The area was lovely. Only a couple miles from the beaches on a very curvy mountain road (bicycling would be scary) it was very quiet at night.
Unfortunately, while the cottage resembled the few photos provided, it was significantly dirtier and grimier than whenever those photos were taken. Ants were a problem not only in the kitchen, but throughout the cottage. Even the bed. Bring sandals specifically for the shower as it was incredibly slimy. The curtain was moldy as was the eaves above the shower/bath. The toilet was disgusting and needs to be replaced. It was caked with some sort of lime scale and very off putting. The towels in the bathroom smelled of dog pee and wet dog. The dogs in question are really cute but I don’t want to smell like their pee.
The hosts didn’t respond to the only two questions we asked until hours later. Our question about checkout wasn’t answered until I was on a flight back to the mainland. Everything closes pretty early (by 9pm) on the North Shore so expect to spend quiet nights in the cottage or driving out to Honolulu/Waikiki.
Overall, we had a lovely holiday. However, that was more to do with the amazing people, food, and sights of the North Shore. You could do a lot worse than this cottage but it could really do with a thorough cleaning, a new shower and toilet, and a bit more attention to detail from the hosts