Owners Charlie and Susan Hoerner restored a three-bedroom plantation home on Kapaa's Baby Beach to reflect the charm of yesteryear with the conveniences of today. Think plank flooring, gingerbread, and stained glass alongside a Wolf stove, Bosch dishwasher, and granite countertops. The orientation is due east; you won't have to leave your bed—or living room or lanai—to watch the sun rise, the whales breach, or the full moon rise. In addition to the main house, there's a cozy bungalow called Moonrise Cottage in back that's perfect for honeymooners. Rent both (weekly rentals only) to sleep a total of eight. Credit cards are accepted via PayPal only. Pros: Comfortable, homelike ambience; good for large groups; safe children's beach. Cons: Can be damp in winter, located on heavily used stretch of shoreline.
Reviewed by mikarami from Mike, Fairfield, CA. on 11/25/08
We rented Sunrise Cottage for seven days last October, two couples, it was absolutely ideal. Clean, equipped and comfy. Two bedrooms are separated by a great living area affording allowing for some privacy. A third bedroom was also available if needed. Beautiful area, great lanai, looking straight out to sea, a wonderful place to sit and kick back. Perfectly located for traveling about the island and most everything you need is within walking distance. Found this property on the net, took a shot at it and it was really great, gonna come back for sure.
Reviewed by acquigley from Dallas, TX on 11/24/08
I travel to Kauai once a year with family for vacation and this past year (Sept 2008) my husband and I traveled there to honeymoon. We know the island well and this time I really wanted to stay in a rental where we could cook and enjoy our privacy and lounge around, but I am also a hotel snob and did not want to give up on the luxury of a hotel either.
All I can say is that the accommodations were perfect- we wanted private and we got private. We wanted luxury and we got it. The home is right on the ocean- there is a road that runs in front of it but it is only used by the other neighbors so it is very private. So each morning you wake up to the sound of the crashing waves and can walk about twenty feet to the water's edge. The décor was lovely- there is a large family room with an immaculate kitchen- just look at any of the photos of the kitchen. We enjoyed walking into town and buying fresh ahi and then coming home to cook it. The entire place is light and airy. The master suite is wonderfully secluded along one side of the home- we slept with the windows open each night and woke to the roosters and never once saw our neighbors. And we had a fabulous walk in closet! The other two bedrooms on the other side of the home are adorable and actually surprisingly spacious- each have full closets and beautiful windows and share a pretty massive bathroom... making this a perfect place for families or couples vacationing together. And there is a private lanai out back and a grilling area with a grill with a full set of grilling tools that monopolized much of my husband’s time. These were the little things that impressed us- the grill, the shed stocked with kayaks and snorkel gear- things that would cost us at least a hundred bucks a day- we there available for our use if we wanted.
The best part about the Cottages is the location- we could walk into town a few blocks and enjoy shopping and dining and people watching... not to mention a few mai tais and pina coladas on a covered porch As someone that has been accustomed to staying at a big resort timeshare, I loved not having to wait to get my car and then having to drive to go eat, etc. The location is in a quiet neighborhood, but truly a short two block walk into a fun little Kauai town. Not to mention that you are situated perfectly between Princeville and Poipu- so you can plan a day trip pretty much anywhere and not feel like you are in the car for hours... which is how you do feel if you stay in Poipu or Princeville and want to do any traveling.
The owner, Susan, was extremely helpful and probably had to answer way too many questions from me- but she was always so nice and patient and really quite lovely to work with. The property manager, Dawn, is also beyond friendly and we truly enjoyed meeting her and chatting with her while we were staying at the cottage. This was my honeymoon so I researched every single possible rental- truly... and my husband and I were beyond satisfied… As the cottage guestbook reveals, we- along with all of their patrons, were really sad to leave when we had to pack up. We absolutely intend to return to the cottages even when the rest of our family is staying in their timeshare and we have already recommended the location to friends.
Reviewed by KatMeg from Minneapolis on 4/4/07
Sunrise Cottage turned out to be a highlight of our trip to Kauai. Location couldn't be better...both the North Shore and South Shore are easily accessible and Kapa'a had a lot to offer as well. Baby Beach (directly across a hardly noticeable street) would be perfect for children, but still quiet enough to hide out and read a book. From the privacy of the front porch, I enjoyed watching sunrises, whales, rainbows, and just the ocean waves. The owners are present without being intrusive and they're always willing and able to offer advice on activities and even loaned us equipment free of charge (kayaks, snorkel equip, golf clubs). The ammenities were top notch. I'll be staying there again if I'm lucky enough to return to Kauai.
Reviewed by suehoe from Portland Oregon on 1/12/07
Aloha Cottages scored a perfect 5 with our family...great cottages, delightful furnishings, lots of extras like toys for the beach, a real cook's kitchen...not to mention the million dollar view!
Reviewed by cch from Portland, OR on 1/12/07
Sitting on the Sunrise Cottage front porch is a vacation in itself - watching the sunrises, moonrises, whales migrating, colorful kite-surfers, and little kids at the "Baby Beach." I's also a great centrally-located place for exploring the most beautiful and uspoiled of Hawaii's islands. In under an hour you can be in Hanalei on the tropical North Shore, at the top of the mountain at the "wettest place on earth", viewing the "grand canyon of the Pacific", or at the sunny South or West Shore in Poipu or Barking Sands Beach. We took a sunset cruise along the isolated Napali coast, snorkeled with giant sea turtles and colorful fish, rode horses, took a zip-line tour, got muddy on an ATV trip and hiked for hours in the setting for Jurrasic Park. The kids loved the helicopter ride and the pictures we took were awesome! The cottage is spotless and obviously well-loved by its owners. There is a new kitchen with a view of the great room and ocean, and outdoor shower, free kayaks and beach toys. We loved it!
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