If you're visiting Oahu, you absolutely have to avoid Honolulu...except for maybe going there on a day trip into town to "experience" the crowds. Really, you want to stay anyplace but Honolulu. However, it's always difficult to find someplace affordable and memorable to rent over on the Windward side of the island (Kailua, Lanikai, even Waimanalo) without ending up near a beach but in somebody's converted garage with no tropical breezes and an 8-foot privacy fence surrounding your "garden view." The Hillside Cottage is a great choice. It's a totally separate cottage with one roomy bedroom. There's another bedroom also, but you should know that it's not totally private from the first one. The kitchen is minimal, but you're not going to Hawaii to cook, right? The cottage has tons of windows, so you're constantly looking at the beautiful view, and the flow-through fresh air is exactly why you're here. The best part is probably the table and chairs on the lanai. You'll enjoy the best morning coffee of your life while sitting out there watching the sun come up behind the Mokulua Islands. When you bring leftovers home from Kailua's restaurants*, you'll discover that your lanai table has a better view than any restaurant. We certainly enjoyed our month in the cottage. We could walk to Lanikai Beach in just a few minutes, or easily drive to Kailua Beach. Lanikai and Kailua are definitely the 2 best places to stay on Oahu. (Lanikai is actually part of Kailua.) Kailua Beach is one of the best beaches in the world. Lanikai Beach used to be one of the best beaches, but two things have eroded that reputation: (1) The beach has literally eroded. It's now about half the size it was 10 years ago; (2) Lanikai has been "discovered" Big Time. Tour busses from Waikiki now drop off tourists in Kailua. They rent bikes or walk, and crowd the residential streets of little Lanikai and jam the limited beach. Too bad. *For restaurants, we heartily recommend the Uahi Island Grill in Kailua. Their $5 happy hour Maitais are the best, as are their fish, kalua pork and french fries. Seriously, we went in several times and always started of with maitais and a $4 basket of amazing french fries .