This is a great location and a cool old building. What kills it for me is the giant TV that is the…read morefocal point of the common area. Nobody talks to each other because the giant TV sucks everyone in. And you hear it everywhere. Oh, and cigarette smoke is constantly coming in because they have a smoking patio right outside. Ugh I come to Hilo often but will not want to come back to this place, sadly.

First off there is a massive rat and roach problem. I can hear the rats running along the wall but…read morethat does not phase me. What upset me is Linda's treatment of an African American patron. She was verbally abusive, accusatory and then kicked him out without cause. My phone was dead otherwise I would have included a recording. Why 2 stars, when I read reviews I tend to avoid the 1 stars and 5 star rating.

Nothing good to say about this place…read more We couldn't stay because it was bad from the moment we got there. Hot water would take 15-20 minutes to get to the shower. No ice machine, no internet, no TV, no place to set your luggage except the floor. The pictures must be old because when we got there it was more rundown. Stairs were sketchy and the place really needs some work all around. Unsure why anyone would give this place a 5 star review when I am giving it one star because you have to give something. Do not make a reservation unless you want to give your money away because they have it posted that if you have a complaint about this place built in 1911, it will not suffice to get a refund of your first day if you don't cancel 24 hours prior. I highly recommend asking to see your room and tour the property before choosing to stay there so you know what you are getting yourself in to.

if I could give it minus stars I would. I urge you not to stay here. Everything is rundown what…read morethey call a superior room is a dump. They will tell you your room will have a king bed, but they give you a queen there are no phones, TV or alarm clock in the room & the toilet wobbles. There are holes everywhere. Someone tried to enter my room, and suddenly the manager claims it was a room check. I don't understand it and she didn't seem to care about my safety or the fact that I got an anxiety and had to sleep with when I open I didn't even feel safe to leave the room with my belongings to go into town to get something to eat. It was a nightmare. I didn't trust to leave my belongings for fear that someone would enter my room to steal them by the way, the manager says her family sleeps at the hotel. It's more like a motel dump.

First of all, how am I the first to write a review of this place that has been here since 1990?…read more Owned and operated by the same family since its establishment. Yes I did my homework before arriving! Now that I'm here, wow! Just wow! Located close to ITO airport and the beautiful beach, this property has a little or a lot of everything for every traveler! From incredible house/lodge style accommodations (think barndominium - I live in Tennessee) to basic hotel style rooms and suites, even onsite camping for travelers! I was immediately greeted by concierge Lauren who took her time, walking me around the grounds even though I'm just here for the night. I arrived late, but just before sunset. Ok ok, let me go back.... I was flying in from HNL and as my flight departed at 5:00pm, I received a text from Arnotts confirming my arrival. This personal touch started my journey to this review. Being only 12 minutes from the ITO airport, a taxi ride is about $15.00. The drive is beautiful, scenic, and the view of the ocean pretty much the entire drive in reaching the resort. The atmosphere is green, lush, and quiet. Many common areas, so if you're traveling alone, not to worry, this Lodge makes you feel like you're among friends! Check in and be ready to be escorted around the property with a personal tour of all the amenities and your room! Although there are no TVs or phones in the rooms, WiFi is strong and the air conditioner is cold! What more do you need? You're in Hawaii! Go enjoy the sights! The Lodge has its own tour company, excursions! No need to leave your accommodation to find things to do, this place has its own all. 10/10 for sure! Listen, if you want the beach, close to the airport (without noise, I literally heard chirping birds only), excursions, friendly people, beautiful lush grounds, a clean room, and peace! This is your place! Thank you Lauren! You made my first visit to Hilo one I won't forget! ~ Kerry Kirchenberg K9comfortpaws.com

Finally had the chance to do a Mauna Kea Sunset Adventure tour in August 2023, and after doing a…read morelot of research and figuring things out, I am so thankful and glad I went with Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures! Their staff is so awesome overall in experience, communication, and knowledge. The prices are very competitive and reasonable compared to other similar tour companies. And even though Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures is based in Hilo, they are able to meet up with those of us who are staying in Kailua-Kona (or anywhere on the west coast) at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station (VIS). Andraes was our tour guide for this particular adventure I was a part of and he definitely shared a lot about the history behind Mauna Kea as well as other great stories! He also had our jackets as requested in our initial reservation bookings, and one thing to keep in mind that even during the summer months, it can and does get cold and freezing at the higher altitudes. I've been told that the summer months are much better in terms of making it to the summit of Mauna Kea than any other times of the year because of the weather conditions. And on that particular stretch, it was the best weather conditions they have had in a while. You do have to spend at least 30 minutes at the VIS to acclimate to the higher altitudes prior to going to the summit. Best to bring plenty of water and snacks along with a beanie cap and mittens. You don't want to be like some crazy hikers whom we saw at the summit with only shorts and a shirt on (and barely any hiking gear on them)! Anyways, it was very clear once we reached the summit and such beautiful views! And a very nice sunset to close out the day! At that high an altitude, you don't want to move around too quickly due to lower levels of oxygen, and you might feel light-headed and a bit dazed at times. Also loved the stargazing show after sunset. Even though I could not get photos, just seeing it with my own eyes was great enough! I don't have an iPhone, but from what others were telling me, it's easier to do it on those kinds of smartphones versus an Android. Overall, excellent Mauna Kea Sunset Tour by Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures and I hope to be back for a daytime tour down the road!

Gorgeous place, loved swimming in the waterfall. The cabanas are adorable and it was a great place…read moreto glamp but still use the shared kitchen house. It was not particularly private, but thankfully the staff were all fantastic, helpful, and kind. It felt like staying with friends.

Five Stars for expectations met, not a five star resort…read more A charming house in the rainforest that is truly off the grid. There is a fully equipped kitchen inside the house so bring your provisions and enjoy home cooked meals. There is a farmers market in nearby Hilo for stocking up. The "included breakfast" is actually a voucher for a nearby bakery that makes delicious pastries and coffee. A perfect stop before heading up to Akaka Falls. You will experience everything the rainforest is known for, sudden downpours, humidity, bugs, and amazing night sounds. Fortunately, the mosquitoes didn't bother us because we had a half a dozen geckos patrolling our room. The aromas of flowers and foliage waft into your room on the ever present tropical breeze that comes up from the ocean. No man made A/C here, just nature. The semi-outdoor bathroom makes this a Hawaiian Fitzcarraldo adventure destination. Don't worry there is a second shared indoor bathroom for the city folk. I've stayed in plenty of European hostels when I was younger and this sort of reminds me of a grown up version. I've never booked an airbnb property before so I'm assuming most guests are stupid. There seems to be a sign on every wall reminding you of various house rules. I'm hotel people so I found that odd. I'm glad we found this place and had the chance to spend a couple of nights closer to nature.

The price felt fair overall, but I think many reviewers weighted the cleanliness and renovated…read morerustic aesthetic too heavily. Having stayed in 2-5 star hotels across the U.S., this property is a good example of how subjective hotel ratings can be. Hilo simply does not have the newer luxury resort inventory you find on the Kohala Coast, so don't assume another hotel is upscale because it has "Grand" in the name. I can understand the appeal of its boutique-style, active-traveler, eco-conscious, customer-friendly atmosphere, hence the skewed 5-star ratings. Our biggest disappointments were room size, cooling performance, and noise/poor acoustic privacy. I'd still give it a low 4 stars because of the location, cleanliness, Aloha atmosphere, and staff friendliness. The property offers very basic accommodations in what resembles an old Travelodge/Motel 6-type property but cleverly renovated. The owners clearly understood that with clean rooms, vinyl plank flooring, fresh paint, and updated furniture, and a hint of a Zen/Environmental/Aloha vibe, they could offer a strong alternative to Hilo's aging high-rise hotels. While there are wheelchair ramps, the property has three stories and no elevators which means you'll have to carry your luggage up the stairs for most the upper floors. Some rooms face the inlet/ocean across the street fronted by a very old looking fish pond, while most others look across to each other with a small garden areas between or the decent pool area (no hot tub.) There's free lobby coffee in a large pump dispenser since rooms lack coffee makers, plus complimentary bikes and paddleboards. A very small lagoon beach is directly across the street, with two decent restaurants within a stone's throw. Downtown Hilo is about a six-minute drive but probably not walkable for most people. Rooms are compact, and the bathrooms are tiny with no exhaust fan. The bed leaned softer than average, and the TV was smaller than most modern computer monitors. The A/C struggled with Hilo's humid climate but managed to keep the room barely cool enough for comfortable sleeping. Shower pressure and temperature were acceptable, though the showerhead sat around chin height for me at 5'11". The biggest drawback was noise and lack of sound privacy. The glass louver windows provide almost no sound insulation, so you hear everything outside your room -- kids running the halls, conversations, foot traffic, and nearby guests. Anyone outside your room could easily overhear conversations inside. There's also noticeable jet noise due to the airport proximity, though fortunately I don't recall hearing flights between 10:30 PM and 6:30 AM. Rates are typically less than the nearby aging high-rise hotels with more upscale branding (and more uneven reviews). If SCP is at least 20% cheaper than those competitors, it's probably the best value in Hilo. If it fits your budget, I would opt for the ocean view rooms with the balconies at the SCP. The hotel appeared to be finishing renovations on its last older rooms during our stay, so many of the older 1-2 star reviews are probably no longer relevant

The staff is amazing! From the desk to cleaning crew, Trisha is so kind! Everyone always so…read moregracious and went above and beyond. Truly tried to do everything and anything possible for my Mom and I. thank you! Also loved the Koi pond we looked out over and the views. The room was clean and comfortable(mattress is amazing) but it is an older hotel and could use some updates. Faucets in the shower were sticky and hard to turn. No fan in the bathroom either. New mirror is great though! Construction on the first floor was very loud as well as traffic due to thin walls. Banyan drive felt very sketchy and unsafe at night and neither of us wanted to walk in that direction Coffee at the front was excellent and got our days started right! From check in to check out was so smooth and easy!

This place is a joke. They've got a good scam going. Hoping my review will save another person a…read morebizarre evening and some money. Unfortunately, this place is not as described or shown. The pictures make it seem clean and private but it's simply a home turned not so great hostel. We booked through booking.com (see pictures, as we noticed they respond to any negative review that it's fake). We were looking forward to a relaxing stay for one evening after arriving late from the airport. However, upon arrival the driveway was completely full, there were crying dogs outside with owners yelling at them, and when we entered the house the entrance smelled musty and quite gross. But, it gets better. As soon as we opened the door to the 'Master Bedroom' there was a used bandaid laying on the floor. (See picture). We had to double check the booking just to be sure we were in the right place. The 'Private Bathroom' was not private at all and was consistently used the entire morning amongst multiple people. They did put a sign on the bathroom that said 'Private Bathroom.' And she did follow up that we could use a key to lock the door, haha. Only positive, shelter. Oh, and Wi-Fi! They do have that. Save yourself and your money and just book anywhere else. I've included (11)other reviews similar to mine from other booking sites and based Cynthia's response and dangerous property I've reported it to the County of Hawaii Planning Department for Short Terms Rentals.

Malama kekahi I kekahi, which means, "to take care of one another", is the "Shaka~Motto" &…read more.. you'll find that at the Shaka Shak with Cynthia and her Mana.

I spent a week at Gay Hawaii B&B during Xmas holidays 2018. What a fantastic and wonderful…read moreexperience! The host is perfection, he is so knowledgeable about the island and the local sights and so helpful, sweet, friendly, and fun. The house is comfortable, clean, calm, and I met some other guests that have become forever friends. The area is amazing with the ocean so close you can walk and a black sand clothing optional beach a short drive away. Uncle Awa's bar is very close, also a little market there, and don't miss the Wed. nite food and arts festival. Also a short drive to Pahoa, a quaint sleepy town with wonderful hippie shops and great Thai food! Also a not too far ride to Volcano National Park, and also several waterfalls- very cool! We picked fresh passion-fruit and lemons in the tropical garden and made passion-fruit lemonade. The kitchen is fully stocked and we made fabulous meals. All in all it was the perfect vacation. I will definitely be returning and can not recommend Gay Hawaii B&B highly enough!!

This is my worst experience ever staying at a B&B. I've…read moretraveled all around the world. What was supposed to be a lovely getaway for a personal holiday, it was basically a nightmare. The owner over booked & offered a BALI HUT which is The NIGHTMARE. Rainstorm downpour 5 days. Dripping roof from rain, screens not secured & 2 inch opening under entry door for easy access from jungle critters. The door doesn't lock. If you're looking for numerous mosquito bites, critters & way too many ghekos trying to get out of rain. They live between the rafters. I tried to move back & reclaim my room main home. No one replied, owner got angry & accused me of coming all the way there & making this up not to pay. I also was accused of stalking because of trying to get moved or something? This is NONSENSE. I had to check out after 2 days with no sleep. Because of a holiday wee I paid triple the cost at a last minute hotel back in Hilo I've had nothing but contention & threats trying to be compensated for overbooking & my experience in Bali Hut. I have no reason to lie or make this up. Please Beware

Appreciate the friendly and helpful staff. They were very accommodating in allowing early check in…read more WiFi could be improved significantly. No air conditioning or elevators. Hotel options were very limited during Merrie Monarch.

If you're looking for a big fancy hotel this is not the place for you. If you're looking for a…read moresmaller hotel right on the bay with beautiful views that is cozy and comfortable then you just found it. The location is awesome the staff is friendly and helpful. The rooms are clean and many have a kitchenette and a lanai over looking Hilo Bay. It's a 20-30 minute walk to downtown Hilo where you can find the farmers market and many shops and restaurants. Best of all the rates are very reasonable for Hawaii.

What a fantastic resort and location. The hotel grounds, facilities and rooms are quite nice and…read morethe staff is friendly, professional and knowledgeable. The Ka Lihikai bar was terrific and Aaron was our amazing server. My wife had the frozen Mo'o and I had the Famous Ka Lihikai Tia and both drinks were fantastic. We also had the mushroom appetizer which was yummy. Highly recommended

Well after years of me giving 5 star reviews here, recent management and structural changes here…read morehave soured the experience, and we likely wont be returning. #1 change is the forced $30/day Valet only parking. Up until recently they allowed self parking across the street in another lot. Sorry, $30/day plus tax plus multiple tips/day and the loss of valuable vacation time standing in line waiting for valets to get the car is a non-starter. They have PLENTY of available parking space here, this is just a money grab. They also changed up the breakfast offering. Hilton offers an $18/day/guest benefit to purchase food, instead of setting up a continental breakfast. This used to work well when they setup in the lounge area with grab and go offerings reasonably priced, like spam musubi, pastries, fruits. But no more; now the only offerings are the vastly overpriced Ka Lihikai restaurant, and you cannot get breakfast there for anywhere near $18. The lovely morning coffee service that they used to have in the open air lobby has moved to a claustrophobic little meeting room. Art - sad to report that they're removed the ultra-classy Kim Taylor Reece B&W Hawaiian culture photos and replaced them with ordinary tourist-grade photos. Pillows huge and firm (not good) hard as rocks. You do get a minifridge, but no microwave. Lovely views of the working Hilo Bay, pool, and Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa.

I've never had the most horrible front desk service in my years coming to Hilo & staying at the…read moreHilo Hawaiian. if the front desk lady thought she could get away with her stink attitude she's sadly mistaken. Her disrespect towards me (and I'm LOCAL! BORN & RAISED! She spoke with no respect! No friendliness, NO ALOHA! Why would you employee someone like this! Im not sure if housekeeping was short staff, but we waited patiently for 4 hours for a room! it's sad that one rotten employee can act this way and get away with it! I hope she apologizes to us for the wait as a common courtesy...if not I will take this to the higher ups...Saturday 2/14/26 3:31pm HER NAME IS ALICIA...

Fantastic hotel in Hilo! We stayed here for a couple of nights on our vacation and it was great…read more The lobby is spacious and modern looking with plenty of places for lounging. There is a pool to the side of the hotel and lots of parking available. The hotel also has a restaurant bar and a proper restaurant, a steakhouse that does buffets on the weekend. We didn't do the buffet as neither of us really enjoys eating at a buffet but we did have breakfast there and we went to the bar side for a couple of drinks, including a free cocktail upon check in. The room was clean and had everything we needed. We booked a room facing the water and the coconut island which was a lovely view. You can hear through the wall quite loudly but if turning on the fan constantly helped drown out the noise at night. I was a little annoyed that we were placed in a room next to a family with a bunch of kids, including a crying infant when the hotel didn't seem to be too busy during our stay. I went outside a couple of times to enjoy the view with some drinks but had to get back inside immediately due to the loud crying. We were also issued a $10 voucher to use at the restaurant. We used one for breakfast but could not use the other 2 vouchers. There are other restaurants nearby and even one that is a walking distance. Had there been an option to order from a menu at the steakhouse, I would have loved the chance to do so. Perhaps next time. Overall, the stay was good and would not hesitate to book this place again if ever in Hilo in the future.