Maunaloa Shores 501

Vacation Rental Reviews

• Review by Nancy L

  Stayed 9 days in May, 2009

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  Nancy L from Hilo, Hawaii recommends this vacation rental

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• Great stay in Hilo

  Stayed 7 days in April, 2013

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  William K from Encinidas, CA recommends this vacation rental

  We have stayed at MLS Condos before but not as nice a location as 501. We enjoyed having our coffee, fresh papayas and apple bananas from the Farmers Market on the balcony each morning while enjoying the wonderful views. The condo had everything we needed and was clean. Only complaints were the blinds in the bedroom that made a lot of noise when there was any breeze (which was most of the time) and the reclining chair with the big hole in the upholstry which took away from the ambiance of the place.

  • Manager Responded on 4/23/2013

    Thank you for your review! We'll share the maintenance concerns with the Owner. The blinds certainly need replacement. Mahalo, Hawaii Holiday Management

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• Next door to an ocean park

  Stayed 3 days in July, 2011

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  a guest from Cedar Rapids, IA recommends this vacation rental

  The kitchen was well stocked with pots and pans and some staples. We cooked several meals and the dishwasher was a plus. The couch had an ill-fitting slip cover, but was comfortable. Wonderful location.

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• Very nice and peaceful.

  Stayed 5 days in May, 2010

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  a guest from Mililani, HI recommends this vacation rental

  Very nice place to stay. Quiet and convenient. Major supermarkets and stores nearby, about a 15 minute drive. Carlsmith park next door is very nice place to picnic and swim but the water is pretty cold. The pool at the condo was closed for repairs while we were there, but I'm sure it will be re-opened soon. Looking forward to staying there again in the future.

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• Good Hilo Condo

  Stayed 4 days in October, 2011

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  Eric L from Gig Harbor, WA recommends this vacation rental

  Very Comfortable, good location-beach park next door excellent!

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• Review by a guest

  Stayed 5 days in November, 2008

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  a guest from Laguna Niguel, CA recommends this vacation rental

  the top of the kitchen fan and the bathroom vent were very dirty.
  Overall I was very happy and would rent it again.

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• Great place homey and comfortable

  Stayed 6 days in August, 2010

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  Naomi M recommends this vacation rental

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• Review by John B

  Stayed 28 days in March, 2009

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  John B from Sun City, AZ recommends this vacation rental

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• Another Funtastic Weekend!!

  Stayed 4 days in July, 2009

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  a guest from Mililani, HI recommends this vacation rental

  This is the second time we stayed at Mauna Loa Shores and again had a very pleasant experience. The location is convenient and my children enjoy having access to both the beach or the pool right there to choose from. When visiting Hilo again, we will be back to stay at Mauna Loa Shores.

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• Great place to stay!

  Stayed 7 days in August, 2012

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  Lori F from Houston, TX recommends this vacation rental

  501 was a nice, comfortable condo that's easily accessible to several nearby parks/beaches. The condo appears to have been recently updated and was clean. The ocean can be seen and heard from the patio or bedrooms.

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• Exceeded Expectation

  Stayed 6 days in July, 2010

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  Janice Z from Apache Junction, AZ recommends this vacation rental

  My two sisters and I were very pleased with the condition of the condo. We had concerns when we first walked up to the building since it is in need of some TLC. The elevators are old and one had smelly carpeting hanging on the walls (we assumed it was for protection from residents moving furniture). However we were pleasantly surprised when we entered the unit. It was clean and nicely furnished down to the folding chairs and beach towels for the beach. The view of the park and Hilo Bay was wonderful.
  Two suggestions for property manager: balance fan in the bedroom facing the park and PLEASE provide trash bags that fit the waste basket. The ones provided were small and constantly fell into the can.
  I would use this property again and will recommend it to others.
  

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• Maunaloa Shores 501

  Stayed 2 days in August, 2011

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  a guest from Kaleen, ACT recommends this vacation rental

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• Come back agein !

  Stayed 4 days in August, 2012

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  a guest from Chofu, Tokyo recommends this vacation rental

  4??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
  I love this room . I want to come again !
  Aloha,

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• Nice Location & Great Views

  Stayed 3 days in May, 2010

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  a guest from Vancouver, WA recommends this vacation rental

  The unit we were in was very tastefully done. It was clean and had been remodeled. The building, however, was in poor shape--i.e. the elevator is showing its age, other units in the building looked pretty grim, the pool was small and out-of-date. While the location of the condo was in a nice area, one had to travel through an industrial part of town to get there. The beach and park next to the condo were very picturesque.

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• great stay

  Stayed 5 days in August, 2012

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  a guest from Mililani, HI recommends this vacation rental

  everything as stated on the web site was there..
  Great having breakfest in the condo before heading out for a days adventure.

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• A Very Enjoyable Accommodation

  Stayed 14 days in November, 2008

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  a guest from San Francisco, CA recommends this vacation rental

  My main criticism is that the unit is over-furnished with an ugly 4-poster bed in the master bedroom and an unnecessary entertainment center in the living room. These large pieces of furniture overwhelm the limited space in the unit. Also, the DVD player did not work properly. The internet connection should be upgraded to wireless. I would have upgraded the kitchen differently if I had done the remodel, because I thought the space could have been utilized more effectively. All-in-all, I loved the apt. and location and hope to stay there again.

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• Hilo Haven

  Stayed 5 days in June, 2009

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  Ron S from Madison, WI recommends this vacation rental

  The unit was immaculate, very well and tastefully appointed, thoughtfully stocked with staples. It was very easy to live there. Location can not be more beautiful; Carlsmith Park is a joy. We'll definitely return.

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• Happy in Hilo

  Stayed 13 days in March, 2009

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  Robert & Marianne D from Sydney, NSW recommends this vacation rental

  Only one negative comment: from the picture on the Internet we expected a much larger livingroom. The area actually is very small and eating at thos overly high stools is awkward. Maybe you could change the photo to make it more realistic or give the dimensions of the unit.

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• Small but Great Location

  Stayed 3 days in January, 2013

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  a guest from Monterey, CA recommends this vacation rental

  We loved the small condo - can't beat the location. Beautiful beach in Hilo next door. Loved the ladder and railing into the ocean. Condo was small for four adults but owners obviously tried. Little things need fixing (just like home!)

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• Hilo Vacation

  Stayed 6 days in January, 2013

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  a guest recommends this vacation rental

  The ease of "check-in & -out" is great.

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• Very satisfactory, newly remodeled, good location. Pool very cold....perhaps just filled and in shady side of building. Swimmling with turtles in adjacent park was a real plus!

  Stayed 5 days in January, 2009

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  a guest from Homer, AK recommends this vacation rental

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• Unit 501 July 15-18

  Stayed 3 days in July, 2009

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  a guest from Germantown Hills, Il recommends this vacation rental

  Great location in terms of being close to the airport, Hilo and other sights. The unit itself was wonderfull although A/C would have been nice on the evenings it rained. The newly remodeled kitchen was great and had everything we needed. One recommendation is to replace the screen door to the deck. It doesn't close completely and when left that way we had ants visit us over night. The complex was clean but could use some maintainance and a fresh coat of paint.

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• Our experience at 501

  Stayed 5 days in May, 2011

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  a guest from Battle Ground, WA recommends this vacation rental

  The Pros:
  Great location in Keaukaha
  Nice private end unit
  2 br condo for $100 is the best value in Hawai‘i
  Assigned parking
  Laundry on the same floor
  Fully (over)stocked kitchen, although I was surprised when I couldn't find a whisk, seemed like there was everything else there! :-)
  Fast internet with modem in room so I could hook up my own Wireless was a very nice surprise.
  There is a very nice mountain view from the second bedroom, and while the views in the other rooms are mostly obstructed by trees on the property, it was still nice and you get "peek a boo" glimpses of the water..
  
  
  The Cons:
  The couch was very uncomfortable for us(it "aggravated" our backs). In addition to it not being comfortable, there is a cover over the cushions(because the cushions are ratty and falling apart.) The way the cover bunches up around you is annoying.
  The shower curtain is mounted crooked, The side that is near the head is only about 2 feet from the wall, making things very cramped.
  Only 2 towels? There is a laundry, but 2 towels a day is not enough for 2 people on a Hawai‘ian vacation by the beach.
  I could be mistaken, but the bed in the second room seemed like a Full and not Queen. We both didn't fit in it as well as the one in the master...
  The Kitchen, while beautifully remodeled and very well stocked, is a functional nightmare. There is no workspace near the stove, you can't even really stand directly in front of what you are cooking because you are cramped in on both sides by the fridge and stove. It was hard to cook in and forget more than one person in there.
  
  We were overall satisfied with the value, and plan on staying at Mauna Loa Shores whenever we go to Big Island, however we will not be renting unit 501 again.
  
  Thanks, we had a great time there!
  

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• Hilo visit

  Stayed 7 days in December, 2012

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  a guest from Snohomish, WA recommends this vacation rental

  The condo was great and the location next to the beach was fabulous. I particularly liked that the condo was located at the corner end of the high rise because then we had windows on two sides of the condo and were able to get a great cross draft to cool down as the property only had fans. It also had a locking screen door which also helped cool things down without being wide open. None of the other apartments I saw had these. Being at the end of the building where no one walked by added to the sense of privacy rare in a high rise. On the negative side the pool was green and unusable. They did clean it at the end of our stay but we had hoped to use it daily and were disappointed that it was unavailable. Further the TV was old and there was no DVD player...only a VHS player...quite antiquated. But fortunately they did have free wifi and we were able to watch films on our iPad. I would use this property again.

  • Manager Responded on 12/14/2012

    Thanks for your review, we're glad you enjoyed the location of the condo! we're so sorry to hear about the condition of the pool and will talk to the building management to see if there is anything we can do on our end to insure it is better maintained! Mahalo, Hawaii Holiday Management

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• It wasn't paradise, but it was pretty close!

  Stayed 3 days in July, 2009

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  a guest from Arlington, WA recommends this vacation rental

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• Fabulous locality

  Stayed 13 days in February, 2011

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  Hans B from Washington C. H., Ohio recommends this vacation rental

  But the couch-cushions where in deplorable
  conditions and the cleanliness could be a little better (behind the couch) The sealing vans are not in good working conditions.

  • Manager Responded on 2/5/2011

    Thanks for letting us know, we had the ceiling fans rebalanced yesterday and have spoken with our housekeepers about cleaning behind the couch. Mahalo, Hawaii Holiday Management

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• Review by Kenneth M

  Stayed 9 days in April, 2011

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  Kenneth M from Salt Lake City, UT recommends this vacation rental

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• Gem amongst lesser stones

  Stayed 4 days in July, 2012

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  a guest from Calgary, AB recommends this vacation rental

  Small but very clean, nicely redecorated two-bedroom condo with small lanai and an amazing view! Building is older and didn't have the nice public space to which we've become accustomed (eg., no barbeque, very stark pool area, obvious need for in-place security measures). Wonderful access to volcanoes, Hilo and Puna sights.

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• Great vacation get away

  Stayed 5 days in July, 2012

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  Lea Anne L from Orange Grove, TX recommends this vacation rental

  The condo was great. The only suggestion I have is they add a wireless router for guests to use. Internet is available through a wired router making it difficult for user of tablets & cell phones. Other than that it was great. The room is stocked with all the dishes, linens, etc, that we needed. Highly recommend.

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• Great Stay

  Stayed 4 days in June, 2012

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  a guest from MAPLE RIDGE, BC recommends this vacation rental

  We stayed for a few days and found it a pleasant place to stay. The condo complex was very peaceful and was close to a nice park. The park had a nice swimming area, but was cold. We enjoyed relaxing on the lanai and enjoy watching the birds in the trees at the park next door. The rooms were clean and the kitchen was great for cooking. The location was nice but would require a vehicle as it is about 10 minutes out of the downtown hilo area.

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• Brown-Wolanin visit

  Stayed 5 days in May, 2012

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  PHILLIP B from BETHESDA, MD recommends this vacation rental

  The bedroom window blinds need to be replaced, the are worthless. Screen door won't slide on track. Building looks tacky and old on outside, but apartment is nice inside.

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• JAC rental

  Stayed 9 days in December, 2012

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  Joint Astronomy C from Hilo, HI recommends this vacation rental

  Property was clean and in good condition, only problem was could not get access to room on first night as wrong keys had been placed in the key box and it was difficult to get a hold of someone to get correct keys. Eventually found the on site supervisor who did a great job sorting things out. Other than that a good stay.

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• I was born in Hawaii and was at the condo not on vacation but to work. The view was really nice getting up every morning looking at Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. The ocean was also nice to see. This is a nice place to stay on vacation.

  Stayed 6 days in November, 2010

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  Rodney S from Honolulu, Hawaii recommends this vacation rental

  The building outside does not look too good but the unit was convenient. The rooms was not small , the bathroom was okay and the set up of the kitchen was great.

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• I was born in Hawaii - I really enjoyed the view of Maunakaia and Maunaloa and the ocean. I can Imagine how the tourist felt when they saw the view. The set up in the kitchen was good. The bedrooms were big enough and so was the bathroom.

  Stayed 34 days in October, 2010

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  Rodney S from Honolulu, Hawaii recommends this vacation rental

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• Review by Alma A

  Stayed 4 days in July, 2011

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  Alma A from San Francisco, CA does not recommend this vacation rental.

  The place looked very old from the outside. Pool left a lot to be desired. Best part was the lagoon next door. Too far from stores or center of city.

  • Manager Responded on 8/8/2011

    Hilo is one of those sleepy old towns with very little housing right in the center of town. The Maunaloa Shores complex is about a 5 minute drive to restaurants and shops and less expensive than the hotels! Mahalo, Hawaii Holiday Management

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• It would be good if the odor in the condo will be fresher. The building look old. The man of maintenance is very helpful. We had a lot of fun in the park and down town Hilo. Thank you for everything! n ld.

  Stayed 3 days in July, 2010

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  Michel B from Montreal, QC recommends this vacation rental

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• Hilo Rental

  Stayed 5 days in September, 2012

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  James C from San Jose, CA does not recommend this vacation rental.

  The property was very clean and was very well stocked with kitchen supplies (the best of the 3 rentals we had on this trip). We checked in around 5PM. We called the property manager immediately about holes in the screens and missing vertical blind slats in both bedrooms and the living room. They had someone come out the next day to patch the screens and repair the blinds. The fans were great at helping cool the unit off at night (and helped block out street noise) and the screened security door allowed us to leave the front door open in the evening to catch the breeze but still feel secure. The unit location is next to a park/beach and close to shopping, restaurants, other beaches and Hilo airport but the neighborhood was soso. Keep in mind we don't know how it compares to other neighborhoods in Hilo and Hilo does not appear as affluent as Kona. We met several permanent residents of the building, mostly retirees, and they were very nice, as was the building manager. Two suggestions: clean the couch upolstery periodically and leave a broom and dust pan so we can sweep up after ourselves as the white tile floor shows everything. We did have to dispose of 3 to 4 small dead roaches we found in the living room over the course of our stay. Since they were dead, I assume the unit is sprayed regularly.

  • Manager Responded on 10/24/2012

    Thanks for your nice review! When you said that you would not recommend it to others did you mean this unit, the building or the area? We can work with the owners to try to fix things wrong with the unit, but we can't do much about Maunaloa Shores as a whole or Hilo in general. Hilo is "old Hawaii" and is less wealthy than some areas in Hawaii. It is a little slower-paced and less touristy. For many of us that love it, that is part of its charm. Mahalo, Hawaii Holiday Management

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