We travel the world and always look for unique, relaxing, comfortable places to stay. I never -…read moreEVER - toss out 5 stars. This place would've earned six. Time of stay: 8-11 Mar 2014 Weather: Tropical low (think 1-2 in/hour rain for 22 of 24 hours for 3 days) Sierra (the homeowner) makes this house feel like home! Without such a grand house, I doubt that our solid-rain visit would have been as pleasant and successful as we'd hoped! By comparison, we visited the hotels on Hilo Bay and to a one, they were all rundown, shabby, and uninspiring. One master bedroom with a generous bathroom, one bedroom with a full hallway bath, and a double-bed futon in the family room, plus a full kitchen and screened, covered, walk around porch make this house fully functional for 6. Cable TV proves that 50+ Time-Warner channels provides nothing worth watching (grin), but it comes with WiFi. Bring a HDMI-HDMI cable to port your Netflix to the TV. There are games, books and magazines as well. The kitchen is stocked with all normal utensils and often condiments from prior visitors, but you'll want to do your own grocery shopping. Sierra will leave some items for you upon arrival - fruit, nuts, candies, etc. With the tea candles, it makes for a very lovely arrival after a long trip to Hilo. The view from the rear porch is nothing short of mesmerizing! You will be looking out over your own small waterfall and pond, safe for swimming, 20 feet below your deck. The trek to the pond is a bit challenging, but those without severe joint disease or a walking aid can make it. I recommend "beach shoes" for swimming. Wake up to brew some 100% Kona coffee, fry up some eggs and ham, and you'll be ready to take on a day of sight-seeing, knowing that your home-away-from-home is just 30 minutes away to wash and dry your clothes, have a nice meal (or drive 5-10 minutes to any of the good restaurants in town), and enjoy a great night's rest. Sierra also provided a rental vehicle - Honda CRV van. Plenty of room for 6 with luggage. The back-up camera is essential for backing into the 10%-grade (down) driveway, or you can park on a gravel lot at the top of the hill. You can't miss the coco frogs, as they make their presence known - very loudly - all night long. Combined with the falls - and our errant tropical storm - I was awakened just once. The majority of the time the sound was welcome "white noise." In fact, I cannot recall when I'd been so rested on a vacation! This was the nicest rental I can recall in 12+ years of travel in CONUS and abroad. (Note - Don't miss the air tours over the volcano, as you cannot see the lava from the ground, due to a recent change in lava flows. If helicopters aren't your thing, the locals have a Part 135 (airline level) service using 4 and 7-person Cessnas. As a GA pilot myself, I knew to look for these, and we much-preferred this tour to helicopter. It is also MUCH cheaper and you will see the same or more.)

We arrived late at night on our first night at Aloha Falls. It was so dark that we hardly could…read morepark our car and find our way into the house. Unfortunately, the owner had double booked the house by mistake... so we had to stay the first night in the ground-floor level of the house. So, when we walked into the house in pitch darkness to find unfinished basement-like place...We felt like we had made the biggest mistake of our lives. We were hoping it wouldn't end like a horror film with us murdered. When we woke up the next morning and went outside, we were blown away by the beautiful greenery, fruit trees, and waterfall. When we moved to the upstairs of the house, we found a beautiful spa-like home with everything you could want and more in a Hawaii getaway. Besides the slight hiccup on our first night there...the rest of the stay was wonderful. Next time we visit the Big Island, we will definitely make sure to stay at Aloha Falls again.

The Hilltop Legacy Vacation rental is a bed and breakfast that is conveniently located in downtown…read moreHilo, just a short drive from the historic town of Hilo where you can visit centuries-old wooden storefronts with some shops, restaurants, galleries and other cultural sites including local museums. Although we booked the spacious Legacy Suite at the corner of the rental home, we were still able to hear our immediate neighbors in their rooms, as well as the other guests staying there coming and going in the early mornings and evenings. This Ranch style home is an older style from the 20s or 30s, so it's walls are very thin and the home's interior fixtures and wooden built-in furniture have definitely seen better days. Our room included a private lanai (which we barely used because of all the mosquitoes) overlooking very pretty lush vegetation and a cute cloudy Koi pond, a fireplace (which we never used), an older squeaky King-sized bed, refrigerator, microwave, desk, telescope (which we never used), and a loud, squeaky floor fan. My husband and I chuckled because the only thing in the suite that was up to date was the electronic trash can. Otherwise everything in there was dated. The evenings were rough because of the hundreds of loud coqui frogs chirping in harmony (and off-key) all night, so we had to keep all of our windows closed, which in turn made the room stuffy. So either leave some windows open for some circulation with the loud frog chirping or close the windows and run the extremely squeaky fan all night. Either way you won't get a good night of sleep. The mornings were equally rough because the sun rose early and shone brightly into our room filled with it's many old-styled windows. Although Jade's hospitality was very much appreciated, I'm not sure if we would stay here again unless some renovations are done.

The Story of being in Rehab after a broken Hip Replacement…read more Tell the truth and not lies Take better care of the Rehab patients Stay and watch them take their medication when they need help and pull the string for help don't wait 20 minutes after the string has been pulled I lost my wife 62 years old she in the bathroom and they put her back in bed that's what they say They were going through a shift change she had no pulse for 40 minutes and they called 911 in which the fire department did as great job in getting her pulse back and bring her to Hilo hospital it was to late She was brain dead from the MRI only showed one nerve was the oxygen level Our family lost a mother and a husband I was with my wife for 47 years the worst part my son found her on the floor at the rehab center twice and had blood everywhere from falling out of the bed both times I know they are doing a coverup to protect themselves They never follow the rules of a strict diet They said she was diabetic and still gave her hot coco and found out later she was supposed to be on a low salt diet until 7 days later she was in there for 10 days We had to do everything ourselves take her to the bathroom change her diapers ask to change her sheets Traveling nurses should go back where they come from because they do not care as bout our Ohana Our local nurses treat our patients with Love and Aloha My name is Robert Decastro

We've been working with Terry for over 10 years on various projects. NO ONE knows more about…read moreHawaiian real estate than this guy. We purchased / sold much through him and now he manages a couple of our vacation rentals. He is NOT a pushy, bs'ing, know-it-all. He gives you as much info as you need and is always available to help. You can't go wrong with Sunrise Properties.

From the owner: Sunrise Properties is a division of Experience Real Estate. We are a locally-run, boutique property…read moremanagement company that provides extraordinary customer service, and removes barriers, helping owners have a successful rental season.

Salt Water Vacation Rentals is the best option I've found for locally-owned, reliable, convenient…read more(and stylish) vacation rentals. Much better than the big corporations. It's managed by a local team so all customer service is quick and the team is very responsive. They answer their phones and resolve any problems with grace and tact. Multiple happy trips, will stay again!

Never buy property from this company. They lie right to your face. Say they will have rubbish…read moreremoved and house cleaned and agree to everything you point out during final walk through. Then after closing told me my clean is different than theirs. Took 15k to clean what they said would be cleaned. Very bad business and the lying was unreal. Totally not professional. And I paid full asking price. Also their seller took items from property like microwave and washer and they gave us $50 to replace them. I guess the cost of things is different in their minds than reality also. Ten thumbs down to Greg!!

Lotus Garden Hilo The Lotus Garden is a proper garden with…read morenative Hawaiian landscaping and natural plants growing everywhere, filling the space with life. It is a compound of different types of living quarters. My favorite place is a studio on th main street. It is a sexy room with a separate sitting area to sip coffee in the mornings. You can hear the energy of morning musings. The outdoor shower has a great water feature that lulls you into sleep like a lullaby. Peace and tranquility reign here. If you are looking for the big box, first-world amenities, don't stay here. There are birds chirping, Coqui frogs and even a few mosquitoes. If you want air condition and perfectly coiffed lawns, go stay somewhere else. But, If you want to "feel" like you are in Hawaii- stay here. Bring your walking shoes because you literally walk to everything you need. KTA is literally across the street. Close to the farmers' market and shopping at all the unique shops in Hilo. Meg and Jasper are a delight. No matter what I have asked of them, they do their best to accommodate. French pressed coffee in the morning, and a Kendrick's and tonic in the evening. If you are lucky, Jasper may play you a song and Meg will tell you of her adventures. Don't just stay one time- this place is always evolving just like a lotus flower, a symbol of rebirth.

Rustic accommodations in a tropical paradise. This location is in the heart of Hilo, with close…read moreproximity to local fine dining, groceries, and the local farmer's market. This hidden gem provides cottages in a lush garden with a koi pond, serene statues and the sounds of nature in the evening. Access to local venues with live music and shaved ice around the corner. Easy free parking across the street. Cottages featuring nature's air conditioning, small kitchen, private living room, porch, and private bathroom. Stroll through the lush garden area and check out the koi pond.

The price felt fair overall, but I think many reviewers weighted the cleanliness and renovated…read morerustic aesthetic too heavily. Having stayed in 2-5 star hotels across the U.S., this property is a good example of how subjective hotel ratings can be. Hilo simply does not have the newer luxury resort inventory you find on the Kohala Coast, so don't assume another hotel is upscale because it has "Grand" in the name. I can understand the appeal of its boutique-style, active-traveler, eco-conscious, customer-friendly atmosphere, hence the skewed 5-star ratings. Our biggest disappointments were room size, cooling performance, and noise/poor acoustic privacy. I'd still give it a low 4 stars because of the location, cleanliness, Aloha atmosphere, and staff friendliness. The property offers very basic accommodations in what resembles an old Travelodge/Motel 6-type property but cleverly renovated. The owners clearly understood that with clean rooms, vinyl plank flooring, fresh paint, and updated furniture, and a hint of a Zen/Environmental/Aloha vibe, they could offer a strong alternative to Hilo's aging high-rise hotels. While there are wheelchair ramps, the property has three stories and no elevators which means you'll have to carry your luggage up the stairs for most the upper floors. Some rooms face the inlet/ocean across the street fronted by a very old looking fish pond, while most others look across to each other with a small garden areas between or the decent pool area (no hot tub.) There's free lobby coffee in a large pump dispenser since rooms lack coffee makers, plus complimentary bikes and paddleboards. A very small lagoon beach is directly across the street, with two decent restaurants within a stone's throw. Downtown Hilo is about a six-minute drive but probably not walkable for most people. Rooms are compact, and the bathrooms are tiny with no exhaust fan. The bed leaned softer than average, and the TV was smaller than most modern computer monitors. The A/C struggled with Hilo's humid climate but managed to keep the room barely cool enough for comfortable sleeping. Shower pressure and temperature were acceptable, though the showerhead sat around chin height for me at 5'11". The biggest drawback was noise and lack of sound privacy. The glass louver windows provide almost no sound insulation, so you hear everything outside your room -- kids running the halls, conversations, foot traffic, and nearby guests. Anyone outside your room could easily overhear conversations inside. There's also noticeable jet noise due to the airport proximity, though fortunately I don't recall hearing flights between 10:30 PM and 6:30 AM. Rates are typically less than the nearby aging high-rise hotels with more upscale branding (and more uneven reviews). If SCP is at least 20% cheaper than those competitors, it's probably the best value in Hilo. If it fits your budget, I would opt for the ocean view rooms with the balconies at the SCP. The hotel appeared to be finishing renovations on its last older rooms during our stay, so many of the older 1-2 star reviews are probably no longer relevant

I love this place. It reminds me of old school Hawaii. The rooms were big enough for two. We slept…read morewith the sliding doors open(screens shut) and just a ceiling fan on. We had a balcony which was nice, it over looked the Hotel lagoon and the park. Couldn't see the ocean but we know it wasn't far from there. The pool area is great to kick it after a day of sight seeing. Also not to far from restaurants.

If you're staying in Hilo, I would highly recommend this place! There are so many good things that…read moreI can go on and on about. The location is quiet and peaceful with lots of plants and trees. Each guest has a designated parking spot marked with specific colors which makes it very nice and organized. The kitchen is shared by multiple guests and the cabinets are color coordinated so stick to your color so you don't accidentally eat your neighbors pineapple! They even provide a list of things you can do (generally on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) for their guests. You must check out Uncle Roberts night market (I think it's on Wednesday and Saturday night, but please double check). Also, shoutout to the sweetest girl Dakota for making fresh bread daily! You've inspired me to bake bread at home. I can't believe how easy it is! We cannot wait to stay here again the next time we visit the big island!

From the owner: We at Greenwillmind aim to encourage individual and societal mindfulness by offering space to…read morelike-minded travelers who value the core principles of truth, beauty, patience, kindness and love as well as have a deep respect for community and the natural environment. May you find space, rest, peace, joy & harmony at one of our vacation properties of on the Big Island of Hawai'i and spread the Aloha where ever you may go.

As a past resident of Hawaii for half a year (would have been longer if the DOE didn't wait months…read moreto hire me back!), I stayed here for a couple of weeks when I first moved to town and this place definitely has pros and cons. Pros- - the apartment sizes are very comfortable - nice pool with ocean views (I enjoyed eating outside) - rec room with a pool table - very few kids in the building (quiet building) - walking distance to downtown - one of the only few buildings in town with mainly professional and retired people (opposed to county) - good upkeep Cons- - thin walls (I heard EVERYTHING next door) - horrible parking lot with very narrow spaces 1/4 of which have these huge squared cement poles which I banged my car into 1 time - you hear every single plane - if you are on the side facing downtown you will hear traffic at all hours (trust me on this and I usually sleep through everything) - the 11 minute dryers are a pain in the ass - some sketchy people who hang out in the parking lot (probably from the lower income places across the highway) Wouldn't be a bad place to buy a condo IMO if you do not face the highway. While their HOA is high, they include the electricity which is very, very high in HI. If I am here long term I would consider buying a condo here. This is one of the few nice condos in town. If you are looking into buying in Hilo, most of the condos are dumps. This is one of the "upscale" ones. If in any mainland city this wouldn't be considered upscale at all, but by HI standards it is. I spent weeks looking for a decent rental in Hilo. By decent, I mean by CA standards (and yes, they hate us for thinking you should hire exterminators when you are infested with roaches and termites!!). The only decent rentals are the most expensive properties in Hilo which are 3 condos (many are rentals though) on Kalanianaole, Hilo Lagoon, and Bayshore Tower. The apartments on Kalanianaole are in my dream location but were out of my price range. Bayshore Tower would have been my backup choice. You could easily get a 6 month studio rental furnished with all bills included (aside from internet) for $700-$900 ($900 being for an oceanview). Do not waste your time renting a house in Hilo. With the exception of my buddy's house, all the houses were falling apart and infested with termites and roaches. In the last house I stayed in, roaches regularly came out of the outlets so I had to put tape over them, and regardless of how clean the kitchen was, they were always there too. If you are bug phobic like me and live in HI, ONLY live in a cement building! Everyone I knew in the fancier places never saw a bug in their unit or rarely saw one. Glad to be back in CA and to only come back to HI as a place to vacation! I miss Hilo to some extent but felt like I was living in a third world country.