Hilo Hawaiin on the Big Island
 

Any comments on how the Hilo Hawaiin hotel on the Big Island is?<BR>I want to visit the volcanos and the travel agent recommended this to me. Will be staying there for two nights.<BR><BR>Thanks

We stayed there a few years back. Nice middle of the road hotel. Clean rooms, like a Holiday Inn or one of those chains.

Hilo is on the rainy side of the island with much greater humidity. It's where the orchids grow. But, it is closer to the volcano than the Kona coast.

KKam a lot more natural beauty on Hilo side as far as I am concerned. You have thurston lava tube area, Volcano, Green steep coastline and you are only a couple of hours from Waipio Valley. <BR><BR>Kona might be sunnier but it is also hot hot and not as green. Has become crowded in recent years from what I hear also.

Hilo Hawaiian is the best Hotel in Hilo. That said dont expect a 1st class luxury hotel. Hilo does have a lot of vacation rentals and B&B's. I would personally stay in one of those instead of a hotel. PS: volcano viewing is the best its been in years.

If you are coming here for the volcano you want to remember that Hilo is 45 minutes from Volcano National Park and another 25-45 minute from park entrance to the actual lava flow. So if you are wanted to come into the park every day or for evening lava viewings you want to remembe this car hike. I would find lodging in Volcano village cutting at least 45 minutes off of your driving.

I just recently stayed two nights at the HH in July. It is just a bit of an hour's drive to the volcano, so the location is good. However, I was very disappointed in the condition of the hotel after having stayed at a luxury condo in Kona. The hotel was built in 1975 and has never been remodeled. The inside of the rooms are clean, but the common areas around the elevators were quite dirty. e.g. overflowing garbage that needed to be picked up and wasn't. The hallways are really dingy and old. They allow smoking in all the common areas of the hotel so it's also stinky. During the night we were able to hear toilets flushing and showers running. It was also noisy since we were there on a weekend and there were lots of parties going on. Also, when we got home from the nighttime viewing of the volcano the town was desolate and depressing. It was 9PM on a Sat. night and the town felt like a ghost town. It sounds as if you are going through Hawaiian Holidays-this is the hotel they use in Hilo. The other hotels looked even worse. I would let the travel agent book you the two nights somewhere in Volcano Village. <BR>P.S. It always amazes me how a questioner will be very specific in a question, and people will not answer the exact question. Lisa does not want to know about Hilo vs. Kona. She wants to know specifically about the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel!!!!

My suggestion for a hotel in the Volcano area is the Kilauea Lodge, just a hop, skip, and jump to Volcano National Park. It's a charming setting with a great restaurant. The weather is little cooler at this elevation, so be prepared.

Thanks for comments.<BR><BR>Any suggestions on where to stay close to Volcano NP.<BR><BR>