LUXURY TWO BEDROOM VILLA OCEAN VIEW IN KOOLINA

This property was exactly as advertised, comfortable with modern features, a nice ocean view, and in a great area. The kitchen, lanai, living room and master bedroom were fantastic. The second bedroom was a bit less comfortable, but still not bad.

The lagoons in Ko'Olina are fantastic for relaxing. Great sandy beaches without waves crashing in as the lagoons are protected. Saw plenty of fish and got to swim with a sea turtle. The path along the lagoons is great for a few mile run. The area is away from the crowds and has much better weather for catching rays and swimming (less rain than the rest of Oahu). Take a catamaran snorkel tour from the nearby harbor, the water is fantastic. You can also drive a few miles north to electric beach by the power plant for excellent snorkeling and diving - clear water, plenty of fish, sea turtles and even small reef sharks on the bottom. If you go even further north there is a nice hike along the coast with some beaches where you can surf or boogey-boardThe Disney Aulani resort is next door, they have excellent shave ice with sweet cream. The proximity to Aulani wasn't a problem either, the beaches had plenty of space and were not over-run with kids.

I would definitely return here for a relaxing vacation, and I would recommend it highly for families with young kids (even though we didn't bring ours on this trip).

If you plan to see other parts of Oahu (north shore, Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbor) you should definitely plan on renting a car. If you just take a shuttle or cab to Ko'Olina from the airport, you'll be in a great area, but definitely a more isolated resort spot.

I have been to Hawaii eight times now, and this was the most relaxed and enjoyable trip I've experienced. These days, Waikiki is kinda like the Vegas strip with an ocean next to it - not really our style. My wife and I (in our thirties) were traveling with her parents (in their sixties). For a group of four, this condo is the perfect size. We slept in the smaller bedroom (queen bed), while her parents used the master bedroom (king size bed). We hit the grocery store on our first night and stocked up the kitchen with snacks, etc. There were plenty of dishes, cups, silverware, and cookware in the cabinets, plus a convenient dishwasher. Most mornings, we were able to wake up and eat a light breakfast on the lanai while enjoying the beautiful scenery. The lanai overlooks a "quiet pool" as well as the ocean. Any time we were at the condo, most of our time was spent out on that lanai. The entire island is a little bigger than the Houston, TX metro area, so everything is within driving distance. Having been there so many times, I feel that the best way to do Oahu is to rent a car, stay at Ko Olina, and use the condo as your hub. We drove to North Shore two of the days, and were happy to have the use of beach chairs, towels etc that Drew had provided. Of course, sticking around Ko Olina is always a great option and that's we we did for several of the days. The lagoons are beautiful and relaxing. There are several restaurants nearby. Take a short walk to the Marriott Beach Club and enjoy sitting at their ocean side bar called "Longboards". The food was good, and their drink prices are a little cheaper than some of the other bars around. You can also drive about a half mile to Ko Olina's little restaurant area. There's a place called "Monkey Pod" and they have the BEST fish tacos I've ever eaten! Overall, our stay was awesome, and primarily because of the condo we were staying in. I highly recommend Drew and plan to rent from him again in the future. The only negative thing that happened on this trip was my own fault. My room key demagnetized twice and I had to go to the security office to have it reprogrammed for access to the condo. The security office said it may have gotten too close to my phone, so I made of point of keeping the card and phone far apart and didn't have any more issues. I hope this review is helpful, and Aloha!