Hi,
I would like some info about staying in a B&B in Kailua, Oahu.
Do we need to rent a car for a short stay of 3 nights, and is there something to do at night ?
Thanks Hans.

Here's one for you to start with.

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34852489

p.s. yes! I think a car would be needed so that you can explore other parts of the island.

I just found out recently (ironically, from a woman who runs and Bed and Breakfast) that 90% of the B&Bs in Kailua are actually illegal. Ask to see a "zoning variance" that allows the B&B to operate. If they cannot provide a copy or say they "don't need one," it is probably an illegal place.

I have stayed at "Sharon's Serenity", which is a licensed B&B in Kailua. Not fancy, but very comfortable with a nice pool. I much prefer the windward side of the island to Waikiki. Kailua Beach Park is wonderful. There are many places to eat and shop in the area. Some of the restaurants have music 1 or 2 nights a week, but we are always too tired from the day's activities to go anywhere. A car is needed...the area is kind of spread out. Try this link:
www.sharonsserenity.com

How would people feel about staying at an unlicensed B&B which nonetheless had a good reputation?

Just curious.

Aloha Hans,
go to http://www.lanikaibeachrentals.com/v...entalsoahu.htm you should be able to find what you are looking for there. Be sure to get a car so that you can go into town (Waikiki) for some night life action.
Mahalo,
Jeanne

SwayingPalms, I have heard there are many very good b&bs that are not licensed. It would not bother me of I'd heard good things about the place.

I would not wish to saty at an illegal place, as such places do not pay income tax on the rental, general excise tax, or the accomodation tax that law-abiding rentals pay, thereby making the ones who do follow the law pay more to make up for the taxes the illegal ones don't pay. It may be a nice place, but the owners are still criminals and I don't personally wish to support such people.

Also, there is a LOT of resentment from the local residents against these illegal rentals. I want to keep the Aloha spirit alive, and I think the illegals rentals do a disservice toward that end.

Jolie, you make very good points, and I understand what you're saying. When I say I would stay at an "illegal" one, I'm thinking of the Mom & Pop operations that rent out only one or two rooms, for extra income which is SO needed in Hawaii. (Yes, they are still criminals but ... I'd still stay with them if I'd heard good things.)

Where I am from (Victoria, B.C.) we depend on illegal rental suites for housing. We have .6% vacancy for rentals. Without illegal suites people would have nowhere to live!!

Oahu has a shortage of rentals, too. Partly because units that could provide long-term housing for residents are instead used for illegal vacation rentals - which brings in more money (tax free) for the owners while the other residents make up the difference in the taxes.

Restaurants:

http://www.ourkailuatown.com/index.php?pageId=141607

www.visit-oahu.com Free brochure. They have over 400 websites for lodging, restaurants, attractions in the brochure & on the site. Click on: OVB Yellow Pages

http://www.hawaiidiner.com/ You can sort restaurants by location or cuisine.

Jolie, you do make some great points however I do believe that people who pay property tax already to the government each year have a right to sublet there property how they wish. As far as locals resentment towards tourists, speaking from personal experience of living in a "tourist town" as well, how can you resent the hand that feeds you. Like it or not these "illegal" B and Bs bring in a lot of added revenue to all the businesses in these towns and if your tax system is anything like ours taxes are paid when money is spent in restaurants, gift shops etc. I guess we just have different philosophies. How can you call people that are creatively using their own property which they purchased with their own money to make some extra income criminals. Who are they really harming? I consider criminals drug dealers and murderers, not bed and breakfast owners.

Jayc-

You might feel differently if you owned a house in a residential-zoned neighborhood, then suddenly found your neighbor was "creatively" renting their house out to strangers for their "week in Paradise".

Even worse, many of these rentals have absolutely no one on site to manage them.

Just because you buy a house and pay the property tax does NOT give you the right to violate zoning restrictions. No different than setting up an auto repair shop in your garage, or opening a Starbucks in your living room.

Many Kailua residents say if they wanted to live next to a hotel, they would have bought place in Waikiki.

So . . . we can disregard zoning laws at will? Why stop there?

We should all be able to drive creatively, too (like 120 mph), because we paid for our own cars and our taxes pay for roads.

Remember when everyone here got up in arms over Woogo? They scam people. And, THEY VIOLATED PUBLIC CODE BY NOT EVEN BEING LICENSED FOR A HOTEL IN THE FIRST PLACE! People were clamoring to have it shut down.

But if the criminal has a nice place in Lanikai that you want to stay at, then that makes all the difference in the world. To a hypocrite.

I do own a house in a residential area and we are down the hill from the university and we have summer vacation rentals around us all summer because when the students go home for the summer people fill the gap by providing lodging for tourists which we welcome. Just posting my thoughts and quite frankly more power to all of you who follow zoning laws I respect your decision. In the meantime I will continue to rent my "illegal" suite in the summer as it is great to have tourists pay my mortgage and continue to provide cheap housing for students in the winter. Cheers.

Ok, now your comments make sense, jayc.

You should have just stated from the get go that your opinion was coming from someone that breaks zoning laws.

Most of the B&Bers do pay state taxes - both general excise and the special hotel taxes. Or do you think that the state tax folks don't know how to use the internet like tourists do?

There's no reason for tourists to restrict themselves to special hotel zone ghettos like Waikiki when there are great small towns with spectacular beaches like Kailua to choose from.

Personal disclosure: I don't own any Hawaiian property, but I have stayed at one of the few legal B&B's in Kailua. To be legal the B&B has to have operated before the city & county stopped granting B&B licenses almost two decades ago. Why they stopped cold turkey when the state depends upon tourism I can't tell you. I do know that the state accepts (in fact, it demands) its fair taxes from B&Bers that started business after the city & county stopped giving out licenses.

Illegal vacation rentals and B&B’s are destroying the residential character of Kailua. The majority of Kailua residents really object to their presence. In fact, the community’s Neighborhood Board recently passed resolutions requesting the City and State officials close down all illegal vacation rentals and B&B’s.

As of late, there have been numerous cases of visitors booking their vacation accommodations and then finding out prior to their arrival that their accommodation no longer exists. I recommend all vacationers make certain that they only rent from a legitimate vacation rental or B&B with a “non-conforming use” certificate. This certificate allows the businesses to operate in a residential zoned neighborhood. To find out more about locating a legal rental, check out www.bnbcoalition.org (make sure you use .org)