AWESOME PLACE! We are 2 families (4 adults, 5 kids 12, 14, 15, 17, 18) and rented both the main house and the cottage for 9 nights. This was our 3rd time staying in Paia (different house each time) because Paia is the greatest little surf-town on the planet. The location is great if you’re looking to avoid the touristy areas like Wailea and Lahaina. Paia is a quaint little surf town on the North Shore along the road to Hana. We’ve stayed in the Summer, Winter, and Spring. All 3 seasons were great in different ways. Our kids surf, and the north shore is BIG during the winter months. In the spring/summer, the waves are bigger in the south and west, but Paia is still a convenient base of operations.
The house: the layout worked well for us. We put the younger kids in the cottage, and the older kids upstairs in the main house. The adults slept in the downstairs bedrooms. No Air Conditioning but WHO CARES! That’s what’s amazing about Hawaii. Slept with windows open and listened to the waves and the wind. Awesome. There are some ceiling fans and some didn’t really spin very fast, but the owners provided floor fans and that made the hotter nights more comfortable.
The pictures kinda made the house look more “luxurious” that it is, but IMO - I was relieved that it wasn’t that kind of place. It was perfectly “Beachy”. It had everything we needed, and was clean and comfortable. The ocean view is AMAZING! The property sits on a cliff over the water, and there are steps down to the water, but you don’t want to go in the water down there - too dangerous/rocky. BUT there is a small public, but not crowded beach just a 5 min walk down the road. This beach is amazing. Turtles all day and night! Soft sand, not too many rocks.
The pool was a nice size and very private. Lots of great outdoor space here! The private parking lot is ample - we had 2 suburbans! No issues. It’s a little bit hairy getting out of the lot - use the mirror! Hana Hwy gets trafficy, but the house is set back so far and walled off that you cannot hear any traffic from the house or even the pool.
Lots of towels were provided. There were only 2 beach chairs provided, and one was broken, but we went to Costco and bought and left 4 more so there are now 5 good chairs. Laundry area was fine. Plenty of kitchen equipment.
The air on the North Shore is clear and clean as is the water. During our stay in August, Kihei/Wailea and the mountains got some rain, but barely a drop on the north shore due to the weather patterns.
Great food and little surf shops nearby. Make reservations at Mama’s months in advance or you won’t be going there! Kūau market is awesome. Paia Fish Market is fantastic and a favorite. Flatbread Co is great. Cafe De Amis is awesome but for some reason not open for breakfast anymore (covid I guess).
If the house is available next time we come to Paia, we would stay again!