Hilltop Vacation Rental

I need to sleep, and that was nearly impossible here. There’s no soundproofing, the mattress is cheap and uncomfortable, and there are too many animals around the house making noise. After spending all day out in Hilo, I wanted to rest at night, but couldn't. There are signs everywhere telling you not to do things, and the place is too expensive for this. I was glad we only stayed two nights. The owner needs to do something about the sleep quality for guests. 💤

From the windows, you can watch a beautiful sunrise, and there's a lovely view over downtown Hilo. The home felt cozy. At night, the Koki frogs made an amazing, soothing sound.

The location makes this my go to place in Hilo. Historic downtown, the Lyman Museum, Tsunami Museum, Sig Zane, and the farmer's market are all less than a mile away. The house has lovely views of Hilo Bay, the green hillside, and the garden out back. Upstairs, the big living room opens onto a covered lanai with comfortable seating, views in several directions, and nice breezes. Jade is a friendly, helpful owner. I usually choose the large King Room, which I assume was the original master suite. It has a roomy dressing area, bathroom, and its own upstairs lanai. Big bedroom windows look out over the area, and there's a large screen that drops from the ceiling for streaming TV. It's a personal, casual place with old Hilo charm. The house is clean and beautifully kept, but don't expect plush sheets or modern resort amenities. It's a beautiful old Kama'aina home, now divided into rental rooms.

We barely saw other guests, just a couple of people in the garden, and the place had a good vibe. Snowball greeted us with purrs and showed us around her pad. Our Room 3 had a very comfortable bed, air conditioning, and louvers if needed, along with tremendous views. The common living room was great, and the pool table played well. Everything was clean and well maintained, with nice updates alongside beautiful original doors, windows, and fixtures. I hadn't seen crystal doorknobs since my grandmother's house. She's 93.