Watching the sunrise in Poipu, it doesn't get much better than that.
Written: Jan 24 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sunrise and/or sunset over the Pacific, ocean views
Cons: It's not a hotel, there isn't much to do within walking distance
The Bottom Line: The location of the Makahuena was great, and we loved our time in Kauai. The room and lack of nearby activities was a drawback, but I'd go back tomorrow.
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| pdrmike's Full Review: Makahuena at Poipu |
My wife and I rented a condo at the Makahuena at Poipu last week. We arrived late, and a sign directed us to pick up our information in front of one of the units. We put our stuff in the room, and crashed for the night. When we woke up, it was about 7:00 a.m, which is before sunrise in Kauai in January. As I fumbled with the coffee maker, I realized that we would be able to watch the sunrise over the ocean from our balcony. This was an outstanding feature of our trip, and we kept ourselves on Pacific time by waking to watch the dawn each day.
The Makahuena is located on a point right on the Pacific Ocean. This area is supposed to be the Southernmost part of Kauai, and some units have both sunrise and sunset views. For us, we had to either stand in the bathroom to watch the Sunset out a small window, or go find another spot. We chose a spot on the rocks on the East side of the complex.
We were also able to see whales coming up for air nearby when the waters were calm, which was most of our stay. My understanding is that the whale season runs from December to April in Hawaii.
The unit itself
We stayed in a two bedroom unit, although one of the bedrooms was locked off, so I would guess that the owners did not want people in there. The bedroom(s) were upstairs, and a full bath was attached to ours. Downstairs was the living room/kitchen area, as well as a half bath that also contained a washer and dryer. The dishes and cookware were not in great shape, looking something like I might have had back in college. You know, a couple from this set, a couple from that set, some well worn pans, etc… Although it didn’t look too good, everything we needed was there, including a full stove and dishwasher. The living room area was OK, with a couch and 2 chairs, although they were not that comfortable. The TV was old, and went out on us during our last day, although it was quickly replaced by the management.
Our chief complaint was with the front door. On one day, it was windy and raining, with gusts of over 50 MPH. You could see the water in the toilets move due to the plumbing or building moving, so it was pretty blustery. At any rate, the rain was blown in under the front door, and we had a nice puddle/lagoon there when we went downstairs in the morning. Judging by the water stains near the water heater (in a nearby closet), it wasn’t the first time.
The property amenities include a pool, jacuzzi, barbecue, and a tennis court. Of these, we used the jacuzzi which was nice and hot. However, the bubble jets were loud, and did not direct the bubbles onto your body. Rather, they went straight up to the surface.
Location
Did I mention that I watched the sunrise over the Ocean, and saw whales from the balcony? I did? Oh, well the location in that regard was quite good. On the west side of the property is an open area, and it is good for walks over to the rocky shoreline and dog walking.
Everything nearby is more condos, or houses. There are no restaurants or stores in the immediate vicinity. There were some nearby, however, about a half mile away. Brennecke’s is a restaurant/bar and also has a deli and what looked like a convenience store. The restaurant/bar was quite good, and we walked there twice. We did not go into the store. We did our shopping for room supplies at a supermarket about a 5 minute drive from the Makahuena. In addition, there are some other restaurants within a mile or two, as well as some other shopping.
Although the Makahuena is on the ocean, there is no beach. I want to say it is on a bluff, or cliffs, but that may paint the wrong picture. It is about 30-50 feet above see level, and then pretty much straight down the rocks to the ocean. There is a beach in front of Brennecke’s, so again, about a half mile walk or drive. We were told that was a good place to snorkle, but I felt it was way too shallow. We went to Snorkle Bob’s in nearby Koloa, and were advised to try the area near the Beach House Restaurant, which was great. In case you haven’t been to Hawaii previously, Snorkle Bob’s is a chain of stores where you can rent snorkle gear and arrange for other ocean adventures. Snorkle Bob cares, or at least he says he does.
Value
It was about $1100 for a week here. I would expect that there are other similar condo rentals. This was probably not a great value, but it didn’t seem real steep either. I think this would be a good place to take a family trip, as cooking some easy meals in the condo would certainly save over a hotel. Light housekeeping is provided, but they don’t do your dishes or laundry.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pdrmike
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Location: Playa del Rey, CA
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 1 member
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