We just returned from our stay in Hawaii. We loved the location of this condo - not in a touristy area. The condo was clean, comfortable and had all the amenities we needed. The owner was very responsive and checked in on us after we arrived.
We had no issue with security/parking when we arrived. I visited the office to check in the following day. The ladies there were extremely nice and helpful.
I gave a 4 overall rating instead of a 5 only because the dishwasher was broken. It was labeled as such, so it didn't break while we were there. We normally cook in a good bit, so that is the only reason it was a minor downer for us. I am sure the owner is getting it replaced/fixed soon.
I definitley reccommend!
We enjoyed our stay very much and felt safe and secure. The main issue was the lack of access to the pool.. We travel with a wheel chair and it is very difficult to get to the pool.. The property is ageing and needs updating of blinds and the hide-a-bed difficult to close. The kitchen was well equipped with a variety of interesting items. The knives however were very dull, for a cook, a big issue.... Check in was slow as some paper work had not been done.. The owner was however very prompt in responding. We needed extra help opening the lockbox to get into the unit..We didn't understand the use of the laundry card and suggest that be made clear in the descriptive paperwork..It would avoid repeated trips to the office to get the system working.. The laundry card left for us was much appreciated. We had a great time, staff were helpful, courteous and knowledgeable.... The neighbours, both visitors and owners were also fun and helpful...
We made our reservations months in advance and I notified the owner 1 week prior to our stay that would be arriving as planned (and I texted him before we boarded the plane leaving for Hawaii to let him know we were on our way), yet even after all of this we were unable to check in when we arrived. The security guard told us the owner (Jason) had not sent them the necessary paperwork about our stay and, therefore, we were not allowed to enter the property. We waited in our car (not what you want to do after an 8 hour flight) while we tried calling Jason as did the security guard. Finally, Jason faxed the needed papers and we were let in. The security guard told us this happens frequently with Jason.
Second, the place was not clean. We had to wash all the dishes by hand before we would use them. Oh! And the dishwasher was taped up with a sign on it that indicated it was broken. When we told Jason about wanting a working dishwasher, he never responded. The place was dusty and the coverlet was dusty. The closet was filled with the owner's personal items to the point where we could not use it until we emptied out his things.
Third, the blinds in the living room were broken and could not be closed, so every morning when the sun came in, the heat and the light was so strong we couldn't stay in there! When we told Jason about this he told us he would be out that day to see why the blinds were broken (as if he didn't know this). He never showed up. We were there for 3 weeks and he never showed up. So every day we put up beach towels in the living room to block some of the sunlight.
Fourth, (and this has nothing to do with the property owner), the peacocks are so loud some mornings they woke us up even though we started wearing ear plugs.
We would not rent this place again.
I am very disappointed that there is no shampoo provided.
Having a cup of coffee on the balcony every morning was amazing! The owner is kind, and helped us out of a really tight spot. The room was clean, and the bed was good, but the property could use a but of maintenance. Kitchen sink is leaky, and garbarator is broken. The kitchen could really use some new cookware/ was missing all knives, and the blinds on the window were broken. However all these things were minor, and did not affect our stay too much. The pool and grilling station were nice, and the residents are all very friendly. Though the hotel has a security guard and felt very safe, the neighborhood was pretty rough. There is a huge homeless population here, and though we would have liked to do more in the area, we were told by many of the locals to not park our car at any of the popular trails or beaches, as they would be targeted. We tried to be back at the room by the evening to avoid any issues.
The condo was comfortable and clean. It was a great value for the cost. Great location if you want to be away from the hustle and bustle of tourist areas. Makaha beach is wonderful and just minutes away by car.
the beach was great!! But, the security department at makaha valley towers was horrible!! We got in late Friday night and they called at 1230 am to tell us to move our car!! continued to get stupid violations all week!! I heard that someone got a violation for laughing to loud...ridiculous!! wouldn't stay there ever again!!
First, the pros:
1. This place has one of the most gorgeous views I have ever seen. Out the large sliding glass doors (one entire wall of the room) you can see the green mountains of the Makaha Valley tapering off into the blue of the Pacific. And there are great stars to see at night.
2. Although the complex is on the older side, it is well-maintained. Landscaping is lush and there is a lovely saltwater pool.
3. We loved the location. It's a bit far from the beach (it's advertised as a short walk but it would be a long walk, or a short drive), but it's very peaceful and serene. And we discovered a bunch of local gems in the area, most notably Kahumana Organic Farm & Cafe for dinner.
BUT there is major con that would prevent me from staying here again/advising others to stay here. It is that the furniture and amenities in this particular condo are very run down. The couch is so worn-in it is sloping toward the ground on the front end and there are virtually no places to sit that offer back support. The only other seating available are two woven chairs with backs that hit adults mid-back, and two stools on the patio with no backs at all. The bed is in similar condition; we found ourselves rolling to the middle all night long (and with very sore backs each day when we woke up!) The dishwasher is almost completely broken; the first time I opened it the racks rolled out to slam the door on the ground (and my foot!) and I had to hold both racks in with a hand/foot in order to load the dishwasher. This same comment applies to the kitchen...there's enough equipment to get by, but a lot of it is also pretty worn out (very dull knives etc.)
We also had some more minor issues that would not prevent me from recommending, but would make me caution future renters. When we arrived at the condo complex our reservation had not been communicated to the complex. We ended up waiting about an hour for the owner/condo complex to sort that miscommunication out. Then when we got to the condo, the lock box did not have a key inside it (the code worked- there was just no key.) Fortunately that one only caused us about a 20 minute wait. Finally, although the condo was mostly clean, it had not been thoroughly cleaned. For example, there were a bunch of dirty dishes in the dishwasher when we arrived.
We had stayed the week of 1/18/2015. If you want to be away from the big city noise this is the place! We arrived very late on the 18th so it was really quiet, but that didn't change come morning. We opened the drapes and had this gorgeous view of the Makaha Valley and it's hills. The condo itself was very well appointed with all of the beach accessories you would ever need. The place was clean and comfortable. The beaches are wonderful and if you want to see the sights of Honolulu it's only a 45 minutes drive away. I would definitely stay here again.
We had stayed the weekend of the 24-26 of October. The Beaches are amazing, the unit is clean , cute and easy access. Staff is friendly at the complex and the security was really helpful. This unit is on the 15th floor near the elevator and was perfect to get our groceries and bags to. The owner leaves a small cart for shopping and the amenities are perfect. There is lifevests and snorkel gear to see the turtles and dolphins at Makaha Beach. There is great surfing there as well, Yokohama Bay is breathtaking as well. Could not have asked for more the price. Golf is right across the road as well!!
