Arnott's Lodging and Adventures

Arnott's has reasonable princes and is such a comfortable place to stay. The rooms are nice, good kitchens to prepare food in and then a lovely lanai for a hang out in the morning or evening. Also, if you are looking for a place to say where you can get in a walk, run or ocean stroll, they are right near the ocean. You can be at the ocean within 5 minutes. You can walk either west or east and also be at a beach location. It is a great location for a larger group as well. I regularly bring a group of 24 and of all the places we stay on the island, this location is always everyone's favorite.

Arnott's Lodge was a great set-up for a camper. There were covered areas, hot water/showers, very clean and comfortable. I camped for 8 days and Arnott's was great place to relax and recharge.|Staff were very friendly and helpful.|Be sure to have a good tent/rain fly since it rains a lot in Hilo!

The room was clean enough but the staff interactions we had were bizarre. We’re a normal and polite couple yet when we asked for a simple request like a blanket the staff member wanted to check on our AC and kept asking us questions about what we need the blanket for. I’ve never been questioned like that at a place Im staying at just for an extra blanket. Super bizarre. Overall I felt like I was being treated like a trespasser at a property I paid to stay at. Didn’t appreciate that very much. The place itself wasn’t bad for the price, but we personally wouldn’t return.

First of all, how am I the first to write a review of this place that has been here since 1990? Owned and operated by the same family since its establishment. Yes I did my homework before arriving! Now that I’m here, wow! Just wow! Located close to ITO airport and the beautiful beach, this property has a little or a lot of everything for every traveler! From incredible house/lodge style accommodations (think barndominium - I live in Tennessee) to basic hotel style rooms and suites, even onsite camping for travelers! I was immediately greeted by concierge Lauren who took her time, walking me around the grounds even though I’m just here for the night. I arrived late, but just before sunset. Ok ok, let me go back…. I was flying in from HNL and as my flight departed at 5:00pm, I received a text from Arnotts confirming my arrival. This personal touch started my journey to this review. Being only 12 minutes from the ITO airport, a taxi ride is about $15.00. The drive is beautiful, scenic, and the view of the ocean pretty much the entire drive in reaching the resort. The atmosphere is green, lush, and quiet. Many common areas, so if you’re traveling alone, not to worry, this Lodge makes you feel like you’re among friends! Check in and be ready to be escorted around the property with a personal tour of all the amenities and your room! Although there are no TVs or phones in the rooms, WiFi is strong and the air conditioner is cold! What more do you need? You’re in Hawaii! Go enjoy the sights! The Lodge has its own tour company, excursions! No need to leave your accommodation to find things to do, this place has its own all. 10/10⭐️ for sure! Listen, if you want the beach, close to the airport (without noise, I literally heard chirping birds only), excursions, friendly people, beautiful lush grounds, a clean room, and peace! This is your place! Thank you Lauren! You made my first visit to Hilo one I won’t forget! ~ Kerry Kirchenberg K9comfortpaws.com

We were staying on the west side of the island most of the time, but stayed here one night to catch an early tour from Hilo the next morning. I saw in some reviews/descriptions that surfers like to stay here, so I was a little skeptical. There were 5 of us(all adults) so they put us in a family suite, and i was VERY pleasantly surprised how nice this is and very affordable. Its not fancy, and you can tell its an old building, but everything is very well maintained, clean, and a great front desk manager who took time to show us to the room. My only criticism of the room is not very many electrical sockets and some of those were worn so that the plugs would fall out. But, if we stay in Hilo again, this will definitely be a the top of our list.

I didn't have overly high expectations for this place so it not only surpassed them, it is a place I will definitely return to. Rates are based on occupancy and so are accommodations, so be accurate with those and you will have a lovely stay. We had a family room which could also be three separate rooms for solo travelers or couples. There was a double bed in the living room area, two twins in another room, and a queen (?) bed in yet another room. The rooms with the two twins and the queen were the ones with the lock-off option, and this would result in a shared kitchen space and shared bathroom, more like a hostel for smaller groups of travelers. I do not know if all of the rooms have this configuration, or if some do in-fact have private bathrooms for a couple or solo traveller. The space was exceptionally clean and everyone was very friendly! I found the rates to be very reasonable for such a large accommodation. I would recommend having a car when staying here, as it is a bit off the beaten path, but I would tend to recommend a car for visiting Hilo regardless.

Two years of great experience! We are a college group and Big Island Hawaii is our Global Field Study. We came back to Arnott's after similar trip in 2024. We appreciate hospitality, outdoor space and suites with enough space and kitchens.

Off the beaten path in a cozy, safe neighborhood Arnott's Lodge was a perfect getaway from city life for a few days. From check in to check out, everything was a breeze. The accommodations were clean, quiet, secure, with easy parking. Close to the airport.

I went up Maunakea with Arnott's Lodge and guide, Donna. It was a great experience - easy to set up, easy to find, well supported, and incredibly informative. Donna was a superb guide - very knowledgeable about Hawai'ian history and customs, very knowledgeable about Maunakea, super knowledgeable about the stars (we spent almost an hour stargazing under Donna's tutelage). I am very glad I did this trip and very glad I did it with Arnott's and Donna. Steve

Arnott's Lodge is a low-key, quiet, clean location nestled amongst a neighborhood! The staff are all friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend if you are looking for a location in the Hilo area that isn't a resort or hotel chain.

Finally had the chance to do a Mauna Kea Sunset Adventure tour in August 2023, and after doing a lot of research and figuring things out, I am so thankful and glad I went with Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures! Their staff is so awesome overall in experience, communication, and knowledge. The prices are very competitive and reasonable compared to other similar tour companies. And even though Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures is based in Hilo, they are able to meet up with those of us who are staying in Kailua-Kona (or anywhere on the west coast) at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station (VIS). Andraes was our tour guide for this particular adventure I was a part of and he definitely shared a lot about the history behind Mauna Kea as well as other great stories! He also had our jackets as requested in our initial reservation bookings, and one thing to keep in mind that even during the summer months, it can and does get cold and freezing at the higher altitudes. I've been told that the summer months are much better in terms of making it to the summit of Mauna Kea than any other times of the year because of the weather conditions. And on that particular stretch, it was the best weather conditions they have had in a while. You do have to spend at least 30 minutes at the VIS to acclimate to the higher altitudes prior to going to the summit. Best to bring plenty of water and snacks along with a beanie cap and mittens. You don't want to be like some crazy hikers whom we saw at the summit with only shorts and a shirt on (and barely any hiking gear on them)! Anyways, it was very clear once we reached the summit and such beautiful views! And a very nice sunset to close out the day! At that high an altitude, you don't want to move around too quickly due to lower levels of oxygen, and you might feel light-headed and a bit dazed at times. Also loved the stargazing show after sunset. Even though I could not get photos, just seeing it with my own eyes was great enough! I don't have an iPhone, but from what others were telling me, it's easier to do it on those kinds of smartphones versus an Android. Overall, excellent Mauna Kea Sunset Tour by Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures and I hope to be back for a daytime tour down the road!

Lovely place that I did not know existed. Now I know. Nice geedunk too. Young lady that works there stays late for the guests.

I went on their Mauna Kea tour which was excellent. They keep the prices really competitive. We went with Edan and he was so knowledgeable about star systems. He used this laser pointer that identified all the major constellations. He gave us a really good tip, he said we lucked out because we went close to the new moon. The closer you are to the new moon the darker the sky is and the more stars you will see. The closer you are to a full moon, then the stars get washed out by the light of the full moon and it's harder to see the stars. The star gazing actually happens at the visitor center because the lower altitude allows your eyes to work better. This company or the tour guide has no control over whether you'll see the stars because they can't control the clouds or the moon any more than you can. So, if you really need to see the stars, then check the day's weather for yourself. In any case, that's just one part of the tour. There are the telescopes, the breath-taking view of the sunset above the clouds, the telescopes, and the nature preserve itself. I was just so floored on how knowledgeable Edan was about the stars and constellations. He pointed them out with a laser pointer like a professor. I have never seen the big dipper on my own but after he pointed them out with the laser pointer, it looked so obvious. This tour is a must-do and this is a great company to go with. They are thoughtful, communicative, and they keep prices competitive. Lastly, you need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to access Mauna Kea after the visitor center because the road past the visitor center isn't paved, and in some cases steep. This tour company picked me me up from my hotel at Grand Naniloa in a 4 wheel drive vehicle. From pick up to drop off the tour lasted from about 3:30 pm to about 9:00 pm.

Mauna Kea tour with my mom just before mother's day... Spectacular sunset views with snow at the top of Mauna Kea observatory and stargazing followed. Our guide Donna was knowledgeable and provided us with a fantastic overall tour with lots of great photographs to take home. We missed out the rainbow falls portion as we came from Kona side and met them at the observatory, but would do this again for the unforgettable experience. Highly recommend Arnott's tours no matter which side of the island you are staying on.

The room and surrounding area is clean. The night person Patrick was helpful and kind. I

I, unfortunately, booked a Muana Kea summit tour with this company. The next day I got insanely ill, having to go to the hospital. The hospital provided documentation that I am not allowed to go on this tour. Arnotts refused to refund my money, saying I held up their business by making a reservation. I understand cancellation policies, but I also know there are exceptions to cancellation policies. Be very, very careful before booking with this company. They don't care about you. Update: I was told management/ownership would call me within 24 hours to discuss this situation. That didn't happen, of course.

Camped here for 2 nights. No reservation required. One person around $20/person. Required to show airplane ticket to return. So it is only for tourists. For campers there are outside hot shower, flush toilets, sofa, tables, outlets, TV room. The staff was very nice. At night there are many birds singing which was really nice.

This review is for their onsite camping. We spent two night here during an 18-day big island camping trip. In fact, we stayed Christmas eve and Christmas day. Their camping area is an excellent value. You set up your tent in the yard then you get access to a covered area, Hilo is very rainy, with tables and couches for cooking and eating and hanging out. The seating area was really nicely decorated with colored Christmas lights. You also have access to laundry and hot showers. These were pretty nice to have for a couple of nights during our camping stay. The staff we interacted with were all super nice. Another nice thing is no reservations required for camping. The showers, restrooms and common area were all really clean. I saw that the staff cleaned everything every day.

A review of the Muana Kea Tour: David picked us up, then made quick pass through at Liliuokalani Park and Rainbow Falls. At the observatory, we were able to walk around, visit the gift shop and just enjoy the surroundings including a walk to see the silversword.At the summit, It was one of the most amazing sunsets with the telescopes, otherworldly landscape, and being above the Hilo clouds. After sundown, we were back to the observatory, where we were able to see the North Star, the southern Cross, and even a few planets! David was friendly knowledgeable, and a great guide!

My wife and I received an amazing Mauna Kea tour with Andras! He is extremely friendly attentive and personable. Such a great guide and wonderful human being! Ahead of time, they did a wonderful job setting expectations as they monitored weather on the mountain. Highly recommend.

We stayed in a queen room with a private bath, fridge and coffee in room, a little dining table in the room plus a little dining table outside sliding doors. The bed and sheets were beautiful, clean and very tastefully designed. There was also a shared kitchen that was very clean and well stocked with pots pans utensils dishes stove microwave magic bullet, seating at counter, next to a spacious area for a living room. Everything is relatively updated and a very relaxed island vibe. On the grounds are several common rooms for tv watching, dining, and a smoking lounge. All are open air meaning they have roof and a couple walls but one or more walls are left open (missing). As with many structures on the big island walls are optional. (Even the Airport has no walls.) We took a tour up Mauna Loa on August 15 to see the observatories at the top. Our guide Donna told us about each observatory as well as all the news and history of the area. We drove up in a Jeep and she had warm coats and cocoa for us. (We didn't expect that and brought our own cold weather gear). The car was perfectly clean and the ride was nice. The sunset was spectacular above the clouds. After it became dark, Donna gave a star show demonstration pointing out all the constellations. Better and more knowledgeable than the one for the visitors center.

Helpful, Friendly staff. Clean facility. Good Price. I stayed 4 nights in the private dorm room and did the Mauna Kea Tour through them.

We did not stay at the Lodge, so this review is just of the Moana Kea Tour. David picked us up at our hotel and we made a quick pass through at Liliuokalani Park and Rainbow Falls. And then off we went to the Observatory. He provided excellent details about the Island and its inhabitants, both from historical and cultural perspectives. At the observatory, we were able to walk around, look through the telescope visit the gift shop and just enjoy the surroundings. After we acclimated to the change in altitude, we were back in the van and off to the summit. It's a bumpy ride, but well worth it. It was one of the most amazing sunsets you could ever imagine! After sundown, we were back to the observatory, where we were guided through a "lesson" and able to see the North Star, the Milky Way and even a few planets! David was friendly and informative! It was a great tour.

After much online research, we chose to stay at Arnott's Lodge. What a wonderful discovery of such diversity that is offered. From private suites to hostel accomodations to camping spots for tents. Overall, we had an enjoyable stay for four nights. We had a private suite with 2 sleeping rooms, small kitchen and private bath. It was ideal for myself, husband and our son. The rooms were very basic yet clean and we loved the idea of no tv in our room. The only negative part to our stay were the beds. The mattresses felt very basic with not much padding around the springs. Although we understand this is a basic accommodation, everyone deserves a comfortable bed to sleep in. Unfortunately, we were all stiff and sore even after just the first night. The staff was very friendly and genuinely cared about us having a wonderful experience. They were always happy to answer any questions or make conversation. We loved that the owner was present and you could see the pride and care he had for his property. I loved how he was always around and interacted with staff and guests alike. The grounds were comfortable and well maintained. We enjoyed the common areas to meet and enjoy the company of new friends, played games with our son and did laundry. They had a TV room with couches to relax on and even some games to borrow and play. We booked the "Fire and Ice" tour through Arnott's and had an amazing time. Ikaika, a local (born and raised in Hilo) was our tour guide (and now friend). He treated us like OHANA (family) from the moment we met him! We HIGHLY recommend Ikaika for any tour you choose. He went ABOVE AND BEYOND to give each of us a personal experience that we would not forget and showed us the true ALOHA spirit of the islands. All in all, Arnott's is located in a great location (very quiet and close to a public beach access) the rooms are clean, the grounds are well maintained and the owner/staff are wonderful and definitely make you feel welcome. We definitely recommend this property!

While in Hilo, you would be crazy not to watch the sunrise or the sunset from the summit of the tallest mountain in the world, Mauna kea. Some have described this as being on the moon or in space. I wouldn't go that far, but I will admit that it is one way to be above clouds. Not close enough to touch them due to the edges being blocked but at least 14,500 ft high. The tour starts by picking up from your hotel and with you signing a waiver which acknowledges that you may experience elevation sickness and that if it gets really bad the tour guide will be able to assist you with an oxygen tank. The owner of Arnott's tours is none other than the grandson of the current owner of Arnott's biscuits. So if you're looking for Tim tams, look no further than Arnott's lodge in Hilo. During the drive to Mauna kea, the guide will point out the japanese gardens and other landmarks along the way. You may end up picking up other tour attendees from saddle road. Once you reach Mauna kea area, you first go to the discovery centre which is around 9000ft high. You get an hour to acclimatize to the altitude, have a meal, drink a beverage, buy souvenirs, use the restrooms and marvel at the views. It is slightly chilly here. Once you reach the summit, you basically wait around until the sunset. Here it gets really cold. Arnott's provides jackets which are warm, but I would suggest gloves and a beanie. It can also get quite windy. As soon as the sun sets, you need to be outta there in a few minutes. You are then taken back down to the discovery centre where the guide points out the northern Star, the big dipper and constellations. Because it is dark, he uses laser to point out the stars. It's not a star show. Then you get hot cocoa sachets that you add hot water to to get hot chocolate. Meh. For around 253 Australian dollars, this is quite an expensive experience. So I would suggest hire a 4wd, follow the speed restrictions, drive carefully and check out the sunset on your own and maybe even pack some of your own hot fresh cocoa, winter wear and eavesdrop on someone else's star show.

We booked a tour of the Land of Frozen Fire through our cruise ship. Donna was our guide and she was terrific! She took us out along the coast to the "newest beach", Isaac Hale Park, that was created by the lava flow from August 2018. Her personal stories of the area and excitement showed her true love of the Big Island. Arnott's truly found a gem when they hired Donna. She made the tour perfect!

We pitched a tent on their lawn area. You can't beat the price and location. Clean all around, hot showers, friendly staff and close to yummy places to eat/drinks.

We visited Hilo on our cruise and decided to do the Land of Frozen Fire tour. Our guide was Michelle and she was awesome! She was super sweet and very knowledgeable of all the history and the volcanoes. Super recommended if you want to explore Hilo and see different settings. Thanks Michelle!

This place was an amazing and affordable stay! The apartment size accommodations made it feel so homey and the service was exceptional! Our room and bathroom were very clean and had a nice view! Best part was that it was so close to the airport AND the ocean! Will definitely come back :)

We booked 2 nights in the deluxe suite and it was such a wonderful experience. The suite was clean, big, and quiet. No complaints at all. We also went on the Mauna Kea tour which started at 230pm and lasted til around 9pm. Our tour guide Sean was extremely informative. The stargazing was awe inspiring. The hot cocoa at the end was godsend since the mountain was super cold. All in all worth every penny.

Second stay in Arnott's. Really chill. Decently clean. Cheap stay. Usually reserve a private room with a shared bathroom and kitchen, but both times felt like I have a whole apartment to myself. Convenience stores are about 8 minutes away by driving. You hear birds, frogs, and crickets chirping at night, but it's not overpowering so it makes it super peaceful. Love it, would definitely come again. Plus, more bang for your buck!

Don't do the sunset/star glazing tour! Waste of time and money. Only got to see sunset. Too much overcast. The visitor station even closed due to no visibility. I understand theu need to make money but they only delivered on half of what was promoted. We emailed them to see if we can get a small refund since they clearly didn't deliver what was promoted. They responded with you got to see the sunset so that is good enough. WTH???? KARMA will come back around. I hope these place goes bankrupt. No joke. Terrible way to conduct business. Who ever does the customer service needs a reality check. You suck!!!! Only get1 because of Tia the guide. Otherwise I wish I could give a negative points. You all have been warned. And yes I will copy and paste this review to every review site I can find.

We took the Mauna Kea, Keck, observatories tour. The tour was awesome. Randy was knowledgeable and fun. Be sure to wear clothing for cold weather, they will give you a warm coat though if you like. It was 33 F, and had snow in December, but in summer it's not much warmer up that high. The drive is bumpy due to the unpaved road. The view is amazing. After looking at my pictures, it looked like I was in a plane we were up so high. I felt like we were on Mars at some points from the look of the terrain. Ask for Randy when you book your tour.

I was very impressed with the helpful and friendly staff of Arnott's, along with the clean and spacious rooms that we stayed in. Miranda and Shevan were there at the front desk to answer any and all of our questions regarding things to do and paces to see while staying in Hilo. Miranada went above and beyond accommodating, and even sent us an email with several great hikes after we left the hotel. I look forward to coming back and staying at Arnott's in the near future. 5/5

We did the Mauna Kea summit and star gazing tour. Our tour guide, Ben, was very professional and very knowledgable. We met up with the tour as we were not staying at Hilo, Ben was on time to pick us up and take us up to the summit. The tour stops briefly at the visitor center before going up to the summit. Warm jackets were provided because it is COLD and WINDY at the summit! The view was amazing from the summit. We watched the sunset and the view is unparalleled. We went back down the mountain and did some star gazing and Ben walked us through some constellations and had a super bright green laser to point things out. Only cons I can think of is that the van was somewhat cramped, but perhaps it keeps the costs down. It was byo dinner, which we preferred compared to some other companies which provide a dinner (of unknown quality). Pricey, but zero percent chance risk of breaching a rental agreement for your rental car/needing to call a tow truck. It is a rough dirt road up to the top! (We did see a tow truck bringing a vehicle down from the summit).

Stayed at the Deluxe lodge for a few nights and it was a clean and comfortable environment. There is a common area with a lounge, library, and kitchen. Each room has a private bathroom, A/C, and mini-fridge. No TV, but that's not a deal breaker because I rarely ever watch TV on vacation. Wifi is included too. It's very quiet there and rather relaxing. The deluxe lodge is in an annex, and there is plenty of parking available, although it's on the lawn and not in marked stalls. We also went on the Mauna Kea tour. I got a discount on the tour since I stayed at the lodge, and it was a great tour. Our tour guide, Lauren, was very informative and energetic. The drive didn't seem long at all. She offered water to some people who had forgotten to bring their own water bottles and encouraged everybody to stay hydrated. The summit was amazing and the sunset was the best I have ever seen. She then had a stargazing show and pointed out constellations and explained how the Hawaiians used stars to navigate. Overall it was a great stay and a great tour. If I visit the Big Island again, I'd definitely consider staying here again.

This review is specifically for the Mauna Kea adventure tour. If at all possible, ask for a tour given by Robert, you will not regret it. Seriously, Robert's knowledge and passion for what he does is what made the tour for us. here's how it went: On our recent trip to the Big Island, one of the Must-Do things we had on our list (as well as my personal Bucket List) was to "Catch the Sunset from Above the Clouds" at the peak of Mauna Kea. Every resource we checked online recommended the tours that were $200+ per person, but us being the frugal travelers that we are, opted to do some price comparisons once we arrived and boy are we glad that we did. Rather than opt for the tour that picks you up from Kona-side and takes you to Mauna Kea, we chose instead to check the pricing on tours originating from Hilo-side and that's when we found out that Arnott's Adventures had tours originating from Hilo that were significantly cheaper than anything we could find Kona-side. Significantly cheaper as in Half the price! So, with that in mind, what we decided to do was drive our rental car to Hilo, use the money we saved to rent a room at the Hilo Bay Hotel and not only be able to take the tour to Mauna Kea, but also be able to explore Hilo along with its surrounding environs AND have a comfortable room to sleep in for the night. Now THAT's one hell of a ProTip because driving from Hilo back to Kona at night is a major No-no. And why would you want to when you have all the beautiful sights to stop at on the way back like Akaka Falls, Rainbow falls and all of the other assorted scenic points of interest all along H19 ProTip - **DO NOT TAKE SADDLE ROAD - unless you've done it before and have 4x4** Where was I? oh yeah, The tour itself takes about seven hours (2pm-9pm) Meals are not included which is a great thing because then you can choose to bring whatever you want to eat and not have to eat what is provided to you. ProTip - grabbing a mix plate from Verna's or the Wiki Wiki Kitchen is a winning game plan, but the tour will also stop at a local 7-11 that sells Hawaii-only goodies like Manapua Buns, Pork Hash, etc etc. Also a great option for frugal savages like me who don't need froo-froo dining options. We got very lucky on our tour because asides from the two of us, there was only one other guest. What this meant is that time needed for loading/unloading as well as organization of guests was practically nil which gave Robert the option to pass by other points of interests and stop at scenic vista points to indulge my photography needs. - SCORE! So, if you are going to try to book a Mauna Kea Summit tour with Arnott's, here is what you need to keep in mind - See when Robert is driving and try to hop onto that tour - Hope that the van isn't too crowded - Grab some grub from Verna's or Wiki Wiki - Bring Gloves and a beanie because it WILL get cold at the summit (Parkas are provided) -Bring WATER - Lots of it - Mountains are high and dry and WILL dehydrate you like crazy Photography tips: Bring a solid/heavy tripod - Wind gusts get up to hurricane speed up there High ISO/Low Light performance is a MUST Polarizing, Vari ND filters are a MUST - if you have slide-type vari-ND filters, even better Wired or Wireless release to minimize shake Mirror UP! I was working at -10degree weather with wind chill, but since my gear is Weather-sealed, it was not an issue. Make sure your gear can perform in these conditions. AND TURN YOUR GOBDAMMNED FLASH OFF! Btw yes, I got one of my once in a lifetime shots here. Boo ya.

This review is about the lodge's Mauna Kea summit/stargazing tour. Since it was the first day that the summit opened after a week of bad weather, the van was full with 13 people. Some people in the back had difficulty hearing our local guide; fortunately I was just behind him. Fun guide - he even introduced us to some contemporary Hawaiian music and folklore. There was a brief stop at the visitor center where food can be purchased (food's not included in the tour), and there's hot water. After the visitor center, we went through a rough 4WD road to the top. I've driven worse to 14er trailheads in Colorado but after 12K feet I got woozy, as we started from sea-level. There were brief stops by the 8 telescopes near the summit but these were closed to the public. Nevertheless, they're still an amazing sight, like sentinels of the sacred mountain. The tour could be improved by mentioning what major discoveries were made by these telescopes and the scientists behind them. The main event was the sunset, which was spectacular. However, I thought seeing the full shadow of 13,800 ft Mauna Kea on the other side was even more thrilling! Make sure to bring GLOVES, or your fingers will freeze snapping those pictures! The stargazing after was also fun, with a green laser-light show to point traditional Hawaiian navigational aids in relation to known constellations. The stars are amazingly bright here, but cars with their headlights driving down the slope were a distraction. The stargazing portion of the tour also lacked depth. SUGGESTION: the tour could truly benefit from having a resident astronomer - they have many starving PhD and MSc students studying astronomy and physics in UH Hilo who could earn a few bucks and share their excitement with the public! Altogether, this is an fun tour from Hilo that brings nature and science together in a dramatic landscape. A few tour changes incorporating more science (they got the nature covered) could make this trip exceptional.

Y'all must be kidding me right? We were there in 2009 and that's 1 place we would NEVER come back to. Did y'all missed the pee-smelled rooms? The stained bed linens, mattresses & pillows, ragged looking towels? Dirty-smelly bathroom, kitchen, and floor. Oh gosh, even camping grounds here are cleaner than that there place!!! We couldn't even sleep because the pee smell was so strong the beds were so gross. We even brought room de-odorizer and it didn't even help. The mattresses and pillows looked like things people throw out and were salvaged by Arnott's If y'all on a budget--DON'T even go to Arnott's ok? Unless you're really down on your luck and had no where else to go.

Doug Arnott vanned my group around the island to various places where we had training; he was a tremendous help. The lodge is awesome too. So mellow and not far from hilo's square. I will definitely stay here for personal use. Buy your own water to drink unless you boil it for food/coffee, etc... It's not BAD to drink but not too much recommended by the staff.

Clean, lots of space for starters. Lots of housing good provided. Amazing common areas, laundry, tables with fresh flowers and Hawaiin coasters, TV room, tent space, all kinds of rooms not just dorms. Great location short walk to water. 3 miles from downtown. 40 minutes to Volcano, also close to community college. Staff was friendly. I would have signed up for an adventure tour but already had plans. Binder with great info (free stuff, food, etc), and magazines in room.

Excellent for the budget traveller that is just going to sleep in the room and spend the rest of their time exploring the island. My sister and I stayed here about 5 years ago. We took two of the tours - one hiking about 8 miles over lava and the Mauna Kea sunset tour. The tours were well run and also no frills. Stay here if you get your kicks from the beautiful weather and nature and are just looking for a place to crash. Also, a good way to meet folks to make your experience more lively.

A good, cheep place to stay. I stayed in the women's bunk room (there was a men's on the other side of the building). The room and grounds in general were clean, and I felt safe and comfortable throughout. The Lodge also offers camping, individual rooms with shared bathrooms, and regular hotel style rooms as well. Of all the places, I stayed at on The Big Island, this was my favorite, and I would have to say it was the vibe. The Lodge was a place that loved its travelers, providing a free DVD room, a kitchen for bunk room and camping guests, and a guest appreciation night with free beer and pizza. Guests are also asked to sign a contract which says that use of drugs and extreme drunkenness are not permitted (which while I'm not against, I greatly appreciated). The only downfall that I found was that while the Lodge provided clean sheets, it did not provide blankets, which I did not have and is a must for me (I like to feel the weight) even in rather hot weather. The result was that I was using a towel to keep me warm. The overall feel, though, was earthy-crunchy and friendly (the owner lives in a house on the property), and I would definitely choose to stay there again when I next get back to the island.

At Arnott's, you get what you pay for. This is probably the cheapest accommodation in Hilo, and they won't let you forget that. Anytime you ask for a service, if they don't offer it, they'll tell you it's how they keep their prices down. They're not rude about it, but it gets old. We stayed in a semi-private room, which shares a bathroom with one other room. It was clean and comfortable -- perfect if you just need a place to sleep and shower. The staff was a mixed bag -- one guy was extremely friendly and helpful, two others seemed to have lost their sense of aloha. Arnott's feels like a hostel, but they will not let you stay more than 7 days unless you make special arrangements. It's pretty far -- 3 miles -- from downtown Hilo. They have bikes to rent for cheap, but it's not a fun ride from Arnott's to downtown -- you ride on a main highway through a light industrial zone, sharing the road with lots of semis moving at 50mph.

I saw Arnott's Flyer as soon as I walked out of the Hilo Airport. The place is located in a residential area over looking a park and looks like it was a former apartment at one time. The only room available was a semi private, meaning the unit has 2 bedrooms. The other occupant was an elderly German couple. I never acquainted myself with them because I checked in late and left very early in the morning. The unit had a kitchen with a stove and a refrigerator. There was even a veranda attached to the living room. I was expecting a saggy mattress but was surprised to find it was very comfortable and had no trouble falling asleep. The cleanliness of the place was very satisfactory, I had no problems with the living situation. When you check out, you're required to take the bed linen to the laundry room. If your on a budget the price can't be beat. What more can you ask for? An apartment located in the heart of paradise next to the beach, while you're sipping on Mai Tai's on the veranda taking in the tropical sun. Aloha!

The Mauna Kea summit tour was amazing. David is a great guy with probably more knowledge about what goes on at the summit than any other tour guide. We felt safe the entire time. At no point did I regret my decision. This tour is also cheaper than most if not all of the other tours provided. There is no reason to smash a large dinner right before going to nearly 14k feet, something the other tours provide. We were staying on the Kona side of the island so we met the tour at the start of the summit road, in a parking lot located on the side of the highway. By meeting there we actually got a discount. I would go with these guys again, especially with David as a tour guide. Well done!

Pros: Good security, they are adamant about checking id and require an onward ticket. Quiet neighborhood, see cons Nice common porch area Very close to beaches where turtles hang out Cons: Just kinda dingy looking Road is somewhat industrial "Open" dorm option better labeled as hallway option Provided dishes cookware is kinda disgusting Generally better to do private rooms here but still nothing special.

I went to the Big Island with the idea of being a dirty filthy hippie, living on a farm, eating the fruit that I picked, bathing in the springs down the road but still shitting in a toilet. I tried it for a night but once I realized you are required to get some sort of infection, like Staph or something, before you are a real hippie AND you have to change your name to something stoooopid like "Wave" or "Schmoo," I had to quit. After a very long and fun adventure featuring two friends and two locs and their van and some wine coolers and a black sand nekked beach, my friends and I ended up at Arnott's. Oh my was this place paradise after waking up on a "farm" underneath a wasp's nest. Arnott's is a hostel in the true sense of the word. You can sleep in dorms, semi private rooms, or you can CAMP ON THE LAWN. yep. it will rain and ants will crawl up your pants, but it is cheap and, hey, it's Hawaii. There is a communal sitting/eating area with a T.V., outdoor showers, boys and girls kitchens, a lounge/movie watching area, bike rental...you get the idea. We were there long enough to make friends with the staff, which was kind of good (local tips and they can be fun to drink with) and kind of awful (if I hear that girl talk about Mana one more time...). Overall, Arnott's was good to me and saved me from getting scabies on some dirty, pathetic excuse at farming and communal living in paradise.

Arnott's is a great place to stay if you are backpacking or on a tight budget. The rooms are spotless and well equipped. The kitchen comes with everything you need. You can sleep in a tent, in a dorm or in a private room. All are a good deal. The only drawback is that it is far from town, so if you do not have a car you are dependent on the bus that runs once an hour and stops running around 5:00 PM. But they have such a nice garden and patio that going into town seems less important. I did their Mauna Kea and Volcano tours and both were very good. The guide was very helpful and knowledgeable. Definitely bring warm clothes (hat, gloves, warm coat) on the Mauna Kea tour, as it gets very cold up there!

We mainly picked Arnott's because we can get a discount on the Mauna Kea tour if you stay for 2 or more nights. We opted for the private room/bathroom with shared living room option. The accommodation was definitely small and basic. Not much room to put the luggage. Worst part was the AC really didn't cool the room at all. We just ended up opening the patio door at night and sleeping like that. While humid, it provided a cool breeze and sounds of nature. The location was ok, it's a little ways from town which means you do have to drive to everything. But I guess for 100 bucks a night which is by far the cheapest stay of our Hawaii trip, it's not bad. The Mauna Kea tour was fabulous. We got really lucky and essentially ended up with a private guide. Our guide studied astronomy so he was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The sunset and the stars were absolutely incredible to witness. Let me tell you, I would not have wanted to drive up this mountain by ourselves at all. I'm not afraid of the steepness and it's manageable if you have a 4x4. But it gets quite dark and foggy at night which made it more hazardous than I would have enjoyed. We got to sleep through that part!

Did the Top of the World experience with Arnott's. WOW, what an experience. Our tour guide was Lauren and she was amazing. She was very personable and very knowledgeable. She was great at keeping all try guests engaged and talking to them about the experience. She even stopped the van on the way to the top so that we could get awesome photos at different levels. This is a must-do adventure and I would definitely recommend doing it with Arnott's

WARNING : They are thief ! Do not make a reservation to this hostel.. We made an online reservation and we had never been contacted as the website mentioned it. Thus we went camping but they billed us anyway. We tried to discuss the issue with the manager but he was rude and disrespectful. Nothing was reimburse so we did pay 70$ for absolutely nothing.... Trust me, do not go there or you might get rob just like us ..

We came to the place and found out the condition and hygiene is far worse than what's described online. When we came to the front desk asking if we can leave and get a refund, another customer came to complain about safety issue as the back door in her room kept getting unlocked and opened. After her complain the woman in charge agreed to refund us for both nights with some cleaning fees if we leave immediately without drawing attention from other customers. We packed our stuff and moved them back to the car, but she changed her mind claiming to charge one night as cleaning fees. We were in the room for less than an hour, barely touched the stuff in the room and took our own trash, it's ridiculous to charge that much cleaning fees. At that time we haven't booked a hotel to stay for the night, we were trying to argue for the refund she promised, but she was kicking us out as if it was our fault and threatened us calling the police. We left without knowing how much she would refund us and went to a Doubletree hotel in town. The much nicer hotel charges a very similar amount but much more reasonable. This is a hostel level place but charges at a hotel level, not true to the advertisement, with concerning hygiene and safety conditions. And the woman in charge doesn't keep her words.

We did the Mauna Kea Sunset Tour with Lauren. It was amazing. Hotel pick-up on time, comfortable and safe ride. Lots of interesting information. Lauren was a fantastic guide. Highly recommended.

This is the first time I have reviewed anything, but Todd deserves this plug. My wife and I booked the Big Island Eruption Encounter (Hilo) with our cruise line. This was one of 8 excursions we took, and we were not sure how exciting this one would be, compared with zip lining, snorkeling, etc. Well, this tour EXCEEDED our EXPECTATIONS. Todd was a great tour guide: knowledgable, friendly, fun and patient with our group! This was probably our 2nd favorite excursion, very exciting, scenic, and amazing to see what the lava flow devastation has done. Everyone on our tour had a great time, and Todd was a big reason for our pleasure. Highly recommend Todd and the Eruption Encounter tour!!

Arnott's is a great place to spend some time in Hilo on the cheap! Whether you are pitching your tent on the comfy safe lawn, or getting one of the private or semi-private rooms, the expense is minimal and there are many benefits. Telephones and places to charge your devices, a big screen TV viewing room with movies, picnic tables to sit and chat with other travelers. The environment is very clean and safe, and you are minutes away from the beach. There are also bicycles to rent for the day, or tours of Hawaii available leaving from Arnott's. We paid $11 for our nightly tent space, and were very happy to spend the time and money. I'll definitely be staying at Arnott's when traveling through Hilo again, and recommend the place in good confidence.

Our stay at Arnott's lodge can only be described as the best accommodation we have ever visited. We stayed for 9 days in a deluxe room, located in the 'Annex.' Which is essential a house across the street from the main lodge, which has been subdivided into several separate rooms which share a common kitchen. It's not that it was fancy or lavish. That is not the point here. However, it was clean, it was quite and it was sufficiently private; with a private restroom in every room. We has a nice sitting area outside the patio door of the room. We would eat dinner there, and enjoy the island. The room is basic, but complete; sans a television. Which was fine with us, as we didn't come here to sit in the room and watch reruns. There is a small refrigerator in the room, and everything else that you may need is in the shared kitchen. We met the proprietor several times during our stay, as he went about his work. He is a very pleasant person, and we enjoyed talking with him. The desk staff was equally pleasant, and helpful. Parking was beyond convenient, as you simply pull your car up in the garden. We will happily stay here again, as we prepare for our relocation to Hilo. The accommodations offered represent the very best value to be found anywhere in Hilo, and perhaps on the entire island.