Had an Amazing Time!

Guest: Leah (Lawrence, KS)
Date of Stay: 01/08/12 Review Submitted: 01/24/12

My mother, 2 year old son and I stayed here for a week. It was everything we could want. Brian, Karen, and James were so polite and friendly. The house was great and a perfect location for the beach. They provided everything we needed for a relaxing stay and I would definitely stay there everytime we returned to the island. I highly reccommend staying here, and its a great location for families.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

real Hawaii, aloha personified. Perfect for anyone looking beyond the resort "experience"

Guest: Iago (Madison, WI)
Date of Stay: 11/08/11 Review Submitted: 11/17/11

We lived in Hawaii for 13 years and really wanted to avoid Waikiki and the other resorts. To us, staying in a resort is a hotel experience that can happen almost anywhere. Staying at Paradise Found we found exactly what we were looking for: a peaceful part of the island, close to the beaches without crowds, relaxed atmosphere, and easy access to restaurants and site seeing. What we didn't expect was the incredible aloha shared by the family. They were very respectful of our space and privacy, but completely open with us. By the end of the trip, the apartment felt like home and the family like dear friends. For anyone doubting the VRBO vs. Hotel concept, let me be clear: this is for folks who want to experience Hawaii as lived by locals. You do not get a/c, turn down service, room service, or an attached spa. What you do get is a vacation done your way in a setting that almost anyone living in Hawaii would love to have.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Warm Aloha and a taste of "real Hawaii".

Guest: Ben (Hawaii)
Date of Stay: 05/01/11 Review Submitted: 06/18/11

My visiting guests stayed in Brian and Karen's charming rental in May. It is a clean, casual and comfortable space attached to their own own home, but with excellent privacy, access to a lovely yard with views of the Ko'olau mountains, and just 2 minutes' walk to gorgeous Waimanalo beach. Truly an authentic, Hawaii country neighborhood, as far removed from the tinsel and crowds of Waikiki as you can imagine. Brian and Karen are warm and friendly folks, and will make you feel right at home while giving you plenty of space to yourself. Location is quiet and undeveloped, and perfectly situated for road trips to the North Shore, if you can tear yourself away from the aquamarine waters and uncrowded sands of Waimanalo Beach.

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

Awesome

Guest: Brenda and Randy (PA)
Date of Stay: 04/06/11 Review Submitted: 04/19/11

All I can say is wow.....we spent 10 nights at Paradise Found and it was wonderful!! The accomodations are great--everything you need to relax in paradise! Brian,Karen, James, Curly and Bella are a great family! The dogs helped keep us from missing ours quite as much. The beaches are so beautiful and very uncrowded. As others have mentioned, through the week there are only a handful of people, and even on weekends it's still not busy! Everything you need is very close and you have easy driving access to great sights. A visit to Keneke's is a must for plate lunches!!! You can't beat this rental for an amazing vacation.

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

What a wonderful week. We can't wait to visit again.

Guest: David (Southcentral Alaska)
Date of Stay: 12/05/10 Review Submitted: 01/03/11

First let me say that the family who owns this property is friendly, personable, and extremely helpful. If we had questions, they were there, otherwise we had plenty of privacy. We enjoyed them so much that we invited them to stay with us should they ever visit Alaska. They also had two little dogs who were pretty comical. We still talk about little Bella and Curly. The beach is across the street and it truly is an amazing sight. We had miles of sand largely to ourselves. At the most crowded we saw this beach, we probably had a total of 15 people in view. Small waves, azure water, an amazing view of mountains in the distance--this spot truly is a little-known gem. The apartment itself is clean, well-stocked, and just fine for a couple and perhaps a child or two. You will not be disappointed with a vacation here.

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

Great Place to Relax

Guest: Jim (Appleton, WI USA)
Date of Stay: 12/14/10 Review Submitted: 12/31/10

This was our first visit to Hawaii, and other than research on the internet we had no idea of what to expect. It just is not reality until you arrive and experience the sights, sounds and smells for yourself that you realize that you are about to stay in an exceptional location. Once through the traffic around Honolulu the surroundings were amazing on the way to Waimanalo and our residence for the week. Our home away from home at Brian and Karen's was perfect for us and was very clean and had everything we could possibly need for our stay, including boogie boards, beach chairs and a beach umbrella. The beach, amazing. The color of the water, an awesome shade of blue similar to the Caribbean. Since the beach is only steps away we got as much beach time as possible mixed in with driving to many other numerous locations. Really nice waves for swimming and not dangerous at all, plus shade in the afternoon hours. We did manage to experience several hikes around the island, including a couple of "lung busters", and were able to enjoy fantastic views from the very elevated locations. Paradise Found is a very quiet and convenient location that lets you relax and is easy to start excursions from. It did not take long to figure out how to get anywhere on the island and we did cover both sides while there. Too many places to see in one trip so we definitely will have to come again. Brian, Karen and their son James are very nice people and it was a pleasure to visit with them and pump them for information about their home and island. Cannot forget the dogs, Bella and Curly. We love dogs and these two were hilarious and very friendly. Every time we left and came back they would greet us at the gate. Very nice. I highly recommend Paradise Found and would not hesitate to visit there again. It is not a fancy property, but it is maintained extremely well and felt like home to us while there. Brian, Karen and James--Mahalo. Thanks again for having us.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

remote beauty

Guest: anna (Norway)
Date of Stay: 10/01/10 Review Submitted: 10/24/10

We are truly thankful that we chose 'Paradise Found', Brian and Karens place. The apartment is 20 meters from the beach, which is tranquil and beautiful. We watched some beautiful sunrises with happy songs from tropical birds and crashing waves. We hung in the tarzan swing and walked as far as we wanted on white, soft sand. At the house the two most entertaining, fast and loving dogs greets you with happy kisses, if you like, every morning. Our daughter who is four could not wait to get up in the morning to play with them. There is a big, nice bbq in the garden, wonderful to cook outside, looking at the stars and the contours of the lush mountains. The best about the place however I would say are: Brian, Karen and James. They are all so warm, fun and welcoming people. We made so many great memories, thank you guys.

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

When are we going back???

Guest: Danikens (Santa Monica)
Date of Stay: 08/10/10 Review Submitted: 08/18/10

Okay, all I can keep thinking since we got home is, "When are we going back???" Brian and Karen's place feels so personable, in fact, it is hard to imagine another person staying in the place now as it really felt like our own little apartment. This is also because there are several rooms, an entrance/kitchen/living area with a futon/couch, the bedroom area with a television and dvd/vhs player, the kitchen, and the spacious bathroom. The place is extremely clean, extremely well equipped-we couldn't believe how well stocked was the kitchen with the proper cooking appliances and utensils. We were able to make many meals here and there is a nice little refrigerator (not too small) with a freezer. The bathroom is very roomy and also stocked with a plentitude of towels, soap, even sunscreen and lotion! There is a wonderful shower and also a bathtub. There are beautiful hardwood floors, a very comfortable bed and the place is accented very nicely with Peggy Hopper artwork, lovely wooden furniture and Brian's photos. We loved the windows and left them open day and night and couldn't get enough of the sound of the many birds in the morning. The neighborhood is very quiet and you really feel "in" the neighborhood, not at all exposed and the walk to the beach is literally across the street. Waimanalo Beach is gorgeous! With white sands and warm, clear blue-green waters. We were visiting in summer and it was fun to play in the small, safe waves with beautiful views of the nearby mountains and islands. We also liked this beach because unlike other Oahu beaches it offers shade as there are some trees nearby which look like pine trees. Their home is also very close to many neat things, such as hiking, Hanauma Bay for snorkeling, Lani Kai Beach, and other places. But literally you could spend every day going to Waimanalo Beach not even leaving the neighborhood and have a very relaxing, fun and romantic trip. Karen and Brian really give you privacy but are always there if you need anything and are so welcoming. Also, did I mention the great price?! Thanks Karen and Brian for a great stay! We hope to be back!

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

Awesome beach

Guest: PattyA (Albany, OR USA)
Date of Stay: 10/03/09 Review Submitted: 10/17/09

This is a very homey and comfortable place. The location just blocks from a fabulous beach that is not crowded is the best feature. We had a very pleasant time although the weather was very humid (apparently unusual) and the property does not have air conditioning (there are fans). We were able to prepare all of our meals and do laundry which was really nice.

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Guest: Kay and Petre (Coventry, UK)
Date of Stay: 09/20/09 Review Submitted: 09/20/09

Our first vacation in Hawaii - stayed on 3 islands, the first being at Karen and Brian's comfortable condo. The condo was ideally located, both for touring the island and being a few minutes walk from one of the best beaches in Hawaii. Waimanalo beach was nearly deserted and was a peaceful haven. Brian and Karen were ideal hosts; they provided invaluable information, surf boards and other beach items and their gas BBQ was fantastic! The 2 dogs provided much entertainment value! We found the accommodation clean and comfortable and it had everything we needed. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

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