PERFECT SANCTUARY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HUBBUB OF HONOLULU!
My Husband, mom, 7 month old daughter and I booked this place to be close to all that Waikiki offers but needed a place with a living room and in unit washer / dryer (lots of drooly bibs and wet burps!) The place was perfect for our family. It’s not only in a great location but breathtaking to wake up to the views of the ocean right there. We felt relaxed the moment we stepped in. The spacious and stylish place was so much more comfortable than a hotel. For families looking for a place where kids can nap or sleep while the rest of you hang and watch TV or just relax with a beverage on the 40 foot Lanai, this is your place.
Location: It’s walking distance from the beach (2 minutes) and next door to an ABC store, which was super convenient. We took our daughter to the beach for the first time and the section in front of the condo has a wall so the waves are extra calm but the part of the beach with normal waves are literally a 2 minute walk away. It was only 10 minutes to walk to the Moana Surfrider where we grab a Mai Tai and sit to listen to live music each time we visit. Ubers dropped off and picked up easily from this spot. It’s near the Zoo in one direction and walkable to all the shopping and restaurants in the other direction.
The Unit: It’s the Penthouse and it didn’t disappoint. The place is huge at 1700 sq feet and very clean and comfortable. The large floor to ceiling windows accentuates the blue ocean views, so you can take it all in. The floor to ceiling windows are on both sides of the place so there’s lots of natural light. Master bedroom is large with lots of storage if needed in dressers and closets. Second bedroom is really big as well. Large kitchen with dining that overlooks the ocean via the Lanai was where we spent the majority of our time. So comfy that we may have fallen asleep on the Lanai’s couch once or twice :) All the ACs worked great and the Wi-Fi was great. Everything was top of the line in the place from sinks, bathrooms to kitchen appliances (Viking). The kitchen was very organized and easy to find things. It was fully loaded with anything and everything we would need (even a hand mixer if we wanted to really cook). And the furniture was all so comfortable! The beds, chairs in the room, couch (which is a sleeper), and even the dining chairs were all seriously comfy to sit and lay on. The place was spotless, including floors which was impressive as we walked barefoot in the house (tradition in Chinese households as well). The water pressure in the bathroom was better in the master but all the towels were large and plush!!! This was by far the best experience I’ve had at an Airbnb. We were definitely pampered while on vacation.
Amenities: This place had everything we needed, which helped so we didn’t need to bring, rent or buy much for our trip. They supplied a Pack and Play for our daughter with a super comfy mattress pad, which we appreciated as her sleep was crucial to all of us having a good time. Other great pluses- there is a coffeemaker AND a Keurig, free parking, first aid kit, and a welcome basket with some goodies - Honolulu cookie company cookies, coffee and fresh pineapple were extras we really appreciated! The best were the water activity supplies in the Lanai’s chest. There was an inner tube, boogie boards, beach umbrellas, sand matt, beach chairs, AND a wagon we loaded up to take to the beach so we didn’t have to carrying anything. So perfect!
Hosts: From inquiry to check out the hosts, Julie and Roger, were amazing. They were very responsive to questions to help us decide to book and then provided the most detailed check in I’ve seen in the ~10 years I’ve used Airbnb. They provide not only instructions for the unit but recommendations for the area for those who haven’t been to Oahu before. Many of the activities, highlights and restaurants were places we had either been to before and loved or visited this time around. Great for first timers to Hawaii. Julie called me prior to our stay to answer questions directly instead of via email and really provided tips for our baby to make us all more comfortable since it was our first time to Hawaii with her. During our stay, Julie was 3 hours ahead but still responded to questions, even at night. We really appreciated their responsivenessS and friendliness as they were great hosts.
Hands down, this is one of my favorite places I’ve stayed in via Airbnb to date. I usually stress about staying in Honolulu, finding the right place to stay, but I’d stay here again in a heartbeat as it has EVERYTHING you’d want in a place!