The best thing about this studio apartment is the fantastic view! There is a sweeping 180-degree panorama from sunrises near Diamond Head to sunsets over the ocean. Straight ahead, you look over trees in the Honolulu Zoo and the Kapiʽolani Regional Park. Off in the distance is the area of Kahala, and at night the sky is studded with stars. One caveat: it is too hot to sit on the terrace except at dawn and after sunset. But, you can enjoy it for early breakfast and dinner.
Having said that, there are some trade-offs. The studio space is very small, roughly 12 x 13, most of which is taken up by the giant captain’s bed and kitchen cabinets. There is no space for a comfortable chair or regular table inside the room. We sat on stools and ate breakfast on the edge of the TV console stand. By the way, if you are less than 5’2” tall, take a small folding step stool with you, as I did. That made it easier to get on and off the high bed.
While the kitchen cabs, counters & backsplash look fairly new, that is not the case with pots, pans, cooking utensils and silverware. They are extremely limited, to say the least, and not in good shape. This makes cooking very difficult. The same can be said for the beach chair and umbrella, which are rusty or broken. We went ahead and purchased our own. We also had to wash the dishware before using it and clean the bathroom upon arrival.
On the positive side, Mark is a good host, people in the building are friendly, and the view is great!