Hawaiian Sunrise Beach Cottage / Free Wi-Fi in Punaluu

Awesome beach!!

Jacque H. ()
Review submitted: May 27, 2012   Date of arrival: May 18, 2012

We brought our two 17 year olds to Oahu as a graduation present. It was our first visit too. I'm glad we chose to stay in the North Shore area instead of in Honolulu or Waikiki. The North Shore is beautiful and we really enjoyed our adventures out to Wailua and Haliewa. We did make the drive to Pearl Harbor, which was about 40 minutes, but totally worth it. It's a beatiful scenic drive, mostly along the coast, but the mountains are an amazing view as well.

The condo was nice enough, as we didn't spend alot of time there. The practically private beach was awesome and only steps away. Great snorkeling and not huge waves. We kept the windows open and the constant breeze kept the condo plenty cool, even in the daytime. I loved falling asleep every night to the sound of the breeze through the palm trees and the ocean waves. We had issue with a lack of beach gear, including towels, but with contact to the owner that was remedied. We also had 3 or 4 cockroaches which disappointed me, but since the front door isn't solid, there are plenty of entrance points. We just sprayed and eventually didn't see anymore. The kitchen was set up with a decent enough supply of dishes and cooking instruments. Some additional basic supplies, such as more than one roll of paper towels, more than one roll of toilet paper, more than one garbage can liner, and more than 2 dishtowels would have been nice. We had to go to the grocery store on our second morning there to get more basic supplies. There are two groceries within 10 minutes of the condo, so it wasn't that big of a hassle, just would have been nice. We did enjoy bar-be-quing and eating at the picnic table that is right outside the condo. The ocean view from anywhere in the cabin is beautiful, and the sunrise view is amazing. I actually got up and saw the sunrise every morning we were there. It was also nice having access to laundry machines. Even though there is bed space for 4 people, I probably wouldn't go back with more than 2 of us. The space is a little small and seemed crowded for 4.

The area is beautiful. Some recommendations: The farmer's market in Wailua, driving through Haliewa, the Shrimp Shack just down the road from the condo, the fish taco restaurant a short distance in the other direction, and, our favorite, Angel's Ice Cream in Laie. BEST SHAVED ICE!!! I strongly recommed getting an Angel's Halo. Also, the luau and show at the Polynesian Cultural Center, 5 minutes away. A must see!

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Helpful votes: 5 / 5

falling asleep with the sound of the gentle waves

Inger (Edmonton, Canada)
Review submitted: March 4, 2008   Date of arrival: February 1, 2008

The residence was exactly what I had hoped for:
Really close to the beach ( no waves, so perfect for swimming and some snorkeling) , big windows overlooking the ocean, green grass to play ball, picnic tables under big palm trees,a short 5 min drive for groceries, BBQ area....
We enjoyed the close hikes that we discovered thanks to all the Hawaii related books in the apartment.
It was quiet and far away from busy Honolulu, and a short scenic drive to the interesting north shore.
The best thing was falling asleep with the sound and smell of the ocean...
The apartment was clean and there was everything we needed( we missed a can opener though...)
We had one cockroach, but hey, that was entertainment!!It was already half dead.
On one rainy evening we enjoyed a movie from the great selection of movies.
It was a lovely place....

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

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Helpful votes: 43 / 43