Hilo Bay Hostel

We prepaid for three nights in a private room through a hotel booking site, so there was no refund option. It was the worst hostel stay I've had. Check in went quickly, and luckily we got there a little before closing at 9 pm. I'd seen reviews from people who were left outside because nobody was there to open the gate. The bed was comfortable and firm enough, maybe because we were so tired. But I killed at least five small cockroaches around the dresser in ten minutes. There were more than a few of them, which made me think larger ones might be around too. We eventually gave up and just got through all three nights. The bathroom and shower are separate, which is nice, but there's no shampoo, and I saw strands of hair that hadn't been cleaned up. The kitchen doesn't supply drinking water, and I didn't even want to go in there. Some guests were smoking weed in the common area, and the internet was spotty and unreliable. The hostel is on the second floor next to the main street, so bring earplugs. During our stay, men were working on the road and kept us awake for at least two hours around midnight. There is plenty of street parking. Avoid this place unless you're extremely exhausted and have a very high tolerance for poor hygiene.

We were lucky to experience Hilo Bay Hostel in April 2023. My wife and I were finishing a train trip around the country with a rail pass when Southwest unexpectedly offered us round-trip flights from Oakland airport for $200 each. We booked, and we'll never regret the memories we made there. We were told we'd be among the last guests before the hostel was sold and closed soon after we left. It has since stopped operating as a hostel, though the building might reopen as something else. As of 02/24/2024, I couldn't find any current information. It was a one of a kind place and a once in a lifetime treasure. We feel so fortunate that we got to see it, stay there, and experience it. RIP Hilo Bay Hostel.

I wouldn't stay here again. The rooms by the street get a lot of traffic noise, the shared restrooms aren't very clean, and the kitchen locks early. There are no cold drinks or hot food. At check in they charged 10. for a towel. The staff were grumpy and sometimes downright rude. One of them sat in the public gathering area watching TV all day. The place felt unfun, with hardly any laughter from the guests. Overpriced, and not nice.

For about $200 for the week, this was an awesome place for the price. I used the shared room since I only needed somewhere to eat and crash at night, and didn't see a reason to pay for a private room. The kitchen had what I needed to cook and store food. I was moving off the island during my last week and brought two suitcases plus a backpack with valuables. I had no trouble keeping everything there, and you can lock valuable items in a locker. I walked everywhere I needed to. Thanks, guys, and I wish everyone there the best.