Pacific Heights Retreat in Honolulu

Live like the Hawaiians

kd (Hilo)
Review submitted: March 17, 2013   Date of arrival: January 31, 2013

We arranged a family rendez-vous, traveling from our home on the Big Island to meet our adult kids from the mainland. This little house, nestled on a hillside overlooking a quiet residential neighborhood, gave us a quiet, comfortable place to retreat from hustle & bustle of sightseeing & urban life. We opened all the windows & curtains, catching that lovely tropical breeze (even when it rains), without a worry about prying eyes. The furnishings are comfortable, clean and well cared for. The bathroom is generously stocked with towels, the bedrooms with sheets & blankets to spare. The kitchen is well-equipped, giving us lots of options for dining-in. We started our days at the outdoor dining table, and at day's end rested our weary feet on a second lanai furnished with comfortable chairs and a gas BB-Q (we never got around to trying that out).

The assigned parking space is right on the street - initially alarming for someone not used to the way Hawaiians carve spaces seemingly out of no where. But once you realize it's bigger and easier than parking in a parallel space downtown, you're set.

The only caution I would offer is for folks with limited mobility. The uncovered stairway climbs 45+ steps from the street to the front door, some rather steep, with landings along the way to rest. For someone with knee, hip or other mobility restrictions, this unit might cause discomfort or may be inaccessible.

Besides being so comfortable, we all agreed the BEST feature was the location. We could be downtown, at the Ala Moana Shopping Center, Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, or any other Honolulu attraction literally within minutes (well, except during rush hour). There is a Safeway just down the road, which made snacking WAY too easy. And it was pretty easy to get on the freeway, to-from the airport, North Shore, or other out-of-town destinations. Make sure you have a good map or map-app, cuz getting around Honolulu can be frustrating, with 1-way streets and weird routes through neighborhoods to get on the freeway.

If you're looking for a place that breaks out of the plastic, cookie-cutter atmosphere of hotels and vacation condos, this is it. Hope you have as much fun as we did!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Convenient and Secluded

zoodle (Los Gatos, CA, USA)
Review submitted: November 5, 2012   Date of arrival: October 27, 2012

Having stayed in Waikiki before I knew I wanted peace and quiet but I didn't want to drive 30 minutes to get anywhere. Turns out the longest it took us to get anywhere was in Honolulu during rush hour. This place is fairly centrally located right off Pali highway and near H1 but you don't hear highway noise up on the hill. The road in front of the property is somewhat busy but not distractingly noisy.
The house itself is tasteful and easy to relax in. Granite countertop, bamboo flooring kitchen has everything we needed and then some. Travertine bathroom was beautiful. Bedrooms were simple and had plenty of space. The house is not airconditioned but there are hanging fans and a single 3 speed we moved around to wherever we were lounging. The decks provided lovely views and ample space to sit and relax. The house was neat as a pin and the grounds kept up well.
The manager was easy and pleasant to contact and quickly resolved the only issue we had (someone in our assigned parking space). We also appreciated the pages of suggested eating, shopping, activities, he provided.
We were warned about steps (there are some steep steps up to the house) but the place is on a hill so this was expected and not a big deal. We live in the San Francisco area so hill walking is nothing new. Also we were warned about bugs but we took out fruit peels, cuttings, trash every day and never left food sitting out and this helped keep the population down.
My husband and I had a great vacation on Oahu in large part because of our positive experience with this property. Without any hesitation we would stay here again and would feel comfortable recommeding it to our friends and family.

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Helpful votes: 4 / 4

Pacific Heights Retreat

ddhddh (Houston)
Review submitted: January 9, 2011   Date of arrival: December 29, 2010

Just off the Pali Highway this property is in an ideally central location. Kahala Mall, Ala Moana Mall, west end of Waikiki, Pearl Harbor exit, Kailua are all within 10-15 minutes. The Makiki hiking trails, Punchbowl Memorial, and Pali lookout area are about 5 minutes away and the H1 is maybe 3- 5 minutes. There is also a 24 hour supermarket a few minutes away.

There is a large comfortable living area with several soft leather chairs, which was our main gathering area, and a working tv/dvd system which we used only briefly. There is also a den/entry area and a dining area. The kitchen is modern and clean as is the rest of the house. We did not see any bugs the entire visit. The dishwasher was out of order when we were there but we were not entertaining so it was not particularly inconvenient. The bathroom is clean, tiled, and modern. The hot water tank seemed a little on the small side but 4 of us were able to all get warm showers by paying some reasonable attention to the issue.

The grounds were tiered and there is an abundance of outdoor terrace and decking with seating and some nice views. If you decide stay here take some time one day to investigate the vegetation around the back yard.

It is really a very nice place.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 16 / 16