Ocean Breeze Inn

We came across this place by chance and ended up staying for two weeks. The room was very clean, with a full bath and balcony. At night we could hear the ocean tide and birds singing, and the yard had lovely flowers and fruit trees. Makulu point is just a few steps away for ocean views, sunrise, or a bit of relaxing, and Paradise Cliff is a short walk. Hilo is a quick drive for restaurants and stores, and it’s a good base for visiting East Most point, South Point, Volcano park, and other places. I’ll definitely come back on my next visit.

Andy was helpful and nice, and I had a great two-week stay at Ocean Breeze Inn. The room had a refrigerator and microwave, and Andy also supplied a rice cooker. Point Makuu is a short walk away, with amazing ocean views. We walked there every day to say good morning to the Pacific Ocean, and once took a roughly 30-minute round trip walk at dawn to other open beachfront properties. We could hear the waves from the balcony at night. Hawaii Paradise Park (HPP) is about 20-30 minutes from Hilo and other island sights. I’d highly recommend Ocean Breeze Inn to anyone staying in Big Island HPP.

I booked Ocean Breeze at the last minute after realizing my Hilo Airbnb wasn’t safe. I booked through Booking.com, and Andy replied in under 30 minutes. My phone was acting up, so I never got the check-in text. I called him, and he came to greet me within minutes and show me where the keys were. Having run two Airbnb vacation rentals myself, I appreciate people who do things right. I’m disgusted by the poor reviews blaming Andy for what was clearly a scam by a third-party booking site. Use reputable sites, and if you choose a disreputable one to save $5, don’t blame the hard-working host. That’s wrong. Andy is a very nice man who built the Inn himself. The residential area felt safe, and we slept with the patio door open to the waves and frogs. The room was spotless, the balcony welcoming, and the bed comfortable. A beautiful, rugged shoreline is a five-minute walk away. I’d stay here again without hesitation. Andy, thanks for sharing your piece of paradise with my husband and me. Many blessings.

I’d give this zero stars if I could. I can’t say anything about the rooms because we never got inside. I booked through the Hopper app and received a confirmation saying check-in was available from 4 pm to 11:30 pm. But when we arrived at 10 pm after our flight, no one was at the inn. We knocked on several doors and got no answer. We were stranded 30 minutes from the airport with our two-year-old daughter and no phone number to contact anyone. If the stated check-in hours are until a certain time, someone should be there. Don’t leave guests with no way to reach you. Then, after all that, our refund request was denied, even though they hadn’t honored their own policy. We had to find another hotel in the middle of the night and lost sleep. It was unprofessional, and saying I’m unhappy barely covers it.