2015 Guest Comments
December
What a gem of a house you have here at Chun's Reef. This is our 3rd stay renting homes in the North Shore, and Hale Moana is definitely our favorite. As my kids would say, "You don't ever have to go outside because even while sitting inside you feel as if you are outside". Thanks for sharing it with us, we will definitely be back!
--Ryan, Cynthia, Fyleigh, Macy, Carson, & Megan - Meridian, Idaho
Awesome view to wake up to each morning, rain or shine! Swimming at the cove out front was so nice, as it was protected from the huge waves we saw! Great proximity to the Pipeline and Turtle Beach and Foodland! And we really appreciated the mac nuts, wine and coffee. Mahalo,
--Susan, Anne, Bryan & Riley (3 years) - Anaheim Hill, California
Thank you for a great house and a wonderful place to stay! We expecially enjoyed the surfing championship and snorkeling in Shark's Cove. The "poke" from Foodland was excellent! Best Regards
--Clark, Tia, Lisa and Jason - Saint James City, Florida
November
It's always a beautiful stay here. Weather should be improving but rain or shine Hale Moana is our favorite holiday get-away. XXX
--Regan, Karl & Chris - Huntington Beach, California
Thank you for letting us stay in this beautiful house. It was too bad that the weather wasn't too well but it did clear on our last full day! Fishing was great here! we hope to come back again and hopefully we can stay longer next time. Thank you so much.
-- Michiko & Jarren - Honolulu, Hawaii
The house was beautiful and on the very first morning we awoke to a perfect rainbow directly in front of the windows. The stay was awesome, and we loved sunning on the beach and watching the sunsets nightly. Thank you so much for opening your home to us! We hope to be back one day!
--Kenny & Laura - Indianapolis, Indiana
October
Aloha Sandi, & Happy Halloween! We absolutely LOVE your home, so much so we just had to stay an extra night : ) Hale Moana is absolutely gorgeous. We loved waking up to the sound of the waves and the beautiful view each morning. We hope to return soon! Mahalo!
--Steve & Jamie - Playa Vista, California
We just spent 8 glorious nights at your beautiful beach house. We loved sitting outside watching the surfers and listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. We were here for my daughter's wedding at Loulu Palm Estate and we will cherish the memories we will have of our time at Hale Moana on the North Shore. Thank you!
--Alice & Moe - Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Aloha Sandi, thank you! This is our second time to Hawaii and we had such a comfortable and relaxing stay. Time went past so quickly watching the waves from the balcony. We could of spent the whole trip just here. Very convenient location so close to town and the surrounding beaches. We spent time hiking on almost a daily basis and the book that you left on the table helped us immensely. We hope this won't be our last stay at your lovely home and we will definitely recommend to our family and friends. Love & Luck
--Josh and Ellie - North Avoca, NSW, Australia
September
Aloha Sandi, our 2nd visit to Hale Moana was absolutely perfect. I am sitiing on the stool in the bedroom writing this, looking out to the ocean and listening to the waves. I think this is my favourite view, my happy place. Our week in paradise was not long enough - we enjoyed morning walks along the beach and found turtles in the same spot each day. The children loved sliding down the sand hills and swimming. We made a pact to always be at Hale Moana for sunset as it is truly mesmorising to sit out on the grass or the beach and watch the sky change colours. We visited all the local beaches and enjoyed eating at the food trucks. Haleiwa is one of the cutest towns I have been to. Thank you for thinking of everything to make your home feel like ours.
--Jacqui, Don, Kiah, Jed, Flynn - Dudley, NSW, Australia
We came for our 1st Anniversary & loved this home so much! We loved the books left & found a very special place to see turtles. We had such a great time & the view is nothing short of spectacular. Thank you for sharing your home with us.
--Rich & Shawna - Big Sky, Montana
Thanks so much for sharing your home!! It was beautiful!! A little warm but we survived! Mother Nature sure can be mean sometimes!! We enjoyed our stay. So sad we have to leave! Thanks again!
--Annette & Cory - Pleasant Grove, Utah
Thanks so much Sandi - We had a blast!!! :) Loved to see the surfers & the turtles!!
--Mike & Brooke - Lehi, Utah
August
We have had a wonderful family vacation at Hale Moana. The view is awesome, the beach fantastic and the sound of the ocean mesmerizing. The accomodations and amenitites provided everthing we could ask for and more. Thank you for being a great host. If it weren't about 5000 miles from home we would be regulars! If we are fortunate enough to return to Oahu we would love to stay again. Best regards,
--Jeff, Erin, Emma & Hailey - Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful home with us. The view from the living room is amazing. I can sit and stare outside all day! My two daughters had a great time at the beach. The beach being only a few steps away made my life so easy : ) Thanx Again!! Best.
--Yasu, Yumiko, Yuka, Emi - Tokyo, Japan
July
Once again we return to Hale Moana, and once again it is a wonderful and a truly splendid experience filled with monk seals and turtles, long walks, and mostly haupia pie... so much haupia pie. We had an amazing time snorkeling all over the north shore, as always, and enjoying the new Haleiwa Shopping Center. For the past seven years we have visited, filled with wonderful people and places, each is better than the last and we couldn't regret a single one. Until next time! - Ruby
Aloha, Sandi. This home has become so much our home. When we step thru the doors its an Ah! moment of pure breath! I've raised my girls here, now 14 & 11, it's our true moments of decompressing and really talking. I remember being here with my family all the last 7 years. Thank you Sandi! And for all the wonderful neighbors we have gotten to know and share with. Hopefully we'll see you soon! Much love to you & yours! xxoo
--Alicia, Sam, Ruby, Lily - Manhattan Beach, California
Aloha, Sandi. We have spent the best vacation here in Hale Moana. The house was clean and well organized. The location was just great - who can expect better than this!? And Sandi, you are always friendly and helpful especially to us who are not U.S. residents and sometimes have difficulty in shopping, etc. We would like to come back at our next family gathering. With warmest Mahalo.
-- Ken, Misako, Rhu & Rho - Tokyo, Japan & Guildford, UK
Thank you so much for welcoming us into your amazing home. The past 4 days have been so much fun w/the beautiful views and great location. Speaking for the group I know we would love to come back here again! Thanks for everything.
Joey, Brian, Brendan, Brandon - St. Paul & Eagan, Minnesota
Thank you for having this place for us to stay! It was nice to come in to a place that had all the essential things used from day to day. We also enjoyed having our salads outside overlooking the ocean for lunches. We walked to turtle beach almost every day but could see turtles from the back yard! The best place to see them was at Haleiwa beach. The best beach to swim in was Kailua Beach (so beautiful). It was always good to get home to the view we have here at 61-393. The pineapple macadamia nut cheese cake was the best at Ted's. Thank you for being so personable! Just like Ohana! Mahalo.
--Pennye & Billy - Land O'Lakes, Florida
Thank you so much for the cards, wine and coffee. We are sitting finishing off our wedding speech with a great view! .....
We had such a fantastic time at the property and we really hope to be back soon and make it a regular holiday destination.
--Nick & Yona - London, England
Sandi, Thank you so much for all of the hospitality at Hale Moana. The wine, coffee, and beach provisions were much appreciated. While the list of suggested restaurants was appreciated, we particularly enjoyed eating our dinners by sunset at our favorite table here overlooking the ocean. Our boys, 10 and 14, loved the location on the North Shore. We snorkeled at Shark's Cove, jumped off the rock of Waimea Bay (monk seal spotting!) and took paddleboards up the river in Haleiwa (Uncle Brian's tour was great. Mark was an awesome guide. LOTS of sea turtles!) We also ventured off the North Shore to snorkel at Hanauma Bay (free if you arrive by 7), hiked Diamond Head (HOT!), ate THE BEST Acai bowls at Diamond Head Cove Health Bar, and hiked to Maunawili Falls (VERY muddy trail). Boys loved jumping off waterfall into the pool of water. Saw some CRAZY jumpers jump from the ledge! Thanks to those who recommended Ted's Bakery and the chocolate haupia cream pie. Delicious! Hale Moana is wonderful, and we hope to return soon. Mahalo.
--Chris, Laura, Owen & Andrew - King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
June
We have stayed in a lot of vacation homes over the years but this one was amazing. We loved sitting by the sea wall & watching the ocean. The crashing waves lulled us to sleep every night. It was wonderful to watch our children race down the sand getting sun in their hair & we loved snorkeling to try to catch a glimpse of the humu humu nuku nuku apua'a. The house had everything we needed & more. We used the chairs, towels, sand toys and boogie boards daily. A very thoughtful home. If it wasn't so far away from our home in North Carolina we would come to this house every summer. As it is, we hope to be back someday. Oahu is one of the most beautiful places we've ever visited. Thank you for making our stay a trip we will remember forever! Mahalo
--Rebecca, Joel, Caden & Madeleine - Clyde, North Carolina
Amazing home, beautiful view, and so, so relaxing! Thank you for opening your home to us... memories made to last a lifetime. The four of us wish we could stay longer!
--Richard, Jodi, Spencer & Lydia - Eugene, Oregon
Sandi, our family enjoyed the beautiful place and your special home. We couldn't have picked a better place. We always go to Kauai. First year on Oahu, the North Shore, and now kids want to come back here. Thank you for sharing your home so all of us can feel the Hawaiian spirit for a short time and carry it home in our hearts. We will be coming again. Mahalo.
--Vicki & Norm - Descanso, California
May
This is by far one of my most memorable Hawaii trips. I loved waking up to the sounds of the surf and falling asleep to them as my lullabye. We saw plenty of turtles, unfortunately we missed the whales... next time! My husband spent (almost) every waking moment fishing... we all did what we loved and relaxed! Best trip home - eva!
--Kristin and Joseph - Spanaway, Washington
Rory and I had a blast. we bought a pole and fished. Loved walking up and down the beach with our amakua, Honu, following us the entire 45 min. walk. The view was spectacular. We loved watching the 100's of honus. Turtles are the sweetest. We shall return. Thank you for the Aloha. Mahalo Nui Loa...
--Brenda & Rory - Tacoma, Washington
After living here for over 20 years it's nice to come and visit at and with a home with so much aloha spirit. We loved this place from beginning 'til end. All the amenities and coffee, everything is perfect. All the friendly reminder notes are worth their weight in gold. We will be back and not soon enough! It was so nice to meet both Sandi and Glenn in person. It was a real treat when we had a small problem and they both rushed up to the rescue. So much aloha. 'Til next time, aloha oe.
--Mark, Arika & Yoko - Tokyo, Japan
April
Sandi, we had a great time! I really enjoyed getting up each morning to the ocean view. Patty, Rana & Paul used the beach everyday. We started with a rainbow :) and ended with sunshine. Thanks again.
--Mike, Patty, Rana & Paul - Amargosa, Nevada
We really enjoyed your beautiful beachhouse! We had a really wonderful and relaxing stay at Hale Moana. The beach is perfect and the view from the living room is spectacular & falling asleep to the sounds of the waves of the ocean couldn't have been better. Waking up to the steps of the ocean was more than perfect! We appreciate all that you have done to help us enjoy this mini-vacation! The coffee and wine were also a great plus! We hope to be able to rent this vacation home again in the future! Mahalo nui loa, A hui hou!
--Jennifer and Sonny - Mililani, Hawaii
Aloha Sandi. Mahalo so much for thinking of all the details! Your beautiful beachhouse has everything anyone would need. The view is amazing! We saw whales & sea turtles! We enjoyed snokeling & saw beautiful fish. Watching the surfers was awesome. It was so relaxing & fun! We range in age from 77 to 5 years old & we all had a spectacular time! Mahalo!
--Chris, Kathy & Kingston - Seattle, Washington
--Ron & Kay - Pierre, South Dakota
March
Thank you guys so much for sharing your little piece of heaven with us! Our family had such an amazing time! We saw some turtles, an eel, and even a monk seal came to get some sun on the shore! It was so much fun watching the surfers ride some waves too. We are so blessed to be able to have spent some time here but it was way too short! Thank you so much again from the bottom of our hearts. This was truly paradise! Mahalo!
--Tim, Angela, Sydney, Ashlyn, and Blake - Indianapolis, Indiana
Our family had a wonderful relaxing stay at Hale Moana! Felt like a home away from home with the added bonus of a spectacular view. :) Our kids loved being able to jump into the waves, run on the beach and chill in the back yard. Waimea is very quaint and hip- We loved seeing all the surfers, locals and people who live here on Oahu. It is a place of Beauty!! We explored the island each day and found many gems to be hold - we loved Lanikai and Hanauma Bay - As we ventured into Honolulu, we all agreed that being out of the hustle and bustle was a blessing which allowed for us to really relax and take it all in. Thank you!! Best Regards. Mahalo
--Paul, Kelli, Matt & Ally - Minneapolis, Minnesota
The past 10 days have been absolute HEAVEN! We’ve seen many turtles, whales & surfers from the living room (Also dolphins :) We used to live in Hau’ula and hadn’t been back for 19 years. We wanted to see, hear & smell the ocean - Hale Moana was PERFECT!The house was equipped with everything we needed - towels, linens, beach gear - everything was so well thought out. Every morning we went for a walk on the beach. Our teenage girls always found treasures. The surf is mesmerizing - hard to leave and do anything else! The location of Hale Moana is excellent. We were within 10 min. of Haleiwa, Sunset Beach, Shark’s Cove & Waimea Bay. We made this visit with 3 generations - Grandparents, my husband and & I and our children. It was the trip of a lifetime made incredible by our stay at Hale Moana. Thanks, Sandi!!
--Chad, Jill, Maya & Keely; Ron & Kathy - Foley & Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Sandi - So grateful for such a gorgeous location to celebrate my retirement. Thank you for sharing your home with us. We loved waking up to the morning sounds of waves and birds too, watching the turtles, and swimming in the little cove. We toured the whole island and so loved coming back here to rest, relax and watch the beautiful sunsets. So much to see...but hard to leave such a lovely setting.
We enjoyed burritos at Konos, fish at Grass Skirt, breakfast at Cafe Haleiwa, VJ’s Butcher Shop for Molokai beef, all the food trucks for the boys, Ted’s Bakery, and Uncle Bobo’s (which is North of here, a bit of a drive, but great food & unique coleslaw). Mahalo! Tip: Make sure to explore all the way around the island...but North Shore was definitely our paradise. Mahalo!
--Gary, Sue & Mike - Plain City, Ohio
February
Sandi, thank you for being such a gracious hostess with the coffee & wine. Can’t brag about your home without putting the view at the top of the list of our favorite things! We had beautiful weather for beach walks & had a turtle on the sand twice to the left by the big rock formation. Had one whale tail performance near the horizon. Enjoyed Godfather pizza at Bob’s, malasadas at Ted’s Bakery & coconut shrimp at Camaron’s food truck. Hope to make it to “Lost Beach” on our way out of town for more turtle sightings. So appreciate your sharing your slice of paradise with us!
--Julie, Jack and Chad - Saratoga, California
We came here for a work vacation and could not have found a better place to call home here in Hawaii.
This home is absolutely beautiful and well equipped. We loved being able to wake up to that amazing view and take a few simple steps to the beach. This is truly paradise! Thank you so much for having us, we never want to leave and hope to come back again soon! Mahalo! Until we meet again.
--Illest/Fatlace Crew - Burlingame, California
What a beautiful spot! We drove all over the island and found no better view than right here! We had great waves & lots of surfers and SUP’s to watch! Snorkeled in the little cove - tons of fish! Whales spouting in the distance! True Paradise! Thank you for Sharing!
--Marty, Aggie and Mia - Amelia Island, Florida
January
A week at Hale Moana was not enough! It left us wanting more, which is a test of the perfect vacation spot. We tried to follow others’ recommendations and agree with their “thumbs up” (Jamison’s Seafood - ahi tuna, ulua, lobster; Ted’s Bakery - Chocolate Haupia cream pie, coconut turnovers, & their croissants are great for sandwiches at the house; Macky’s Shrimp Truck; Matsumoto’s Hawaiian shave ice with condensed milk & ice cream). However, the best part of the vacation is right here at Hale Moana... the beautiful view (sunrises, sunsets, waves, whale’s tails flipping in the distance, surfers all along the beach and yes, finally - a turtle!), walking the beach and finding the tiniest perfect seashells, waking up & falling asleep to the sound of the surf... and being able to take it all in from a front row seat in your backyard. It doesn’t get any better than this. We were lucky enough to be here during the huge surf & “The Eddie” and it was quite something to experience & see the magnificent waves. Thank you, Sandra, for allowing us to share a piece of your beautiful paradise. Your hospitality is generous and appreciated. Until next time! :)
--Steve & Melinda, Clara & Robin - Kansas City, Missouri
Once again we find ourselves sad to leave Hale Moana (aka Our home away from home). The 12 month countdown begins again! We have spent enough time here and Karsten has surfed so much of epic waves here that we feel like locals when we are here! The gorgeous sunsets over Kaena Point would be enough to keep us coming back but what makes it perfect is this lovely home with all of the comforts, the grassy yard for morning coffee and outdoor dinners (we suggest Macky’s Shrimp) and being able to sit and watch Karsten surf in perfect waves in our little private spot! Mahalo!
--Colleen & Karsten - Aliso Viejo, California
p.s. HUGE Surf expected on 1/21! If you are here check for “The Eddie” to happen!
Absolutely marvelous! The house was exactly as described. Beautiful view, so relaxing. We celebrated Christmas here with our son, who lives on the island. It was a perfect staycation for him and vacation for us. We will be back!
--Diana & Jim - Palm Desert, California
Short time here but so good. Slept late, walked on the beach. Got oh - so wet. Loved it. The house is wonderful. Loved all the instructions that made access so simple. Everything we needed in kitchen. Beach towels, local information. House neat, clean comfortable. House keeper Linda, very nice and helpful. Thanks for coffee and wine - we used both. We took MANY photos and made fine memories.
--Sherry - Las Cruces, New Mexico
Ditto to all Sherry’s comments - an island paradise
--Shirley
Wonderful but too short a stay here. Thanks for letting us spend a few days listening to the waves crash outside.
--Jan - Vancouver, Canada