Kewalo Apartments

Tay Tay The Big Gay 7 months ago

Very charming 1960s dingbat style building in the heart of Makiki. Don’t expect anything super fancy but it’s solidly built and upkept and the neighborhood can’t be beat as far as access to urban Honolulu goes-half hour walk to downtown, ala Moana, and UH mānoa (and when it’s too hot to walk the 4 and 102 buses stop just up the block on wilder) and a 5 minute walk to the 24 hour Makiki safeway, not to mention the food options in the Makiki shopping village like L&L and peppas Korean bbq. It is an older building and maintenance issues aren’t unheard of but whenever anything popped up Randy and Ray were expedient and very polite in fixing things, the maintenance crew are awesome! One of the best parts of this building too is the building manager, Birgitta-she’s so sweet and honestly the best landlord I’ve ever had. Genuinely interested in the well being of her tenants and whenever issues arose was empathetic and had a fire burning in her to fix the problem immediately. Overall a very solid option if you’re looking for a modest, well kept studio in the heart of urban Honolulu.

Lexington Holmberg 7 months ago

I have lived at this apartment complex since August 2025, and all I can say is that it is perfect to the needs I have. Birgitta, the person who manages the property, is incredibly kind and attentive. Any time that I have has a question, she has been quick and informative to respond. Upon meeting her, she greeted me with a friendly and welcoming vibe. Being a young adult, my studio is perfect for my dog and I to have a place to call home. There is an on-site laundry room of which takes card, so no more hassle with countless quarter (can use them for the arcade now), covered parking if you have a vehicle, and friendly neighbors!!!

Savvy Andrews 7 months ago

I’ve lived at Kewalo Apartments for 11 months now, and I’ve been very satisfied with my experience. I originally signed with the leasing manager, Paula, and the current manager, Brigitta, has been incredibly helpful in many ways since she took over. The building feels safe, with a gated garage, a secured stairwell, and well-lit hallways. Rent did go up a little since I first moved in, but it’s still affordable for me as a UH student. We have had some issues with the garbage can and homeless individuals going through it, which led to discussions about the possibility of residents having to pay a trash fee if the trash doesn’t stay contained. Even though the issue isn’t caused by residents, our leasing manager is actively working on getting a lock for the trash can to prevent any extra fees for us and I really appreciate that. Overall, super safe and comfortable building to live in, five stars from me!

Meagan Woolard 4 years ago

The rent is very high for a very small space and parking, water, and electricity are all separate. There is no a/c. Any major maintenance fixes can take weeks to complete regardless if it is an emergency. You will receive notices on your door for "late fees" even if you always pay rent on time. I have received 3 in 9 months and all issues were resolved however cirrus asset management backs up their apology with the consistently used excuse that they manage several properties and sometimes there are mixups. I feel they are more concerned with filling empty apartments than keeping current tenants. The only positive is that they allow dogs of all sizes. Street parking is nearly nonexistent after 3pm and other people don't care if they hit your car trying to fit in too small of a space. There is garbage lining the street all days of the week and someone is almost always going through the dumpster so shred your mail. There are 2 washers and 4 dryers for a building of about 36 units and one washer is almost always broken. The emergency maintenance line was disconnected for months (not sure if it was ever fixed). *I have recently moved out of this place and couldn't be happier! They were going to raise my rent another $100 a month. Just an FYI pricing for this place is as follows $1395 a month for rent, $75 flat rate for water, $100 per month for a parking spot, laundry is coin operated so $1.75 to wash and $1.25 to dry (they are known raise prices and they don't give notice), electric is about $40 per month ($125 or more if you have an a/c unit), and $50 per pet per month. In total you're looking to pay $1550-1800 per month to live here. Might as well get a one bedroom in a nicer area.

Tristan 5 years ago

New management took over and seems to be on top of things. I suppose old management paid google to remove my first negative (yet honest) review but the new manager seems to have already improved things around here so updated review. You get what you pay for. Solid walls and above average appliances. Only complaint is the water having a mind of its own but don't think there is much that can be done about that. Also Spectrum is the only internet provider that gives this building service so prepare for an uphill battle with them adjusting your bills and whatnot. No car so no compliants there. Still not the greatest of areas to live in but not as bad as downtown Honolulu. Decent place to live, would recommend if you need barely affordable studio.