Volcano House

“AMAZING HOTEL AND VIEW!”

OMG, the view of the volcano rim is incredible! This is a historic hotel so the rooms are on the cozy side. Very clean and comfortable. This is a beloved hotel. The food at the restaurant was excellent as well. We ate a hearty breakfast buffet everyday before going on our adventures. The fresh fish… lisää

OMG, the view of the volcano rim is incredible! This is a historic hotel so the rooms are on the cozy side. Very clean and comfortable. This is a beloved hotel. The food at the restaurant was excellent as well. We ate a hearty breakfast buffet everyday before going on our adventures. The fresh fish at dinner was spectacular as well. Being in the heart of Volcanoes National Park, the location cannot be beat. Easy access to trails and drives around the park. We drove the entire length of Chain of Craters Road all the way to the Arch and it was amazing! It felt like walking on another planet. The Thurston lava tube was neat too. It was much cooler temps up in the mountains vs how hot it was at Kona and Hilo towns. There's no A/C but we didn't need any. We just cracked the windows open and let the fresh mountain air breeze in.

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“Keep your expectations in check”

We have stayed in several national parks, and knew that accommodations were not going to be fancy. It was great being inside the park, we got a head start on the day before it filled with tourists. The front desk staff were very nice, but we would not stay here again. We did pay extra for a crater… lisää

We have stayed in several national parks, and knew that accommodations were not going to be fancy. It was great being inside the park, we got a head start on the day before it filled with tourists. The front desk staff were very nice, but we would not stay here again. We did pay extra for a crater view room, that was pretty neat, but you can't see it half the time for the clouds. It is what it is, but just be aware you could pay extra for a view that you will not get to consistently see. There is no air conditioning, not a big deal. It is chilly at night, so you sleep with the windows open. The downside to this is if you get a room by the restaurant, you hear the noise from the restaurant until it shuts down for the night. The walls are also super thin, so you can hear everything in the hotel. At 3am there was a crying baby that sounded to be across the hall that you could hear clear as day. Also, people coming and going throughout the evening and morning, you can hear everything. The inside of the room is very basic and rustic. Carpet is old with zero padding, furniture is old, but the room was clean. There are no televisions, but that didn't bother us as we were exhausted from hiking and just wanted to sleep. They had free coffee in the morning and you got a mimosa at check in, so that was a nice touch, but they charged for the bottle of water they have in the room. For paying almost $400 for 1 night in a VERY basic room, just give me a bottle of water - that was annoying. If we had a second night booked here, we would have cancelled it because of the mattresses. They needed to be replaced YEARS ago and are the worst mattresses I have ever slept on in a hotel/ lodge/ resort. They are old spring mattresses that squeak, are sunk in the middle and you can literally feel the springs. Between being able to hear everything at night and the awful mattress, we did not get much sleep at night. I had very small expectations for this place - be clean and have a comfortable place to sleep. They completely failed on the comfortable part.

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“Like a motel that's seen better days...but it might be wonderful if Pele cooperates”

The "lodge" is directly on the rim of the volcano. Be prepared that in bad weather, there is nothing to see. But it is worth taking a chance. The property is expensive, but there is no choice. You must pay to enter the national park ($30 per car- much less if you are a senior and buy a membership… lisää

The "lodge" is directly on the rim of the volcano. Be prepared that in bad weather, there is nothing to see. But it is worth taking a chance. The property is expensive, but there is no choice. You must pay to enter the national park ($30 per car- much less if you are a senior and buy a membership), The front desk staff is awesome (shout our to Krystal). The rooms are akin to an old motel, battered mismatched furniture and mattresses that need to be replaced. BUT...it is what it is. Just be prepared. The lobby lodge area was redone in such an unfortunate way, perhaps in the 80's...so holds little charm except the fireplace, which is always lit. There is limited battered seating, but folks were enjoying drinks, conversation and games in front of the fire. The bar looked fine, and featured a variety of items that were also in The Rim Restaurant...plus sandwiches and such. It is a better choice. The Rim serves ok food at high-end prices...but in a dining room so tattered and hostile (bright glaring LED ceiling lights in your face) that we thought we were being interrogated. It was pitiful that they seat you in front of a wall of windows but the lighting 100% disallows you from seeing one inch out. SKIP IT and eat at he bar. PS- the polyester linens in this "fine dining" establishment were pilled, dirty and tattered.

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“Adjust your expectations”

How many places in the world allow you to stay on the edge of a volcano? There's no other location like it. The trail around the crater is right out of the backdoor. But, you may need to adjust your expectations. I was prepared for the lack of elevator. I was prepared to lug suitcase up/down stairs… lisää

How many places in the world allow you to stay on the edge of a volcano? There's no other location like it. The trail around the crater is right out of the backdoor. But, you may need to adjust your expectations. I was prepared for the lack of elevator. I was prepared to lug suitcase up/down stairs (I did feel bad for the lady who took it upstairs for me, so I brought it down myself). I was sort of prepared for no air conditioning although my room was pretty warm when I arrived. I was prepared for no TV and dated furnishings. I was prepared for no real view from my deluxe room with a view. What I wasn't prepared for was 50 to 60 moths and giant mosquito hawk flies in the room that night. They were a real nuisance. The front desk said these flies cannot be helped. On a positive note, I had an excellent dinner and breakfast in the restaurant. I only stayed one night. This hotel is expensive. I would recommend for one night because of the incredible location but I would not plan a long stay. There is a wonderful gift shop.

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