On what side of the island is the condo located?  Wailua is on the East side of Kauai - the sunrise side.  We are located just south of the town of Kapaa.

How far from the airport is the condo?  We are about 7 miles or 10 minutes from Lihue Airport.  It is a straight drive - just one turn between the airport and the driveway to Wailua Bay View.

How close is the condo to the beach?  We are right above the beach.  There is a stairway beside the manager's office leading to the beach.  Since you can see the beach from the lanai, you can check out the water conditions or see if there's something or someone interesting you want to see.

How big is this apartment complex?  It is a 3 story building with 45 units, 15 units on each floor.  Big enough to feel secure, small enough to have your privacy.  Unit #210 is on the 2nd floor.

Can I receive mail at the condo, while I'm there?  Sure.  The key to your private mailbox is kept at the condo.  I'll give you the complete address before your trip.  Please leave the key for the next guests.

Will I be able to swim at the beach in front of the condo?  Sometimes the ocean is calm enough to provide excellent swimming in Wailua Bay.  Water conditions change from day to day.  For the most part, Wailua Bay has enough wave action better suited for surfing or boogie-boarding.  Lydgate Park, just a quick drive (or a short walk down the beach and a wade across the river) offers safe swimming in a man-made rock swimming area..  Swimming at any open ocean beach in Hawaii can be dangerous, so use good judgment.  See my beach list to find several beaches that nearly always offer safe swimming.

Is there maid service, or will I have to make my own bed?  The unit is clean upon your arrival.  Then you are on your own to keep it up to your standards.  There are plenty of cleaning supplies and a vacuum and broom in the unit.  You may contact our housekeeper, Josephine, to make arrangements if you need help with housework or cleaning the windows while you are there.  Upon vacating the unit, please clean up the kitchen and start the dishwasher.  Any linens (towels or sheets) left for our housekeeper to wash shouldn't be more than 2 loads worth.  Many times we have guests arriving the same day you leave.

Is there a Laundromat nearby?  You won't need one.  We have an apartment size washer and dryer right in the condo unit.  Since you're able to do laundry daily, you don't have to pack so much!

Do you offer late check out?  Our flight doesn't leave Kauai until 10:00 PM.   If your flight leaves late at night, we'd suggest that you reserve the unit for an additional day.  We quite often schedule our guests "back to back" so our housekeeper needs to get into the unit by 10AM to start getting it ready for the next guests arriving as early as 3PM.

Do I need to rent a car?  It's highly recommended that you rent a car while on Kauai.  That's the easiest way to see the sights and get to all the recreational areas.  However, if you choose not to rent a car, you can take a taxi from the airport and back again.  Transportation alternatives during your stay include walking to the grocery stores, shops, restaurants and beaches.  Many of the recreational activities (Kayaking, boating, water-skiiing, hiking) are also within walking distance.  There is also The Kaua'i Bus which serves the entire island.  Harley motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles are for rent at many places around town.  There are also shuttle vans that pick up shoppers or tour go-ers from various locations.  Those shuttles include Hilo Hattie, K-Mart, Helicopter companies, Movie location tours, and so on.

Is there a telephone in the unit?  Yes - we have a 2 phones in the unit for local calls.  The phone in the kitchen has a dataport and digital answering machine, for your convenience.  We ask that you use a calling card for long distance.

Will my wireless phone work on Kauai?  Verizon Phones work great, as the Verizon system is very good on Kauai and throughout the islands.  ATT works well too.

How about dial up connection for my laptop?  Again, Verizon works great, with dial up numbers on all islands, including Kauai.  If your ISP has a toll free number or a local phone number, great.  If not, just use a calling card to dial up to your usual number. But if your laptop has wireless capability, then you'll be able to connect to our high speed internet.  We also keep an extra wireless card there at the condo, in case you forget yours, or don't normally use one.

Do you have any suggestions for alternatives to expensive dining? Actually, there are several low cost diners in the area.   Inexpensive local food is easy to find and easy on your travel budget, like KCL Barbecue in Kapaa.  A walk or quick drive up to Foodland can score you a good fresh steak to barbecue down by the pool.  Of course there are also all the familiar fast food spots like Subway, Taco Bell and McDonalds, which offers saimin.  We even hear that the sandwiches across the street at the Shell Station Mini-Mart are pretty good.  Our kitchen is well equipped to cook some quick and easy fixings like spaghetti, stir fry, rice, or those handy ready-to-microwave meals from Safeway.  (There's enough equipment in our kitchen to cook some more elaborate meals.  I hear that our summer guest, Ed, cooks a mean pot roast.)  Check out our restaurant picks.

Are groceries very expensive over there?  Well, yes.  Groceries tend to be more expensive in Hawaii than on the Mainland.  You can expect to pay close to $5 for a gallon of milk. Yikes! Non-perishables are a bit more reasonably priced.  For those on a shoestring budget, there is a Cost-U-Less in Kapaa, which is like a Costco, and has many of the same items priced very reasonably.  You don't even need a membership card to shop at Cost-U-Less.  Bring your Safeway card or get a Foodland Maika'i Card for discounts at those stores.  Another idea is to take advantage of the weekly Sunshine Farmer's Markets which offer fresh, locally grown produce.  It's a great way to see some exotic fruits and vegies brought to you by the local farmers.

What kinds of cookware, bakeware and utensils do you have in your kitchen?  We've got pretty much everything you'll need to make most receipes.  There's a new set of silverstone pots and pans, mixing bowls, mixer, blender, toaster, microwave oven, full size oven, full size refrigerator, pretty much everything you'd need to cook all your meals indoors.  We even supply barbecue tongs if you decide to barbecue on the grills located at the pool.

What beats a picnic lunch atop Sleeping Giant or at the end of the Hanalei Pier?  Nothing!

Is there any night life on Kauai?  Not as much as on the other islands, but if you ask Fred, our manager, he might be able to steer you toward the more "happening" places on Kauai.  Things change from year to year, but in the past, we've had enjoyable evenings Tradewinds in the Marketplace dancing to 60's rock and blues.  It was fun.  There are also nightspots in the area hotels and lounges.

What is the etiquette for driving the one lane bridges of Hanalei?  Just remember these unwritten rules:  1) Always stop first.  2) Wait until all cars coming the other direction finish crossing.  3)  Then you go, as well as any cars that are in line when you begin.  * There is a 15 ton weight limit, so if there is a big truck in front of you, let it go by itself across the bridge, or you'll both go in the drink!

Do you take credit cards as payment for rent?  I'd like to earn frequent flyer miles.  Yes!  We can now take Visa and Mastercard payments through PayPal.  If you're already a member of PayPal, you know how easy it is to use.  It is the quickest way to get your payment to us.  Great for last minute plans.  Plus, you don't need to worry that your check will get lost in the mail.  If you choose to pay by check, we do wait for the check to clear before mailing you a receipt and the combination to our KeyBox.  If you have a confirmed reservation with us and would like to make a payment for the security deposit or your rent in full, from your credit card or checking account, simply click the button below to pay via PayPal.

If you have a question about the condo or Kauai in general, feel free to e-mail me:  Julie Wirtz