We decided to spend a night on the Hilo side and booked this about a week before departure, so it was a bit of a last minute decision. It served its purpose for a quick overnight near Volcano, but it's not somewhere I'd choose to stay again. The room itself felt very outdated and in need of a refresh. What stood out more than the decor, though, was the cleanliness. There was noticeable dust buildup on the light fixtures and bathroom vents, which honestly felt gross and like such an easy thing to address. It's the kind of detail that makes you question overall upkeep. The property has a koi pond, but when we were there the water was pretty murky, which took away from what could have been a charming feature. Soundproofing is also minimal. You can hear just about everything other guests are doing, so if you're a light sleeper, that's something to consider. A couple other things to note, the check-in process is self serve so it is super simple and you can arrive anytime. The coffee pictured here was undrinkable for us and we ended up going out to buy some instead. If you're in a pinch and just need somewhere close to Volcano National Park for a night, it works. But with so many unique and cozy options on the Big Island, I'd likely explore other accommodations next time. read more

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This hotel is such a gem. No front desk, but check in/check out was easy. We felt like we were staying in a beautiful tropical tree house! Comfy bed, very clean, fridge, microwave, hair dryer. We slept so well! The shower was fun - a lot of the space felt like you were in a cave. I'd highly recommend staying here! The perfect spot to stay while enjoying Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. read more

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I cannot say enough good things about this chalet. We had looked into staying at the volcano house but noticed the pricing there was pretty high. At the time we thought we took a "risk" booking accommodations away from volcano House, but we are so happy that we did. The chalet was calm, quiet, affordable, and had everything that we needed. The volcano house on the other hand felt very congested and a bit overwhelming with tourists everywhere. We enjoyed being able to escape the chaos at night. Our chalet room had a mini kitchen, a large bathroom and a huge walk-in closet for us to unpack. The staff were great as well and super friendly. read more

Above and beyond when it comes to the atmosphere and ambiance, not so much when it comes to the quality of the facilities. Staying here makes you feel like you're staying in the rain forest though a lot of it is fake but the decor plus the bird sounds (on repeat) makes you feel they're real. The wooden lodges also feel that way as well. However, there were a few cockroaches in the unit I stayed at and the hot water took a while to heat up. But I guess you could make an argument for it contributing to a more "natural" feel. This place isn't for everyone - if you want a similarly priced place with better quality, there are plenty of options. But if you don't live in a tropical rainforest but want to feel like you're spending a night in one, I'd recommend staying here for a night. read more

Chalet Kilauea is a beautiful, five-room complex tucked into the rain forest just minutes away from Volcanoes National Park. We resided in room 103 for three consecutive nights. The view from the broad windows looked into the koi pond and verdant garden below. The space within the room was incredible compared to most hotels. We had a king size bed that was quite cozy. An excellent kitchenette in one corner was complete with a mini fridge, microwave, and a small assortment of cups, glasses, plates, bowls, napkins and silverware, even a wine cork remover. The bathroom was likewise spacious, with abundant counter room and two sinks. The shower was amazing--two shower heads mounted to the ceiling, each with independent controls. My six-foot-four husband immediately requested we get a shower like that at home, too. Our room had no other rooms below or above, which made it feel more like a townhouse than a standard hotel room. The chalet acts as the office for three local properties. (If you see other reviews complaining about shared bathroom facilities, that is NOT Chalet Kilauea, but the nearby Volcano Hale that they also manage.) The office personnel is only present during the day but emergency numbers are clearly posted. Housekeeping staff isn't there all day, either, but there is an accessible storage room in a hallway where guests can grab more toilet paper or towels if necessary. We found that quite handy. This place is a good bargain compared to the few other hotels near VNP, but there are two negatives I need to address. First of all, our room, with its prominent windows, featured sheer curtain panels spaced out across the room. This made me feel very uncomfortable about privacy, especially at night. The window privacy likely isn't such an issue with the other rooms on site. Parking is another major factor. There are only five available narrow spaces in the lot. People didn't know quite how to park, if they should attempt to follow the tightly-spaced lines or what. So, anarchy was the rule. We actually made an effort to return by nightfall most nights, just so we could be assured of a good parking spot. That said, I would still consider staying here again because of the beautiful property, amenities involved, and access to the park. read more

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We were happy with our stay here. See my review of the Volcano Hale hotel (which was the actual property that we stayed in---they operate a number of separately located hotels in Volcano that all share the same check-in, management, and breakfast facilities). I'd recommend this place as a nice but affordable place to stay in Volcano and I would stay here again if in Volcano. Not sure I'd do the breakfast again... it's convenient and pretty cheap, but nothing too special. The grounds of their properties are very pretty and the buildings are kept-up nicely. Just make sure you arrive in Volcano early, if possible! If you arrive late, make sure you've already eaten and/or don't need supplies until the next day... because the town of Volcano shuts down early (general stores close by 7pm and last seating at the restaurants is 8:30pm). Also, the hotel check-in is only open from 3-5pm; for late arrivals, they'll leave your key and instructions in a box for you (but make sure you call ahead). Also.... to comment on people's comments about dampness; all the rooms have de-humidifiers in them and I did not notice that the place was especially damp. The de-humidifiers serve to remove moisture and they warm the rooms by virtue of just running. Volcano is a very damp area (and a good bit cooler than the coast)... it's basically a cloud/rain forest. Everything is lush and green. But it is difficult to keep the moisture out of the buildings... so just come prepared for that (bring warm clothes and water-resistant jacket for when it is misting/raining.... which is pretty much every day... though mostly in the afternoon, it seemed). read more

We stayed in the Lokahi lodge part of the Chalet Kilauea hospitality group. Our experience with our accommodations was good. This is a funky house that has been converted and remodeled into hotel type rooms. We stayed upstairs in room 201 - which is huge. We opened up windows and the room cooled right down. The big windows look out into the foliage, completely private and the birds sing happily. We enjoyed the comfort of the sitting area, dining area, mini kitchen area and large bathroom. The furnishings in our room were quite dated 1970s. The king sized bed was comfortable. It was quite quiet even with several others staying downstairs. The room downstairs with the king is fabulous and contemporary remodel- see pictures of the bathroom and walk in shower and a private entrance. When you arrive you check in a couple of miles away at one of the other properties -the Chalet. We arrived a little before 3pm the office was open and we checked in quickly. We reserved online on the properties webpage and even got an additional discount. The lodge is located a mile down a side road but we found it easily and felt safe there as the front door is always left locked. It's just a mile from grocery store, gas station, a couple of restaurants. Located just minutes from the park it was the perfect location for visiting the volcano at night. The night glow is amazing. This is a decent place to stay and we liked the room enough we came back here again this year read more

1) go here when it is light out so you can actually find it. The check in is at a different location from the actual rooms, they have multiple lodges on different streets. They also give you an actual key versus a card which means you have to return it at check out. Be mindful of the front office hours as they may not be open 2) rooms are cheap and we booked last minute when nothing else was available so it was a good deal overall 3) they allow 3 in a room but there is an extra person charge 4) continental breakfast not included 5) some of the rooms have been remodeled. Specifically the Kalo room we stayed in had a nice huge bathroom but the main room looked a bit outdated. There was also shared a hot tub outside. No air conditioning in the room 6) this is your basic low end 3 star property, nothing special but also not bad when on a budget read more

Minuses: Dingy, clammy, damp room with dust and hair on bathroom floor. No breakfast -- go down the road to Lava Rock cafe for a good meal. We thought we were getting the room in the loft, instead had a ground floor room, but since we never saw it, maybe it wasn't any better. Pluses: it's REALLY close to the entrance to Volcano National Park, and not too expensive. read more

I am traveling with my older sis on the Big Island and was hoping to score an available timeshare for the week. Due to the unusual popularity of the Big Island this winter, this did not happen unfortunately. I called the general number for the Kilauea Hospitality Group and got the Lokahi Lodge. They had a 2 bedded unit here and the price was moderate. It was bigger than we needed and we enjoyed the unit. No breakfast included with their rates, but that's ok. read more

Pay attention to any instructions that came with your reservation for check-in and check-out off hours as there will be NO ONE around if you check in late. Also, note that the reservation prices are for two persons regardless of how many people the room fits and they charge extra for additional people. For what it's worth, it's unlikely they would know you had more than two people unless you all walked into the lobby together. We didn't have the continental breakfast, but I saw what they were serving. While it looked fresh, it was not worth the price when you can get a full egg breakfast at the Lava Rock Cafe for the same price. The room was clean and the beds comfortable. There was a hot tub with temperature control availabe outside and that was VERY nice after a long day of hiking around the volcano. The common kitchen was clean and beautiful, but no one seemed to use it (most folks do not stay more than one night in the volcano area). The common living area had horribly uncomfortable chairs and couches. read more

Overall, this was a pleasant stay. We stayed in the Hapu'u bungalow, which was very nice. When they mention on their web site that it's cold up there, they're not kidding. Thankfully, there were tiny space heaters in each room. Pros: ~ SO quiet, and the rainforest was really lovely. Really nice grounds and a super cute little pathway leading from the bungalow to the main building. Giant plants - awesome. ~ The room was very clean and comfortable, the sink in particular in the kitchen was really nifty (glass vessel sink with super cool spout). Bed was of average comfort, loved all the extra pillows. ~ Space heaters... loved them and totally necessary. ~ Price - it was very affordable and was the least expensive stop on my journey ~ Rustic and unique - the exact opposite of a resort. This is a good thing if you're looking for something quiet and peaceful, almost meditative. ~ Close to Volcanoes National Park (awesome!) Notable: ~ Signs EVERYWHERE all over the bungalow, explaining everything. Helpful. ~ Not that hard to find if you follow the directions they give you, but keep your eyes open Cons: ~ Breakfast used to be $6 and include a bunch, and that was on our reservation, but now it's free and it's fruit and oatmeal packets. I would have preferred to pay $6 and get a little more. Maybe the owners can ask who wants breakfast in the morning and make reservations a requirement so they can make eggs or something? ~ YES ITS COLD. I slept fully dressed with the heaters on full-blast. But I *WAS* warned, so I was prepared. ~ I needed to shorten my stay by a day over a month in advance because of a booking mistake, and I was charged 20% of that day's fee. They did refund the 80%, but still. They were clear in setting the expectations ahead of time, but sometimes you really should bend the rules when someone gives you lots of notice. Overall, I'd recommend the place. Not much to lose by staying in this cute little place for a great price. Just don't expect the five star treatment. Maybe that's part of its charm? read more

Really cool and unique rooms at an affordable price with great proximity to the volcano. The staff were friendly and helpful giving pointers when asked about where to eat and what to do within a limited timeframe in volcano. Parking was a bit cramped, but adequate. The only real knock against this place is their short window for check in times. We were fortunate to not have the two hour window affect our plans for hiking the trails. However, this was by pure luck, and if we had missed the window I'm not sure how (or if) we would have checked into the hotel. Hopefully here's a backup plan! read more

Driving up to the volcano, you begin to realize that the climate is changing....rapidly. I, for one, felt happy to be out of the blazing sun for a day or so and into a more temperate climate. With no reservations, no solid plan, and rain pouring down, we ascended upon the village of Volcano with little more than bug spray and rain gear. The (three) hotels in the village were all booked save one lone cottage at chalet kilauea. Sometimes, when one room remains, instead of feeling victorious or fortunate, do you feel suspicious? Our cottage was the Rainforest Cottage and indeed, it was situated smack dab in the center of the rain and forest. And yes, the carpet was damp- actually, most everything was damp. Despite that, it was a great place to spend the night. We were in a cute little bungalow off-site from the hotel proper. Two televisions, a (barely used) kitchenette, and a cream colored leather sofa were ours for the night. The bed was cozy and a potbelly stove promised to keep us warm. But wait, there's more! Back at the main hotel, a lovely living room is set up for all guests to use replete with wifi, an abundance of reading material, comfy and clean couches, and tea. Lovely. And $135/night. read more

We stayed in the Forest Bungalow and recommend it. There is a separate room and kitchen, bedroom, and jacuzzi bathtub, and shower. All rooms have wide windows which showcase the surrounding rainforest. The bungalow is away from other lodging. Quiet and clean. No dampness because of dehumidifiers in each room. read more

Chalet Kilauea - Kitchen window. - Hotels Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

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I am beyond delighted and happy with the happu bungalow that is part of this hotel group. The bungalow is super clean, warm and cozy. There is everything you need in a little bungalow, a fridge for wine, wine glasses, a sink, heater, flat screen TV, and an amazing view from the shower! There is a little pot belly fire stove on the deck of the bungalow and it is so nice to sit out there to enjoy some wine, a fire, and the sound of nature all around you. So cool. I'm not sure about the other rooms, but if you stay here, get the bungalow, you won't forget it or regret it. I docked one star for the hit water... It takes a good couple of minutes for the water to heat up, which is wasteful to let it run but necessary for a hot shower. read more

Chalet Kilauea - Happu bungalow - Hotels Near Me - Volcano, Hawaii

We stayed in the Lokahi Lodge in the Liko Room for one night. The room was nicely decorated and felt very homey. The biggest disappointment was the shower. After a couple very muddy hikes at Volcanoes National Park it would have been nice to actually have enough water pressure to clean the dirt off. Pros: Very clean Close to national park (super nice because we drove in at midnight to see the lava glow) Friendly front desk staff Hot tub (clean and hot) Plenty of soft, full-size towels Dehumidifier in room to prevent mugginess Mini-fridge in room They allowed us just to leave the keys and call the office to check out. Cons: The shower had ZERO water pressure. I'm not sure I ever completely rinsed the shampoo from my hair. Narrow, two-hour check in window No air conditioning Surrounding area shuts down early. We didn't expect it and wound up hungry for the night. We didn't go back to the office for breakfast. It was a decent price for such a quaint little room read more

We absolutely loved staying at this little inn. Easy check-in, beautiful serene grounds, fabulous spacious room. Extremely convenient to all of the sights, restaurants, and Volcanoes National Park. Room had every little detail included: fridge/freezer, kitchenette, dehumidifier, heater, fire feature, double rain head shower, and more! Would highly recommend! read more

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Terrible, misleading service. They advertise National Park accessibility in their many reminder emails, without mentioning that the part of the park they are in is and has been closed for months. They argue that technically their email names a (remote) part of the park that is open. They are not amenable to refunds. The rooms don't have aircon. The town is all closed in the middle of the day, including the visitors centers. General bad attitudes among the staff. Guests from all over the world are arriving to disappointment, and the response is "you should have figured out the park accessibility yourself". Do not book this place. You're better off staying in Hilo or the south part of the island. read more

My wife and I stayed here one night while we were on the Big Island for our honeymoon. This was our least favorite of the places we stayed while on the Big Island, but that has more to do with the high quality of the others as opposed this location. There did not seem to be any better options in Volcano, but we only stayed one night in the area. The room was fairly small but was clean overall and served its purpose. My wife commented that the bathroom was larger and had more room for her things than other B&Bs we stayed at. The breakfast, on the other hand, did not look or sound near as good as the free breakfasts available at other B&Bs, so we opted to not pay extra for it and went elsewhere to eat. read more

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Visited in October of 2011. Stayed in the Hapu'u Forest Bungalow. It was an enchanting place, very quiet, shaded, and made us feel the most relaxed we've ever felt on vacation. Just make sure to follow the check-in rules, and ask any questions ahead of time. The place is a not a hotel with 24-hour customer service. You reserve ahead of time, ask them to put whatever you want in there like flowers, champagne, etc, and then you're on your own except for when someone is available for help at the main lodge during business hours. read more

My wife and I had a great experience at this place. We had a separate cabin in the forest that was really neat. It was cold and rainy outside and a big contrast from the rest of our Hawaii vacation. Friendly and efficient guy at the desk was very helpful and this place just made our experience of the valcano the best. If traveling from Kona it is best to spend the night in Volcano City read more

Stayed in the Bungalow. Had a great time. Clean, quirky, cute. The bed is very firm. 2 TVs with Dish, WiFi, and a great romantic rainforest setting. As locals we know you never know what your going to get and boy were we pleasantly surprised. The jet bath and rainforest shower were the highlights. We will be going back for sure. read more

Your experience here will depend on which of the decentralized properties that the hotel group owns you stay in. We were in the Lokahi Lodge. I wouldnt recommend or stay here again. The room was old and sparse. The dirty and torn carpet a testament to better days. Think of this as a motel not a hotel and you'll realize what you are getting into. On the plus side the free wifi is good :-) and the location to the park is fantastic. read more

Cute and cozy. Very clean, although damp - it is a rain forest after all. We had the tree house suite which was two levels. Space was cut up strangely. The bottom level was a kitchenette and huge bathroom. The bathroom had a porch off it where you could sip a drink and watch the rain come down. You get to the top level by spiral staircase - not great for hauling luggage. How did they get a king bed up their??? Free wifi was a welcome relief after paying $15/day at the resort hotels. The staff was very friendly and interesting to talk to. They were doing some renovations while we were there which was somewhat inconvenient. The grounds are beautiful and there's a bull frog in the koi pond. read more

The room at the Chateau was nice and in good proximity to the park. Unfortunately, when we booked it we did not expect the amount of earthquake activity that we experienced. We explained our concerns given the eruptions and earthquakes nearby and they were very unaccommodating. They told us on the second day that we couldn't drink the water (would have been nice to know). The park was also basically closed down and they refused to allow us to cancel. They also accused us of staying an extra night after we left a key and booked a flight home from our honeymoon given the dangerous situation in Hawaii a day early. Overall, I wouldn't stay here if you're looking for any type of service, otherwise it's fine. Disappointing overall. Hope others have a better experience! One staff member was nice- that's the best we can say! read more

My boyfriend booked us a night here so we could have a full day in the National Park, spend the night, and then continue on to Hilo the next day. I was really disappointed with the quality of the room for what he paid for it. We were in the "Garden Room" and I checked out pictures of it online before we went... but the photos really didn't do it justice. The room was small, the kitchen was TINY with a table that was utterly useless when we tried to eat at it that night, ended up standing at the counter to eat our Thai take-out, the bathroom was really strangely proportioned, with a really narrow hallway and low sink. My boyfriend is 6' and watching him wash his hands in the bathroom sink was comical, because it's so low. He looked like a giant! I guess my biggest problem with the room was that it was obviously so poorly renovated. You could see cracks in the walls, the way the tile didn't match up in place, how they were hanging pictures to cover up more cracks. The hot tub was broken so we couldn't even enjoy that... and.. here's where I'm going to sound like a crazy person.. they only had two flat pillows on the bed that were in washable pillow cases. I have a thing about hotel bed spreads, etc (I'm sure we all do), and as I was examining the pillows I realized only 2 of them were in pillowcases you could remove and wash, and the others were all throw-pillows with satin covers with no way to take them off. After throwing all the unwashable throw-pillows on the floor (because I don't want to sleep on something that obviously hasn't been washed) we only had the two flat pillows that didn't offer enough support. Uhg. Rough night. I could probably have dealt with all of this if not for the hot tub being closed. I wish they had contacted us to tell us that because we would have cancelled the reservation. read more

Stayed here in the Napaka room (Lokahi Lodge). second floor room - very spacious, clean, big comfy beds, and well decorated. The environment was inviting, surrounded by a rainforest, and very peaceful in comparison to the bustle of Hilo or Honolulu. Birds and native vegetation everywhere. Open the windows and let the cool air rush in if you need a break from sea-level heat! Apparently the lodge was full (we found 4 other cars in the parking lot the next morning - we had no idea there were other people in the building, it was soo quiet.. The next morning we opted for the simple continental breakfast at the main lodge - again, a great environment, chatted with fellow travellers, and the staff at length about attractions, travels,etc. The staff was incredible - very accomodating (I have a nut allergy, so I couldn't have their house blend vanilla-mac nut coffee, so they put on an extra pot). they were very sweet with our 3 year old, let her feed the koi, and explore the gardens. The lodge itself is an incredible property (would like to stay there if we return - beautiful gardens, pond, and common areas). Great place - check it out! read more

Really nice, cozy, hotel set up. Room was funky with rock floors and the bathroom was so cool that we took a picture of it and posted it on Facebook. Staff was friendly and we felt like were in a rain forest. We stayed in room 101 read more

The Background: Had a one week stay on the Big Island for work. I travel about 25 weeks a year and have experienced many hotels across the US and abroad. The Good: Nice rooms for the price. Bed was comfortable, location was rural (a plus for me, ymmv). Front desk staff was friendly. I really did dig the place. The Bad: Minor things - hot tub was broken and would not heat up. The front desk is not attended during normal business hours which can hinder checkout. Reason for the 1 star review: I travel quite a bit for work. Most hotels have a cancellation policy and Chalet Kilauea is no different. Most places, however, do not penalize you if you shorten your stay (particularly for business clients) but Chalet Kilauea does. That is their prerogative and I have no problem with that. However. During our stay the Big Island was hit by a hurricane. As it was on the way our employer told us to leave the island early. They did not want us in the path of a hurricane. It is worth noting that the Hawaiian Government also recommended evacuation. It is also worth noting that the Island got hit by the hurricane to the extent the Governor declared it a disaster zone in order to secure Federal relief funds. We went to the front desk to explain the situation and asked to shorten our stay so we could evacuate the next day. We were denied. We were told that we could leave but would be charged for the full stay. Let me be very clear: Chalet Kilauea was under no legal obligation to refund our money. In fact, had it been any other (non-life threatening) situation I would not be complaining. But it was that type of situation. And they refused a refund. Luckily our employer agreed to reimburse us the extra money. It is a sad day when a large cooperate entity cares more for its people than a small mom and pop business. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Final Verdict: I will never stay here again and will steer others away as well. As a part of my job I have had to deal with the aftermath of several hurricanes. Many of the injuries and fatalities were due to people not evacuating as recommended. I will not give my money and business to people who care so little for the welfare of their fellow human beings. Refunding us to allow evacuation would have really cost them little for the couple of days early we left. But that money was more important that doing the right thing. I will not return. That is my personal opinion...take from it what you will. read more

Loved this placed, stayed in jade room, had great balcony, very comfortable, clean, and quite

Very clean and quiet (I think there was only one other party besides us). We found this place the morning of, so we weren't too picky. A bit creepy here because there really isn't much company. Free internet and very close to the entrance of the Volcano National Park. read more

We stayed at the Volcano Hale house at the end of July. Specifically, the Ohia, Lokelani and Kahili rooms. This is the second time we have stayed here. Everyone shares the bathrooms and kitchen. Everyone has their own room with TV, double bed, etc. Since we were last here in 2010, they added the Kahili room and upgraded the bathrooms and kitchen. We shared the kitchen and bathroom space with visitors from all over the world. We had dinner one night with a couple from England, we chatted with visitors from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and France. The house in located a few minutes from Volcano National Park and in a beautiful, lush, area. The staff are very friendly and helpful. We loved it and can't wait to come back again. read more

We stayed one night at the Lokahi Lodge. It was a pleasant surprise. Fun decor and great bathroom! We got a room with both a king and a full bed. More than we needed, but still nice. The price was great considering other options in the area are far pricier. We would definitely stay here again! read more

Nice people, good service. Room was tiny, tv was almost microscopic. However, you get what you pay for. Convenient location for volcano national park. read more