North Hilo holiday rentals

We were excited to stay here but we’re disappointed when we arrived. The cottage smells funny (particularly the fridge) like someone was a smoker once. The decor needs an update. What looks “charming” from the photos is actually quite cluttered. The kitchen misses some essentials - like a non pod coffee maker such as a French press or drip machine. The kitchen also is dated and smells like it has been used a lot. There are no separating walls between the bedroom and the kitchen so you can hear the fridge him all night. The mattress is old and lumpy and extremely soft. I hurt my back sleeping in it after two nights. The location is far from most things- and this side of the island rains a lot and is overcast a lot. When they said “cooler temperatures” we just thought that meant elevation but there wasn’t really any sunshine and so we had to drive an hour to the west coast to get sun/ go to beaches. I probably wouldn’t book here again, rather just visit the location for a day by car then not come back.

It truly was a delight to stay in this cosy little cottage, located just minutes away from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Kathryn was a brilliant host and her husband Kenneth has designed and handcrafted the most incredible timber cottage. It was wonderful to luxuriate inside while listening to the gentle sounds of water dripping in the rainforest, which tinkled with birdsong. Given the opportunity, I would stay here again in a heartbeat.