If you ever find yourself lucky enough to be visiting Oahu and have no interest in the crowds of Waikiki, the Rainforest Cottage is definitely for you! After an easy 15-20 minute drive from the airport, you will arrive at this very beautiful place located in a quiet and safe residential neighborhood -- in the backyard, just beyond the grass, is the jungle ( which gives you total privacy) and the front yard is a gorgeous view of Kaneohe Bay. Birdsong will gently wake you up each morning and will also tell you that the end of the day has arrived each evening; never was a rooster heard even once. Every time I left the cottage, I would pause to marvel at the stunning green view from the back and the splendor of the bay in the front before I would drive off to find the adventure of each day.

It was a quick and easy-to-navigate drive to Kailua and Lanikai beaches, maybe 10 minutes even in traffic, as well as being handy to grocery stores and restaurants in either Kaneohe or Kailua. The location couldn't have been better for what I wanted -- access to quiet beaches, but not too far from the fun of the big city in Honolulu, or exploring the countryside on the way to see the North Shore. This location helped me to feel like I wasn't really a tourist, just someone living like a local, which was what I had hoped to experience.

The cottage itself was spotlessly clean, with everything that is exactly as photographed/listed: a kitchenette that has just what is needed to make and enjoy simple meals, prepare coffee AND espresso, store cold foods, and even cut up a giant Hawaiian pineapple if you so desire.

The bathroom was extremely clean, with four fluffy towels, washcloths, and hand towels provided.

Between the many windows and the two powerful fans, I never though once about the lack of air conditioning -- the cottage was always the perfect temperature.

Having access to both a high efficiency washer and dryer was a tremendous help as it allowed me the flexibility to do laundry as needed so I could just bring a carry-on bag. There were extra blankets, flashlights, candles, beach towels, a lunch cooler for packing snacks to the beach and many other little touches that demonstrated that Kris really did think of everything to make the stay the best that it possibly could be. I was particularly impressed with the guidebook that was provided that suggested places to hike, eat, shop, etc., put together by Kris, herself.

From the moment that I first contacted Kris about my interest in staying at the property throughout my entire stay, she responded to my every inquiry immediately, politely, and with the information that I was seeking. The quick and efficient communication that she provided just made the stay that much better.

Thanks for helping to make my first trip to Hawaii such a fantastic one!