Makaha Dream was exactly that, a dream! If you're lucky enough to find availability for this place, book it!
My favorite part of our whole trip was watching the sunset every night on the beach or from the Lanai. The sunsets here are beyond spectacular!
My other favorite part was the beach. The sand here at Papaoneone Beach is so soft! Even softer than North Shore in my opinion. It was honestly the best beach we visited on the west side and arguably our whole trip! The large cliffs to the south and mountains to the north just added to the beauty of this beach. The waves here can get pretty big, so be cautious. For adults, the waves were fun to play in, but kids will need to be careful.
My wife and I absolutely loved listening to the sound of the waves. You can hear them throughout the entire unit! It was heaven on earth being able to listen to them while falling asleep every night (yes, you can hear the sound of the waves from the bedroom).
The Hosts were amazing. We didn't get to meet them, but they always promptly responded to our messages. Check-in was easy. They also provided lots of beach gear including chairs, mats, an umbrella and body boards. There were plenty of extra towels if you needed them. The washer and dryer worked great.
If you're worried about the temperature of the Condo and the AC, don't be! I get warm easily and love the cold, so my one concern about staying here was the AC. Many units at the princess don't have them at all and those that do, don't get very cold (they're more similar to a traditional swamp cooler for those that know what they are). This unit's AC is more like a swamp cooler, so it doesn't get super cool, but you usually don't even need it because of the trade winds. They create an incredible cross breeze through the unit. I couldn't believe how much air flowed through the panes of the front door into the unit. It was incredible! The temperature got up to the low 80's during our stay, and it really wasn't bad because of the breeze! I would say the one thing I would have loved but I'm being petty about would be to have a wall mounted AC unit in the bedroom for sleeping, just in case there happens to be no wind.
Lastly, one other concern people may have is the town of Makaha itself. Makaha Dream is located in the Hawaiian Princess Resort and is gated with badge access required to access all parts of the property. We felt incredibly safe when on the property. The town itself can be a little on the rougher side and has several homeless camps, but the homeless on the West side of the island stay to themselves and don't bother you at all. Completely different from those downtown in Waikiki (in Waikiki we were constantly asked for money from panhandlers and many made you feel uncomfortable).
Places we recommend while staying here are:
Mountain Magic Shave Ice
A&G Bar and Grill
Staxx Sports Bar and Grill
Barbecue Kai
All in all, Makaha Dream was absolutely amazing and we would definitely stay here again if we get the opportunity. You will not regret staying here!