Above average beach house
Review Submitted: May 2, 2011
Date of Stay: April 2011
We stayed in this home for 9 days on our trip to the North Shore of Hawaii. My review would be very long if I wrote it out in paragraph form, so I'm going to write a pro/con list so I can pack more info in.
Pros: The layout of the home is spectacular. Lots of open space and a great view from multiple rooms. Lots of extra linens. Check the cabinets before you hit the grocery store as previous tennants have left condimnets, spices, and such to make your life easier. Well decorated. only 4 streets from the local grocery store and a short walk to three or four great beaches with awesome snorkeling, scuba diving, or just tanning! Nice yard. Quiet neighbors (no idea if they are renters also). Beautiful, relaxing showers and a deep bathtub. Close to several restaurants. Within a half hour to most of the attractions we were drawn to. Overall a good experience.
Cons: The home itself seems to need a little sprucing up. It's a very nice layout, but it seemed to be just a glorified beach house. It was missing the "luxury" it advertises. There is no a/c which would have been fine, but there are only three fans kept in the house, one of which didn't work. There is plastic sheeting on the roof which decided to cave in on our stay causing part of the ceiling to fall to the floor. A couple of doors would not stay closed which was an issue as we were traveling with a child. The bar stools fell over every time you put your foot on the bottom rung. The drier was broken for the first half of our trip. The land lord came in to fix it while we were away, but we were unaware they would be coming.... The microwave didn't work. There are several loose tiles in the kitchen. No locks on any interior doors, not even on the bathrooms. the beds are a nice touch, but if you plan on sleeping two to a bed, be prepared for your legs to be half hanging off. There are geckos everywhere. there were at least 15 in the home while we were there.
I would definitely stay here again. I would just want to be better prepared for what it is really going to be like. Imagining you're going to be staying on your own private resort and staying in a 25 year old slightly run down beach home are two very different things. It was relaxing, away from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu, and had a ton of space and privacy.
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Adventure Seekers,
Girls Getaway,
Sightseeing,
Families with Teenagers,
Romantic Getaway
Owner's Response: Understandably we all have different comfort levels. After residing many years in New York City our definition of luxury is relaxation, privacy, space, curves and natural elements where the patina of age is acceptable. The absence of locks on interior doors is mentioned in our guidelines with the helpful hint to politely 'knock'. Air conditioning is not necessary on the North Shore thanks to the cool breezy trade winds. The North Shore climate is naturally hospitable where fans or heating devices are rarely needed. The friendly gecko is a natural occurrence in Hawaiian households, they are harmless. The ceiling had been repaired the week before the mishap and perhaps was not done properly for an 8 inch section of plaster did crumble, the statement that the ceiling fell down is an exaggeration. We were lucky to have the dryer belt arrive so timely and had been granted permission to enter the house on the day of the repair. Our home has many custom features and idiosyncratic experiences that are well defined in our listing. It is regrettable that not everyone will enjoy it as much as we do.
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