Hotels on Hilo side of the Big Island?
 

Thanks to great info from Fodorites, we have tentatively decided to stay at the Mauna Kea if I can get a rate within my budget. Now we need advice on which hotels are best on the Hilo side of the BI. Thanks in advance for all the help you can give us on this issue.

Sadly, there is not nearly the choice in Hilo; certainly nothing close to the resort like places on the Kona side.

As I mentioned to you in another post, we stayed at a condo that was really nice and at a great rate. I highly recommend it and at $95 a night with no cleaning fee, it's a steal.

http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/231062

{sorry, see there is a $25 cleaning fee now}

there are 4 hotels in Hilo. Nothing over a 2 star. Your best bet would be the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort. It's been about 50% redone and the new rooms are very nice. Uncle Billy's is a fun, old family style hotel. The Hilo Hawaiian and Seaside are dated and in need of a fix-up.

There are several nice B & B's in and around Hilo. Also check out Volcano. There's the Kilauea Lodge which is very nice, and many B & B's and you'll be at Volcanoes National Park and only 30-35 minutes from Hilo.

It sounds like there aren't many good lodging options in Hilo. Where do most people stay to see the volcano?

Depends on what is going on with the volcano. If it's erupting on the Kalapana side, most people stay in Kapoho, Pahoa or Hilo at VRBO's or B&B's. If it's on the park side, they stay in Volcano. Right now the flow is not visible anywhere and is 1.1 miles from an ocean entry. Two weeks ago it was .4 miles but stopped and hardened and restarted 1.5 miles away. There is no guarantee it will ever make it to the ocean. In the park there is no eruption and or flowing lava. There is a glow coming off Halema'uma'u Crater at night, but that's all.

We stayed here and loved it - http://www.haleohia.com/

We actually stayed in the water tank. :-)

We always stay at Lagoon House in Kapoho when were on the Hilo side. http://lagoonhouse.com/

Here are a couple of websites with other rentals in that area and there are lots of listings on VRBO if you are considering staying there.

http://book.bigislandvacationrentals.com/

http://www.hawaiiwego.com/

fiddely foo: Lost another post when going to retreive a webpage - so here it is before I lose this: http://www.emmaspencerliving.com/volcano-village-lodge/

The Volcano Village Lodge - just outside Volcano Village - is in a rain forest - a former artists' retreat - and the prior owners (whom we knew) added a couple of nice "cabins" in this great setting.

I stopped by on a drive around the island (was scouting out Commercial Real Estate deals) - and my wife and mother in law stayed there a couple months later - and loved it. They had in room massages, enjoyed great afternoon pupus, and also there was (still is?) a good Thai restaurant in the Volcano Village.

It was owned by a couple who had lived in Europe - (they were the son and daughter in law of my mother in law's neighbor in Palm Desert) - and they really upgraded the place - and then sold it and bought a B & B in the Alps I think it was?

Anyhow - I think the new owners have carried on the great tradition and you are close to the Volcano/Volcano Visitor's bureau - and Hilo is just a quick drive down the hill, 20+ minutes to the airport, longer of course thru town and up to beautiful Akaka Falls, etc. http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/park....cfm?park_id=2

agree with starrs. Haleohia is superb. As is the Kilauea Lodge. Volcano House may be open in January, it sits right on the crater rim. It's been closed for a few years, they awarded the contract in March and work has started on the renovation.

Bob, we stay at the Kilauea Lodge when we want to visit the volcano and Hilo side. It's great to stay in Volcano vlllage because it affords you an early start to see things around the caldera before the tour buses arrive from the Kona side or even from Hilo. We have also stayed at the Hilo Hawaiian, but that was for the Merrie Monarch and staying there was the most convenient.

bookmarking

jill, the hotels in Hilo are tired and need updating but for your bookmarking, I would recommend the Hilo Hawaiian also. We stayed in a water view room and it was very nice.