1 Star -- WARNING: This property management company will take your money and put your family at…read morerisk. We booked a week at Mele Kai (March 11-18) for two families, including kids, one of whom was celebrating a birthday on the island. Nearly $8,000. On March 10, with a massive Kona storm bearing down on Kauai, we reached out to Garden Island Properties to discuss our options. Our VRBO messages went unanswered. Our phone call went unanswered. When we finally got a text response, they told us the rain is what gives Kauai its nickname "The Garden Island" and suggested we bring "a flexible plan and rain gear." We weren't being difficult. We wrote back and told them we weren't opposed to being rained on -- our concern was flooding, loss of power, or being stuck on the island. I asked them directly: "Will my family be safe during this massive storm in your place?" Their response? They told us, "I don't mean to downplay the news coverage, but this is fairly typical winter weather for Kauai." They assured us the rental was "not located in a flood zone." Fairly typical winter weather. Not in a flood zone. Here's what actually happened: The Governor declared a STATE OF EMERGENCY. Roads in Poipu -- the exact neighborhood of this house -- were closed due to flooding. Ho'one Road and Ku'ai Road, right by this property, were shut down. The islands were hit with up to 44 inches of rain and 135-mph winds. Schools and government offices closed. Over 120,000 customers lost power across the state. Beaches were closed under brown water advisories warning of sewage overflow and hazardous bacteria. The Red Cross and Salvation Army mobilized relief efforts. Residents were evacuated into emergency shelters. So much for "fairly typical winter weather." So much for "not in a flood zone." And here's what makes it worse: the forecast they themselves included in their own message showed 90-100% chance of rain with thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 50 mph for EVERY SINGLE DAY of our trip. Their own evidence showed this was not typical. They sent it to us and still told us to come. We never made it to Kauai. We couldn't. It would have been dangerous and irresponsible to bring our families -- our kids -- into that situation. Garden Island Properties refused any refund. VRBO has been contacted twice by phone, was promised a resolution email both times, and as of this writing we've received nothing. $8,000. Gone. For a house we never stepped foot in, on an island we never reached, during a declared state of emergency that the property manager called "fairly typical." This is not a review about the weather. Nobody controls the weather. This is a review about a property management company that had every piece of information -- including their own forecast -- telling them this was a dangerous, historic storm, and they still chose to encourage a family with children to fly into it rather than do the right thing. I asked them point blank if my family would be safe. They couldn't even answer the question. They chose profit over safety. Period. If you are considering booking with Garden Island Properties, understand this: when things go wrong -- and in Hawaii, weather can go very wrong -- this company will not have your back. They will take your money, send you a canned aloha, and wish you luck.

I never leave reviews, but once in a blue moon I do business with a company that's so exceptional,…read moreand whose staff is so above and beyond that I find myself looking for outlets to let others know of my experience. This is the case with the people at Garden Island Properties. A week prior to our departure, we sadly had to cancel our travel to Kauai Island because our daughter was hospitalized. I had already paid in full for our three week rental (60 days prior to our departure date) and I did not purchase insurance. This could have been the end of the story because everyone had already been paid. But, the people at Garden Island Properties worked tirelessly to find another renter so we could recover some of our money. The humanity they showed, and the effort they made on our behalf has made me a loyal customer, and I plan to use them to help me with future rental properties going forth. I will also purchase travel insurance!

"Tim Could Call Me Today" was my mantra for over one year as Tim Mira diligently searched for the…read more"Right" home for my husband and me on the magical Garden Island of Kauai. Tim represents all that I adore about Kauai's Aloha spirit. Tim is about building relationships - relationships that last a lifetime. He treats his clients with integrity and respect - as though they are Ohana (family). By taking the time to get to know my husband and me, he helped us to formulate the lifestyle we're hoping to lead on Kauai. As stated, Tim treated us with integrity. He steered us away from properties that would not have met our long-term needs. Tim's genuine concern for our best interest was demonstrated each of the multiple times (4 total) we made offers on Kauai houses. Tim spoke candidly to us re: the asking price of each of these houses and, given the need for obvious repairs, how realistic the asking price was. Tim wanted us to get good value for our money - not be saddled with a "money pit". Additionally, Tim did not pressure us to bid higher on highly competitive houses for sale. Rather, he informed us re: the degree of competition and encouraged us to make "our best effort," which would be in alignment with our interest and finances. Tim has an astute ability to visually inspect a home. For example, with the first house we looked at, Tim pointed out foundational cracks, leaking plumbing under the house, as well as other issues which could have been problematic and costly for us. Availability is key to any professional relationship, be that with one's realtor or one's doctor. It's nearly impossible for one professional to carry 100% of the required work effort. Tim realizes this and has built "Team Mira" with his bright and enthusiastic niece, Nagel. Tim and Nagel consistently worked collaboratively to contact us regarding homes new to the market and to immediately address our issues. Team Mira worked closely with our Seller's agent to finalize our home purchase expeditiously (45 days). Despite being in the most beautiful new home I can imagine - a property that truly reflects how I want to live my life - I felt a sense of loss when our purchase was complete. Tim's encouragement and support had become a meaningful, positive aspect of my life. Tim has since reassured me that vibrant living on Kauai (my goal) includes maintaining friendships and connections. Not only do I feel blessed with the "Right" house, but also extremely blessed to be living among people - like Tim - that so readily share the Aloha Spirit, truly helping me feel "at home"! Thank you, Tim Mira! Susan Weeks and John Mullen

It was a true pleasure to work with Tim Mira! Great…read morecommunication, listening in on our expectations, researching well the comparable properties to arrive at pricing and very proactively marketing our property. Our pleasure to strongly recommend Tim Mira, who can successfully leverage his wide and deep network to find the right buyer, sharing enthusiastically about your property and closing like one of the best real estate professionals on Kauai, which Tim is!

Rented with Taba Realty for over 8 years and were reasonable and transparent, and professional with…read moremuch aloha!

Taba Realty has managed the property we rent and it's been a absolute pleasure. Erin is a very good…read moreproperty manager and always keeps us informed and up to date on what's going on. We have a great contractor that always helps us out with the little things we can't do. I'm grateful for this team and can always count on them. If your looking to buy or rent a home these guys are great. Mahalo Taba! Carpenter Family

Finding a buyer is a difficult job but I give hats off to Ron Margolis for finding me a buyer in a…read morereasonable perior of time. Further, he was there when the going got tough and the buyers had particular requirements to be met before closing. Always eager to help and good communications were the rule during this whole process.

Ron went above and beyond in working with us to purchase our dream house in Wainiha. He served as…read moredual agent for both seller and buyers, which is a tricky business that he handled to the great advantage of both. After the sale, he has continued to assist us in the various matters which necessarily confront new purchasers of Hawaiian property. Not only did we have an excellent professional working relationship but we also developed a personal relationship which I believe will last a lifetime. I couldn't recommend Ron and his team more strongly to anyone looking to buy a home on Kauai.

So professional, knowledgeable and personable. Full of Aloha and effort in helping us find our…read moredream home. Highly recommend!

Luan Luan did such a…read moregreat job helping us find the house we dreamed of. When our first find fell though he stuck with it and found us a property we liked even more. His knowledge and relationships on the North Shore of Kauai are unmatched. His love of the island comes thru in his passion for real estate and I think he gets great pleasure out of introducing people to this magical part of the world. As far as the actual transaction, it couldn't have gone any smoother. With us not being locals, he has an amazing network of people necessary to close a transaction, whether it be title work, lawyers to review HOA docs. He helped us do everything digitally so that we could get a majority of the deal done from the mainland. Once we closed he helped us find an amazing designer, maintenance team, and property management. Luan is not just a great agent, he's a great guy with deep connections to his community that help him get things done and has an amazing ability to show potential buyers all the amazing things his island has to offer.

Pane Road Hale review. Everything went well with our rental…read morewith Kauai Vacation rentals. As for our rental it was very nice. Old with a very outdated kitchen but is was perfect for a family of 5 including older kids. It was close enough to the beach to walk and there were plenty of chairs and boogie boards in the garage. The one thing I liked most was the openness of the house and there was a nice breeze all day and night. - If you're not fussy and looking for a convienient location at a value, this rental will work for you. - Chickens wake up early and will be in your backyard.

BEWARE OF KAUAI VACATION RENTALS. To all Contractors and…read moreCustomers. We are a Hawaiian family here in Kauai and we run a Full Service Company. Throughout the years our experiences with Kauai Vacation Rentals has been horrible. We have received threats even due to the policies of sone Resorts on Island to which Do Not Allow Contractors on site after 6 P.M.. they have pushed to have emergency rates removed and discounts given when work performed. Not to mention the repairs we are asked to stop in order to have a Handyman finish for cost efficiency.They continue to be unprofessional and lack of empathy for the ones striving to go above and beyond for Customers.

Great, trustworthy and knowledgeable people! Reliable and have been around for a long time.read more

From the owner: Voted Best Kauai Real Estate Company for 16 years running, our friendly Kauai real estate agents…read moreare among the most respected and connected professionals on Kauai, with decades of experience in all real estate sectors from residential and condo brokerage to commercial brokerage, leasing and property management. We have extensive knowledge of Hawai`i land use laws, regulatory and permitting processes, real estate financing, and Kauai island life in general. We'll be by your side to assist you with anything and everything we can.

Carol represented us in the sale of our condo. We had multiple offers within a couple of days, and…read moreone offer even above asking price! Her photos and marketing ability, along with her good reputation sold our condo for us in less than one week! She is the best in the business!

Carol assisted our family with finding the perfect home on Kauai. Having been in the business for…read moredecades, Carol's experience and vast local knowledge were on full display. During our lengthy search, she provided valuable insight that helped us avoid several pitfalls and guided us to the perfect property. We truly believe that if we did not have an agent with Carol's level of professionalism and expertise, we would surely have made a poor decision along the way. Ultimately, Carol found us the perfect home, and used superb negotiation and organizational skills to smoothly handle the transaction. We could not be happier with her performance. She really looked out for our family. As experienced home owners, we have worked with many agents. Carol is simply the best and a joy to work with!