We have stayed in Air B and Bs all over the US, Central America, and Europe, and we have never been disappointed, until now. I do have to say that the location can't be beat, with the ocean 30 feet from the door, and a ramp into the water! However the kayak equipment available is old and tattered. The single kayak my husband took leaked, and was so full of water internally at the end of our paddle that we couldn't even lift it up the ramp. We had to illicit help from one of the many people in the yard (the owner allows guests from his other properties access to the yard, equipment, and ramp) to turn it over so some of the water could leak out before we could move it. But let me start at the beginning.
Upon arrival: The gate was closed. I contacted Merlenna, who gave us the only code she had, which was for the lock box for the unit door. She said if we had further questions, we should ask the owner, and she gave us his name, but no contact information. (That was the last I heard form Merlenna, though I would later send her an urgent email asking to be released from our rental agreement.) We let ourselves in through the gate, which was unlocked, to find a man mowing the lawn who introduced himself as Mike. Mike was very nice and full of the aloha spirit, but he had never heard of Merlenna. He called someone at a different rental agency who told him the unit door was unlocked. Mike took us in and found the key for us (which was not in the lock box) and introduced us to the rule book. Thank goodness for Mike!
The Unit: I'm going to be very frank here because perspective tenants deserve it. The owner needs to put some money, effort, and perhaps a modicum of pride into this basement unit. The ceiling is so low, the windows so few, and the interior so dismal that it has a dark, dungeon sort of feel. I would be very surprised if the owner has ever stayed in this unit himself. He charges an extraordinary amount of money, but supplies a minimum amount of toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, etc... and states in the rule book that once the supplies are exhausted, the guests must purchase their own. The rule book also warns of the insects, "or worse" that will come if food is left out in the kitchen, or consumed in the bedrooms. Having been forewarned, we were meticulous about cleaning the kitchen, and we never ate in the bedroom. Nonetheless, we were inundated by a swarm of small flying bugs, and several large roaches. This was not our first trip to Hawaii, and we totally support the 'No Spray' policy of some individuals, so we were expecting a bug or two, but we could not have been prepared for that experience. Mike got us the contact information for the owner, and we asked the owner to release us from the rental agreement, which he did. Unfortunately, we could not find any other accommodations in the Captain Cook area, so reluctantly, we stayed. As I said, it is a beautiful area, with lots of options for outdoor activities, and historic sites. We just can't recommend this housing unit.