08-19-2009, 04:01 PM
The Beach Lots' collective attitude makes me sick (by collective I'm referring to the prevailing attitude, which probably doesn't represent all owners). They are denying public access to one of the few protected areas of coastline in East Hawai'i.
All you have to do is read the Beach Lots vacation rental ads on VRBO. Over and over, you see PRIVATE, GATED, and they have the nerve to call it "Old Hawai'i" at the same time. A typical ad reads "located in a secluded, quiet, gated community in Kapoho and features its own thermally heated, crystal-clear pool fed by the ocean in the backyard." Crystal clear is the buzz phrase for so many ads - the opposite of polluted. Protected, gated, private, secure, it is selling a piece of Hawai'i where the public is kept at bay, pure and simple. In fact, the phrase "private access" appears over and over again in the ads, which proudly advertise there is no public access to the area. (which is not true, but if you read the ads you will be surprised to find there's a 4WD road in).
Take a look at the ads:
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa...ict/kapoho
"Gated" "safe" "private" is how they market themselves to differentiate themselves from Vacationland.
Not one ad warns that there are hazards to swimming in warm ponds, not a word about septic systems. All those visitors coming and paying to put their faces in the ponds on property, not realizing about the cesspool leaching. Ugh.
They really irritate me. Another thing that really bugs me is probably half the ads offer snorkeling with sea turtles as a draw. Not one of them explains that turtles are protected. They may disclose that after you give them your money and check in, I don't know, but it's just wrong to entice people with the idea of snorkeling side by side with honu when the guidelines say to keep well back from the honu.
I would love to see the gate ruled illegal.
All you have to do is read the Beach Lots vacation rental ads on VRBO. Over and over, you see PRIVATE, GATED, and they have the nerve to call it "Old Hawai'i" at the same time. A typical ad reads "located in a secluded, quiet, gated community in Kapoho and features its own thermally heated, crystal-clear pool fed by the ocean in the backyard." Crystal clear is the buzz phrase for so many ads - the opposite of polluted. Protected, gated, private, secure, it is selling a piece of Hawai'i where the public is kept at bay, pure and simple. In fact, the phrase "private access" appears over and over again in the ads, which proudly advertise there is no public access to the area. (which is not true, but if you read the ads you will be surprised to find there's a 4WD road in).
Take a look at the ads:
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa...ict/kapoho
"Gated" "safe" "private" is how they market themselves to differentiate themselves from Vacationland.
Not one ad warns that there are hazards to swimming in warm ponds, not a word about septic systems. All those visitors coming and paying to put their faces in the ponds on property, not realizing about the cesspool leaching. Ugh.
They really irritate me. Another thing that really bugs me is probably half the ads offer snorkeling with sea turtles as a draw. Not one of them explains that turtles are protected. They may disclose that after you give them your money and check in, I don't know, but it's just wrong to entice people with the idea of snorkeling side by side with honu when the guidelines say to keep well back from the honu.
I would love to see the gate ruled illegal.