Update: I want to acknowledge that South Kohala Management's manager, Malia, personally reviewed my case regarding the damaged bar stool and agreed to reverse the charge. While the situation was stressful at first -- being accused of damaging something that was already broken when we arrived -- I appreciate that Malia took the time to listen, review the evidence, and even verify details with one of our witnesses, who confirmed the stool's condition upon our check-in. It's unfortunate that the issue wasn't handled properly from the start, but I'm glad the management ultimately did the right thing. Thank you, Malia, for stepping in to resolve this fairly. For future guests: always document any damage immediately when you arrive -- photos can prevent misunderstandings later. read more

South Kohala Management - Broken bar stool - Vacation Rentals Near Me - Waimea, Hawaii

See all

We have used South Kohala Management company many times for our stays on the Big Island. The staff is all very informative, helpful and kind. The properties we have stayed at are just as the photos show. I highly recommend using them for your stay - especially if traveling with a family. There are options to have access to nearby hotels making it the best of both worlds. The amenities of a hotel with the convince of a house or condo - laundry, kitchen, etc. read more

After posting my original review, I received a public and private reply from the President of the company, Malia. Her private response was much more diplomatic and she seemed open to resolving the issue. On the last line of the response, Malia said she would comp the cleaning fee. This has yet to happen. I emailed Malia per her request. She then called me and we spoke for a while. She was very apologetic for the manager, Teri's terrible customer service. She also took responsibility for my lost items and agreed that her housekeeping crew did come in contact with my items and they either discarded them or put them in with the linens which was sent to the laundry company. Considering this she asked me what she could do to remedy the situation. I told her she could either produce my lost items and I would pay to have them shipped back to me, or she could reimburse me $750 which is a conservative estimate of my lost clothing. She said she would think about it and get back to me the next morning. Of course she did not. She finally replied to my email on Monday afternoon, 3 days later, with:" I thought a lot about it over the weekend and reviewed all of the information I have, the timeline of events and the statements you have made. I also received your complaint filed through the BBB. I have decided to work with the resources available to me at the BBB to guide me through the resolution process." She has not responded to my BBB complaint as of today. A week after this email she contacted Yelp and I received the following email from them: "We're writing to you because we have recently received reports about your review of South Kohala Management. Yelp is a place for sharing your experience with local businesses. It is not a platform for threatening businesses with negative reviews (or offering to remove negative reviews they've already posted) as a way to extract a payment. Please reply to this message that you have not attempted to extract a payment from this business in exchange for the posting or removal of a review. If we don't hear back from you within the next couple of days, your review may be subject to removal." NOT ONLY DID THEY DO NOTHING TO RESOLVE MY ISSUE, INCLUDING WAIVING OUR CLEANING FEE WHICH MALIA OFFERED IN WRITING, SHE TRIED TO CLAIM I WAS TRYING TO THREATEN AND EXTRACT MONEY FROM THEM. read more

See all

We were disappointed to find out at the beginning of our 2-week family vacation that the dishwasher in our unit didn't work. The repair person was unable to replace the dishwasher or obtain a replacement part so we had to wash our dishes by hand for the entire 2 weeks we were there. The icemaker was malfunctioning and also not repaired. The heating unit for the hot tub/spa was also not working for most of the 2 weeks we were on vacation at the property managed by South Kohala Management. I will never stay at one of their properties again. read more

Stay away. Stay far away. Low-rent toxic company knowingly renting derelict properties under false pretenses. A scam to bilk tourists by representing properties which appear to be in decent shape that are no longer kept in good condition. Beginning from the confirmation email, I had a feeling that this was not a well run or organized company. What an understatement. Disjointed check-in procedure which is inconveniently off-site and not staffed. Cheap, thoroughly used and damaged furnishings throughout the property. The seating in the living room was outdoor patio furniture, not indicative of the $500 nightly rate we were paying. Property was not prepared for our arrival. Staff was dismissive, at best, and combative, at worst. Had to abandon property less than a day into our stay due to the substandard conditions. 1-star is generous. Truly a miserable experience. South Kohala Management is a predatory company run without shame and conscious. Another Yelp review had a rodent infestation during their rental! Look at South Kohala's response and strongly reconsider ever doing business with them. I wish I looked up the Yelp reviews prior to booking. Do not make the same mistake. Do not rent from South Kohala Management. read more

Found a unit in Vista Waikoloa for this past March on South Kohala's website. Very reasonable in terms of service fees (unlike V--O) and the overall experience with SKM was timely, professional and efficient. We'll definitely consider renting through them again. read more

This review is intended for people who are looking for a property management company. I myself have had to hunt for a good group to manage our rental unit; experiences that pertained to actual property management practices shed the best light on my decision. I will start with the positives. We had good communication from South Kohala Management (SKM) both upon booking and the week prior to our stay. Check-in was efficient and very organized. The unit had been cleaned well (surface cleaning), and I was particularly thrilled there was a clean, wrapped sponge for dishes. The company had liquid hand soap throughout the unit (filled to the top, which means they were intentional about ensuring quantity). As well, there were garbage bags, detergent, body soap, and enough shampoo and conditioner. We booked an 18 night stay, and all these supplies were ample for the duration. However, we arrived to five rolls of toilet paper for 4 people. After not hearing back about my request for more, I bought our own, as well as a dish cloth, cleaning spray and cloths (as we needed for 18 nights). Two months before our arrival we needed to pay the remainder of the balance. However, at that time, the CDC had not yet opened America to mixed vaccine doses (we are from Canada); this meant there was a chance that my husband could physically not enter the country. SKM cited their 60 day cancellation policy to me, which would ensue despite government policy that could potentially not allow us to come. I am still astounded at the inflexibility of this company during a global pandemic and very stressful travel period, when re-renting out during the busiest season of the year would have been very reasonable. It hinted at lack of regard for the client in the quest for bottom dollar. My perception was supported throughout our stay at Waikoloa Vista. The unit itself was wonderful and well-designed, but the neglect spoke of blatant disregard for our comfort and enjoyment. Here are some examples: no initial space in kids' bedroom for unpacking, as linens filled available shelves (DC came the next day to remove, but this should not have been the situation to start) internet connection that was 1/5th the speed as ours at home - while it was "high speed", it was evident no further money was allotted for the best connection possible. It costs pennies to upgrade to the best internet; SKM advised they do not tell owners to get a high speed connection after I lost a $225 telehealth call due to poor internet (from Canada I did not have my phone plan), the suggested solution was to conduct very personal subsequent calls in the common office area non-working phone line no follow-up to internet or phone problems, even after I emailed upon our return home. I must note that DC did come to the unit after initial concerns, which was impressive. However, I emailed Saturday about unsolved or subsequent issues and did not hear back (ideal is an automated response if you are away for a few days). I spoke to A on Tuesday who promised to help, though again I heard nothing. Finally the phone company was called on Wednesday, never showed up, yet SKM would not know this as I had no follow up to ensure issues were rectified. A good property management company keeps up with cleanliness and minor repairs. On the contrary, in our unit I observed: old or mismatched kitchenware (not difficult nor expensive to have matching dinnerware and utensils) missing kitchenware items that are easy to replace (eg. 1 cup measuring cup in a set, it's $8 at Ross) negligence to maintain property (caulking, grout, literally mold in showers) cockroach, cobwebs, bird feces on every single exterior pillow no deep cleaning (dust in corners, exterior deck windows) certainly in the few low-season months before our arrival In short, stay away from this property management company. Vista Waikoloa D202 is a perfect space, but no one has bothered to do basic upkeep and I do not believe the company is pushing the owner to maintain the unit. read more

See all

I've been coming to the Big Island for 20 years and this has been the worst property management group ever. Every room dirty, hair on the floor, food on every surface. Sticky floors and unclean bathrooms. I called them multiple times and they won't answer the phone. They called me back once and were totally disrespectful and unprofessional. Ignored my emails and cared nothing about our stay or comfort. Do yourself a favor and book / stay with any other company. I would give them negative stars if I could. read more

My entire family has been coming to the Mauna Lani for the last 25-30 years. We have used South Kohala Management many times for rentals. I have never left a review before, but we have been utterly disappointed with the accommodations. We arrived to the house which is located in the newer KaMilo homes. Beautiful house, built about 3-4 years ago with private pool. Soon as we walked in, we found a big electric rodent trap next to the refrigerator. This is not ideal with an active 3 year old and 8 month old crawling around. Soon after that we discovered mice running from under the couch to behind the refrigerator. It was late and my father and I decided to buy a bunch of glue traps to set out over night. The next morning we discovered 3 mice still alive but stuck to the glue traps. We let management know and they brought over "1" trap. We kept catching 1-2 mice a night. We never left trash or food out. Managements response was "it's that time of year and there isn't much we can do about it." The house was also poorly cleaned before we arrived. Rodent droppings under the couches were disgusting. Instead of offering to have it cleaned for us, when we complained they said "that's just going to happen". So now we get to spend the vacation catching rodents and cleaning. There is other aspects of the home that need major maintenance but it's obvious nobody cares. I'm not sure if it's the management companies fault or the owner of the home but regardless we will never use South Kohala again and not recommend to any friends or family. It stinks that there's rodents but its worse when management says there is nothing they can do. How about offering to clean the unit? How about reimbursing us for time and traps we had to buy? How about getting a pest control company to come out and instead of delivering 1 trap, do their job which is to eliminate pest from getting into the home?? read more

See all

I have been using South Kohala Management annually since 2010 for our much-needed Hawaiian vacations. This year, after browsing all of the properties, we decided to rent A302 at the Mauna Lani Terrace. We were checked in at the Terrace office by Cody, who was very friendly and gave our group a few day-trip suggestions (Pololu Valley, for one, is totally worth the 30-minute drive if you want to see a crowd-free black sand beach in one of the most beautiful tropical settings I have ever seen). A302 is beautifully decorated in antique wood furniture and has a fully modern kitchen. The two bedrooms are far apart, which allows some privacy if you're on a couples trip. The unit's large patio has fantastic views of the ocean and ancient Hawaiian fish ponds, and the sunset cannot be missed! The Mauna Lani Hotel is only a short walk away, and the oceanfront park is an excellent place to walk around and enjoy the beautiful fish ponds and centuries old gazebos. If you find the Queens Bath - a natural brackish water pool that apparently looks like it is full of jewels when you open your eyes underwater - then definitely stop by and take a quick swim. Just make sure you remove all sunscreen before taking a dip as lotions and sunscreens can damage the local ecosystem. The Beach Club is a 5 minute walk away and they serve excellent food and drinks right on the beach. One thing to be aware of is that everyone (I believe) that stays at the Terrace has access to a private pool and BBQ area. I didn't realize this until a few days after I arrived. I highly recommend A302 at the Mauna Lani Terrace for anyone looking for the perfect Hawaiian vacation right near the center of the action at the Mauna Lani Resort. read more

South Kohala is one of many property management business on the island. Most of them are accommodating and work with you pretty well.... but South Kohala seems to be a little different. They seem to be more into profits and keeping their property owners happy and defending themselves rather than working with who keeps them in business......THE CUSTOMER. We've stayed with them a couple of times and in particular, the last time we stayed(14 days), we asked about a late checkout due to flight schedules. The man on the phone essentially said, "we can give you a late checkout but you have to pay for another day" and in turn I mentioned that we stayed 14 days and maybe he could charge us 1/2 or 1/4 of a day as a courtesy. He said he couldn't do that and then told me his job was to work for the property owner and they don't want to lose money. I reminded him that his staff mentioned the unit was not booked after us so we would not be bumping into someone else's schedule or making it hard on the cleaning crew to do a fast turn around. The other assistants in the office said he may work with you but they can't promise anything.....insinuating he's probably not going to budge but I could give it a try. He held to his 'rules' and has lost us. Browse the other reviews and pay attention to South Kohala's attitude reflected by the customer and even the business' response. At $440 a night, there are plenty other of places to stay on the Kohala coast who DO WORK with you. Consider other options. Be it a small operator or a large corporation, they do work with the customer...but not South Kohala. read more

I love the big island and our place was nice, but the service we received made this vacation less pleasurable than it should have been. Broken appliances, no repairs on weekends and no or slow repairs during the week, no pass key to access amenities. Huge disappointment. read more

This company has been around a long time on the Kohala Coast. Professionals with a great inventory of vacation rentals.

Stayed in a SKM property for work and it was nice but the management was awful. Upon arrival, the internet didn't work and it took 3 days for the person in the office to give guidance on resolution. Apparently this is a frequent problem as colleagues in another unit had the same issue. Also the air conditioning wasn't working upon arrival and we spent several nights sweating it out until Monday night as nobody would come out durning the weekend - or SKM wouldn't pay for a tech to come out faster, not sure but we were very warm with temps in the 80's inside the unit. Dishwasher also flooded the kitchen and was useless for the stay. Again, management was useless and basically was not concerned. On a side not, using SKM does NOT entitle you to use the shuttle service in the Mauna Lani area so makes it VERY hard to get around if you don't have a rental car. The previous renter lost the pass to the beach so we always had to get buzzed in by security who also thought it was odd that our pass wasn't replaced. I wouldn't stay in their units again. read more

We really enjoyed our stay at the Vista Waikoloa Beach Resort thanks in great part to the people at South Kohala Management! The ladies at the check in office were very friendly and accommodating. Our condo was spacious and very comfortable. The company was very responsive to our wishes and seemed to genuinely care that our stay was perfect. read more

My family has stayed at the Mauna Lani Terrace for years and we highly recommend South Kohala Management company. The reservations agents are helpful in selecting the right property and having an office on site is an awesome perk these days. It's the best of both worlds between hotel service and the privacy and space of your own condo. Nothing in Hawaii compares to the oceanfront beauty of the Terrace property. read more