TIKI HUT COTTAGE - LUSH TROPICAL GARDEN, WALK TO TUNNELS BEACH

The photos on the website don't do Tiki Hut justice. The cottage is bigger than it looks in the photos and the gardens are even more lush and private. The grounds are immaculately maintained and the cottage is clean and very comfortable, with nice touches like a welcome basket of goodies, numerous tropical flower arrangements and even a chilled bottle of wine in the fridge. Two lanais, one off the living room and the other off the bedroom are great for lounging around reading or just admiring the gardens. Glorious Tunnels Beach is a five-minute walk down a private lane, and many other beaches are just a few minutes' drive away. While the owners' house is right next to the cottage and Toni and CB do spend a fair amount of time puttering around the yard, it's fairly private, with little road noise and very quiet neighbors.

My husband and I had the fortune to stay, on a chance booking, at the Tiki Hut recently. Both CB and Toni were wonderful. The "hut" is the most enchanting little cottage with 2 lanais overlooking a perfectly suited and well organized garden in the backyard. This garden is full of whimsical little details that were a delight to find! A most lovely welcome basket in the kitchen, coconuts on the porch, and books to tell the history of the area. A short walk put us right on Tunnels Beach, a short drive north (or walk if you want) brought up Kalalua Trail, and a quick drive south brings you to the funky little town of Hanalei (Think Puff the Magic Dragon). You look right up to the mountains of Bali Hai, and the weather was not bad for the winter there. Snorkling on Tunnels is awesome, saw the largest sea turtle I've ever seen. Definitely don't pass this by Tiki is a winner!

My husband and I returned to Kauai for the third time last week. We knew we wanted to be at the North Shore, close to beaches but with a lot of privacy. The Tiki Hut was perfect for all these requirements. The entrance door is on the left side, next to the owners' home; however once inside and exiting either of the sliding glass doors to the lanais, the lush foliage and layout of the property is such that we literally never saw anyone else! The Tiki Hut is lovingly furnished with lots of care and thought put into the fixtures and the decor. We enjoyed using our own private hot tub in the evenings after a day at the beach. Short walk to Tunnels, gorgeous sunsets, great snorkeling; very short drive to good coffee in an art gallery (maybe half a mile) and 10 minute drive at most to Hanalei.

I cannot say enough about the grounds. The painstaking work that has gone into design and upkeep is remarkable. One small example: there is a glass topped table on a green metal base set next to the hot tub. While in the tub, I reached over for my wineglass and noticed that the placement of the table, near a plant with different colored long, tapered leaves, makes it literally appear that the table is growing out of the plant! That kind of attention to detail is everywhere.

There are chimes that softly play from a distance when the wind moves them. That, mixed with the distant waves and the nighttime rain on the palm fronds was a lullaby I miss now that I am home.

Beach equipment, all you would need, is right there for the taking. We used the cooler almost every day - for being mid sized it held a lot, and kept things cold for at least 8 hours.

In summary, the owners have done a great job creating a private oasis in the middle of heaven. Enjoy your stay!