This cottage gets 2 stars from me. The location practically sleeping on the beach is as described but the rest of the cottage wasn't my travel style nor what I expect from an airbnb.
Pros:
- Literally beach side. I don't know of many other locations *in the world* where you can be so close to the beach, hearing the waves at night, without actually camping on the beach.
- Tons of beach toys, snorkel masks and accessories provided.
- Assortment of condiments and spare toiletries provided, seemingly left by other guests.
- Affordable.
- Rustic and rugged, would be great for a young family who didn't want to stress about spills on tiles, wet little ones, multiple trips to/from beachside or breaking glasses (plastic available)
Cons:
- No air con; I know, I know, it's clearly stated in the listing but as a hot sleeper, I somehow missed this. Ceiling and other fans are provided. In April, we were hot as the ocean breeze travels parallel to the unit so doesn't cool inside the unit.
- Firm bed, lumpy pillows; we woke up with aches and debated cancelling the rest of our stay. Tried spare pillows which smelled of mildew (I understand it's a tropical climate but I expect better)
- Sliding door to bedroom was heavy and difficult to operate. We wanted to keep roaches out of the bedroom but if we had to use the restroom in the middle of the night, it was too noisy and hard to move.
- Light from exterior lights floods into bedroom and curtains provided are not dark enough to block out, bring eye mask. We had to hang an extra blanket up on the curtain rod to get some sleep.
- Noisy bedroom next to car park, automatic sprinklers hit the unit and parked cars which woke us up at 5:30am; bring ear plugs.
- April 2022: construction/remediation works at complex, noisy trucks running all morning.
- Slatted entry door tucked under a set of stairs you have to duck to enter; I was extremely paranoid about the ant and roach warnings and staying in a strange place, I just would have preferred a solid door. Entry via beach facing side was more accessible but when locking up all our valuables for outings, used keyed back entry.
- Beach facing screen didn't lock. Would have been nice to sleep with it open but I'm too paranoid to sleep with unlocked doors in new places.
- Due to ant and roach warnings (helpful, thank you!), as we've done in other airbnbs, we kept all opened food in refrigerator or microwave but still had ants in the bathroom and roaches in the kitchen.
- Basic TV, no Roku, smart TV nor Chromecast; I probably should have just listened to the waves but on this holiday, everywhere else we stayed has updated TV options to accommodate how most people's viewing habits have changed.
- April 2022: The living room has been updated since photos. A trundle bed and basic couch are provided which might be great for extra sleepers but were too deep to sit comfortably (ie too deep/wide, legs hang off at weird angle).
- Compared to the photos, I can see there's been an effort to update the place (new paint, usb plugs, bigger TV, new stove, bedside lamps, new coffee table, new wall in bedroom that removed car park windows/light) but it just felt it needed a deep good clean for airbnb standards (baseboards, scuff marks, re-grouting, shower base washed, mirrors cleaned, dusting, clean louvres, dysfunctional kitchen trash can foot pedal ie no one wants to touch a trash can lid while cooking).
- Only one plug in kitchen is behind stovetop so coffee maker and toaster used on top of (turned off) stove top or practically in the sink which felt weird. You can't have coffee or toast and make eggs at the same time.
- Back two burners on stovetop were directly above a cabinet so although I'm sure plenty of other people have used them, it just didn't feel safe to have heat, steam or hot oil so close to the cabinet.
- No smoke detector. Again, I know this is clearly listed but it just felt strange.
Not included:
- Laundry detergent for machines that are available. We would have been happy to start a load for the cleaners upon check out if provided.
- No tea or coffee, only some instant; I understand it's not a hotel but every airbnb I've stayed at had at least 1 package for coffee maker. Drug store nearby came in handy and we left behind what we didn't finish for other guests.
If you love a small, intimate beach, hated how crowded Waikiki is and are looking for an affordable, no-fuss cottage for the kids to run around, this is for you. If you're like me, middle age with no kids, prefer comfy bedding while away from home, settling into comfortable seating for a few days and enjoying your wine out of a proper glass (not plastic), maybe review your plans accordingly.