Serene, affordable hostel conveniently located in Hilo. I stayed here with my traveling companion during an 11-day adventure through the Hawaiian islands, and Wild Ginger was by far one of our favorite inns/hostels. We stayed in a private room on the first floor, which was small and simple but gave us everything we needed, including a private bath. We loved how quiet it was, and fell asleep every night to the bugs chirping outside our windows. The rooms and common spaces were always clean and charmingly decorated, and we especially appreciated the plethora of tourist information. The complimentary breakfasts were certainly a highlight - there was always fresh fruit and healthy options like oatmeal, but also some fun dishes like black rice pudding. The service was very friendly, as were the other guests. Overall, we felt it was a great deal! read more

This place is not for sleeping. Signage everywhere indicates a 9pm quiet time. But to no avail. You have to wait for everyone else in the place to go to sleep, including the drunk people that come back late, the late tv watchers and the disrespectful youngins that don't know how to be quiet. I wish the problem was frogs and rain. Nice central location. Clean. Uncomfortable bed. Just know what you're getting into. Not the right tools for my job. Bummed. read more

Hotel staff was amazing! Very accommodating and friendly, especially Grace! Free breakfast is an added bonus, not to mention, their "Kilauea rice" was delish. If you're expecting a fancy hotel, this ain't the place for you. The atmosphere is one of a kind. The amenities are very basic and simple, so don't be expecting you're everyday essentials that most hotels offer. You're on vacation, go explore, all you really need is a place to shower, hold your personal stuff and sleep anyways. I love this Hotel! I'll definitely be back! read more

I loved this place. The owners are really nice and care about making the place friendly and beautiful. There is a large common area with a kitchen, lots of tables and chairs, games, art, gear rentals, books, etc. The rooms are nice. It's surrounded by beautiful gardens. The frogs are a bit noisy but they give you earplugs. There was no noise from other guests, traffic, etc. Its not a 'fancy' hotel, but more like a traveler's inn, which us exactly what I wanted. This is where I'll stay next time im in hilo. read more

First time I stayed here found the front desk unpleasant and rude and the $50 room pretty nasty but hey it was cheap. Second time I wanted to stay here for the night and I called before I went in and they told me they require id for both guests. I told then that one of us had their id stolen and only has an expired temporary one that's faded. They said it's ok. We find a ride to the place with all our stuff right before dark and when we get there they tell us they can't let us stay there because of the faded expired id. We no longer had a ride so we started walking with all our bags in the dark looking for shelter as it began to rain. I called the place to tell them how upset I was and that I wanted to talk to the owner. The guy says he is the owner and that is their policy and clicks on me. Well my policy for human decency is have some integrity. I was clear about the situation of the id and asked before I went. Yet once we get there they all of a sudden have a problem with it. This place hasn't heard of customer service nor aloha. There are much better places to stay in Hilo where they actually care about their guests. This place is not one of them. read more

This place is no 5 star hotel, it's more like camping with a cabin however this is a great place to stay, close to town, and the owners are nice. I relocated to hilo for work and had to find a place to stay for a few nights before I find a place to rent. Wild ginger was the cheapest option. read more

My wife and I stayed at this hotel a few years back and had quite the shock. After reading a glowing review in the SJ Merc, we booked 3 nights. I don't know if things have changed since we were there a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure that the first review on Yelp is a paid shill. It's got absolutely nothing to recommend, from the frozen waffle breakfast, to the paper thin walls and the most nasty shower I've seen in the States. How thin were the walls? A nail holding a picture in the adjacent room was sticking through to our side. How dirty was the shower? My wife insisted we wear our flip-flops so that we wouldn't have to get a tetanus shot. After one night there, we literally had to fight with the manager to get a refund for the remaining two nights. We high-tailed it out of there...which is a shame, because I really wanted to enjoy the rest of Hilo. Stay FAR FAR away from this nightmare, and shame on the first reviewer, whom obviously has been paid off. read more

I entered this hostel with a little bit of hesitation because of the rough looks. This place breathes history! It was a busy weekend in Hilo and they didn t have any hotel rooms left so they put me into their brand new hostel called the lava pit downstairs by the little river and I loved it. It looks like you re in the middle of the jungle but still you re right in the middle of the biggest city on the hawaiian island and at night this magic comes alive ! The coqui frog start singing his song. it get s pretty loud but I love it and it hides the noise of the cars in the streets in the neighbourhoud. After a while the frog s chanting gets into a pleasant rhythm and the you dream away. these where my last days in Hawaii, in the best hostel I could imagine !! thanks Alex (and your mom) read more

All other places were booked or expensive from hostels to airbnb to hotels but this place saved me from a night of being mosquito bate! I remembered this place from 10 years ago and it feels like there prices have not gone up, still the best deal in down. Thank you wild ginger inn for a fabulous place to stay! read more

Summary: five stars for hospitability and conditions. Unfortunately, I was able to stay here for only one night, so I was not able to enjoy all that ths hostel could offer. It was a little difficult to find at first, since I drove in during the night time. The staff there were very helpful and accomodating. The was clean and tidy, but a bit tilted to the side, which made walking and sleeping somewhat uncomfortable. The sink was old fashioned, and the curtains were fastened by strings. Granted, this IS supposed to be a "traditional" hostel, so I did not go in expecting much. For those of you expecting a high-end hotel sort of thing, this may not be to your taste. The night was very peaceful, and I have to say that this hostel may be situated in one of the best places. On the nightstand, the staff prepared earplugs (foam, packed in bags) and a note that warned about the noise of the coqui frogs and the rain. It was raining when we arrived, and rained throughout the night, but it is as expected in a place like Hilo. The coqui frogs were very comforting, and we did not need the earplugs (you can recognize them by listening for that "Co-qui, co-qui" noise - sounds like ko-kee). Anyway, the morning was what made this place truly spectacular. I was already informed that they had a garden, but was definitely not expecting what I saw in the morning. Waking up and walking out of the room, I saw a myriad of trees and plants growing. They (supposedly, although I was only able to recognize a few) had papaya, jackfruit, longons, and bananas growing outside. Truly spectacular. There are also a few cats wandering about, so be a little cautious. They are friendly though. I took a little walk through the garden, and it was a very nice walk. Later, I headed up for breakfast (the garden is located down a flight of stairs). By the way, be sure to read the little laminated sheet they place on the bedside table. Be sure to head down early for breakfast (I THINK they start at 7 or 7:30...but you may want to ask the staff to be sure), as they run out of the good stuff later on in the morning. Try the Kilauea Rice (placed in small bowls in a plastic container, may have to open a bunch to find it). It's basically hot rice pudding topped with bananas, which, believe me, is really good. They also have fresh fruits available - although for us, it was from the Farmer's Market from behind the place. I don't doubt that they may have fruit from their own garden in the right season. They also had coffee, oatmeal, cupcakes, and other little baked items. The rice was definitely a highlight, through. Again, not exactly an upscale place, but a great place for a great price. read more

Charming - the only word to describe this place. Originally built as housing for sugar plantation workers in the early 1900s, converted to an inn in the 1930s. Our room had a king-sized bed, private bath (shower), microwave, refrigerator with freezeer (big enough to hold a 7# bag of ice). The place was clean. Merlie and husband Al took over management from her parents, who are retiring. they're super friendly and helpful. Breakfast (included) with good coffee, fresh fruits (papayas, bananas) and home-baked breakfast breads, and toast with jam. Free wifi in the "lobby" - a comfortable, open lanai with several tables (doubles as the breakfast room), a couple of sofas, TV, aquarium. Laundry facilities available (detergent is $1), and full kitchen facilities if you want to use them. Great view of Hilo Bay, established tropical plantings that shade the place (bamboo, palms, bananas). No AC, but you don't need it -- great windows that let the trade winds in, and a ceiling fan in every room. It's walking distance to old-town Hilo, the farmers market, $2 cinema, great restaurants (and, if you insist, McDonald's). It was a huge disappointment when we drove to the other side of town and found the strip with the WalMart, Taco Bell, etc. Til then, it felt like Key West in the Hemingway era. If you want Ritz Carton, stay on the Kona side of the Big Island -- this place is not for you. If you want great value and an aloha experience, check in to the Wild Ginger Inn. (They also supply ear plugs on our night table, if you need them to shut out the sound of the coqui frogs and rain on the roof. If you think you'll need them, maybe you shouldn't come to Hawai'i.) read more

Wild Ginger Hotel - Wild Ginger Inn on Hilo Bay - Hotels Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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True Aloha! Wild Ginger has an Old Hawaiian feel that's missing at other hotels on the island. The staff makes you feel like your in the company of old friends; no doubt you'll make new friends there. I was pleasantly surprised: the Hawaiian Plantation feel, the ocean views, the natural surroundings, the central location, the value for the $, and most of all the hospitality! I will fondly remember my first stay there and look to come back soon : ) read more

We decided to stay in Hilo as we were driving to Hilo so I did my usual Yelp and Booking.com search and found the Wild Ginger Inn. We were looking for reasonable and practice with a local feel and that is what we got! Everyone has been great. Room clean with a micro and refrig which was helpful in our case. The feel of the place was my favorite. You are in a jungle environment with outside grounds that include a treehouse. The sound of the birds and coqui frogs lulled us to sleep. We woke up to birds singing and breakfast with a local flare. We would come back as it couldn't be more convenient, welcoming and reasonable. read more

this is a real gem of an inn... it's very rustic hawaiian with a lot of aloha spirit! the new owners, Lee and Jason, are a very friendly young couple who have high spirits and true aloha energy. they are working hard to restore this beautiful, historical property in the jungle just a few minutes walk to downtown Hilo. the beds are big and really comfortable... and the continental breakfasts included beautiful local sliced papaya and pineapples, quality pastries and dark rich organic Kona coffee. this is a GREAT place to stay! read more

You should stay here, for breakfast especially. The owner/chef makes it all fresh. I thought I didn't like papaya til I ate a real one! Cakes, rice dishes, great coffee, tree ripe bananas. The staff is super. One of the girls sings in a local club, you need to meet her before she becomes famous. Alex is the hardest working dude in the hospitality industry. There are coqui frogs, however, and they are not to be underestimated. My solution was beer and soft ear plugs. read more

TV's from the 80's and not working. WiFi is only good from the front of the building. The management could use a change. Though the original owners who work on the property (2 brothers) who indeed do a great job tending to construction and their great foliage, management could imo be more involved to handle the smaller things like the upgrade of TV's and internet being most folks are away from home and would love to sit in the cabana and use the service. Best part of spending a thousand here was meeting a few new friends and the brothers who will be fine I'm sure. Three stars because of management. And not the entire team. Wouldn't stay here again because of ...the management. read more

Regardless of the fact this is a cheap hotel, it is not even worth the money. As soon as you come in the parking lot it looked like a massive earth quake hit the place. When you go to the check in counter there is a big yellow sign thst says NO PETS but there is a dog sitting behind the window on its own bed next to the employee. The rooms are VERY small. The water is either boiling hot ( if there is even any hot water left) or freezing. There is no in between and the room itself is SO SO SO DIRTY. Dont bother. Save your money. read more

Terrific place. It's not a resort but the place is cost effective and the owners are super nice. Near downtown and walking distance to where you want to go to in Hilo. Check it out. read more

This is inn is owned by our family so maybe my rating may not count but our family is awesome and they definitely take care of you there. I would recommend this place 100%. They have a great view of the water and its amazing to watch the sunrise or sunset. read more

I stayed in the women's shared dormitory. I felt like I was in college again. There was two workers staying in the same dorm as me with a guest. It was nice for the price I paid. I was able to catch wifi from the room. The bathroom was in the room also. Though the only thing I didn't like was the smell there was a weird odor I think one of the workers put a incense. read more

This is a good place to land for a night on your way through town or to use as a base of operations when exploring the east side of the island. There are kitchens both indoor and outdoor. The rooms have fridges and microwaves. For the more adventurous or impecunious there are other options. You can camp in the garden. You can stay in one of the dorms or the bamboo rooms by the stream. Downtown is a short walk. The most important thing to keep in mind is that this place is cheap and you're in Hawaii. read more

I enjoyed my time here. The people were very kind and the vibe was great. Continental breakfast everyday was great with fresh fruit and cakes. Great value read more

If you are looking for a hostel with character, come here. This place is adorable & quirky and welcomes you like family. The $3 breakfast is something that keeps me coming back too :) it's ono! read more

If you want a true Hawaiian feeling in hilo, this is the place to be, very tropical, jungle like surroundings. Friendly Filipino staff who runs it, I love it. I'd go back and stay there again definitely. read more

We had such a wonderful 4 days stay at the Wild Ginger in Hotel in Hilo, that we wanted to share our impressions with you. The Wild Ginger In Hotel is a really authentic and quiet place not too far from Hilo airport, that makes it an ideal hotel to come and discover Hawaiian volcanoes. The place was clean and comfy, and the people working here were all really nice to us. We felt really welcomed in that place, and had all commodities needed to enjoy our stay here. The continental breakfast is really enjoyable, and provides you all you need to start visiting days in the Hawaiian islands at your ease. The rooms were well equipped with fridge, and microwaves, and we could feel the aloha spirit in the air. A special thanks to Uncle Charlie, that spent a little time with us talking about Hawaiian history : you are a great guy, stay as you are ! We do recommend the Wild Ginger Hotel to all people looking for an authentic, friendly, and quiet place to stay. Thank you to all Wild Ginger Hotel staff, you are doing great ! read more

The relaxed Hawaiian atmosphere is what we were seeking. We loved the frogs at night, the staff were super nice, we met the owners and they were kind, friendly, and made us happy that we chose this place. The no frills is also just fine. The private room we got had a great cross-breeze, comfortable bed, and we survived without AC! read more

When I first arrived at the Ginger as the locals call it I was welcomed as family. The fresh fruit in their continental breakfast was wonderful and grow mostly on the property. The ocean view offers and opportunity to check out the morning surf. The staff was so helpful and knowledgable. I was given options to rent anything from a bike to a surfboard and even boogie boards. Town is only 1 minute away and the area was delightful. The hostel/hotel/camp site is large offering plenty of places to curl up with a good book or just get away from the main areas for a nap. I would definatly send everyone I know to the Ginger. Thanks Love family for making me feel right at home. P.S Your yard and the fruit in the yard is amazing Auntie Lee!!!! read more

Rooms a bit rough around the edges, but the rest of the place makes up for it. Delicious free breakfast and friendly people. We got a private room with bathroom for $70. read more

We just returned from a 16 day stay. The rooms are very clean and quiet. We enjoyed the breakfast of fresh fruit and homemade baked goods daily. The lobby area is a open 24/7 and has a beautiful view. This is a family run business and the staff is very kind and helpful. The atmosphere is very laid back and friendly. We loved it and look forward to returning. read more

We stayed at the Wild Ginger this last week and had a lovely experience. The owners, Lee and Ben, were gracious hosts and take pride in their inn. It is decorated reminiscent of old Hawaii, not like the modern timeshares and hotels geared toward the out of state/country tourists. It is an older building, with some sloping floors, but lots of character and history there, which reminded us of the "olden days" when we lived in Hawaii. The beds were comfortable enough and the rooms have small fridges, microwaves, and t.v.'s, overhead fans, and even earplugs to drown out the coqui frogs and rain sounds at night, but we actually liked the sounds so didn't choose to use them. There is a cute outdoor kitchen for your use that I wish we had at home because it is so suited for island living. The staff was friendly and very accommodating. The ones we interacted with were Grace, at the front desk, so helpful and lovely personality, and also Jeff, and Scott, workers there who make you feel welcome and special. The breakfast alone is a reason to want to return to Wild Ginger. Lee makes the best banana bread, and Ben makes a special sweet rice (almost like mochi) with 5 different kinds of rice, called bibinka rice, topped with a dab of a his own haupia. They serve fresh papaya, grown on the property, apple bananas, also grown there, different homemade breads, oatmeal with cinnamon, bagels and toast with many choices of jams and peanut butter, POG, and delicious coffee, always brewing - basically a very healthy and filling breakfast. We walked the grounds and admired the bananas and papayas growing, noting what may be tomorrow's breakfast. We recommend this as an affordable and fun place to stay. Jackie and Jim Collins Kailua/Lanikai, HI read more

I would give this place 0 stars, if I could....I booked a two night stay in the indoor female dormitory. I read all the reviews on this place, from numerous sources before making the decision to stay here, I felt relatively reassured that I would be going to a place full of aloha. I was wrong. I am a born and raised local girl; aloha was totally lacking in this place. I checked in in the early evening after my bus arrived in town. The two guys at the front desk seemed nice enough, at first. I was shown to my room, where I set my stuff down and proceeded to get ready for a shower, until I realized there was no towel. Apparently a towel costs $2. So when I return downstairs with my money, I figure I'd ask for a washcloth too. The one guy says "washcloth?" And the guy next to him (presumably the owner) mimics uninterestedly, "a washcloth..." I say nevermind (I mean obviously the two have the personality of parrots) and the first guy goes "uh if you can't see from the sign on the window, we're closed..." Um first of all, their "closed" sign was half hidden behind a bunch of taped up crap, how am I supposed to see that? Secondly, you have two guys sitting behind the counter (which is fully lit up by the way with the sliding window wide open) doing absolutely nothing. Obviously I just checked in ten minutes before, I'm a paying customer, can't you take TWO seconds to help me out? Anyway, to the room. Apparently my roommates were the housekeepers of the place. I didn't realize they lived there... Makeup all over the bathroom, products all in the shower, it was kind of weird. The tub was gross, the place could have been cute, but it wasn't quite. It was pretty chilly that night (and I live in Waimea, which is cold, it almost felt like that), and I had an extremely difficult time staying warm with the joke of a single, thin sheet provided. Had to wear my cardigan to bed. Was afraid to go downstairs and ask for a blanket or another crappy sheet in case I took the two guys away from their verrrry important job of doing absolutely nothing. My bad. Overall I just got a weird, unwelcoming vibe from the place. I paid in advance for two nights, but on the second day managed to book a room at Hilo Bay Hostel (MUCH BETTER) and grabbed my stuff and left. They can keep my extra $25, I couldn't care less. I would rather sleep just about anywhere else than spend another night in this place. I will never come back here, nor will I recommend this place to anyone. If you decide to stay here, bring your own blanket, towel and your fake smiley face. You're gonna need it. read more

My partner and I stayed 3 nights at Wild Ginger Inn during our time in Hilo. We had a Superior Room with a king size bed in the hotel portion of the facilities. The staff was very welcoming when we checked in and made sure everything was okay with our accommodations all throughout our stay. The grounds are lush and green; they even have fruit trees in the tropical garden that guests can enjoy. Earplugs are provided on the night stand, in case the coqui frogs keep you up at night. Continental breakfast is provided in the morning but if that's not your cup of tea, you can purchase groceries and cook them in the community kitchen. However, the kitchen isn't accessible at night. A mini fridge and microwave were provided in the room, which was very convenient for storing leftovers or other food. They adequately warn guests to keep food in air-tight containers to prevent pests from getting to them. They also have a mini library for guests, which also included Big Island Revealed. (I highly recommend this travel book!) Rentals for boogie boards, surf boards, and coolers are provided. Various restaurants and a farmers' market (Wed and Sat) are all within walking or short driving distance. If you're looking for no-frills accommodations, Wild Ginger Inn is perfect! read more

Aloha! My family and I, consisting of myself, my husband, a nine year old, a four year old, and 18 month old have had a great experience staying at the Wild Ginger Inn. Not only were the rooms very affordable and clean, but more importantly the staff were very welcoming, patient with my children, and accomodating in every way. This place has a very family friendly enviroment, with beautiful scenery, and a rustic and kick back vibe.I would definately recommend staying here to others, and plan on making it a personal family tradition to return here every time we come back to the islands. Mahalo to everyone who made this stay here very memorable and one that we will never forget! read more

10.17.2017 ALL CHILL NO FRILL! The Wild Ginger Inn is: ALL ALOHA NO DRAMA! Owned and managed by the delightful Love family, WGI is a low budget but high quality Hilo Hotel/Hostel. Say Aloha to the travelers and/or locals over the epic breakfast spread and you'll be amazed by the stories bestowed upon you! This place is cheaper than most Motel 6's on the mainland and the experience is priceless! I stayed a few nights in a hotel room and a few nights in the male hostel room (with a cool worktrader) and both were great experiences. Be sure to chat up the owners and wonderful staff to get the local perspective of the Big Island with all its charms. The Hilo Tavern is a mid-length Led Zeppelin song walk away and has many tasty Kona Brewery suds on tap and makes an excellent Mai Tai plus has great live Hawaiian music every Tuesday night. I rented a surfboard and had fun cruising on the whitewater off the shore of a local beach. Big Aloha and Mahalo to The Wild Ginger Inn!!! 5 out of 5 stars. - Emmy 'The Volcano' Collins read more

We got a Priceline last minute deal here when we were passing through Hilo. What a score ! Love this little place . Very comfortable and incredibly friendly . Hawaiian feel with gardens and open air everything . You can see the ocean from the second floor . We liked it so much we came back two days later . Not the Westin but a perfect , budget friendly place to stay in Hilo ! read more

Don't even try to stay there. My room was right next to some family. They have kids and looks like they live there. Kids started to crying, screaming from early in the morning. Plus we can't even use their wifi. We have to go to use wifi st the lobby. read more

This is a hard place to review. We stayed here four nights and stayed in three different parts of it. The first two nights we stayed in the hotel part and had a private room. It was pretty shabby, but private nonetheless and the price was good. The bathroom was pretty dirty. I must say the free breakfast was pretty good though! The third night we stayed in the bunks down in the lava pit. This was extremely strange. It's covered porch/lanai that used to be the hotel bar. They basically took a bunk bed and hung blankets on it to make a sort of 'fort' for privacy. Very strange, but it was only $30 for two of us to share a bunk. The final night we got a "room" in the lava pit. This room was a spot in that same lanai that they put some bamboo up to make a private space. During the night a meth addict went absolutely insane on the road above us and I was honestly slightly afraid for my life. The police had to come but she kept trying to come down into the lava pit. Luckily she didn't see the part of the ledge where she easily could've jumped down. Lastly I got bed bug bites from this bed. I find it hard to rate this place because I really like the owners and the place is really beautiful. There are many fruit trees and plants, but it's in the sketchier part of Hilo. Overall I would not stay here again, but if I had to it would be in the hotel part. read more

A relaxed authentic Hawaiian experience, replete with aloha. We stayed in 2 different standard rooms for two different stays, 2 nights and 3 nights. Some of the flooring is slanted, but this is an original plantation house and bound to have some quirks. The family and staff are friendly and willing to attend to any requests. Delicious and satisfying Hawaiian style continental breakfast. If you haven't tried Hawaiian rice pudding, don't be afraid. It's Ono (delicious). Two or 3 different kinds a fruit bread, fruits, and toast etc are available. I'm gluten intolerant and was completely full after feasting on rice pudding, oatmeal and fresh local fruit. Accommodations are definitely no frills, you may also need to use the earplugs (provided by the inn) to sleep if the coqui frogs are loud. Yes, you have to have government issued photo id when you show up, and yes, if you go out and return after 8 pm you must be quiet. This attracts a certain caliber of guests though, who are not rowdy folks. Views and grounds are beautiful. Enjoy. read more

We stayed here for the Merrie Monarch Festival and paid $148 a night, which seemed high based on the cost of other local establishments, however, no other accommodations were available in February when we booked for April. The cost was ok because we just wanted a safe, relaxing atmosphere for sleeping in after the late nights of the festival. The Wild Ginger is definitely Old Hilo and quaint. The owners and staff were welcoming and knowledgeable. They recognized us about town and greeted us with friendliness. Most people who stay here seem to be repeat customers and were friendly and appreciative of the ambiance of the Hilo lifestyle. Breakfast was included and plentiful. When coffee was already cleaned up for the morning, the owner offered fresh coffee from her own pot in the office. Thank you. We enjoyed our stay and would recommend this place to travelers who wish to be close to Hilo town and wish a "flash to the past experience of old Hawaii." read more

We stayed here for one night and just loved it. The place has a lot of character and is very Old Hawaii. The staff was friendly and hospitable as were the other guests. It's only a few blocks from downtown Hilo, close to quaint shops, and we walked to a wonderful Thai restaurant for dinner. We had a private room which was simple, but provided us with a hot shower and all that we needed. You will want to use the earplugs provided in room if the croaking of frogs bothers you. This sound lulls me to sleep, but my husband used the plugs and he said they were the best earplugs he's ever used. The continental breakfast was delicious. They had fresh pastry baked with the fruit in their gardens, and plenty of fresh fruit and delicious Hawaiian coffee. It was truly a unique experience. read more