I spent a week at Gay Hawaii B&B during Xmas holidays 2018. What a fantastic and wonderful…read moreexperience! The host is perfection, he is so knowledgeable about the island and the local sights and so helpful, sweet, friendly, and fun. The house is comfortable, clean, calm, and I met some other guests that have become forever friends. The area is amazing with the ocean so close you can walk and a black sand clothing optional beach a short drive away. Uncle Awa's bar is very close, also a little market there, and don't miss the Wed. nite food and arts festival. Also a short drive to Pahoa, a quaint sleepy town with wonderful hippie shops and great Thai food! Also a not too far ride to Volcano National Park, and also several waterfalls- very cool! We picked fresh passion-fruit and lemons in the tropical garden and made passion-fruit lemonade. The kitchen is fully stocked and we made fabulous meals. All in all it was the perfect vacation. I will definitely be returning and can not recommend Gay Hawaii B&B highly enough!!

This is my worst experience ever staying at a B&B. I've…read moretraveled all around the world. What was supposed to be a lovely getaway for a personal holiday, it was basically a nightmare. The owner over booked & offered a BALI HUT which is The NIGHTMARE. Rainstorm downpour 5 days. Dripping roof from rain, screens not secured & 2 inch opening under entry door for easy access from jungle critters. The door doesn't lock. If you're looking for numerous mosquito bites, critters & way too many ghekos trying to get out of rain. They live between the rafters. I tried to move back & reclaim my room main home. No one replied, owner got angry & accused me of coming all the way there & making this up not to pay. I also was accused of stalking because of trying to get moved or something? This is NONSENSE. I had to check out after 2 days with no sleep. Because of a holiday wee I paid triple the cost at a last minute hotel back in Hilo I've had nothing but contention & threats trying to be compensated for overbooking & my experience in Bali Hut. I have no reason to lie or make this up. Please Beware

This post is a little late what a wonderful experience the mina birds are wonderful they keep it…read morevery clean also the host Jaya and Vijay are wonderful hosts we will always love this place thanks David @ Glen Oklahoma City the USA

Sweet down to earth bargain for those wanting more intimacy and a lovely natural setting. Only a…read morefew scrupulously clean and nicely furnished rooms share an equipped kitchen and outdoor dining patio (no food in rooms please). The setting is a lush well groomed garden is the South end of the big island, an area known as Orchid land. Warm days slide into cooler nights to a chorus of the coqui frogs.

If you are ready to get away from it ALL, and I do mean ALL, this is it. Its a gay owned and…read moreoperated naturist off the grid resort. It is also a working farm, home of Da Banana Boys. They have a clothing optional volleyball game every Saturday. So put on your best, well, nothing, and play some volleyball!

In life, I've learned to "go with the flow" and it's always an amazing adventure when you do…read more Finding myself at the Lave Tree Tropic Inn was Jumanji! The symphony within nature kept me invigorate. The historical charm of the area is tempting to both an Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider adventurer(s). Yet, it is the subtle charm of Irene that soothes the balance between nurture and nature. You will be awaken by the most aromatic vanilla-macadamia-nut coffee whiff, while being tempted by a freshly baked warm, "banana-chocolate-chip-papaya-slice-of-heaven-bread." Now, a word-of-advice, the road towards the Tropic Inn requires "off-road" tires and caution within the trail. It rains often, and muddy roads create sticky situations. Nonetheless, if you're down those neck of the woods, you otta' know your terrain... Mahalo, Vee

I love serendipity!!!…read more Irene plays the ukulele and her friends sing Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, how fun!!! Admits tropical paradise, quiet, and serenity, I found quickness and humor, the best!!! Mahalo to all of you. Aloha, Vittorio is ready for his ukulele lesson.

A - List. Highly Recommended. Steve and Janelle's tropical fruit farm is where you will find the…read moreHAWAIIAN RETREAT. It is situated not far from the main town of Pahoa and far enough away that you feel like you are in the Hawaiian jungle. We stayed in what they call the 'cottage' surrounded by fruit trees and shrubs. It is a lovely place and space, very private with your car just behind the cottage. The cottage started out as a very nice gazebo. Later, kitchen, bathroom, dining area and closet were added to the structure. The bed is very comfortable with a netting which can be lowered to surround the bed at night. Everything works within the cottage - propane hot plate burners, sink, running water/hot water, fridge, lots of counter space, lighting. There is a radio/CD player with a variety of music available. You shower outside and attached to the cottage- nicely designed shower area. It is private, the water is hot. And the view is amazing, with tropical vegetation all around you. Janelle will bring you a basket of fruit from her farm on the first day and some bottled water for drinking. You will meet Steve as well. He will tell you about the structure, where to find things in and around the cottage. And you will also meet their 'family' of pets - a parade of dogs and cats will come to visit you on that first day. After that the only visitors will be roosters and chickens, a few geckos, spiders, the odd mosquito and maybe a bug or two. You are in jungle territory, so it is expected that that things that live in and around the jungle will be around - you are in their home, a visitor. Then as night descends get ready for a very unique experience, the musical cacophony known as coqui frogs. These frogs begin to sing at dusk and do not stop until sunrise - it is loud, musical and like nothing you have likely heard before. It was an amazing experience. If you are a light sleeper, bring ear plugs - yes, it is THAT loud. Also, the lighting is muted and perfect for the cottage experience. If you want more light, you may wish to bring a flashlight or, as I did, one of those headlamps usually used for camping - it worked perfectly for late night reading, looking through a suit case, etc. Finally, you need to know that the cottage is screened, the air is humid, there is no 'air conditioning.' To sum up, this was a very unique and enjoyable way of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting the 'real' Hawaii. We stayed for 4 nights ($200 in all) and would return without hesitation. This place is different and that is precisely why you should come here.

From the owner: We are an Organic farm. We offer farm stays, fruit stand, tours, fruit tastings and farm to face…read morefoods. Our cottages go from rustic adventure up to jungle luxury. We have a big library in the Main Lodge and a garden and farming resource library at our WWOOF library and general gathering area.

My five nights at the Ohia House were not enough! Cindy and…read moreRick made me feel right at home and welcome, from the second I stepped into the lanai (my favorite part!). They were friendly, yet not overly present - very conscious of boundaries. They asked me questions about myself and made sure things were suitable. Which they were! The room was great! It had a comfortable bed, large closet, cozy couch and attached bathroom with robes! There was a book shelf with local books to read and even games to play (on the lanai) when I was not out and about. Most importantly, this room was CLEAN! I never hesitated to sleep in the bed, never thought about wearing sandals in the shower, or wondered who had been in here before me. It felt like I was at home. The lanai was, like I said, my favorite park. It was HUGE, and full of tables, chairs and informational brochures about fun things to do locally. I spent most of my time at Ohia House on this lanai and wish I had one of my own. It was screened in so even at night when I could hear the frogs; I was not worried that they (or the mosquitoes) would get me. The grounds are beautiful too, and though I walked around, I enjoyed observing them from the comfort of my chair. The breakfasts were incredible. I wrote down what Cindy gave out because I want to try and recreate them for myself later. Without listing complete recipes, they included but were not limited to: fresh fruit, mango, papaya, blueberries, bananas, muffins, yogurt, oatmeal and, Dutch cookies (not sure if this is the right name but it was still good!!). I could have eaten breakfast all day. They were great tasting and a good way to start my day. The friendly chit chat from the beginning of my stay came back to me in the form of GREAT, and on-point to my likings, recommendations. During my trip I saw an active volcano, a lava tube, a coffee plantation, botanical gardens and the local zoo. It was perfect, and a lot of it was free! I even got to see sea turtles at the bay in Hilo. It was incredible. I had a wonderful time on the Big Island and I can thank the Ohia House and Cindy and Rick for that. I will most definitely be back and I highly recommend it to any travelers on their way to this piece of paradise!!

This is actually the BEST place we've stayed at on any of the Islands. Comfortable, serene,…read moreprivate and the breakfasts are to die for! We stayed a week and wished we could stay longer. Cindy & Rick were the perfect hosts. We will definitely go back

For the last few days of our honeymoon, Pete & I booked the Royal Hibiscus Room at the Coconut…read moreCottage. Our honeymoon up to that point had been nothing short of disastrous. My over-adventurous eating choices and selection of swimming spots on Maui led to what I thought was a stomach bug, but ended up being parasites and an intestinal infection. I arrived at the Coconut Cottage rather green, feverish, in desperate need of hydration, and constantly watching my back because I feared Pete might willingly sacrifice me to Madame Pele. When we pulled up, we immediately felt like we were coming home. The Coconut Cottage B & B is so welcoming and is set in such a beautiful and lush area. After spending some time on the drier Kailua-Kona side of the island, we were excited to be surrounded in so much greenery. The landscaping showed such keen attention to detail and the Hawaiian plants and flowers were so bright and vibrant. Upon entering the Coconut Cottage, every ounce of stress in my body washed away. The music, the trickling water from the fountains, the scents (I've never been in a home that smelled so good), the decor...all amazing. When we arrived the hosts were not there, but we were greeted with a sweet note and information on what to do in the area. We let ourselves in and took a long nap on the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. Actually, aside from a trip to the ER in the middle of the night, we mainly slept the whole time here. The room was so comfortable and the B & B was so quiet, we had trouble getting out of bed. We literally fell asleep by 8pm every night, woke up only to be spoiled by breakfast, and then napped...exactly what we needed. Breakfasts were served at 8:30am on the lanai in the main house, and each morning we were shocked to see there were other guests there. We never heard or saw anyone except at breakfast-which is great if you are on your honeymoon (check) or really sick (check). Guests in the few days we were there were from various parts of Canada, England, and California. The guest book revealed guests from around the world had stayed in our room. One of the bed and breakfast owners was not there, so instead, Todd's mom was there to assist. What a warm and caring family. I felt completely taken care of. As Brooke mentioned, the hosts were very unobtrusive, but were available for questions any time we had them. They gave us great recommendations for dinner, outings, etc. Breakfast always consisted of fresh tropical fruits, coffee, tea, and fruit juice and then something fabulous on the menu like Macadamia nut pancakes or vegetable quiche. When we booked the B & B online, we were asked for any dietary restrictions or food preferences, and those were all followed. On our last day, our flight left early, and they packed us a breakfast. So sweet. Breakfasts gave us a chance to talk with other guests about places to go in the area and plan our day. Only a few miles from the Coconut Cottage is a Lava Viewing area. You just take Hwy. 130 until it ends. The Lava Viewing area is open from 5pm till 10pm, but the last car is let in at 8:00pm. Get there early so you don't have to walk over the hardened lava fields in the dark. I lost my footing quite a few times. Bring a flashlight for the walk back! The town of Pahoa, where the Coconut Cottage is located, also has some great restaurants and shops. I would highly recommend the Coconut Cottage to anyone heading to the Big Island or anyone in need of relaxation.

This place is a hidden gem just outside of Pahoa that I was lucky enough to stay at last week,…read morewhile my girlfriend was here on a visit and we were both very impressed with everything about this place. We stayed in the Hibiscus room which was cute, cozy and absolutely immaculate. The entire house was very clean and everything was well organized and convenient right down to the little map and restaurant guide that was in our room. The breakfast of fresh fruit, banana bread, juice, coffee and frittata was fantastic and enough to put even the crankiest non morning people (like myself) in a good mood. The grounds are beautiful and the owners Jerry and Todd are both very friendly and helpful. It was a great stay and the prices are a great deal, especially with what you get. I didn't want to leave!

Staff - super friendly and helpful staff throughout the hotel, from the front desk, the parking…read morevalet, bartenders, and housekeeping staff. They have a good team working there. They really make the hotel what it is. Room - we had a standard king room. Great views overlooking Hilo Bay. The room was very clean and comfortable, perhaps the only downside was I couldn't get the air conditioner down far enough because I like my room really cold. The in room coffee was actually pretty good, but you can get better coffee in the morning at the restaurant for free. They give us lots of towels. No complaints about the room.. Food and Drink - we were out and about the whole time so we didn't actually eat any meals at the hotel, but we did have drinks at the lobby bar. The drinks were good and stiff, and the bar had great views of the bay. It's a nice place to unwind after the day.. Parking - we chose self parking, it's cheaper than the valet service. However, the self parking lot is actually across the street from the hotel. It's not a far walk by any means, but the self parking lot itself is basically gravel and can be uneven in spots. At night that parking lot is somewhat poorly lit. If I'm someone who has mobility challenges or balance issues, I would not park there because I think a fall is a possibility. Location - back in the day, Banyan Drive was really a nice hotel district. There are many decent hotels which catered to a lot of local people. Over time many of the hotels there became rundown, and frankly the Grand Naniloa is probably the nicest property in the area. The area around hotel is by no means sketchy, it's quite safe to walk around at night. Ito has an underrated restaurant scene. Lots of good places to eat. Talk to the hotel staff they will tell you where to go. It's about 45 minutes to an hour to drive to the volcano. Closing Thoughts - the hotel is not perfect but it's still pretty good. Some parts of the hotel need some work. The elevators tend to be a little older, I think they could expand their food service options. They really should do something about the self parking lot at some point. Would I stay at there again? Definitely, I stay there because the staff is terrific, and the rooms are clean and comfortable, and if you're visiting Hilo, it's a fine location.

Can I give a zero? The worst hotel experience of my entire…read morelife! It's a motel pretending to be a resort. It's dirty, the pool is a urine bath, there is no beach and the entire building smells. Don't be fooled by the golf course. Another lie. You'll get 3 balls and knee high grass. Stay away! It's truly a horrific experience.