Exotic Estates - Hawaii Vacation Rentals — Local services in Maui

Our Exotic Estate experience was SO disappointing. I would never recommend using them.

We rented Heaven Resort in Kauai for the week of Christmas 2015. The rental process was very smooth and the agent we worked with was great. We used the concierge to set up many events while we were there. She was very helpful and the things she set up for us were wonderful. The house itself is in a beautiful location in a gated neighborhood. The views from the back of the house are exquisite. The house is large and comfortable. The layout is very conducive to a large group.

Our issues began when we arrived at the house. I right away noticed that the house was not maintained in the manner I would expect for what we were paying (over $3k a night.) There were large scratches on the hardwood floors, the door to the master bedroom didn't close, the lock on the front door didn't always work, the ice maker worked intermittently, the tennis courts were not well maintained and the gazebo was inaccessible because of overgrown shrubbery. I didn't say anything to the property manager because it was all manageable. We didn't plan to use the tennis courts or the gazebo and we just went and bought ice.

However, then the front door wouldn't lock. The outdoor grill flames were not consistent. Sometimes when on high they would only go to 280 degrees. The property manager did come and check the grill, but when she was there it worked fine. As we continued to have issues throughout our stay with the grill, we had to take videos to show her it wasn't working because she didn't believe us. On Christmas Eve day the oven and stove top both stopped working. The property manager said the propane tanks needed to be switched. She explained to me via text how to do it and I did it exactly as she instructed. However, the oven and cooktop still did not work. For two days we had no oven and the outdoor grill only went as high as 280 degrees. We ended up throwing out hundreds of dollars of food we had bought for Christmas breakfast and dinner because we had no way to cook it. The property manager told me I needed to realize that we were on island time and that it was hard to get anyone out to look at it. She also told me the house was 30 years old and there were going to be issues. Finally, the day after Christmas, (day 3 of no oven/cooktop) she sent her husband to look at the gas and he determined there was a simple switch that needed to be flipped that she did not know to tell me to do. It was infuriating that if they had just come and checked on Christmas Eve (although of course it would have been inconvenient for them) we would have been able to cook.

I shared my frustrations with Exotic Estates. The head of guest relations assured me that she would get back with me after talking with the owner as I was due compensation for what happened during our stay. It has been more than 30 days since that email and despite two follow up emails on my part, I ahve never heard back from her.

We did not expect perfection. We know that things are going to go wrong in a house. However, the property manager was not helpful or provocative in getting things resolved. Exotic Estates then did not stand by their commitment. Considering the money that we spent, it is very disappointing. I will never use them again and I could never...

Beautiful Home We had a lovely 16-day stay at this property. A lot of thought has been put into its design, decoration and functionality. It was also spotless. It has a stunning view of Ka'anapali, the ocean, whales, and the island of Molokai. Pool and patio areas were also beautiful and very comfortably appointed. It was perfectly located – a few minutes south and you were in Lahina. A few north and you were in Kapalua. Property was extremely well outfitted. There was NOTHING I was looking for during our stay that I did not find. There were a few "cons." Two appliances were not functioning during our stay - the icemaker and the dishwasher. Ice was easy to buy (we were in Lahina every day), but if there had been more than two of us staying at the property (and we went out for dinner every night) the lack of a dishwasher might have been an issue. Very high-end appliances, and repairmen for them are as difficult to find on Maui as they are at home. Of note - this is the first time we were in Maui in January. While it was 80 above during the day, it would get chilly at night. The pool was FREEZING! The contract specified the cost of heating the pool was $400/day, but we've never needed to heat a pool before. We discovered that you do in January. I would imagine this would hold true from November to February, so if you are planning a stay during these months, and wish to enjoy the pool, you may want to consider heating it. As it was going to be an additional $6,000 charge for us, we elected not to, and spent our water time in the large hot tub. Of additional note, this property is in a new residential area, where all homes are on large acreage lots. It felt pretty isolated. But it was also nice and quiet. Would we stay here again? Absolutely. I would recommend the property to anyone. We also found the property manager to be very kind...

Paradise With a View. Didn't want to leave and can't wait to go back!

This beautifully designed home provided gracious accommodation for our memorable stay in paradise. We loved the layout of the entire property which includes a main house with two bedrooms, a gorgeous guest villa adjacent to the garage structure and a beautiful casita attached to the outdoor kitchen/bar area. Every guest had luxurious comfort and privacy, including in the lovely outdoor shower areas adjacent to each suite (arguably a highlight with everyone!). The views from the property are extraordinary! Perched in the hills above Lahaina, you look out from the home down to the coastline and ocean across to Lanai. We would sit with our coffee in the morning and spot whales from our lawn chairs. Perfectly mild weather day and night allowed us to spend most of our time in the tremendous exquisitely-landscaped outdoor living spaces with comfortable seating areas and a sensational pool with attached hot tub (generous even for six) from which we we would toast every picture-perfect sunset. The property is thoughtfully appointed with everything we could need to enjoy our stay; there is a calm and peace to this home - much Aloha. This villa's gourmet kitchen and fantastic outdoor grill and bar area enabled us to prepare some delicious meals and cocktails; but close proximity to Lahaina, and the generous offering of fabulous local restaurants, afforded us the opportunity to enjoy incredible dining spots. Special thanks to Caleb, our property host, who made us feel very welcome and made sure we were well looked after with everything from guidance on the features of the villa, beach and activity suggestions, and restaurant tips.

Note: Favourite hot-tub sunset cocktail was our Maui Mule: Coconut Rum, Ginger Beer and lots of...