Hanalei Colony Resort J3

The location is spectacular.

There were 4 termites identified by google lens congregating on the kitchen paper towels which made us uncomfortable. (I included photos but Booking appeared to have removed them along with dust photos.) I got an alert the day before that there was a routine condo pest control in a 9am-2pm window to take place. While the actual spray took only a few minutes in the morning, it was an unwelcome interruption to our privacy. The wooden blinds for separating the bedroom from the living room were extremely dusty and gave my husband a sneezing fit. The condo was not as clean as one would expect at the price point. There were weird cream colored food leftover stains on place mats. The kitchen/dining room tables overall had a greasy sheen. Also it wasn't well advertised how much walking one would have to do from the parking lot to the condo and could be a problem with those with mobility issues. So in hindsight, we did not enjoy our stay as much and would not recommend this particular unit.

Location

Place needs some fixing up, towels and sheets pre stained. Shower and bath area neglected. Not much maintenance done on this property. The view is great on the balcony and close to beach really the only draw.

Hanalei Colony is a lovely low-key environment and our stay was even better than the time we visited years ago when our son was young. Be prepared to park and carry your own luggage to your unit, as the rental is not served by the Hanalei Colony Resort (there are little wagons you can pile your bags onto that can be used!) The place had a lock code, which we were sent with other relevant details. The PDF from the rental agency (Kauai Kahuna) with that information was clear, informative, helpful and well-written—it helps to actually read it and have your significant other read it as well! As far as the unit, it was perfect for us, having visited Hanalei Colony many years ago. The view from the balcony is extraordinary, the grounds well-kept and the peace and quiet was welcome after days in bustling Diamond Head on Oahu. We liked the low-key quality of the decor, not super-fancy but nice and clean. We found the place very similar to beach rentals we've done in Montauk, New York, and the kitchen was equipped for us to make a meal or two—and the restaurant at Hanalei was casual and great. We had fresh fish tacos from there every single night! Nice pool area -- not huge but during our stay, always a modest number of sun-worshippers -- you can always find a lounge chair or table. Nice jacuzzi and truly beautiful garden.

For those who want to get somewhere and just relax, this is the place, since driving into town or further can involve back-ups; there are lots of one-lane bridges, slow speeds (5 to 25 mph) and work on the roads (every day), which all mean you must plan your days with those possible issues in mind. Our only quibble: the Mr. Coffee machine --be mindful as you use it as one false step will cause it to overflow and spew grounds everywhere. We suggest replacing it with an easier-to-use Cuisinart. For those who want super-luxurious decor and facilities, the interior might disappoint but we wouldn't change one thing about it -- we liked how well-equipped the place was and the extras included -- beach chairs, a yoga mat, cozy duvet and comfortable beds/pillows, nice kitchen pans/utensils -- all suited our low-key lifestyle.

Excellent location for Haena State Park. Great food nearby.

The unit needs a good cutting board. Keurig coffee maker wasn't functional. Pour over was there, though. I would prefer no scent laundry detergent for linens. I am perfume sensitive and sleeping in the sheets was a challenge. I had to shower in the morning to get the laundry soap perfume off my skin and hair.

First off, let me say this resort is wonderful. The location can't be beat. The staff at the resort itself is wonderful. None of our problems came from the resort itself.

The problem with this rental is the condition of this specific apartment. It is in desperate need of a deep cleaning. Several light switches simply don't work. Drawers are broken. No dishwasher, so the dishes are not really clean. When informing the host of this, they basically offered to have their cleaning staff come back to clean again. We SPECIFICALLY TOLD THEM WE DIDN'T WANT THEM TO DO THIS. But they sent them in anyway, without our permission, while we were out. And the place was no cleaner after they came in again. When we asked for a refund of our $300 cleaning fee, since the place was anything but clean, they refused. Essentially, they suggested that we should have expected a dirty place, since it was ocean view and yet cheaper than the other properties in the resort. That's right. It was our fault that we didn't know there would be an inch of dust on the lighting fixtures, bugs in the kitchen, a greasy film on the living room tables, and so on.