Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great location!

Guest: Nancy (Utah)
Date of Stay: 04/09/12 Review Submitted: 04/19/12

We just got back from a great vacation with our family. This house was perfect with lots of amenities and a short 5 minute walk to the most beautiful and quiet beach! Mark was very accommodating and easy to work with. I would definitely encourage anyone going to Oahu to stay here. We especially loved being away from the tourist soaked Waikiki and enjoyed a more authentic Hawaiian way of life.

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

Great option outside Waikiki

Guest: Dana M. (Minneapolis)
Date of Stay: 12/03/11 Review Submitted: 12/31/11

We really enjoyed not staying in Waikiki and this was a great option in a convenient location. It is nice to have the owner downstairs should anything crop up. Mark has every possible size of swim fins and snorkels for guests use, as well as boogie boards, towels, coolers, kayaks, etc. The nearby beach is especially good for boogie boarding. It actually turned out to be our favorite beach for that. The only downside was the road noise that woke us up each day. We would stay here again in a heartbeat.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

LOVE the BEACH

Guest: John (Moreno Valley, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 05/31/11 Review Submitted: 06/12/11

What an awesome time we had! We have never seen The the colors that made up the ocean, and it was a block down the street! The house was in a great location, easy to get to, easy to reach the places we were going to for a day trip. Pictures of the house reflect what the house is. It was comfortable we used the lanai every night. All the beach equipment was right there, we didn't have to ask to use it we just used what we wanted, cleaned it, and put it away. Mark was great, so was the cleaning lady, Karen. Thanks for everything and we have started saving for the next trip back here again!

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

Awsome vacation

Guest: geo (Traverse City,MI)
Date of Stay: 07/22/10 Review Submitted: 09/12/10

We have been to Hawaii a number of times. Our exeprience at Waimanalo was just superb. Beautiful beachs, great house and perfect location. Lots of high quality water sports equipment. Best vacation ever. The kids and adults all loved it. We will be back, soon.

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

Guest: Jim138 (-)
Date of Stay: 04/23/10 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

Very nice place; comfortable, quiet. A short walk to the beach. Lotsa toys you can use. Short drive to Waikiki or up to north shore. Mark is super helpful, friendly, easy to reach -- he lives just downstairs.

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Guest: Robert Day (Ashland, OR)
Date of Stay: 04/18/10 Review Submitted: 04/18/10

This was a perfect place for a very relaxed vacation! We felt as if we were locals living on the island. (except we didn’t have to work) Close enough to Honolulu to enjoy a few day trips and still come “home” to cook every meal which saved a bundle of cash. Everything that you see in the pictures is true and available to use at no charge. Mark was spectacular host and we were very happy to have found this place and recommend it highly. We would wake up, go for a swim, come home for breakfast, go back to the beach, come home for lunch, enjoy a day trip or go back to the beach, then come home for cocktails and dinner, and then have an evening walk on the beach or sit in the hot tub. Now THAT’S my idea of a vacation!

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Guest: Lynne Courtney (Springfield, OH)
Date of Stay: 03/19/10 Review Submitted: 03/19/10

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Waimanalo. The house was quite comfortable and everything was at hands' reach. The beach is a short walk and is uncrowded and beautiful. We had plenty of gear to snorkel and kayak.It is a very peaceful community that is quiet but only a short drive to any island activities.We are planning on returning in the near future.Mark made our trip pleasant and fun and am looking forward to our next visit.

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Guest: gentil (france)
Date of Stay: 10/14/09 Review Submitted: 10/14/09

nous sommes venus chez mark pour notre mariage et voyage de noces et ce fût un régal; très discret, il nous a bien reçu et la location était très agréable; la plage à 200m est magnifique; nous conseillons cette location

Owner response:I am told this says: "We were at Mark's for our wedding and honeymoon and it was [supreme, regal, outstanding]; off the beaten path; We felt welcome and the location was great; the beach 200 meters away was wonderful and we recommend this place."

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Renter beware.

Guest: Texan crew (New Braunfels, TX USA)
Date of Stay: 07/14/09 Review Submitted: 11/17/09

The property is not as shown on the website. Not clean, low allergy environment and the a/c is onlyl adequate to cool the master bedroom. Don't cook in the house if you also want to sleep in it that night, it get the house too hot. It might sleep 8-10 but not comfortably (temperature wise). Carpets dirty, yard messy, poor remodel job etc.....not as advertised!

Owner response:The reply to this one is simple. The tenant told his wife the entire house was air conditioned. They closed all the windows and tried to use the bedroom AC to cool the whole house. It is not designed to do so nor is it advertised as such and made the house hotter as the breeze didn't blow threw. They checked out without paying and are pissed because i charged their credit card. They were even more upset when the credit card dispute was awarded in my favor.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/29/09 Review Submitted: 05/28/09

My family enjoyed staying at the house on Ehukai St. It was convenient to walk to the beach, especially on our wedding date with Captain Howie. We had a rental car but the family also used The Bus to visit Kailua or Sea Life Park. The local take-out shop Keneke's is a quirky favorite with locals and tourists.

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Guest: Steve Gruca (Lethbridge, Alberta)
Date of Stay: 05/10/09 Review Submitted: 05/10/09

It was a pleasure to stay at the house. The beach was great and the location super. We're hoping to stay there again soon! Thanks Mark & Scott (our son had lots of fun)!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/09 Review Submitted: 04/14/09

Nice house, friendly owner and brother/manager, good location. We used the boogie boards, beach mats and beach towels. Thanks Mark!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/03/09

This place was great for our 2-adult couple 10 day stay. The beach was only a block or 2 away and it was the nicest beach we found on the entire island...and we traveled the entire island. We cooked most of our dinners at "home" and the kitchen was well stocked with dishes, pots and pans, and small appliances. We played during the day and never needed to rent any equipment because it was all there for our unlimited use at no charge (snorkles, masks, boogie boards, etc.) The place was clean and very comfortable, and the hot tub was nice too! The location was very nice. Besides the beach (mentioned above), it was close to everything else we wanted to see and far enough from Waikiki and Honolulu to avoid much of the traffic. We definitely recommend this place to groups of 2 or more, including folks traveling with kids. Aloha and mahalo.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/08 Review Submitted: 08/13/08

The house was clean, comfortable, and well appointed for a relaxed stay. The beach just down the street is beautiful and not crowded at all, and great for swimming and boogie boarding. Waimanalo is quiet and friendly -- nice!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/08 Review Submitted: 06/22/08

Nice place to get away from it all... Walking distance from the best beach on the island. We went to 4 different beaches and ended up back at this beach each night. Still close enough to drive to all the tourist spots. Mark was a great host, allowing us to use boogie boards, snorkel equipment, whatever we needed. Thanks, Mark...

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Property #321469

Guest: RRL (Weymouth MA)
Date of Stay: 05/22/08 Review Submitted: 06/03/08

The property was not clean, not well-maintained. The description of this property was misleading as this was a 2nd floor apartment which was not indicated in the specs - we were led to believe this was a "home" not an apartment. The carpeting on the staircase leading to this apartment was stained and filthy, the bathroom was filthy, the grille unacceptably dirty, the floors and carpet in the apartment were dirty, there was insufficient sheets for the beds, etc. etc. I certainly would not recommend this property to any family.

Owner response:I am a positive person so I am responding only as insight for people looking at what one might consider malicious venting. For the record this particular party showed up a day early, unannounced and yes the property was not clean yet. My cleaning lady comes the morning before your stay so the property is as fresh as possible. I did my best to accommodate & overcome this by waiving the cleaning fee even though I paid extra for her to get in there on a rush that same day. I bought the family dinner even though it was not my fault to get past things and on with their stay. The house always comes with all of the sheets and towels you will need for your party. Not only did they show up early but they brought an additional 2 people, which I did not bill them for. So yes there may have not been sheets for both of the futons but they didn't exactly disclose the additional guest nor did they ask for additional bedding at any point in their stay. In closing I implore you to look at the other guest comments and I think you will see you can't make everyone happy but I will certainly go out of my way to try. After all that is what the Spirit of the Islands is all about. Aloha Mark Owner / Manager

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/26/08

The house was awesome. Thanks for the hospitality!!!!!! The house worked out awesome for our families too! Everyone was comfortable. It was close to the beach and everything we needed was close by. Thanks again, and we'll definitely be back sometime :)

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/12/08

This is a nice place with all the amenities such as boogey boards, surf boards etc we wanted. Loved to be able to walk down to a great beach and also hear the waves at night. The people are very friendly.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/12/08

Our family loved being so close to the beautiful beach. The quiet neighborhood, cool breezes, and lovely beach made our experience most pleasant.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/19/08

Good facilities, loved the location, close to a very nice beach. All gear was there for personal use which was an excellent add on. Thank you so much for helping make our vacation so enjoyable.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/08 Review Submitted: 02/25/08

This was our first holiday to the island. We had a great time. The scenery is one that you can close your eyes today and the images are there. Thank you Mark & Scott for making our 2 week vacation a very comfortable one.The house was the perfect way to go everything we needed, loved the blender (haha), the beach in my opinion was the nicest on the island, not crowded and only a block away. I would certainly recommend your place to anyone visiting the island. Will send you some photos. We enjoyed your company and hope someday we will get to come back with our kids. Mahola, Steve & Pat

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/07 Review Submitted: 12/24/07

A nice house in a quiet neighborhood near the beach. We enjoyed walking down to Waimanalo beach and playing in the surf. There was plenty of room for our whole family.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Jacki McCormack (Happy Valley, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 10/01/07 Review Submitted: 10/13/07

We had a wonderful vacation at Mark's place. Very comfortable and easy access to the beach. We loved this side of the Island. Normally we stay near Wakiki. This was much more laid back and the locals were awesome. We loved our vacation. Sorry it had to end. Thanks, Mark for a great place to live for a week!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Carla (Phoenix, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/18/07

We really enjoyed staying in the house on Waimanalo. It was clean, comfortable and had all the amenities you need. It was in a ideal location and the beach was quiet with great waves!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Curt Kisner (Anaheim,CA)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/05/07

This was our first trip to Hawaii and it was one of the best vacations our family has ever had. The house was perfect for us and so close to the beach! It was perfect as far as a nice place to relax in a home rather than a hotel, yet so close to the tourist things we wanted to see such as Pearl Harbor and Diamond Head. You will never see water more blue and warm as on Waimanalo beach and so secluded. Having suggestions of "local" places to eat was great too! We will be back! The Kisners

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Carma Brown (Grand Junction, CO)
Date of Stay: 06/01/07 Review Submitted: 06/19/07

The house was great!! Never again will we stay in a hotel after staying in a home - away from home - we can't wait to go back! ALOHA!!!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Mitch_HAC82748 (Goleta Ca.)
Date of Stay: 04/01/07 Review Submitted: 04/10/07

Had a really wonderful time on Oahu. The house was the perfect spot for a main base of operations. We saved a ton of money not having to eat out and using the full kitchen and BBQ. The beach was super good and so close to your place. The neighborhood it's in is really safe and the neighbors were super friendly. I would reccomend Mark's place for a great place to stay on Vacation.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Danette (Not Specified)
Date of Stay: 04/01/07 Review Submitted: 04/06/07

We really enjoyed our stay at this house, it was everything we expected. We would stay here again if we are ever back in Oahu. Comfortable for our family of five. Thanks Mark

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Grif & Pam Watts (Butte Montana USA)
Date of Stay: 02/01/07 Review Submitted: 02/21/07

What a week!!! What a Place!! What a Beach!!! What a Great Value!! We stayed in Beautiful Waimanalo for a week. The house worked great for 2 couples. It was nice to be off of the beaten path and I felt very safe there. Mark and his brother Scott are wonderful hosts and were very attentive to our needs. We really enjoyed the beach and the Boogie Boards. The waves were fantastic and not a rock in the sand to hurt your foot. We saw only a few people on the beach and all were very friendly. We found groceries close by as well as restraunts. The Barbeque was awsome. Although there was no laundry, we hung our suits and towels on the lanai and they were ready the next day. Lots of creature comforts here, even a pet fish. You can even drink the tap water. It was a good place to get away and if I go back to Hawaii, or know anyone going I would stay here again!!! Thanks Mark and Scott for you Hospitality!!!

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Guest: M, Doyle (Honolulu, Hi)
Date of Stay: 02/01/07 Review Submitted: 02/20/07

What an amazing place. We live on the island and came to this house to escape for a week. It suited our needs perfectly and it was nice to have a kitchen with everything in it. The beach is literally one of the nicest on the Oahu and we made good use of all the toys. I have lived here for my whole life and never realized how beautiful the Waimanalo area was. Such a great spot to escape to. Thank You Mark Mahalo & Aloha,

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Guest: Cathy_HAC68959 (Cardiff-by-the-Sea)
Date of Stay: 11/01/06 Review Submitted: 11/15/06

My family stayed in your home for a week. We were very impressed by you homes ammenties and location to everything on the island of Oahu. It is a great floor plan to have a nice family or romantic getaway. We took advantage of the discounts and did the Luau and Dolphin Excursion A+++. We will never forget this wonderful vacation. Mahalo...

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Thelma L. (Lincoln, CA)
Date of Stay: 11/01/06 Review Submitted: 11/04/06

'Nalo was for sure off the tourist traps of Waikiki.Enjoyed the neat and tidy house.Glad for the winds, we didn't have to use the room AC at all.It would be nice to have a dishwasher and washer/dryer.Beds & futons were clean and comfy.Wireless/TV were a plus for the down/rest times.

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Guest: The Dale Family of 4 (Canyon Lake, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/01/06 Review Submitted: 07/20/06

We had a great stay at your Waimanalo Rental. It really met all our needs for a family of 4. The house was decent size, plenty of sleeping areas, the beach was prestine and our morning walks & jog's on the beach were wonderful, afternoon boogie boarding was good too. The weather was great a little rain but loved it just the same. Sharks Cove for snorkeling on North Shore was far better than Hanauma Bay & well worth the drive(I did both).Drove around the island a few times, soo much beauty to see.... Waikiki was crazy! Hard to find parking unless your staying in a hotel there, best advise: park over by the zoo it's free and you can play all day on the beach, great shopping too. The surfing is way too crowded in Waikiki unless you move way down the beach away from all the action. Thanks Mark for all your help & info. Loved Oahu & can't wait to do it again!

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Guest: Jennie Magdaleno (Compton, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/01/06 Review Submitted: 07/05/06

Mark, The house was more than what I expected - it was a home away from home - accommodations and the area were excellent - the best part walking to the beach! I would highly recommend your place! Thanks from my Dad and myself!

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Guest: sin sai (sacramento, ca)
Date of Stay: 06/01/06 Review Submitted: 06/25/06

for the price, you could not ask for anything more. we stayed 8days for $2100. the private white sandy beach is about 100yds walk. the beautiful waimanalo condo was spacious, clean, and homie. the area was safe. less than a 30min drive to waikiki/honolulu. we would definitely rent this condo again!!!

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Guest: Neil_HAC47971 (Toronto)
Date of Stay: 04/01/06 Review Submitted: 04/01/06

My wife and I stayed at the house with another couple and we found it to be just like home, except much closer to a nice beach! We were really impressed with all the extras (surfboards, cooler, beach mats, snorkeling gear, etc.). The beach was beautiful, and with so few people on it, we basically had it all to ourselves. We suggest dinner at Buzz's in Lanikai, and burgers at the Shack in Kailua. Enjoy!

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Guest: David Kennedy (Minneapolis / Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 03/01/06 Review Submitted: 03/05/06

Mark, you were a great host and the property was outstanding. Our family really enjoyed the proximity to your beautiful beach and all the other beaches just up and down the coast.

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Guest: Kim_HAC43067 (Burlington, VT)
Date of Stay: 01/01/06 Review Submitted: 01/17/06

The accommodations were great and location could not have been any better. There is nothing like walking to an empty beach every morning and having good surfing just down the road.

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Guest: Deborah P (Milwaukee, WI)
Date of Stay: 01/01/06 Review Submitted: 01/17/06

Mark, Thank you so much for a wonderful vacation for my whole family. The accomodations were perfect and the water equipment the best. Also thank you for arranging the whale,turtle and dolphin trip. We still can not stop talking about swimming with the dolphins. Thank you so much for making this the best trip to Hawaii we have ever taken.

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