Frequently Asked Questions

Our team works hard to provide responsive service to all of our guests. We inspect our properties prior to arrival to ensure that everything is in order. There may occasionally be something that was missed or a question about an appliance or how to operate one of the electronic devices in the vacation home. Most of our properties have a Guest Information Book for reference with some quick tips about how things work within the vacation home.

If there are any questions, concerns or suggestions during your stay feel free to email or call your Property Manager. If you are unable to reach your Property Manager you can reach out to the Reservations Manager that assisted you with the booking process.

While appliance repair issues are rare, they do occur from time to time. In the event that an appliance is faulty we appreciate guests notifying us as soon as possible so that we can begin working on a solution. Sometimes we are fortunate to be able to get an appliance repair technician to come out same day to address any issue that has come up. However, such technicians are often in demand throughout the islands so there may be times when it could take up to 48 hours for certain appliance issues to be remedied. We will always do everything in our power to expedite any repairs so that our guests are able to enjoy their time in Hawaii and the beautiful vacation home they have selected.

All of our properties undergo various forms of preventative maintenance to help reduce the likelihood of our guests experiencing any issues while they are in-house.

Our reservation software is setup so that each guest will receive an email containing the arrival instructions and property address after payment in full has been received for the reservation. This typically occurs approximately 90 days prior to arrival. The arrival instructions will be sent a second time approximately 7-days prior to arrival.

The arrival instructions will contain all of the information guests will need to find and access the property, as well as important information like WiFi access instructions and other important information about the property.

All transient rental accommodations in the State of Hawaii are required to charge the 9.25% Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) and the General Excise Tax (GET). The GE Tax is 4.712% for vacation homes on the island of Hawaii and 4.167% for properties on any of the outer islands. A ‘transient’ rental is any rental contract for less than six months. If a property is rented for six months or longer then the TA Tax would not be applicable, only the GE Tax.

In addition to taxes other reservations fees could include: cleaning fees, damage protection insurance, resort fees, amenity fees, parking fees, credit card surcharge fees, reservation change fees and so on. Required fees will vary by property and all associated fees will be clearly displayed during the reservation process, whether online or on the Rental Agreement. Note that some properties may require parking and other resort fees to be paid by the guest at the time of check-in. Such fees will be described in the listing descriptions and arrival instructions.

Guests should ask their Reservations Manager any other questions they may have about taxes and fees.

Our vacation homes are competitively priced and many of them book up months in advance. There are often multiple groups inquiring for the same date ranges and the vacation home will be booked on a first come first serve basis to whomever is first willing to secure the rental and provide the reservation deposit. As a result, our general policy is not to offer discounts on any of our rentals. From time to time there may be special offers given on some vacation homes or discounted pricing published during slower travel seasons. Last minute discounts may be a possibility from time to time, but will vary by property. Typically if any discounts or specials are available we will publicize them within the online listings for our properties.

Our guests love to share stories about what made their Hawaii vacation villa experience so extraordinary. Feedback about the most important benefits of a vacation villa rather than a traditional hotel range from the ability to spend more time with family and friends under one roof to having the freedom to prepare a meal together, to the privacy of having your own space.

While the reasons vary broadly, most of guests would agree that our luxury vacation villas are designed to provide all of the comforts of home so you feel like you are coming “home” to your own “vacation home” rather than to a simple hotel room. We enjoy working with guests that are booking a vacation villa for the first time as we know that once they experience vacation home living they will likely not go back to staying at hotels. Experience the difference and enjoy all that beautiful Hawaii has to offer while visiting our beautiful islands!

Access instructions will vary by property, but all guests will receive a detailed email with Arrival Instructions for the vacation villa that was reserved. These instructions are sent after the reservation has been paid full. Most commonly, one of our Property Managers or Guest Greeters will meet you at the property, provide you with access, give you the necessary keys or access cards, give you a brief orientation and review of the vacation villa, make sure you are familiar with how everything works and make sure your questions are answered. In some cases guests may be provided with a lockbox or door code in their Arrival Instructions, along with directions about how to find and access the property.

All of our vacation homes are professionally cleaned before and after each guest. Your reservation pricing will include the cost for the departure cleaning. Guests that are staying for an extended period of time may require one or more mid-stay cleaning services. The frequency of mid-stay cleanings will vary by property and guest preference. If you prefer to have additional cleanings scheduled during your stay then it should be discussed in advance with your Reservations Manager so that all of the details can be arranged and the cleanings properly scheduled. Our Property Managers inspect each cleaning in an effort to ensure that our vacation homes are properly prepared for the arriving guests.

Our vacation villas tend to be fully equipped with everything that you would need if this was your second vacation home. From cooking utensils to hair dryers to electronics and wireless internet, Elite’s vacation homes are well outfitted and designed with your comfort and convenience in mind. You can ask your Reservations Manager should you have any particular questions about what may or may not be included in the vacation villa. Our Concierge team can also make arrangements should you need anything else in place prior to your arrival or if you wanted to book an activity, attraction or special event.

Hawaii is known for its year-round warm, tropical weather. Cooled by the gentle breezes of the Pacific Ocean, the climate of these islands is mostly sunny and pleasant throughout the year. The average ocean temperature is in the mid to high 70’s.

Generally speaking, there are two seasons in Hawaii:

• From November through April the climate is cooler, although daily high temperatures can still reach around 81°F with lows of 65°F at night. The weather tends to be more humid during these months with short tropical rains between mostly sunny days.
• From June through October the climate is warmer and drier with slightly higher temperatures of around 84°F and lows of 70°F during the evening.

Weather varies by island and area. Search Hawaii forecasts and weather history here.

Contrary to popular belief, surfing is NOT Hawaii’s state sport. Outrigger canoe paddling is a cultural treasure of historic significance in the Hawaiian Islands, and it has been designated the state’s official team sport.

The yellow hibiscus is Hawaii’s state flower. Most commonly grown as ornamental plants in the Hawaiian Islands are the Chinese hibiscus and its numerous hybrids, though there are seven hibiscus varieties to be found throughout the islands.

It is the Hawaiian Trigger Fish, but that’s less fun to say than the Hawaiian name – Humuhumunukunukuapua’a – which translates roughly to “fish with a snout like a pig.”

The locals call it humumhumu for short, but don’t expect to see it on any menus as it is not highly valued as a food fish by today’s tastes, although it is edible and was recognized as such by early Hawaiians.

The State of Hawaii has an area of 10,931 square miles ( 28,311 km2 ). Most people do not realize that the State comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles (2,400 km). The eight main islands are, in order from northwest to southeast: Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui and the Island of Hawaiʻi, otherwise known as the Big Island.