Mauna Loa Shores

Our unit was really nice, and the building seems fairly well looked after overall, although parts of it are showing their age. From the upper floors you get a lovely view of the lagoon at Carlsmith Beach Park, but there can be quite a bit of road noise.

The park next door is beautiful, and the condo is about a ten-minute drive from shops and restaurants. Condo 508 was very clean and had the basic things we needed, but the twin mattresses were really uncomfortable. There’s no air conditioning, and we had two power outages during our three-day stay. They provide flashlights for the frequent outages. The building could use more regular weekly maintenance. Downstairs there were random things lying around, including old tables, some odd table with a big wheel, and rusty shopping carts meant to help carry your things to the room. The pool area was kind of grungy. There’s one coin-operated washer and dryer on our floor, but it was in constant use, so we never got to use it. I’m not sure I’d stay again.

I love the beautiful gardens here, with flowers, fruit, herbs, and vegetables, plus gorgeous hibiscus 🌺 and orchids everywhere. The manager is wise and humble, and even when swamped he goes out of his way to help everyone with such grace and kindness. The place is right by the ocean and next to Carlsmith park, a beautiful spot with lots of areas to enjoy. There are fantastic fish, turtles, birds, and other sea life and shore creatures, as well as a shower, picnic tables in a covered pavilion, a drinking fountain, and a barbecue.

I only visited and didn’t stay, but it looked like a very nice place. There’s direct access to a public beach with a seawall, so even though the sea was pretty rough that day, you could still have a nice swim. Another beach is within walking distance, though I didn’t get to check it out. Across the street from the hotel is seaside restaurant, which I’ve been told is one of the best restaurants in Hilo.