Short Term Rental
Management

Surge offers local full service vacation rental management for busy vacation rental owners and Airbnb hosts in Keanae, Hawaii

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Keanae, Hawaii Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Keanae, Hawaii presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its unique positioning along the renowned Road to Hana, where limited accommodation options create significant pricing power for property owners. This remote coastal village commands premium nightly rates averaging $300-450 due to its authentic Hawaiian cultural experience and strategic location as an overnight stop for travelers seeking to avoid the grueling same-day Hana journey, resulting in occupancy rates consistently exceeding 75% during peak seasons. The area's restricted development due to Hawaiian Homes Commission land designations artificially constrains supply while demand continues growing from mainland visitors seeking authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences, enabling property owners to achieve annual gross revenues of $80,000-120,000 per unit. Keanae's isolation from major hotel chains and resort developments positions short-term rental properties as the primary accommodation option, allowing owners to capture premium pricing while benefiting from the location's inherent scarcity value and the growing trend toward experiential travel that prioritizes cultural immersion over traditional resort amenities.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Keanae, Hawaii are governed by a complex web of county, state, and local zoning laws that are constantly evolving, with Maui County implementing increasingly strict permitting requirements, tax obligations, and operational restrictions that can result in hefty fines, legal action, and forced closure of non-compliant properties. The intricate licensing process involves multiple agencies, detailed applications, neighbor notifications, and ongoing compliance monitoring, while tax responsibilities include GET, TAT, and property tax implications that can quickly become overwhelming for individual property owners to navigate alone. However, when you partner with a professional short-term rental management service, you can rest assured that all licensing requirements, permit renewals, tax filings, and legal compliance matters are handled expertly on your behalf, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of your investment property without the stress and risk of inadvertent violations that could jeopardize your rental income and property ownership.
Occupancy Rates
Keanae, Hawaii experiences distinct seasonal patterns with peak occupancy rates typically occurring during winter months (December through March) when mainland visitors escape cold weather, and summer months (June through August) coinciding with family vacation periods, often achieving 80-90% occupancy during these high-demand windows. The shoulder seasons of April-May and September-November generally see occupancy rates drop to 60-70% as tourist volume decreases and competition intensifies among vacation rental properties. Professional revenue management becomes crucial during these fluctuations, requiring sophisticated dynamic pricing strategies that adjust rates based on local demand patterns, competitor pricing, and booking lead times to maximize revenue per available night. Effective revenue management in Keanae must account for the area's unique position along the Road to Hana, where demand can spike unexpectedly due to weather conditions affecting accessibility, making real-time pricing adjustments essential to capture revenue opportunities while maintaining competitive occupancy rates during slower periods through strategic rate reductions and targeted marketing to specific traveler segments.
Vacation Rental Management
Managing a vacation rental in Keanae, Hawaii presents unique operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm self-managing owners and jeopardize their investment returns. The remote location along the winding Road to Hana means guest turnover becomes a logistical nightmare, requiring precise coordination of cleaning crews who must navigate treacherous roads and unpredictable weather conditions, often resulting in delayed check-ins and frustrated guests when timing goes awry. The 24/7 communication demands are particularly brutal given Hawaii's significant time zone differences with mainland guests, forcing owners to field emergency calls about everything from power outages during tropical storms to guests locked out at midnight, while trying to maintain their own work-life balance. Maintenance issues in Keanae are exponentially more complex due to the area's isolation, high humidity, salt air corrosion, and limited contractor availability, meaning a simple plumbing problem can escalate into days-long guest relocations and thousands in lost revenue when parts must be shipped from Kahului and weather delays repairs. Without professional property management handling these intricate moving parts, even minor operational hiccups cascade into negative reviews that devastate search rankings and booking rates in Hawaii's oversaturated vacation rental market, ultimately transforming what should be passive income into a high-stress, profit-draining endeavor that demands constant attention and local expertise to maintain the 5-star standards today's discerning travelers expect.
Attractions and Amenities
Keanae Peninsula's primary attractions include the iconic Keanae Lookout offering panoramic views of the dramatic coastline and taro fields, the historic Keanae Congregational Church built from coral and lava rock, the traditional Hawaiian taro farms that showcase authentic Polynesian agriculture, and the rugged black sand beaches perfect for tide pooling and photography. To maximize revenue from guests visiting these specific sites, properties must provide early morning coffee service and grab-and-go breakfast options since the best lighting for photography at the lookout occurs at sunrise, waterproof gear storage and drying areas for visitors exploring the wet taro fields and rocky coastlines, high-quality outdoor shower facilities to rinse off salt and sand from beach exploration, comfortable seating areas with charging stations where guests can review and edit the hundreds of photos they'll capture at these scenic locations, and detailed local maps with insider tips about optimal viewing times and hidden access points that only locals know. Additionally, properties should offer reef-safe sunscreen, first aid supplies for minor cuts from lava rock, and flexible check-in/check-out times to accommodate the remote location's distance from other Maui destinations, as guests often arrive late after navigating the winding Hana Highway and prefer to stay longer to fully experience this authentic slice of old Hawaii.

Why choose Surge?

Surge is local Airbnb management that’s reliable, affordable and the best for your property.
Cost
Guest communications
Host Communications
Insurance
Contract
Cost
Starting at 15% fee
Guest communications
Guest response within 10 minutes, 24 hours a day
Host Communications
Designated host call in phone line
Insurance
Full damage protection for every reservation
Contract
No annual agreements
Other Property Mangers
Cost
25-40% fee
Guest communications
Sporadic guest communications
Host Communications
Bot response assistants
Insurance
Unreliable insurance coverage
Contract
Contract lock-ins

Understand Your STR Income

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Surge is geared towards maximizing potential

Be at ease with the knowledge that your vacation rental is being optimized to its fullest potential.
30%
In gross revenue
150 M
Potential guests
4.9
Superhost status
7+
Booking platforms
1
Property manager
The house was great. It accommodated our large group nicely. The owner was responsive and checked in on us throughout the trip. The gate around the home added privacy and security. The beds were comfortable as well. Extra linen, towels and washcloths. We are looking to book this home in the future!
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
We really appreciated Surge. He was responsive, attentive, and went above to make sure our stay was seamless. You can tell he takes pride in providing a clean/organized place. Everyone loved the pool table and shuffleboard. This place is also very close to great restaurants. The place we went to had the best catfish. Would definitely rent from Surge again!!
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
Our group really enjoyed our long weekend stay here! The property was very clean and spacious but also provided some privacy to accommodate our large family. Surge was responsive when we reached out to them and also accommodated an early check-in. We felt secure given that the property was gated and had smart locks on both entry doors. We strongly recommend this property and would love to stay here again!
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
My family and I were here for my daughter’s graduation from UofH. Surge was very upfront, kept us informed and accommodating. The place was clean and fit my entire family comfortably. We have already made plans to come back. Great location, private and safe environment. Would highly recommend! Thank you Surge for making this stay memorable and stress free for our family!
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
Great stay that accommodated all our needs for a successful for trip to Houston, i hope to Book in the coming future.
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
The host was great, he responded quickly when needed and checked in on us from time to time throughout the whole day. He was awesome and the place was great for my family of 16. Definitely will book with him in the future.
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about the product and billing.
Does Surge Property Management allow pets in its short term rentals?
Surge Property Management leaves that decision to the property owner. While allowing pets can be a big perk for some guests, Surge does not have any requirements for the property owner to allow it. Service animals are a different case. Surge is prohibited to refuse a reservation, charge pet fees, hold guests to different rules, apply differential treatment or use discriminatory language if a guest is accompanied by a service animal. A guests service animal must not be out of control, un-housebroken, left alone at the listing without prior approval, allowed into areas that are considered unauthorized by the guest and allowed in a public space without being harnessed, leashed, or tethered and not under the guests control.
Do I get access to an owner portal?
Surge Property Management has a tech leading owner portal to keep its property owners in the loop, instead of on the outside looking in. In the owner portal you can reserve days for personal use, see pending reservations, nightly pricing rates, owner statements, expense receipts, guest messaging and more!
Do you screen the guests that are staying in my property?
Our intelligent Guest Screening technology allows us to screen vacation rental guests before they enter your property, making it easier to keep bad guests out. We proactively assess the risk posed by each guest, through legal, non-discriminatory checks. Guests will be asked to submit some personal details including their name, date of birth, physical home address and contact details. We then verify by having the guest take a live selfie and submit a photo of their ID(either a drivers license or passport). This information will then be processed to determine the true identity of your guest, including whether the ID is fraudulent and if the provided details match those on the ID. This process will generate a risk report for us to review before the guest arrives.
Do you provide insurance for guest damages?
We partner with the premier provider of short term rental protection also offering guest screening and comprehensive insurance coverage. Our partner brings confidence and peace of mind to both Surge Property Management and its clients(homeowners). Our third party partner has protected over 60 billion in homeowner liability coverage and 1 million guest nights. Ask your Surge sales representative for more details.
What happens if there is guest damage to my property?
Each guest is required to make a $500 security deposit. Any damage above $500 we are able to document, submit, and follow a claim through on your behalf with our short term rental insurance partner covering up to $5,000,000.
How does Surge compare to a national provider like Vacasa?
While both Surge and Vacasa both have a full service model designed to be hands off from the property owner, Surge stands out above the rest by being more intentional and selective with the properties we decide to accept into our management portfolio. This allows us to give the required attention to the properties we manage instead of just "setting it and forgetting it" like the other property managers do. Once you go onboard with them you just become another number.
Does Surge handle the maintenance of the vacation rental?
Yes, Surge is able to handle any property maintenance(including hot tub & pool) for your property. We have a large network of service providers, additionally, if you have a preferred vendor we can assign and coordinate maintenance with them as well.
What services does Surge Property Management offer?

Surge is a full-service property manager and provides the following service to property owners:

  • Listing creating and management across multiple channels
  • Calendar management
  • Cleaning
  • Laundry
  • Restocking
  • Maintenance
  • Dynamic Pricing
  • Lock automation
  • Guest Portal
  • Owners Portal
  • Listing optimization
  • Photography
  • 24/7 guest communication
  • Check-in/out support
  • and more!
Is Surge Property Management a Superhost on Airbnb?
Yes, Surge Property Management is a Superhost on AirBNB. Airbnb defines a Superhost as a Host who goes above and beyond to provide excellent hospitality. Guests can easily identify a Superhost from the badge that appears on their Airbnb listing and profile. Superhosts have more visibility and earning potential.
How and when do I get paid?
Surge Property Management initiates ACH payment to its property owners once a month by the 10th day of the next month. Along with the ACH deposit sent to you, you also receive a highly detailed statement for review.
Are there any hidden fees?
Surge Property Management has the most transparent pricing in the industry. Our property owners are our Partners in business which is why we hold transparency at a very high standard. With your monthly statements you will be able to trace every dollar from when the guest paid for their reservation to when it was deposited into your bank account. Contact your Surge sales rep for a personal walk through of our statement structure.
Can I still use my property?
Yes of course. The biggest perk of a vacation rental is still retaining personal use of the property for your personal use. Inside of our Owner’s Portal you can reserve days for personal use.
How do you market my property?

We list your property on the major platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Google Vacation rentals and more! We also allow direct bookings very popular among returning guests. Our integration technology is second to none and was awarded the following:

  • Airbnb Preferred + Software Partner
  • VRBO Elite Partner
  • Booking.com Premier Connectivity Partner
How do you handle complaints or disputes?
We aim to resolve issues quickly and fairly, protecting both the guests and the property owner’s interests. We mediate disputes and ensure a smooth resolution process.
How do I get started with your service?
Contact us to schedule a consultation. We'll discuss your property, our services, and how we can help you achieve your rental goals.
How do you handle waste management?
We coordinate with local services to ensure proper waste disposal and recycling, maintaining cleanliness and environmental responsibility.
What safety measures do you implement?
We ensure the property has functional smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and complies with all local safety regulations.
What does Surge’s full service property management mean?
Surge's comprehensive property management service allows property owners to be completely hands-off with the daily operations of their Airbnb properties. Surge takes care of all the daily tasks, including listings, guest interactions, cleanings, restocking, and maintenance, ensuring a stress-free experience for the property owner.

Still have questions?

Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Please chat to our friendly team.
Get in touch
(713) 853-9573