Hilo, where to stay??

MrsHow

We are staying in Hilo for a few days during our HM. I've been doing tons of research, but i can't figure out where to stay.  Almost everything i find has a ton of bad reviews that go along with the good.  Anyone actually stayed on the Hilo side and know of a good place?  So far, The Shipman B&B looks like my favorite, but it's a bit pricey.

MrsNFB

The Hilo side doesn't cater to tourist like the Kona side does, as you can tell by your search for accommodations   It's really slim pickins' for places to stay in/around there. The Shipman House is a solid choice.There's also the Bay House B&B:  http://bayhousehawaii-px.rtrk.com/index.htmlThere's another one and I can't think of the name, I believe it's a bit north of Hilo...I'll try to remember...One more, I found this vacation rental when we were looking to stay in Hilo (didn't want to stay with family but we ended up staying with them anyway), this place is 20 miles south of Hilo - it's big but you may get a good deal depending on when you are looking to go:  http://book.bigislandvacationrentals.com/site/Overview/PropertyID__31997/10311/DesktopDefault.aspxGood luck!

amoureux

Are you staying in Hilo in actually sightsee in Hilo those days or is your plan to visit Volcanos National Park? If you are planning on the park, I would stay in the village of Volcano.  There are numerous inns and b&b.

eacerna

We just got back from Hawaii yesterday. DH and I stayed at an awesome B&B on volcano town. I HIGHLY recommend it!! It's perfect for honeymooners. I booked it and DH had no idea where we were staying. He was pleasantly surprised when we got there. The cottage is in the middle of a rainforest! So romantic :-). Hilo is about 20 - 30 mins drive so it's not too far. Here's the link. We stayed at the Forest House :-). It's a short distance from the Volcano Village and Volcano National Park. Let me know if you have any questions. http://www.volcanoretreat.com/

gwahs.girl

As someone mentioned before, the Shipman House is a nice choice.  Its been family owned and run since the 1800s, and the current owners are really nice.  Its a beautiful property!  Also another beautiful B&B is the Falls at Kawainui in Pepeekeo, which is about 15 minutes north of Hilo on the Hamakua Coast.  http://www.fallsatkawainui.com/ The Palms Cliff House in is also in that area, and though I've never been, I heard the property is gorgeous: http://www.palmscliffhouse.com/. That being said, they may be a bit pricey too.  Personally, I think that B&Bs are the way to go in Hilo.  The hotels are nice enough, but they are definitely NOT the resorts some might expect to be standard in Hawaii.  Of the three main hotels in Hilo, I think Hilo Hawaiian is the best.  But really, go for a B&B.If you are also staying in Kona--and thus driving around the island--make sure you stop off at Tex Drive-Inn in Honokaa for some of their malasadas!  So ono!