Pros: This house has a five star view of the water and the sunsets. It’s got a spacious lanai to enjoy the sun and a massive indoor living space for lounging. In fact, all the rooms are a generous size. There was beach gear available for use in the garage. The grounds/gardens in this development are meticulously maintained and gorgeous. The house is close enough to the Mauna Kea to walk down the hill to the beach/pool/golf/restaurants (however, if you have a lot of gear/kids/impaired mobility, the walk back up the hill to the house may be a challenge).
Cons: Some of the finishes feel a little dated (light switches, ceiling fans, stove). There are literally dozens of cabinets and drawers so you may end up spending far too much time hunting for that corkscrew or set of tongs you know you remember seeing but can’t quite place. There are nearly as many light switches as there are cabinets so shutting down for the night is a whole process. The smallest bedroom (garden view with two twin beds) got excessively hot relative to the rest of the house. All in all, this place is a little more “lived in” than you might expect for a rental that is managed by a big property management company.
Takeaway: This house is absolutely gorgeous, but has a few flaws that are minor annoyances rather than dealbreakers. If you are coming to the Mauna Kea, don’t want to be cooped up in a little hotel room, and don’t mind being a few minutes from all the action at the hotel, this place is great.