here's what we're looking for:

away from waikiki, safe(ie not leeward side), pool, kitchenette, beachfront or very near, a/c, great snorkeling nearby, not too secluded, we'd like to be able to get to restaurants/bars/groceries quickly. recommendations on where to stay?? we looked at kailua/lanikai area, but nothing fits EVERYTHING that we want. wouldn't be against north shore, either, but again hard to find all of the amenities we're looking for. any advice is greatly appreciated. Mahalo!

You may have to give up an amenity or two to stick to your budget.

Have you looked at Schrader's in Kaneohe?

Aloha summerdae,

What time of year will you trip be?
What is your budget?

we'll be there in august and are hoping to spend about 100/day... thanks for responses.
i'll look into schraeder's and kaneohe.

Take a look at http://keikibeach.com/garden-plumeria.htm

It's located on the north shore of O'ahu. A beachfront property of bungalows... in your price range you'd be in a garden unit. Ke Iki would meet all of your desires except a pool... honestly in August you won't need a pool. The water will be calm and this property is literally "on the beach". I LOVE it here. Very clean, simple, quaint, nap in a hammock on the beach kind of place.

Just up the street, Shark's Cove is great for snorkeling. There are plenty of local bars & restaurants. Safeway is also a 2 minute ride away.

I do have a trip report from last March/April that describes our stay here. If you're interested in reading it, click on my screen name and scroll down to find it.

Happy planning!