Aloha! This review is way overdue and is about our lovely experience staying at the Hale Makai in…read morethe Ginger cottage #4 back in May 2019. If you are looking for the perfect getaway, in need of peace, quiet, a place to detach from the hustle and bustle of city life and connect with nature, the Hale Makai cottages can provide all aspects of relaxation. Nestled in the depths of a tropical paradise you can find this exquisite beach front property with panoramic views of the ocean and as you walk out onto the sand you can witness a magnificent sunrise (am) and sunset (pm). We originally booked our stay in May 2018 however, due to the unforeseen flooding the Hanalei/Haena Area experienced in April 2018 which caused a lot of damage resulting in the closure of many businesses, the Kauai government imposed a strict ban for tourist to not be allowed to rent in areas that were hit hard, this was due to the safety of the tourist. So, Hale Makai cottages offered to re-book our stay the following year once the Kauai government felt it was safe again for tourist to rent and dwell in the Haena area. Susan play such an integral part in rebooking our stay in May 2019. She exhibited superb customer service and was always on point in answering all our questions promptly. We loved our cottage and it was equipped with everything we needed, comfy bed, linens, dishes, oven, stove, utensils, refrigerator, sink, living room, outdoor patio (we used to eat out every morning and night), soak tub, and beautifully smelling soaps and lotions locally made by Aunty Ina. The breeze felt so nice coming through into the cottage and it smelled like plumeria. It's about a 5-minute drive into the hip town of Hanalei and your surrounded by so many beautiful beaches that are not heavily impacted with tourists. When we were there it felt like we had our own private beach. We really enjoyed our stay here, the cottages are immaculate and the grounds are impeccably well maintained, just absolute paradise! Mahalo!

We have been staying at Hale Makai Cottages since 2006. We absolutely LOVE this place.Stayed here…read morein July 2023 & the new ownership does not disappoint! Matt & Chris were so helpful with our stay. The grounds are amazing & cottages located on the best beach. We will be back and look forward to our next trip.

The best place we've ever stayed in Kauai & one of our most…read morefavorites ! This was almost 10 years ago . This place is absolutely pristine & clean ! Simon the owner of this Amazing Airbnb is simply a gracious host & everything you need for your stay is available. The grounds are kept & very well maintained. We loved all the retro & eclectic decor surround the outdoors & the inside of our Cowgirl suite was eco& retro as well ! We genuinely loved our stay here & were well taken care of by Simon . We did arrive there when there was a tsunami on the way but it was all good & we didn't get hit by the tropical storm fortunately. Simon also offered his upstairs home in case we had to move to higher ground . Simon was Mr. Hospitality ! I know sometime in the near future we will be back again more than likely on our anniversary. Simon also recommended some great places to eat & venture out too . This place is phenomenal so check it out you won't regret! It's own little paradise.

Look no Further! Do…read moreyourselves a favor and go to the Hanalei Surfboard House. If you're looking for the relaxing beach vacation this is the place on Kauai. Stay here. Your marriage will thank you. This was our second trip in two months and we're already planning a trip back. Background: We've been wanting to check out Kauai. In the past three months we've stayed at the megas at Poipu, local places at Kapaa and by far the very best is Hanalei Bay. We looked at the megas and upon exploring via car we found the Hanalei Surfboard House (https://hanaleisurfboardhouse.com). We meant to do all of the hiking, snorkeling and events we did from the other two visits and somehow we just relaxed, swam in the Ocean and walked in the little town and went to local beaches. Hanalei Surfboard House: We stayed in the "Love Shack"! Wow how fun and what a charge! The outdoor shower is amazing although there is a full bathroom. The private patio is fabulous. I can't say enough about this great find. Simon the owner is a record producer, and the memorabilia in the Love Shack bungalow is worthy of a museum. The bedding was great and the bed fabulous. There is a really cool grounds kitty that may follow you to the beach. If you're not into cats she somehow knows as my husband is allergic to cats and she never approached him. We did stock up at Safeway and also we walked back into town with flashlights and tried some little restaurant of which there were many. We walked on the beaches and had morning coffee on the beach (which is across the street literally). We always felt perfectly safe and didn't feel like we were pushing the locals out. When you stay here walk down the beach to the pier as a fun jaunt.

Fantastic. If only I…read morecould give more than 5 stars, because this rental home is off-the-chart awesome. The house is about 3/4 miles down a one lane dirt road. You're in the country here, far removed from hotel/motel tourist-type locations. The house itself is comfortable and inviting. There's a really nice kitchen that is the center of the main dining/family room. It's set up perfectly for relaxing with family or friends. From the lanai you have a view of the verdant hills while hearing the waves crashing at nearby Moloa'a bay. There are two kayaks at the house that you paddle downstream a few hundred yards to the beach. The beach at Moloa'a bay is great. We were there during some big waves, but still could swim there without fear of getting smashed to pieces. During the summer, it's apparently as calm as a swimming pool with good snorkeling. The backyard at Jade Lily is a magical spot, with a giant shade tree and the stream rolling by. There's a big gas grill that we gave a serious work out. The nightly cost for Jade Lily was a screaming deal. Dealing with the very friendly owners was a breeze. Without question, next time I'm in Kauai, I'm going to stay at Jade Lily.

Cottages right on the water. Recently updated. Split A/C. Couldn't ask for more for what you get.read more

Due to the popularity of the Barking Sands, we were only able to stay in the cottages few nights…read moreand continued the rest of our vacation in the navy lodging. It is as it sounds: a simple room. So don't come here expecting an extravagant suite with an ocean front view. There's a reason the price is so low! You go to a hotel in the Poipu or Princeville area and that'll cost you three times as much, that's for sure!! The lodge is located on the base, right across of the Navy Exchange. Unfortunately never got any photos but the room was okay. Inside was a queen size bed, keurig coffee maker (I need my coffee!!!), a television (which was the only thing we had difficulty with) and a mini fridge to store your groceries. The room had it's own bathroom and stand up shower. The building did have a common kitchen area with a stove (fully stocked with pots, pans, utensils, etc.) and a sink. We never used it because we luckily got to eat out at Shenanigans the All Ranks Club. We sat on the lanai, ate our dinner and watched whales passing by. What else could you ask for!

Our week stay at the cocohut was truly amazing! The first thing I want to say is anywhere that…read moreprovides a french press for our morning coffee is going to be first class! We could not be any more pleased with the amenities and comfort that the cocohut provided us. I don't think we ever took one indoor shower, cause the outdoor one was so very cool! We cooked half the time there with the great BBQ they had provided for us to use. Nice having a cooler for day trips to the beach. The owners were so nice and helpful if we ever needed anything. The thick plants and trees provided a very private and secluded feel to the whole place. We often felt like the only people there. I am going tell everyone about how amazing and peaceful this property is. We will definitely stay here again. Thank you so much Tim and Sarah!

We stayed at the cocohut in September 2013 and enjoyed our stay very much. The owners were very…read morefriendly and accommodating. The grounds around the cocohut are lush and the tropical fruit trees on the property were a treat to glean from. The location is conveniently close to most everything on the north shore. We plan on staying at the cocohut on our next visit to Kauai.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS. My wife, 6-month old and I stayed in the Plumeria Suite on the ground floor of…read morethis property at the end of May. In the end, we had to cut short our week-long stay. At the end of an exhaustive list of serious problems, the cockroach infestation got the better of us. On entering, you realize the place is totally misrepresented. Far from being a quaint Hawaiian throwback, the 'suite' hasn't had any love since the 70s. First, it's filthy: the fluorescent striplight housing throughout is full of dead flies and roaches, the skirting boards are black with dirt, the shower curtains are flecked with black mould, the grout is disgusting, the brown bathroom tiles are stained, the couches in the living room area are revolting (creases in the old grey leather are dark with years of dirt - we had to throw bedsheets over them just to be able to sit on them), the mattress on the master bed has broken springs that stick out, the curtains are non-existent, the beach paraphernalia is rusty and broken, the kitchen has the bare minimum of crockery and utensils (good luck opening wine with the pathetic corkscrew), the kettle was broken, the fridge had been painted white (assumedly because it was disgusting beforehand)... I really could go on. But the climax of this disaster was the cockroach infestation. We first saw a couple of roaches on our first night but the owner told us it was a tropical island and there was no avoiding them. We tried so very hard to swallow this until we visited other friends staying nearby in other houses that had been updated in the past half-century. Obviously, they did not have any problems with roaches. On the fourth night, we returned to a kitchen alive with cockroaches. We had passed the tipping point of a stray roach passing through - we never cooked in the kitchen and no food had been left anywhere. It's clear that the house needs fumigating. We left the following day and flew home. The owner was lovely at the beginning of the booking but, as the problems presented themselves, she wouldn't even entertain the idea of a refund. We emailed her immediately on arrival to explain that we wanted to leave and even offered to pay for a few nights (so she could retain some of the income from our stay). The answer was a resounding "no". She wouldn't acknowledge that the house is in a state of disrepair. She offered us a new kettle and a re-clean (which never happened) but, frankly, the place needs a total overhaul. If we had paid a third of the considerable price (over $2000 for the week), we might have had to accept that you get what you pay for. But, for over $2000, you expect a minimal level of quality. Here, the owners are cashing in on a near-beach location - they have absolutely no interest in putting any of their money into fixing this disaster zone. In the end, we have complained to VRBO and will be seeking a refund through Amex. Interestingly, the Hanalei Villa website no longer works and the VRBO listing has disappeared. Very odd; I just hope the health inspectors have closed the property and that the owners will be obligated to sort the place out. It's an absolute disgrace. For the record, we've travelled pretty extensively over the course of our lives, stayed in our fair share of shitholes, but this place is well over the line in terms of what is acceptable. Please, please go elsewhere.

Felt like a rock star on my honeymoon! This was a gorgeous modern house that was in the perfect…read moreplace. Steps from the Ocean (you can see from the house), right in town, yet this beach town still feels like your in the real tropical and private setting of Kuaui. Maile is awesome and couldn't find a more relaxing perfect setting with my wife.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the guest house. By location is secluded and away from the…read morehustle and bustle of the city. The house was clean the a/c works well and it had all of the amenities we needed. We have stayed at the river house with friends before and we brought friends to stay at the guest house this trip. We will definitely be back. They provide you with great suggestions of where to eat and things to do. I would definitely recommend this place to family and friends.

Can't disagree with the good/great reviews previously made. This is the best vacation house we've…read moreever stayed, and we would like to definitely visit there again. The owner is amazing. The house, the backyard, the river, surrounding area, beaches and downtown Hanalei ... everything is amazing. We wanted to keep this secret but it is more important for us to help Mark continue his business so we can visit there again in the near future. P.S. We had a "visit" by a small harmless lizard/gecko who probably eats mosquitos and flies, and we loved it.

The best if you are able to stay here. The prices in this entire state are sky high. Not sure how…read morethe locals survive. The base have less expensive gas but only premium. If you want to save money shop the chain stores, but that hurts the local business, just like where you live. Much of the local stuff comes from China. Local work at the chain stores so it is good and bad. Groceries compared to where we live were doubled or more at local stores and even on the base. Best prices were at Target and Costco because of bulk buying power i.e. Amazon. Base does have a great restaurant. This island does have something you cannot buy, weather, but just prepare for sticker shock and bring plenty of plastic. My thing is to go to the beach, get sun and pick up trash. Some of God's best work so please treated it kindly. MAHALO!

The base is easy with military and their guests for access…read more The MWR is easy and friendly to deal with. The cottage has amazing location, it has most every you need for cottage. They even called me the day of arrival and made sure it was easy check in. The not so good, there were bugs little nats and ants in the kitchen and bathroom. AC only goes to 78F.

What a beautiful home! It was everything we could have wanted and more. Perfectly situated…read morebetween beaches, great amenities, stocked kitchen and linens, great beach toys, etc. Our family had a wonderful time. We will certainly be back. Kauai was gorgeous and the house made us feel like it was our home away from home. We couldn't have asked for anything more! The rental company was great and everything went smoothly. We will be back for sure! ALOHA!

From the owner: Nestled in flourishing tropical landscape within the highly desirable and upscale Poipu Kai Resort,…read morethis single-story spacious 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath Kauai vacation home is uniquely designed for island life. You will enjoy the best of both worlds: the privacy of this superbly appointed vacation home and the availability of the many amenities that comes with staying in a resort.

Nice place, excellent location, and we had everything we needed. We'd definitely stay again in the…read morefuture!

I had the opportunity to recently stay at the Hideaway Cove Villas in Poipu. I stayed in the 2…read morebedroom Villa called The Royal Palms Villa. It was absolutely beautiful, well appointed, and had everything I needed to enjoy a comfortable stay and respite. Parking was very easy right in front of the complex. It is located within a nice easy stroll from Brennecke's Beach and Poipu Beach. The Villa itself is the most private in the complex, and surrounded by lush landscaping. The grounds are very clean, immaculate and well-maintained. Trash and recycling receptacles are well hidden but still accessible. Inside the Villa, I was greeted with a pitcher of ice-cold and refreshing fruit juice. It was so delicious, and I'm glad I was able to enjoy it throughout my stay. The 2-bedroom Villa is beautifully furnished with newer kitchen appliances, dining table and chairs, ceiling fans, air conditioners, comfortable sofa and large screen TV, a queen bed in the Master, and a king bed in the second bedroom. There's also a TV monitor in the Masters bedroom. The centerpiece for me was the Jacuzzi hot tub, located in the master bathroom; the master bathroom is not very large, but the jacuzzi tub with rainfall showerhead head was my little slice of Heaven inside the Villa. It was also equipped with BBQ grill, beach chairs, and books to read. I treated myself to an in-room Lomi Lomi massage and facial. Call Vanessa at Garden Island Massage for more information! The innkeepers were not on the premises when I arrived or throughout my stay, as they were away, but they were always very communicative and responsive. Herb especially was very gracious. One suggestion for travelers, book ahead. I recently tried to make another reservation with short notice, and they were sold out. I hope to return one day soon. As a Kamaaina, I feel very welcomed here.