The property is like a time capsule, in a good way. It feels like a Hawaiian home rather than a modern rental. We loved that part of it. The negatives were the heat and surprise to us road construction out front. The management company addressed the construction well once we brought it up with them. Unfortunately it meant we couldn’t open the windows up at night to cool it off and had to run ACs in bedrooms (and the ACs were really noisy and made the walls vibrate/drone). The place gets really hot during the day so would not recommend during for anyone who struggles with heat exposure. Overall, a nice space, great yard, views of Bali Hai are awesome from living room, and location for walk to Hanalei beach is great. Rating for our specific stay and timing relative to construction drove the overall rating lower, I’d typically expect more like a 4 in July heat, possibly higher not during summer.
Aunty Lydia’s Local was absolutely perfect for our family group - my husband and I and our two adult children and partner. We loved the space, location, and authentic old-school Hawaiian cottage feel. If you want to live like a local in Hanalei, this property is a great choice. We would book again without hesitation.
The location and layout were great for my family to relax in a comfortable house. The kitchen and living room were large enough to lounge in between going to the beach (5 min walk) and downtown Hanalei (12 min walk). The outdoor space was well utilized with 2 outdoor showers (very useful!) and lots of room for gear under the covered parking. Would definitely stay again!
Cute, clean house with rich history. Super nice that it has beach chairs, body boards you can borrow.
Fun spot, nice location, comfortable beds!
convenient, close to the beach
This property was as listed, had what we needed including beach chairs, umbrella, and coolers. It was in a great location close to the beach and a 10 minute walk to town. The bedroom AC units were wonderful. It was fairly hot in the main part of the house in the afternoon, but we were out and about most days anyways!
It definitely has a “family vacation home” vibe, as listed- it was well loved and had the wear and tear that comes along with years of use. And ants (only in the kitchen)- they were there when we showed up, and they hung with us until we left. For us these weren’t not a negative thing (especially considering the price point for three bedrooms, and ability to stay in hanalei bay so close to the beach) but if you are wanting more of an “upscale” experience, you may want to head up the road to Princeville….. which would be fine by us since we hope to return again someday (less competition😉).
Rating Details:
The property manager was very helpful.
The vacation rental was spotless.
I was more than happy with the location.
I was more than satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental.
Overall, I recommend this vacation rental.
Reviewer Comments:
My friend and I enjoyed Aunt Lydia's very much. It was like staying at a family home. Not luxury in any way, but cozy, comfortable and clean. Location is great, right by the beach and about a 10-15 minute walk into town. It is not super private though for those seeking real privacy. For the price, I do think they could update the beds a bit more and the electrical while keeping the old charm of the home. We had a great time though and I would recommend.
The location of the home was wonderful, very easy access to both beach and shops. Car port area was a fun place to hang out when it rained as it was nice & cool. Drawback, the house overall was extremely hot, even with all of the fans provided, keeping curtains closed during the day etc. Had to sit in bedrooms with ac on to get relief.
We absolutely loved staying at Auntie Lydia's Ohana. The home itself is simple and laid out really well - it felt so comfortable and easy to be in for our family of 4. The location itself is a five (or less?) minute walk from a stunning beach - one of us loved running on beach in morning, then taking an outdoor shower when he returned! We also rented bikes so we could easily cruise to town. It was all exceptional, we had an amazing time and hope to return again some day. Thank you!
We love aunty Lydia’s Ohana. This was our second stay and we just love the location and charm of this perfect spot. Kauai will always be our most favorite.
Rating Details:
The property manager was very helpful.
The vacation rental was spotless.
I was very happy with the location.
I was more than satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental.
Overall, I recommend this vacation rental.
Reviewer Comments:
We love this location in Hanalei and the house was perfect. It's quaint and reminiscent of a time gone by, but in a good way. The a/c in the bedrooms is a game changer and the outdoor shower is the best. Rent bikes and ride around town or just walk to the beach. We loved this stay.
This home had everything we needed. It felt like we were staying in a real family home. The very short walk to the beach is a huge, huge plus. The setting and scenery are lovely. We really appreciated that the house came with beach chairs, a small beach umbrella, a few beach towels, a small, soft cooler bag, and a very large cooler. The outdoor showers are truly wonderful. The back yard is nice, and the car port with table and chairs is a great staging area, and would be a good place to sit to wait out any rain. We could feel the family history in this house. It was a good vibe. The house is on the darker side inside, but this writer at least found it cozy, and we weren’t inside during the days. And no doubt it’s a bit cooler for not being all windows. The beds were comfortable. I would not hesitate to stay here again. (And as of this writing, there is a friendly black cat who comes around. I expect he’s food motivated. He’s good at what he does.)
Rating Details:
The property manager was very helpful.
The vacation rental was very clean.
I was very happy with the location.
I was more than satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental.
Overall, I recommend this vacation rental.
Reviewer Comments:
Mostly an excellent experience! The location is good - an easy walk to both the beach and town. It is right on the highway but that quiets right down in the evening. Lots of space for the 5 of us with comfortable beds and linens. The kitchen is very well stocked. We cooked all sorts of meals and had everything we needed - even a sharp knife!! The downside was the heat.. Thankfully the bedrooms have A/C but the rest of the house was intolerably hot during the day - even with the multitude of fans so thoughtfully provided. Also, the only outdoor place to sit was the carport off the highway which honestly is not very pleasant. We found we spent our time in the bedrooms to escape the heat. We certainly could not sit at the table and play a game or watch the television. The back yard was lovely - it there was a sitting area there in the shade it would have made a huge difference as it was usually cooler outside than in. The carpet could use a cleaning but everything else was fine. No dishwasher. Really appreciated that sufficient soap, TP and paper towels were provided for our stay. Manager responded promptly to my one question. Check in a breeze.
Great stay at Aunties, will be back. Great location and cozy!
Rating Details:
The property manager was very helpful.
The vacation rental was spotless.
I was very happy with the location.
I was more than satisfied with the condition of the vacation rental.
Overall, I recommend this vacation rental.
Reviewer Comments:
Our family of 6 spent almost 2 weeks here and it worked perfectly. The location is great, just a short walk to the beach and town. Having the 2 outdoor showers and outdoor toilet were key. The bedrooms are air-conditioned which is a nice touch.
Perfect place for my Mom (91). Sis and myself . We were able to walk to the beach and to town and were just blocks from my daughters and their families. It was clean and beds were comfortable. I would suggest some minor upgrades ( bathroom needs some updating ). A place to sit in the yard would also be a nice addition. Overall, a good stay and would stay again.
Aunty Lydia’s was the perfect combination of location and affordability. We had room for my husband and two kids and mother in law from out of state.
The property is a 2 minute walk to Hanalei beach and a bit further for downtown Hanalei. The views of the mountains and waterfalls from the living room were sublime. We couldn’t ask for anything more.
The outdoor showers were very handy for post beach clean up and although it took us a couple days to find, the second toilet adjacent to the carport came in handy more than once!
We will definitely be coming back!!!
We loved our stay at Aunt Lydia’s Ohana! It was great to be able to walk to the beach and be so close to Hanalei town and the shopping center. Even driving to Tunnels or Anini were short drives from the house. With two teens the outdoor showers were a great amenity. The view from the carport was wonderful. This was a great home to unwind in, and enjoy meals we picked up in town. Owners were responsive and helpful.
Pros:
3 blocks from the Ocean/ beach
0.5 miles from downtown Hanalei
Great view of Mountains from Living Room
Great selection of cookware and dishes
2 Outdoor showers and one outdoor toilet
Laundry- Washer and dryer
Homey comfortable feel to the place
Beach chairs/cooler/ and umbrella provide by the property.
Cons:
Full bed in NOT a queen and is very uncomfortable. It is a valley bed, the person who is the heaviest ends up in the bottom and other other person sleeps on a slant.
Black mold at the head of the king-sized bed.
The front door sticks and is an accident waiting to happen. Every one got stuck outside/inside a few times and could not open the door. When it would suddenly open people would barely catch themselves from falling down the stairs.
Do not recommend staying when it it above 80 degrees. The heat inside becomes oppressive. The main living areas have plenty of fans but it isn't enough to counter the heat. The AC in the bedrooms barely keeps up with the heat.
We loved our Aunty Lydia’s Ohana stay! Very simple and down to earth - not for those Hanalei visitors looking for “bougy” or fancy - but absolutely perfect for us. We loved cooking at home, walking to the beach morning and evening, wandering into town, hanging out with the cats who visited daily, and feeling at home in this great homestay. Plenty of space, all the kitchen gear you could need, washer/dryer, and awesome outdoor showers. Loved the chairs and towels - again the basics are totally provided! Mahalo for a beautiful Hanalei visit. We’ll be back!
GREAT location. Hanalei Bay is awesome. Great body boarding for us in December. The little town of Hanalei is perfect. Not too touristy. Teenage kids liked having their own rooms. Loved everything about this house and location.
