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20 Questions - Hale Aha Kai FAQ
- Where is Punalu`u and what is the town
like?
- How close is the house to the beach?
- What is the beach like? Is it private?
- Does the ocean in Punalu`u ever become
unsafe for swimming?
- What will be provided during our stay
at Hale`Aha Kai?
- Will I be able to make long-distance calls
from the telephone, and will my cell phone work on Oahu
and in Punalu`u?
- Why is the occupancy limited to 5 guests
maximum? How are the bedrooms laid-out for sleeping arrangements?
- Does the owner vacation at Hale`Aha Kai?
- What attractions are nearby?
- Is there a "perfect" guest for Hale`Aha
Kai? Who might be unhappy with Hale`Aha Kai? What are
the best things about Hale`Aha Kai?
- What kind of weather can we expect?
- Explain the taxes charged.
- Do you have any payment options?
- When will my reservation be confirmed?
- Explain your Reservation/Damage Deposit
and Cancellation Policy. What could cause me to lose all
or part of my $500 damage deposit, and when is refundable
deposit money returned?
- What happens if appliances break or if
there are other problems that need quick attention during
our stay? What happens if there is an existing problem
that we discover on arrival?
- Are rates negotiable?
- Is additional housekeeping or maid service
available?
- What else should I know about Hale`Aha
Kai, the owners, and this website?
- How can I get answers to additional questions
I have about Hale`Aha Kai?
- Where is Punalu`u and what is the town
like?
Punalu`u is on the North-East shore of the main island
of Oahu, approximately a 40-45 minute drive from Honolulu
International Airport and the Waikiki area. Punalu`u
is thought of as the "country". It has a population
of under 1000. There are two country stores within walking
distance. There is also a small neighborhood restaurant.
The nearest towns are Ka`a`awa, Hau`ula, and Laie which
is the largest of the nearby towns. Laie has a major
grocery, movie theater, a few restaurants and fast food
choices, and the Polynesian Cultural Center, one of
Hawaii's most popular visitor destinations.
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- How close is the house to the beach?
Hale Aha Kai is a direct beachfront home. If you walk
out the door and step out of the yard, you will step
onto Hale`aha Beach which is a relatively unknown neighborhood
beach, rarely having more than a handful of people at
any particular time.
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- What is the beach like? Is it private?
There are no private beaches in the State of Hawaii.
Hale`aha Beach is a good swimming beach. There are no
steep drop-offs when you enter the water from the shore.
There is a sandy-bottomed area along the shore that
is great for swimming. The reef system just beyond this
area provides excellent snorkeling, and extends outward
several hundred yards in three directions. The reef
protects the inner swimming area from high surf. You
can walk on the beach for approximately one mile in
each direction. You can shore fish from Hale`aha Beach,
and you will find some fishing equipment at the house
if you would like to try and catch your dinner. Snorkeling
is one of the most popular activities on the reefs surrounding
Punalu`u. The aerial photographs of our home, the beach
and the reef systems are a testament to the fine snorkeling
and swimming amenities at Hale`Aha Kai and the surrounding
Punalu`u area. The ocean ranges in depth from three
to five feet along the sandy-bottomed, shoreline swimming
areas, depending on the tide conditions. Out on the
reef system it ranges from a few feet to approximately
15 feet as you snorkel.
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- Does the ocean in Punalu`u ever become
unsafe for swimming?
The beaches in the Punalu`u area are generally considered
to be calm, family-friendly beaches, year-around. In
past years there have been very rare periods of larger
surf, and if this does happen it is due to highly unusual
storm conditions in the Northern Pacific. It is important
to know that these conditions are considered rare occurrences.
On a day-in, day-out basis, Punalu`u beaches are considered
to be some of the most favored family-style beaches
on Oahu, due in part to their normally calm year-around
conditions for swimming and snorkeling.
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- What will be provided during our stay
at Hale`Aha Kai?
We provide our guests with the following items:
*For your kitchen needs:
Dish soap, a new sponge, dish towels, automatic dishwasher
tablets, trash bags, aluminum foil, etc. You will find
cleaning supplies on-hand. You will find an extensive
selection of serving, cooking and kitchen equipment
such as professional-quality copper cookware and every-day
cookware, grill pans, bake-ware, regular and french-press
coffee makers, a cappuccino-espresso maker, tea kettle,
toaster, microwave oven, wall oven, 4-burner cook-top,
dishwasher, a blender, electric hand-mixer, waffle iron,
rice-cooker, a good selection of chef's knives and knife
sharpener, high-quality eating utensils, formal and
informal sets of dishware, wine and beverage glasses,
and Hawaiian-style wood-carved serving items. The kitchen
is kept stocked with a variety of herbs & spices,
teas, condiments, sugar and sugar substitute packets.
You will find this kitchen to be extremely well-appointed,
with the chef in mind.
*For your laundry needs:
A full-size washer & dryer, ironing supplies, laundry
detergent and fabric softener.
*Bath needs:
Each bath has a guest basket filled with full-size hand
and deodorant soaps, travel-size lotion, mouthwash,
shampoo and conditioner. There are plenty of bath towels.
Each bathroom has a hair dryer, a mirrored sink vanity
and shower/bathtub combination.
*Bedrooms:
The master bedroom has cable TV with VHS player and
its own en-suite bathroom. All bedrooms stocked with
100% cotton linens, towels and your choice of down feather
or high quality down-substitute pillows (for anyone
allergic to down feathers), and every bed has a high-quality
mattress for extra comfort. For our guests with infants
or very young children, there is a port-a-crib and also
two waterproof mattress pads should they be needed.
There is ample closet space in each bedroom.
*Inside the rest of the house:
There is a 42" plasma flat screen TV with HDTV
in the living area and an extensive library with hundreds
of DVD's, VHS tapes and CD's to choose from. A variety
of adult and family board games are also on site. There
are 3 compact stereos, a DVD player and 2 VHS players.
There are three telephones, an answering machine, high-speed
cable internet access for your notebook computer, HBO
and other premium-package channels are available on
the living room TV which has DVD and VHS. There are
restaurant, shopping and beach guides, along with an
Oahu guide that I have personally put together for our
guests. You will also find visitor attraction books,
a library of books relating to Hawaiian history, ocean
life, local lore, hiking guides, maps, and other useful
information about the island of Oahu and the Punalu`u
area. We keep umbrellas on-hand should you need them.
We have a user-friendly digital security system and
a hotel-style floor safe for storing valuables.
*Outside:
Just off the living room there is a large oceanfront
lanai. You will find a table and 6 chairs to use for
outdoor dining, built-in seating, and two very comfortable
rocking chairs. The yard is fully landscaped with a
shell and driftwood garden that children will enjoy,
coconut palms, a charcoal BBQ grill, grassy areas, and
a coconut log raft that sits permanently at the edge
of the seawall for sunning. If you have young children,
the raft is an excellent place to keep an eye on them
as they swim and play on the beach, as you can see the
entire beach and coastline from this stationary raft.
There is an outdoor after-swim shower for rinsing off
ocean water and sand. There is driveway parking for
2 cars.
*Beach & Ocean Equipment:
You will find beach chairs, coolers, beach towels, shore-fishing
equipment, 2 ocean kayaks that come equipped with life-jackets,
seats and paddles, boogie boards, snorkeling masks and
fins in both child and adult sizes, and children's beach
toys.
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- Will I be able to make long-distance
calls from the telephone, and will my cell phone work
on Oahu and in Punalu`u?
Yes, we provide VOIP telephone service. Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol,
or VOIP service is a technology that allows guests to
make telephone calls using our broadband internet service
instead of a regular land line connection. You still
use the same telephone, it simply connects differently.
Guests will be able to call all 50 states in the USA
and also Canada at no additional charge. International
calling is disabled, so if you wish to call beyond North
America, this will require that you purchase a long
distance phone card. Your cell phone reception should
be fine on Oahu. I have never experienced poor cell
phone reception at Hale`Aha Kai. I do recommend that
guests check with their mobile phone provider to see
if they might experience any roaming charges, as you
may find that there are some areas of Oahu where you
may not receive service, although this is more common
on our neighbor islands and not Oahu.
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- Why is the occupancy limited to 5 guests
maximum? How are the bedrooms laid-out for sleeping arrangements?
I see many vacation rentals online that have fewer
or the same number of bedrooms but they state they will
accommodate 8, 10 and even more guests. We only designate
only actual bedrooms as sleeping space. There are no
roll-away beds, couches that are referred to as "additional"
sleeping space or fold-out couch beds. Each of the three
bedrooms will comfortably accommodate our guests, provide
ample closet space for suitcases and belongings, and
give each of our guests a better sense of privacy for
sleeping, reading, relaxing, etc. It is our desire to
provide guests with a comfortable living environment,
and we will not accept requests to reserve for more
than 5 guests in total. Hale`Aha Kai is a regular "family-style"
home, meaning it has a "parents-style" bedroom
and two "kids-style" bedrooms. The master
bedroom has a king-size bed and is the largest of the
three bedrooms. It also has its own attached, private
bathroom. The master bedroom is oceanfront, so it provides
a nice view of the water. The two additional bedrooms
are smaller and share the second bathroom. One bedroom
has two twin beds, and the other bedroom has a trundle
that can be pulled out to make a king-sized bed. These
two bedrooms are on the front, street-facing side of
the house, so they are not oceanfront, but one has a
side-view of the beach and ocean. Couples that are looking
for "equal" lodging should be aware that one
couple will have the oceanfront bedroom with private
bath. Couples intending to equitably share costs should
know this in advance.
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- Does the owner vacation at Hale`Aha
Kai?
I am originally from Oahu, so yes, we bought the home
for our own family vacations and to be able to easily
visit with our friends and relatives. Because of this,
the house has been set-up to reflect what we want in
a vacation home. In some ways, Hale`Aha Kai is better
than our full-time residence, because we want great
things available to us when vacationing. We had rented
vacation homes in the past, many of which lacked basic
needs and special perks, so we knew what was necessary
to make our home a total vacation experience. That is
why you will find beautiful furnishings, high quality
beds and linens, gourmet cookware, an extensive selection
of ocean equipment, a vast library of movies, books
and games, dozens of original works of art, nice TV's,
hi-speed internet, and just about anything you would
want in a deluxe vacation home-away-from-home. We believe
it would be difficult to find anything comparable at
a similar rate.
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- What attractions are nearby?
The Polynesian Cultural Center is
a few minutes north of us in Laie. They have a highly
rated luau, tours and daily shows except on Sundays.
The Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet is nearby
in Kualoa. They have botanical gardens, tours and interesting
gift shops.
There are a few art galleries in the
area, One of which is the famous photographer Kim Taylor
Reese. His gallery is about 5 minutes north. Many of
his photos are taken on the beaches surrounding the
Punalu`u area.
Turtle Bay Resort is 15 minutes away.
Here you will find 2 world-class golf courses, tennis,
spa services and one of our favorite restaurants in
the area, Lei Lei's Grill. There are additional dining
choices at the hotel. You may also book horseback rides
on the beach, surfing lessons and helicopter tours.
Kualoa Ranch is about 10 minutes south
and it has a variety of tours, including a movie set
tour, horseback riding, ATV rides, etc. Many movies
and television programs have been filmed in the general
area, including 50 First Dates, Windtalkers, Blue Crush,
Jurassic Park, the TV programs Lost, North Shore, and
many others.
The North Shore, famous for huge winter
waves and surfing, is about a 20 minute drive from our
home. The surf town of Haleiwa is about a 35 minute
drive. Even though the North Shore is nearby, Punalu`u
is around the NE tip of Oahu, so our shoreline does
not have the same ocean conditions during fall, winter
and spring months. There can be 30 foot waves breaking
a few miles away at Pipeline, but the beaches in Punalu`u
will not experience the same ocean swells, so guests
are usually able to swim at all times of the year.
There are riding stables in Kualoa
and Kahuku.
You will find very inexpensive municipal golf at Kahuku
Golf Course.
Byodo-in Temple is one of Oahu's most
beautiful attractions.
Honolulu is only 40-45 minutes away,
as is Pearl Harbor.
Please visit the Area page for
a photo tour of some of these nearby attractions.
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- Is there a "perfect" guest for Hale`Aha
Kai? Who might be unhappy with Hale`Aha Kai? What are
the best things about Hale`Aha Kai?
We have accommodated from one, on up to five guests
at a time. Whatever number, most everyone enjoys their
vacation. The "perfect" guests are those that
are looking for a well-appointed beachfront home in
relaxed, beautiful surroundings. These are guests looking
for on-site water sports, a great beach, nearby hiking,
horseback riding and similar activities, although almost
any activity on Oahu can be reached by car within 45
minutes or less. They also may simply desire a quiet,
relaxed vacation, and might never set foot from Punalu`u.
Whether you are an individual or a family of five, there
is something to offer for everyone.
Visitors looking for lots of nightlife and crowds might
be happier staying in Waikiki.
For us, the best things about Hale`Aha Kai is the comfort
the house provides, the beach and the beautiful surroundings.
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- What kind of weather can we expect?
There isn't much of a weather change from season to
season in Hawaii. The weather tends to be a bit cooler
on average during winter months, but overall, the weather
is warm year-around. The Windward and North Shore areas
of Oahu receive more rainfall than the Honolulu and
Waikiki areas. This makes the region lush, tropical
and beautiful. You can generally expect a bit more rain
during winter and spring months. The daytime highs in
summer usually range from 83 to 87 degrees. It rarely,
if ever, goes to 90 degrees or above. Night time lows
are in the mid to low 70's. Winter temperatures range
slightly lower, with daytime highs averaging in the
high 70's and night time lows in the high 60's. Overall,
you can expect partly sunny, party cloudy weather on
all parts of the island, at most times of the year.
There may be occasional rain showers at any time of
year. If there is a large storm, usually it will be
island or state-wide, so do keep this in mind. There
are not many periods of extended rainstorms as a rule.
Trade winds are a integral part of the normal weather
patterns, usually blowing in from the northeast at about
10-15 MPH on average. The trades keep us cool, so they
are a good thing. However, should you find that the
tradewinds do not provide enough cooling, the house
is fully air conditioned for the maximum comfort and
enjoyment of our guests.
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- Explain the taxes charged.
The taxes charged amount to 11.75%. They are a combination
of Hawaii's General Excise Tax (4.50%) and the Transient
Accommodations Tax (7.25%). Taxes are charged on the
base rental fee plus the cleaning.
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- Do you have any payment options?
Yes. You may choose to pay 50% of the total rental
fee, which will include the $500 reservation/damage
deposit, with the remaining balance becoming due 75
days prior to your arrival date. Upon arrival, your
reservation deposit becomes your damage deposit. Longer
stays and holiday bookings may require a customized
fee schedule.
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- When will my reservation be confirmed?
Your reservation will be confirmed upon my receipt
of the signed rental agreements and payment of a deposit.
Upon reservation, 1/2 of the full rental fee is due
to secure your reservation. This fee includes the $500.00
deposit, which is fully refundable.
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- Explain your Reservation/Damage Deposit
and Cancellation Policy. What could cause me to lose all
or part of my $500 damage deposit, and when is refundable
deposit money returned?
"Normal wear & tear" is expected. You
will not lose deposit money for things like breaking
a dish or glass, accidental breakage of the coffee carafe
or similar items. That is normal wear & tear. As
with any other vacation rental, you could lose deposit
money for negligent acts resulting in more serious damage
to the interior, exterior, or contents of the house,
loss of house keys (the house would need to be re-keyed
and locks changed), loss of the owner's property due
to theft because the doors or windows were left unsecured,
loss or theft of kayaks or equipment due to negligence,
plumbing problems due to misuse, missing items, illegal
activity, etc. Also, failure to check-in or out at contracted
times, allowing more than the contracted number, or
allowing unregistered guests stay in the house could
result in forfeiture of deposit. You will be supplied
with a return mailing envelope for sending back the
house keys to the owner. After check-out and inspection
of the property, and upon receipt of both sets of keys,
damage deposits will be processed. The sooner we receive
the keys, the sooner deposits are processed. If there
are no reasons for forfeiting any part of the deposit,
it will be refunded to you in full. You can find more
information about our cancellation policy at the bottom
of the rates page: Cancellation
Policy
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- What happens if appliances break or
if there are other problems that need quick attention
during our stay? What happens if there is an existing
problem that we discover on arrival?
I employ an on-island manager, and you will be given
management contact information. The manager is available
during working hours to assist you and handle problems
that might arise. If there is an emergency you may contact
her after hours. You may also contact me in emergencies,
24 hours a day. I have maintenance people that I use
for different things, so let us know if something needs
to be repaired. We will do our best to get problems
taken care of as quickly as possible. Having lived on
Oahu for many years, I have a vast network of contacts
available to help.
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- Are rates negotiable?
Because I handle the majority of property management
myself, I am able to keep my prices extremely competitive
for a beachfront home offering the amenities that Hale`Aha
Kai provides. For this reason, rates are not negotiable,
and I rarely offer discounts for longer stays. I do
provide some additional complimentary housekeeping service
to my guests that book extended stays.
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- Is additional housekeeping or maid
service available?
If any guests would like regular maid service, I will
provide them with a very dependable housekeeper that
will accommodate their housekeeping needs, whether daily,
every other day, etc. This type of service is contracted
personally between our guests and the housekeeper, and
rates are reasonable.
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- What else should I know about Hale`Aha
Kai, the owners, and this website?
With the exception of the aerial photography, I personally
took every house photo on my website. What you view
in the photos is what you can expect to find when you
arrive. I keep my online availability calendar updated
with every new reservation, and my website updated with
current information and photos. Renting a vacation home
is not like making a hotel reservation. Hotels have
reputations to preserve, and they are usually established
businesses that you know exist. When contracting to
rent a vacation home, there is basically a "trust/trust"
situation that is very different. As a property owner,
I am trusting that guests will respect and care for
my 2nd home, follow the guest policies that have been
agreed to, and be responsible guests. As a renter, you
may have concerns about a property being over-stated
in advertisements, arriving and discovering that you
have rented something that is not to your liking, or
in the worst case scenario, arriving and finding no
house. My business depends on guest satisfaction. What
you see on my website is what you can expect to find
at my home... no more, no less. This is as it should
be. The home was purchased with the intention of having
it be our semi-permanent residence at some point in
the future. We have no plans to sell. The house will
be there today, tomorrow and years from today, with
us as the owners. We are building a reputation as a
great rental at a great price. We intend to keep it
this way. Repeat business and referrals by way of guest
satisfaction is our goal.
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- How can I get answers to
additional questions I have about Hale`Aha Kai?
I'll be happy to answer additional questions. Please
fill out our guest Inquiry Form
so I can contact you with the additional information
requested.
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