The Hilo side is the closest base for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, either Hilo Town or Volcano Village. Hilo Town is walkable to shops and restaurants, an easy 45-minute drive from the park. Volcano Village sits at about 4,000 feet in the rainforest, less than 5 minutes from the entrance.
Because lodging is limited, the towns are small and local, with little nightlife. Fine if you want a base rather than a resort. Past Hilo Town, the options are farm and ranch rentals on the Hāmākua Coast and small inns around Puna.
Table of contents
- FAQ + Map
- Best places to stay for Families
- Best places to stay for First Timers
- Best places to stay for Solo Travelers
- Best places to stay for Active Travelers
- Best places to stay for Beach Bums
- Best places to stay for Repeat Visitors
- Best places to stay for Budget Travelers
- Region Comparison: Hilo Regions and good reasons (not!) to stay in Hilo
- Kona vs. Hilo: reasons (not) to stay in Hilo.
Below, we sort the best Hilo-side stays by the kind of traveler you are, with a high-end, mid-range, and budget pick for each.
FAQ
Active travelers often want to be up at elevation near the national park, while families lean toward the services in Hilo Town.
Q: How many days should I stay in Hilo?
We recommend at least 2 nights in Hilo to explore the points of interest in this region.
Q: Where should I stay on the Hilo side if I love beaches?
If your primary focus is beaches, you should stay on the Kona side of the island, where there are more options. However, Hilo Town does have a small selection, including Richardson’s black-sand beach.
Q: Where should I stay on the Hilo side if I want to walk to things?
Hotels in downtown Hilo are generally within walking distance or a short ride (less than 5 minutes) to shops, restaurants, and bars.
Q: Where should I stay on the Hilo side if I love the countryside?
The Hāmākua Coast is full of open space, ranches, farms, and high sea cliffs.
Q: Where should I stay on the Hilo side if I want to be off the beaten path?
Lodging in the Puna District is small inns and vacation rentals scattered through the area.
Q: Where should I stay on the Hilo side if I love volcanoes?
Volcano Village is the closest “hub” to the national park (less than 5 minutes to Park entrance). Temperatures are a bit cooler in Volcano (elevation of 4,000 feet) and lodging options in Volcano are limited, so many still choose to stay in Hilo Town, which is an easy 45-minute drive to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Summary map of all places recommended in our guide
The map below plots every hotel in this guide (in blue) alongside some of the highest-rated vacation rentals (in red). Fill in your trip dates to see which places are open during your stay and what they cost.
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What Hilo rentals cost per night
Nightly rates on the Hilo side run well below the Kona and Kohala coasts, and the chart below shows by how much. It tracks three years of vacation rental rates for the Hilo and Honokaʻa area from Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority reporting. The current average is in the chart caption, updated as new data comes out.
Where to stay on the Hilo side for Families
Families can stay in any of the Hilo-side regions, but Hilo Town has the most services and the easiest walk to restaurants and stores.
Recommended High-End accommodation options for Families:
The Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo is a DoubleTree/Hilton property on the shore of Hilo Bay, with bay views, a water-view restaurant and bar, a pool, and local parks within walking distance. Downtown Hilo is less than a five-minute drive.
Alternative Options: Volcano House (Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park); Hilo Bay Oceanfront Bed and Breakfast; Vacation rentals in Hilo.
Recommended mid-range accommodation options for Families:
The Hilo Hawaiian Hotel sits next door to the Naniloa, with similar coastal views. It also has a bar and restaurant overlooking the bay, a pool, and green space and the shoreline within walking distance.
Alternative Options: Kīlauea Lodge (Volcano); Lotus Garden Cottages.
Recommended budget accommodation options for Families:
A vacation rental often fits a tighter budget, and a few smaller hotels take families. One of them, the Wild Ginger Hotel, closed after a 2025 fire, with a rebuild planned but no firm timeline, so check that it has reopened before you count on booking.
Alternative Options: Vacation rentals in Puna District.
First-Timers
Recommended High-End accommodation options for First-Timers:
The Volcano House sits inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the rim of Kīlauea. From the hotel you look out over the caldera.
Alternative Options: Grand Naniloa; Hilo Bay Oceanfront Bed and Breakfast.
Recommended mid-range accommodation options for First-Timers:
A stay at the Lotus Garden Cottages Bed & Breakfast outside Volcano Village puts you in the middle of Hawaiian rainforest. The small inn sits among tall trees, with Asian and tropical decor and a quiet pace.
Alternative Options: Kīlauea Lodge; Lotus Garden Inn.
Recommended budget accommodation options for First-Timers:
Vacation rentals on sites like Airbnb and VRBO are the budget pick across the Hilo side, including off-grid cabins and houses.
Alternative Options: Hāmākua Guesthouse and Cabins.
Solo Travelers
Solo travelers do best where it is easy to meet locals and other travelers. So stay in downtown Hilo, the most populated area, or at a hostel, where you have a good chance of running into other solo travelers if you feel like it.
Recommended High-End accommodation options for Solo Travelers:
The Hilo Bay Oceanfront Bed and Breakfast is a 1922 home on the edge of Hilo Bay, with water views and a short walk to downtown. The included breakfast is an easy way for solo travelers to start the day before heading out.
Alternative choices: Grand Naniloa.
Recommended mid-range accommodation options for Solo Travelers:
The Lotus Garden Inn is a boutique, eco-friendly hotel in downtown Hilo, where each room is decorated differently. It also has an on-site co-working space to work remotely and meet other travelers.
Alternative choices: Hilo Hawaiian Hotel; Kilauea Lodge.
Recommended budget accommodation options for Solo Travelers:
Hostels are a great way to meet people when you’re traveling solo (you can bunk up in the dorms, or get a private room and meet people in the common areas). There are many hostels to choose from on the Hilo side, including Howzit Hostels Hawaiʻi, Big Island Hostel, and Pahoa Village Hostel, among others.
Active Travelers
Most of the adventure on the Hilo side is built around Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, so active travelers do best staying close to it, either in the park at the Volcano House or in Volcano Village.
Recommended High-End accommodation options for Active Travelers:
The Volcano House is the top high-end pick for active travelers, on the rim of the crater. Step out the door onto the park’s hiking trails.
Alternative Options: Hilo Bay Oceanfront Bed and Breakfast; Grand Naniloa.
Recommended mid-range accommodation options for Active Travelers:
The Kilauea Lodge has rustic rooms in Volcano Village, with quick access to the national park. You don’t have to rough it much, though: the lodge has hot tubs and an on-site restaurant.
Alternative Options: SCP Hotel; Hilo Hawaiian Hotel; Vacation Rentals.
Recommended budget accommodation options for Active Travelers:
Airbnb and VRBO list vacation rentals across the Hilo side. Many budget accommodations are available, including off-grid cabins or houses.
Alternative Options: Howzit Hostels Hawaiʻi; Big Island Hostel; Pahoa Village Hostel.
Beach Bums
Beach bums are best suited to stay in the downtown Hilo area for quick access to local beaches. Keep in mind that while Hilo has a collection of small beaches, most are black sand or rocky.
Recommended High-End accommodation options for Beach Bums:
The Grand Naniloa sits on the rocky shore of Hilo Bay, a waterfront base for a lazy beach day. Several beach parks are a short drive away, including Honoliʻi Beach Park and Richardson’s Beach, both black-sand beaches.
Alternative Options: Hilo Bay Oceanfront Bed & Breakfast, Vacation Rentals.
Recommended mid-range accommodation options for Beach Bums:
The SCP Hotel is next to Reeds Bay Beach Park and a short ride from other Hilo beaches. SCP stands for “Soul, Community, Planet,” and the hotel’s focus is on wellness and community.
Alternative choices: Hilo Hawaiian; Vacation Rentals.
Recommended budget accommodation options for Beach Bums:
Beach bums on a budget can stay at one of the local hostels or book a vacation rental in the Puna District, with easy access to beaches like Lighthouse Beach, MacKenzie State Recreation Area, and Kehena Black Sand Beach.
Repeat Visitors
Vacation rentals suit repeat visitors who already know the area, but a few newer hotels are worth a look too.
Recommended High-End accommodation options for Repeat Visitors:
The Lotus Garden Inn is a boutique hotel in downtown Hilo, with individually decorated rooms and a co-working space.
Recommended mid-range accommodation options for Repeat Visitors:
The SCP Hotel stands for Soul, Community, and Planet, with a focus on local culture and active daytime adventures. Any of the bed and breakfasts in and around Hilo work well too.
Recommended budget accommodation options for Repeat Visitors:
For a quieter stay, try one of the smaller inns in the Puna District, such as the Lava Tree Tropic Inn or an oceanfront cottage.
Budget Travelers
Travelers on a tighter budget have two hostels on the Hilo side, one in Hilo Town and one out in Puna. A shared dorm bunk is the cheapest way to stay at either.
Budget accommodation in Hilo: Howzit Hostel
Howzit Hostel (website) is a modern, well-run hostel in downtown Hilo, an easy base near restaurants, shops, and the bayfront, with dorm beds starting around $60 per night including taxes.
The hostel includes a lounge, shared kitchen, and evening entertainment. Additional facilities include a 24-hour front desk, housekeeping service, full-day security, and free parking. Image: Howzit Hostel website.
Budget accommodation in Puna: Open Gate Hostel
On the lava fields of Kalapana, Open Gate Hostel (website) is a rustic, out-of-the-way option in Puna.
Regions on the Hilo Side of the Big Island
Lodging on the Hilo side falls into four main regions.
Hilo Town
The city of Hilo is the largest hub on the east side of the island, and it has far fewer visitors and far fewer places to stay than the Kona side. Hilo has an easygoing pace, a good mix of restaurants, and quick access to nature: rainforests, waterfalls, coastal parks, and volcanoes.
Volcano Village
People come to the Hilo side for one reason: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Most base in Hilo, about a 45-minute drive, for its conveniences as a hub, but you can also stay up on the edge of the park in Volcano Village. There you will find vacation rentals, lodges, and bed and breakfasts in classic Hawaiian rainforest at 4,000 feet above sea level, near the summit of the volcano.
Volcano is a good base for travelers spending several days in the park, or going lava viewing at night.
Hāmākua Coast
The Hāmākua Coast runs north of Hilo along the slopes of Mauna Kea, a stretch of farms, ranch land, and sea cliffs with only a few small towns. Most lodging here is a vacation rental on a ranch or farm, and the northern part of the island is within easy reach.
Pāhoa and Puna Coast
For a glimpse of Puna’s volcanic hippie and “outsider” culture, look for a place near the town of Pāhoa in the Puna District. This is highly volcanic country, close to the rift zone of Kīlauea: the town of Pāhoa was nearly destroyed by the 2014 lava flow. You will find small inns and vacation rentals scattered through the area.
Reasons to stay on the Hilo side
Some travelers even choose to stay only on the Hilo side.
- Less crowded. Most people who visit the Big Island stay on the Kona side. With limited lodging, Hilo has far fewer visitors.
- Proximity to Kīlauea Volcano. If you want to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, staying on the Hilo side of the island puts you much closer: 45 minutes from Hilo Town, 5 minutes from Volcano Village.
- Tropical environment. Kona is hot and dry along the coast, but the Hilo side gets much more rain, which keeps it green and wet, with waterfalls and rainforest close to sea level.
- Cooler Temperatures. The Hilo side sees more clouds and rain than Kona, so it runs cooler overall.
- Local Life. The Hilo side has no full-service resorts and few tourists. Stay here and everyday island life goes on around you.
Drawbacks of the Hilo side
The main drawbacks of the Hilo side:
- Fewer places to stay. Hilo has far fewer lodging options than Kona (see our favorite accommodation options along the Kona coast here), and no full-service resorts.
- Quiet nights. Though Hilo does have a variety of good restaurants, the quantity is much less than Kailua-Kona. Most things shut down relatively early on the Hilo side, with very little nightlife.
- Higher chance of rain. Hilo is on the windward side of the Big Island and gets more rain than the Kona side.