arlight

My husband, son, sister and I are going to Oahu for a week in Feb. We'd very much like to stay in a house or cottage as we like to cook. I just found out that rentals are only for 30 days! Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations on rental agents? Or, should we just go to another island?

MmePerdu

A quick look shows loads of rentals on Airbnb bookable on Oahu for a week.

janisj

Yes STRs are legal in Honolulu -- but not in typical single house neighborhoods like it seems the OP wants.

Per the Oahu regs >>Transient vacation units (TVUs) - Commonly known as whole home or unhosted rentals. TVUs are allowed only in resort and certain apartment-zoned districts, unless it has a nonconforming use certificate.

Dukey1

I am sorry but skipping an island because you like to cook seems foolish somehow.

suze

I saw your post on Trip Advisor as well. You aren't correctly understanding the rules.

There are plenty of places you can stay for a week, either hotels (with cooking facilities) and many condo options are available literally by the 100s in Waikiki/Honolulu. But not a free-standing house or cottage. Those are typically residential areas and where short-term rentals aren't legal, must be what you are running into.

Where exactly it is you are trying to stay on Oahu?

arlight

We’d be interested in staying near Kahala. The reason we’d like a kitchen is that it allows us to have breakfast at home which saves on cost. Plus it gives you more room to spread out. It’s frustrating that the whole island is affected.

socaltraveler

Well you can rent a condo, which is what we do. They have kitchens and room to spread out. While it may be frustrating to you, the residents of residential neighborhoods do not want hordes of temporary tourists moving in and out every few days. There are a lot of condo options.

suze

It’s frustrating that the whole island is affected.

This is not only on Oahu. Or only in Hawaii. Many popular vacation destinations are trying to control the spring up of rental of private homes, cottages, condos, apartments to short time visitors. As above, locals don't want tourists moving in and out of their building or their neighborhood on a weekly basis. It really makes sense if you stop to think about it.

Or for a different island this seems more like the kind of situation you are picturing:
https://www.coasthotels.com/hotels/h...tion-cottages/
Waimea Plantation Cottages on Kauai.

jamie99

Hawaii has a housing shortage which is why all the islands have laws restricting short term rentals. Usually they have to be located in what is known as a VDA, Visitor Destination Area.
Suze, I know Kauai pretty well and those cottages are cute for a night or two but close to nothing except Waimea Canyon with very limited dining options.

suze

Yes I know that. But they seemed to want to get away from it all, so thought it might be a better fit, than trying to make Oahu/Honolulu/Waikiki something it is not