Our absolute Favorite B & B to stay on the Big Island. We were there 9 nights, but would have loved to stay longer, but space was not available. Gay & Koa welcomed us back after 3 years with open arms. We were so glad we found this Gem in Jan. 2020 just before the pandemic shut the world down. The Samurai Room is our room of choice due to the Japanese design, it is spacious, the fantastic views and for privacy. The full breakfasts are creative, delicious and made with love. We also really enjoyed meeting other guests while we were there. So many great restaurants are only a 5-10 minutes drive away so great location. We'll definitely go back again.
Our stay at the Hilo Honu Inn was not only a highlight of our trip to the Big Island but also the best Bed and Breakfast experience we have ever had! (And that is based on 40+ years of traveling!) Gay and Koa are a lovely couple who obviously care greatly about their customers and go above and beyond in keeping their beautiful home clean and comfortable, providing amazing breakfasts, sharing their stories, and keeping the conversation lively around the breakfast table. They truly make you feel like family. We stayed in the Honu's Nest, which is their smallest room, but was perfect for my husband and me, with a very comfortable queen-sized bed, wonderful bathroom with a large shower, a television, refrigerator, and air conditioner if needed. Location is great for exploring Hilo with several nearby waterfalls, caves, parks, gardens, museums, shops and wonderful restaurants. We also enjoyed the nearby Planetarium on a rainy afternoon. Highly recommend a visit to Hilo while on the Big Island, with a stay at the delightful Hilo Honu Inn! …
We have stayed here in the past, and always enjoyed ourselves. Gay and Koa are wonderful hosts. Our room was on the first floor, had a bath, bedroom and sitting room. Bed was very comfortable. Sitting room is able to be closed off from the bedroom essentially making it a suite. The bath has very nice amenities, and plush towels. The breakfasts featured fresh fruit, from the local farmers market, every morning. Local coffee. Fruit juice also! French toast using bread from a close by bakery. I think you get the picture. A large living/dining room make for wonderful common area. Free onsite parking is great. You will become friends and family with these people the minute you get to know them.
We were in Hilo for a wedding a few months ago and had such a pleasant stay that I decided to write a belated review! Gay and Koa were fantastic, attentive hosts - every morning during a delicious, homemade breakfast they kept up lively conversations featuring stories about Koa’s childhood on the island, Hawaiian culture and history, etc. The room we stayed in was clean and spacious; even when the AC was off we were able to get a nice breeze. The location was close to downtown and a relatively easy drive to VNP - we would gladly stay here again!
I loved my stay at the Hilo Honu Inn, and will definitely be recommending it to all of my friends who visit the big island. Gay and Koa are wonderful hosts and have a wealth of knowledge to share. Every morning included a delicious breakfasts and hours of conversation with Gay, Koa, and the other guests around the breakfast table. The room was nice and felt homey. Restaurants and stores (downtown Hilo) are within walking distance, and there is even a great museum nearby. This is my new place to stay when I visit the big island!
We are always looking for places to stay on the Hilo side, and this was wonderful! Such a great view of the Hilo Bay, and very engaging and knowledgeable hosts! We stayed on the top floor with three beds - all very comfortable!
We did a 3 night stay at the Hilo Honu Inn and felt welcomed from the moment we arrived to the morning we departed. The Bali Hai Suite had a comfortable bed and separate seating area. Gay and Koa served flavorful breakfasts accompanied by a wide range of local fruit and other specialties. We enjoyed our morning conversations with them as they shared information about Hawaiian history and culture. They also gave us hints on local sights and restaurants. When we departed early on our last day, Gay put together a travel breakfast for us and bid us farewell in the driveway.
We absolutely loved this place! Host are very knowledgeable about the island and the history. We have been back multiple times in the Samurai room and breakfast is amazing. This is our go to place when we are in big island. Thank you for sharing your place with us.
A thoroughly enjoyable 4 day stay in Hilo. Accommodations were fine, breakfasts excellent and well presented, but what made our visit so memorable was the opportunity to get to know Gay and Koa. They are warm, talented, so knowledgeable of history and just delightful conversationalists. Such a privilege to loiter over breakfast with them!
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Hilo Honu Inn! Gay and Koa were wonderful hosts!! They served delicious breakfasts daily with fresh local fruits and juices as well as other locally sourced items. Our favorite part of the day was sharing breakfast with other travelers who had such interesting stories to share! And Gay and Koa are a great fount of information about Hilo and its friendly people, as well as the Big Island in general. We stayed in the Bali Hai suite and were very comfortable in the spacious rooms. We are so glad that were chose to stay here! It was a perfect jumping off point for exploring Hilo, the Volcano National Park and the tropical locales of the north end of the island (much more lush and beautiful than Kona and Waikoloa!).
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