Arnott's Lodging and Adventures

I would do a longer stay here with family. Quiet, quaint. Rooms are definitely older and there’s nothing fancy about it. It’s further from downtown Hilo so you have to drive ~10 mins vs walking. But for the price, quiet location, and hospitality I’d recommend it! Arnott has great chat and was very helpful.

We didn’t stay at Arnott’s Lodge, but we did take their Mauna Kea Sunset Tour, so this review refers exclusively to that experience. They picked us up on time at our hotel. From there, we went to the beautiful Rainbow Falls and then up to Mauna Kea. Donna, our tour guide, provided amazing information along the way and on our drive back about Hawaiian culture, history, and especially astronomy during the laser-guided class after sunset. The sunset was spectacular, and we were extremely lucky to also witness the moonrise. The view of the Milky Way was breathtaking. Donna took photos of us, showed us every single observatory, and took the time to teach us how to take our own photos using our phones. In summary, considering the price, the overall experience, and our incredible guide, this tour was excellent and highly recommended. Funny enough, we had almost rented a Jeep to drive to the Mauna Kea summit by ourselves, but we changed our minds to avoid the stress of driving up and then back down in the dark. Additionally, after seeing the very long line of 4x4 vehicles at the Onizuka Visitor Center waiting to be checked by the rangers, and considering how much we enjoyed the extra time after sunset with our guide teaching us about the night sky, we were extremely happy for having invested a bit more money to fully enjoy this unique adventure. Once again, MAHALO DONNA!!!

5 stars for the sunset star gazing tour. Andras was a great driver and very knowledgeable about the sights, taking care of yourself at altitude and the stars.

Excellent hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You share the same building, but the room is private. The rooms are clean and cozy. Wi-Fi, a small kitchen, and washing machines. The essentials to make your stay comfortable. A few minutes from the Hilo airport.

Rooms were great but there were a few fruit flies which sucked. Otherwise it was great, they provided individual shampoo and conditioner and body wash products for each person who was staying, provided raid bug pesticide, provided plates and utensils, and towels.

This is one of the good ones. Perfect accommodations for our family of 5. The family suite was clean and comfortable. Split ACs in the bedrooms. Kitchen provided microwave, 4-top burners, coffee pot, dishes, pots/pans, utensils, small fridge/freezer, and most important, a rice pot. Good location, easy access to beaches and stores. One hour drive to Kilauea where we witnessed episode 39 - spectacular! Recommend for budget travelers who don't need the bells and whistles.

We were tent camping. Very well set up for camping. Nice grass for the tent, place to cook and eat out of the weather. Very clean. Lots of great options for beaches. A bit outside of town but that meant it was quiet. Buildings with rooms looked neat and tidy from the outside. Highly recommend.

I didn't have overly high expectations for this place so it not only surpassed them, it is a place I will definitely return to. Rates are based on occupancy and so are accommodations, so be accurate with those and you will have a lovely stay. We had a family room which could also be three separate rooms for solo travelers or couples. There was a double bed in the living room area, two twins in another room, and a queen (?) bed in yet another room. The rooms with the two twins and the queen were the ones with the lock-off option, and this would result in a shared kitchen space and shared bathroom, more like a hostel for smaller groups of travelers. I do not know if all of the rooms have this configuration, or if some do in-fact have private bathrooms for a couple or solo traveller. The space was exceptionally clean and everyone was very friendly! I found the rates to be very reasonable for such a large accommodation. I would recommend having a car when staying here, as it is a bit off the beaten path, but I would tend to recommend a car for visiting Hilo regardless.