We generally don't write reviews, but we rely on other people's reviews to decide whether to book a place. It's time we contribute. So here goes the good, bad, and ugly...
First the ugly. The day after we got home, we received a request from Greg for $20 for the dent on the lid of the trash can in bathroom #1. We were aghast, after having paid thousands of dollars for our 2-week stay, we were asked to pay $20 more to replace the trash can (for a dent on the lid. The can worked just fine). We declined the request with this explanation: "Hello Greg. We noticed the dent upon arrival but thought it was minor and due to normal wear & tear, given the age of the rental. Thus we did not notify you of it. Frankly, we are surprised you're asking us to pay the $20. When we stayed at an Airbnb in Delaware, we accidentally broke a wine glass. We sent the host a picture of it and asked how much we owed, but the host said nothing. We could have kept quiet about it, and the host probably would not have noticed because there were many other wine glasses . We're telling you about this so you'd know that we're honest people. If we had caused the dent to the trash can, we would have told you about it. Please let us know if you have additional questions. Thanks." Greg's reply: "Thank you for letting us know that the can was previously damaged. We have canceled the claim." We then remembered those high stools, part of the outdoor dining set, that were not especially sturdy and could have broken under our weight. We shudder to think how much we would have been asked to pay to replace those stools.
The bad. There were nice beach chairs but no umbrellas. We went to the beaches several times before asking for umbrellas. We were told to look in the garages to see what prior guests had purchased and left behind. We reported back that there were none. So the next morning we saw a small plastic beach umbrella left next to the house for us. We were disappointed but didn't feel like negotiating for a better version or for another umbrella. At the beach, the two of us huddled under the little bit of shade from this umbrella and mused, how much did we pay for this place? Side note about the shower in bathroom #1: it's small. I'm 5 feet tall, 100 pounds, and it's small for me. My husband is normal size and couldn't use it comfortably.
The good. The property is beautiful and clean, just as the pictures show. There was a large bowl of goodies to welcome us: a pineapple, bunch of bananas, bag of granolas, bar of chocolate, even N-95 masks. The kitchen has lots of pots, pans, bakeware, & supplies. Appliances seem new. The washer & dryer are huge! We especially loved the outdoor spaces. Every morning we sat outside with our coffees and were surrounded by lush plants and sounds of birds singing. Whenever we ate at home we took our meals outside.The area is very quiet and peaceful, and neighborhood restaurants are 3-5 blocks away. Waikiki / Diamond Head are each a 45-minute walk one way. Honolulu has a wonderful public bus system, and a bus stop is 3 blocks away. The location is very convenient with easy access to the highways. There were many things to love about our experience at this rental, but we still have PTSD from the beach umbrella and trash can.