We were able to stay in this lovely one-bedroom guest house for practically nothing. It's located…read morein Pahoa, in a neighborhood where locals live and it was a perfect place to be able to hit the popular spots in the southeastern part of the Big Island. If you want to visit Kehena Beach, the Kapoho Tidepools, Kalani Resort, and especially the LAVA FLOW! It's all very close. Also Pahoa is such a local funky town, I think it's worth a visit to get more local flavor than just staying in Kona. The guest cottage, or the ambulana, is situated behind the owner's house. It's a one-bedroom cottage with a large living room/dining room area and all you need for in the kitchen. If you're lucky, you will get some of Yami's spicy curry mix so you can cook up some curry chicken or lentils. Overall, it's a great place to get away from the usual tourist sites. It's quiet, and it's got the beautiful sounds of the coqui frogs at night.

BE WARNED ABOUT THIS PROPERTY!!! We booked through Expedia and searched for units with a hot tub…read moreand this one came up. We booked, only to find that the hot tub wasn't working. We had no warning whatsoever and the owners never reached out to tell us. We NEVER would have booked this if we knew the hot tub wasn't working. The owners did NOTHING to offer restitution for the problem. If you book be sure to check to make sure everything is working properly or you will be sadly disappointed on how they handle the problem!

What a lovely place with gracious hosts. I reserved the two rooms for my father in laws birthday…read moreand Father's Day in March. Then in May the volcano starting erupting and the park closed and hearing about the air quality and earthquakes and potential explosions put a pall on our plans. Chris emailed us the entire time giving us updates and options and really just so responsive. We decided to go anyways and glad that we did. We reserved both rooms and really it felt like we were the home owners bc we had the place to ourselves. The rooms are beautiful and the landscaping amazing with beautiful orchids and plants everywhere. Each room has a fireplace that we used every night and again in the morning. We had so much food for snacks and breakfast and it was actually better than going somewhere they serve breakfast daily bc it was at our own pace. Since my in laws have dietary restrictions it was better to have cereal and instant oats and yogurt and fresh fruit and banana bread at our own leisure. Plenty of coffee and tea to make. I had planned on going to nearby cafe to get breakfast but it wasn't necessary. We ate out on the deck and had the it to ourselves and ate in pajamas and prolly made too much noise for chris and eric. I was full and ready for the day every morning before we headed out. Since the park was closed the location seemed silly at first but then when we came down to Hilo and up to Onomea Bay and then up to Waipio Valley I was glad to be up in Volcano. It was so hot and humid and oppressive but up in Volcano it was cool and misty and comfortable. Our hosts were gracious and attentive but not overbearing in any way. They were kind and we appreciated the time we got to spend with family there. I'd suggest staying here bc the weather is so much nicer up here and it's a neat place to get away from it all. If you're just going to rent one room get haiku which is in the back. More private. Bc the room is two walls of just windows surrounded by tropical vegetation. Pretty amazing. The metal roof made a perfect sound machine to fall asleep to. They provided ear plugs in case it's too noisy but we loved it all. Even the small earthquakes were mini adventures.

What a beautiful luxurious and romantic place to stay in Volcano. Don't think twice about booking…read morethis spot, you won't regret it! We stayed in the white lotus suite and this suite was 5-Star hotel material if not better. We loved everything about it: the king size bed, private parking, views of the rainforest from inside with all the glass windows, breakfast is provided, full jacuzzi bathtub that comes with bath salts and bubbles, double shower, double sinks, heat lamp above tub, and access to private patio to enjoy breakfast with a view. I would go back here in a heartbeat next time I come to visit. The owner is very sweet and you can tell that he is very attentive and thoughtful when it comes to the rooms that he builds himself.

Amazing in every way! We had the most magical four day adventure and loved everything about our…read morestay in the Rising Moon suite. John is the most gracious of hosts and went out of his way with so many thoughtful touches. The breakfasts were different every day and so very delicious. The soaking bath tub was such a welcome treat after long days adventuring. Highly recommend this little slice of paradise!

We found Mountain Cottage through Hawaii Volcano Vacations online and stayed there for two nights…read more The online site displays detailed information and pictures of Mountain Cottage, so we had some ideas how the inside is like before we left for our trip to Big Island. This was my first time staying at a cottage, and the whole experience of staying at Mountain Cottage was amazing. After driving through rural and quiet road following the direction we received, we finally found Mountain Cottage. Because there is no street light in the whole area, if it is your first time going there and you arrive after dark, it will be difficult to find the cottage. We were feeling lucky that we made it there before it turned dark. This cottage is inside a gated area and surrounded by fern trees. The outside of the cottage looks nice. After walking up the stairs, I peeked at the inside through the window, and I immediately felt in love with this cottage, because the inside looked so cute! Although the space is small inside, everything is very clean and organized! It is equipped with every standard thing you may find at a regular hotel (i.e., refrigerator, microwave, heater, coffee maker, etc.). And there were a few handwritten post-it notes from the cottage owners to pass messages to us. Besides this, the cottage owner also provided a flashlight for us to use, which was thoughtful. In the morning, the cottage owner provided us blueberry muffins and fresh-cut papayas to start out our day. During the two nights we stayed there, I felt I was staying at a friend's homey place instead of a rental cottage. Because this experience was so great, I was actually feeling a bit sad that we had to check out from the cottage after two nights. If I am coming back to this area again, I would want to stay at the same place!

There are good things. Very clean and good quality beds etc. Plus right next to national park…read more However, all the pictures showed a wonderful breakfast and setting. But NOT a good breakfast...even for basic needs. A McDonald's style sausage patty, some papia. They said we'd get some French toast but never got any. Then got half of a bagel with it. Small amount of papaya, coffee...that's it. So can't give more than 3 stars. Give a 3 because of how cute and clean it was. But I was interested in one of the many nice breakfasts shown/ indicated on their web page. Else it was very nice.

Good location with Volcano NP just down the road. We've stayed a couple of times here over the…read moreyears with variable experiences. Communication with management can be a bit spotty. Rooms are nice and the verandas are wonderful - be aware the walls are thin - beds are comfortable, though on the softer side. Heat is via a space heater and this has come in handy for the drizzly damp days on this side of the island. The floors can get cold though since we observe the Hawaiian custom of taking shoes off in the house - so bring several pairs of socks! We did experience a day where hot water was limited. Just be aware this is a family business and not a big corporate hotel with all the bells and whistles. Aloha goes both ways.

We decided to spend a night on the Hilo side and booked this about a week before departure, so it…read morewas 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.

This hotel is such a gem. No front desk, but check in/check out was easy. We felt like we were…read morestaying 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.

From the moment we ran into a few unexpected hiccups with our reservation, Carlos and John went…read moreabove and beyond to make things right. They treated us with such kindness, patience, and genuine care, never making us feel like we were an inconvenience. It was obvious they worked as a team, communicated well, and were committed to making sure we had a wonderful experience. What could have been a frustrating start to our stay quickly became a reminder of how much exceptional hospitality matters. Their professionalism, empathy, and positive attitudes turned the situation around completely. They made us feel welcomed, valued, and truly cared for, and because of them, we'll remember this stay for all the right reasons. Thank you again Carlos and John for the outstanding service you provided and making such a meaningful difference in our trip!

We had a unique and wonderful experience at Volcano Village Lodge. The rooms are located in the…read moremiddle of a rainforest with floor-to-ceiling windows so you feel you're right in the middle of nature. The friendly and helpful staff made sure we had a great experience. Breakfast each morning was filling and delicious. They were even able to accommodate my dairy-free diet, which I really appreciated. If you're lucky, the moist and rich homemade brownies will also be available in the lobby. Just be sure to stock up before the office closes each day. We ordered picnic lunches from the lodge for our day hiking at Volcanoes National Park. While the sandwiches were average, the lunches included wine and an impressive number of snacks. The snacks lasted all day and we even had enough to bring some home on the plane. The property is only a 10-15 min drive to Volcanoes National Park making it easy to get there. One thing to note: the wifi was very unreliable during our stay. This could be a pro or con depending on your needs.

This place is absolutely magical! I really don't think I can express in words how incredible the…read moreVolcano Eco Retreat was, and I truly don't think we'll ever find something as magnificent again. My wife and I came here to celebrate our 1 year anniversary/late honeymoon, and we could not have DREAMED of a better experience! Emily and Court were such gracious hosts and you can immediately tell how much love they put into this place. The cottages were absolutely PERFECT, equipped with a mini fridge, WiFi and a smart TV, and a ceiling fan for temperature control. The shower was fantastic, and the bed was like sleeping on a cloud! The resort itself was STUNNING, with beautiful lush greenery as far as the eye can see. We found ourselves easily able to fall asleep to the sounds of nature every night. It was so wonderful to be able to unplug and just enjoy the sounds of the forest around us, and the rain falling. Unbelievably relaxing! If you've never been to Hawaii before, the weather changes pretty frequently. It rained every day we were there, but only for about 30 minutes or so. Definitely don't worry about getting rained out on vacation, because if you drive even just a few minutes down the road it'll be clear skies and sunshine! All of Emily's recommendations were spot on! She really knows her stuff and I felt like we had an inside source to all the best spots on the island - the ones only known to locals. The handmade breakfasts every morning were to die for, Court is an exceptionally talented chef - seriously Michelin star quality food that was breathtaking to look at and some of the most delicious food I've ever tasted! Not to mention everything comes from their own garden! I myself am not vegan but every meal we had was filling and absolutely DELICIOUS. A VERY special shout-out to Naomi the massage therapist! If you get a chance to do Naomi's retreat I HIGHLY recommend it! She really gave us such an amazing experience and we came away from it feeling relaxed and rejuvenated! Plus being able to see all the great work they're doing for the land is truly incredible. Whether you're vegan or not this place should be at the absolute top of your list. We can't thank Emily and Court (and Will!) enough for making our honeymoon a truly unforgettable experience! We will DEFINITELY be back!

I can't express enough how amazing our stay here was. The property itself was well kept, beautiful…read moreand extremely clean! The owners Gabby, Tony and their fashion forward dog Sushi were welcoming, accommodating and kind! My favorite part was brunch! They brought out an amazing spread of pineapple pancakes, spinach bubble waffles and a papaya filled with overnight oats-a straight up chefs kiss! It's the perfect place to relax, unplug and enjoy yourself!