for. Thanks, Julie (and Cosmo and Lucy!) for your wonderful hospitality.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

a piece of paradise

Guest: Kim (Houston, Texas)
Date of Stay: 08/28/10 Review Submitted: 05/19/11

I apoligize for taking so long to write this review. My husband and I stayed in this lovey cabana for a week in August 2010. It was the perfect place for us and we have rented larger homes in the past and found them to be a waste of money. This place is cute, clean and the shower is amazing ! I had no trouble adapting to showering outdoors (we miss it so much) ! The beach was not overly populated which was really nice since we got married while staying. Gerry and Julie are the perfect hosts, very helpful and kind and allow you the privacy you enjoy. I would recommend this to anyone looking to stay in Kailua near the beach ! Thank you Gerry and Julie you're etched in our memories forever ! We hope to see you both again someday. Kim & Jeff

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

Just steps from the beach

Guest: Kittage (Celebration, Florida)
Date of Stay: 02/23/11 Review Submitted: 03/20/11

We stayed here three nights and we had a fabulous stay. It is very private, parking space for a car and steps to the beach. This cabana is immaculate and comes with chairs, mats, towels, beach bag, ice chest and mask and snorkel for use during your stay. This rental also has a small fridge, toaster and coffee maker. We enjoyed the fruit and goodies in the welcome basket. We've traveled all over the world and anyone would be thrilled to stay here!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

slice of heaven

Guest: Linda and Richard (Victoria BC)
Date of Stay: 02/28/10 Review Submitted: 02/04/11

Julie's cabana was a wonderful peaceful oasis. Right off the beach ( which is an incredible beach!) and a few minutes to Kailua town. It is really beautifully appointed, uber clean and has great features. We loved the outdoor shower and lanai! We made good use of the beach stuff provided . We used many of her recommendations and had fabulous food and experiences. We did all kinds of great things form this location, beach, scuba diving ( Aarons dive shop in town) , snorkelling, kayak to the Moks, paddle boarding. Endless list of outdoor things to do. Kailua was great- had good food, lots to do and not developed. Highly recommend- A really great spot. We'll go back for sure :) Mahalo Julie

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Sharon & Ralph (Ferndale, WA)

Guest: Sharon & Ralph (Ferndale, WA)
Date of Stay: 01/23/11 Review Submitted: 02/04/11

We just returned home from 5 fantastic days in Julie and Gerry's wonderful beach cabana. They were were outstanding hosts in every way and even arranged perfect weather for our stay! The Cabana was beautifully decorated, spotless and had every amenity we could possibly need. The gift basket with all the fruits, granola, candy etc was wonderful. Absolutely loved the outdoor shower and being just steps from Kailua beach. The Bunker Hill hike that Julie recommended was awesome. We highly recommend the Cabana and very much hope to stay there again soon. In fact I would stay at any property that Julie manages as her attention to detail is incredible. Mahalo Julie and Gerry.

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

Very Cute & Clean Beach Cabana

Guest: Tom (Austin, TX)
Date of Stay: 10/25/10 Review Submitted: 11/06/10

My wife and I found Julie's cabana on Homeaway and stayed there for three days at the end of October 2010. Julie promptly replied to our inquiry and we booked the cabana shortly thereafter. Her email detailed how to get to the cabana and included pictures of what to look for and where to park. Julie greeted us shortly after we arrived and gave us a map and tips about where to shop and eat. We took a couple of her suggestions to heart when we dined and were very pleased with those recommendations. The cabana is right off of Kalaheo Ave about halfway down the block towards the beach. It is a short walk past a couple of properties to get to the beach using a private path. We accessed the beach at least a couple of times a day every day we were there. Kailua Beach is a beautiful beach, even by Hawaii standards, and walking it or just hanging out on it is a real treat. I took my kitesurfing gear and launched on the beach right next to the cabana. It's not an ideal launch, being at a point on the beach where the wind is almost straight onshore, but it beat lugging the gear down to the park. The cabana itself is as cute as is can be. It is exceptionally clean and tidy and Julie has a real knack for decorating. The shower is outdoor only, but we have outdoor showers at home, so no worries there. There is a coffee maker and small refrigerator and microwave but not a complete kitchen. Julie had placed a welcome basket out for us. If there is any complaint I could muster about the cabana it was that there is no closet for hanging clothes and if you have a lot of luggage, it can be a bit cramped. But trust me, I have to scrounge to come up with even this issue, and this was only because I had some kitesurfing gear to deal with. It was easy enough to store this stuff outside. This cabana was perfect for us and we would love to come back if its just the two of us visiting Oahu again. I would definitely stay here again, or at any other property that Julie has anything to do with. She is a great host and has a great little piece of paradise at this location!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+.

Private and comfortable, great location

Guest: Jasper & Robin (Mill Valley, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 09/07/10

The property is exactly as described. The cabana is petite, but spotless and very functional. A very short walk to a quiet, clean beach. It was very private, quiet, and close to nice restaurants in Kailua, but far enough away from everything to feel very relaxing. I rented a bike in Kailua and rode almost every day. We really enjoyed our stay.

Recommended for:

We loved staying here!!!

Guest: Martha & Leo (San Bernardino, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/23/10 Review Submitted: 09/03/10

We enjoyed our stay here! The cabana was exactly as described. The owners have done a great job. We loved the attention to detail and the thoughtful amenities that made our stay comfortable and fun. The location is perfect. We loved swimming in Kailua beaches. We are definitely coming back soon. We were sad we had to leave. Thank you Jill and Gerry. You guys are awesome.

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