disappointed
Submitted: April 3, 2013
Stayed: March 2013
We were excited to stay here, but when we arrived, we found several unexpected issues. We have a toddler and expected a safe relaxing place based on the offer of a pack-n-play and toddler bed and the positive posted reviews. The pack-n-play and toddler bed were provided, which we apprecited, but the condo had several features that made us nervous. First, nearly every room has a floor-level louvered window. These are covered with screens but not glass. The louvers can be closed, but not tightly. In general, these types of windows are not ideal for toddlers, as they cannot always be secured and toddlers can fall out if they run into the screen and it doesn't hold. Due to this risk, this type of window is no longer used in newer construction. We realize that these windows are "grandfathered in" due to the age of the building, but I would have liked to know they were there before we booked, as we were unable to relax with our toddler running around near them. Second, the wires for the wireless and cable service were exposed under the kitchen table such that our toddler could easily find and play with them. Again, we had to constantly monitor these. There is also a fairly steep staircase with a cast-iron railing along its length, but this can be effectively blocked off by wedging a baby gate across the hallway and through the bars. (If you'd like a gate, I suggest asking if one is available, as we had rented one from a different company prior to booking.) Finally, during our stay, the condo complex was repainting the stairwell immediately outside the unit. They were powerblasting paint off the railings and we could not keep the dust from entering the unit since we could not completely seal the windows. I think this specific issue is unlikely to affect anyone in the future, but you may want to ask if any maintenance is possible during your stay when inquiring about the unit. (The complex apparently gives a time window for repairs but not an exact date.) All that said, the unit is near the beach and has lots of toys, chairs, etc. available for use. It seems a decent economical choice for the area if you have older kids and/or are able to assure your children won't get near the windows or cable wires. Also, Sarada was quite responsive to our concerns. We were unable to complete our stay due to the above concerns, but she readily refunded our payment so we weren't out any money, just time and effort to find another place last minute.
Owner's Response: We are always happy to receive honest feedback and I understand that the louver windows that many places in Hawaii still utilize are not the mainstream in other places and are outdated (although they do provide great air flow!). With that being said, I am happy to share that the condo association has just approved our conversion to windows throughout so as of the end of this summer, we will be upgrading the entire unit as the louvers are removed and all window openings as well as sliders will be replaced with vinyl framing and triple pane glass of the highest quality to increase safety as well as reduce heat and noise. As far as the maintenance, it is rare but if something comes up that is causing any disruption around the building we always offer a full refund for the inconvenience and give advance notification whenever possible. As was the case with this booking, we always try to give a full refund if the unit is not to the visitor's satisfaction.
Thank You,
Sarada
Helpful votes: 1/1
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