Hilo Seaside Hotel

The locations is wonderful, right on the ocean. It has a really good restaurant and the pool, while small, was really, really nice. The hotel is just old and needs some renovations; however, the staff was all attentive and friendly.

room was broken into.

relaxed on the balcony and took in the sights and sounds. staff was very friendly and accomodating

Room was very clean and comfortable. Walking distance to parks, beaches, bars and dining.

Just a short walk across the street to the beach and other several beach parks. Lovely coi pond in front of the hotel, and a nice restaurant on the premises. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Free parking adjacent to the hotel or on the street. The decor is old Hawaiian style and comfortable. Great price for a great place to stay. A family-style hotel not like the chain hotels. The garden is lovely with hapua ferns and flowers. Nice view from the lanai of the Hilo Bay.

perfect for our visit to volcano and waterfalls. The location was lovely and had a nice view and was close to everything. Although an older motel, people were friendly and gave us an "update" on the room. Could surely have used some paint on the outside walls because we thought that it looked unkept on the outside and would have probably not stayed if we just judged it from the outside

It was a wonderful experience except the parking and the double beds was not romantic for us beiong a couple.

Hilo is a great place to stay when exploring the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and central part of The Big Island; Hilo is a neat old town with terrific farmer's market and good-value restaurants. The Hilo Seaside Hotel was very clean and comfortable but not fancy. We had a small fridge in our room (No. 1) which was handy, as was the on-site guest laundry machines. Nice pool area within the courtyard, which the hotel wisely closes down around 7 p.m. to keep the noise down. Its not a resort, but more like a nice motel. We didn't eat at the hotel's restaurant (instead ate at restaurants listed in Lonely Planet or Moon Guide). The hotel staff was friendly and responsive. The hotel also is not really on the bay, but across the street from a small bay that opens out to the Hilo bay (which some rooms can see, I think). The other hotels on Banyan Drive are right on the bay but are multi-story towers whereas the Seaside Hotel is 2 or 3 stories (which I prefer). All the Banyan Drive hotels are very near the airport, but the airport isn't that busy and usually planes are landing so are a bit quieter.

We needed a place to stay for 1 night on the east coast. Hotel looked ok on the internet. I am usually not picky about 1-night stays, but it was a real dump. Too old (with silly plastic birds from 50s), too smelly. My husband was convinced there was a rat in our bed. To top it all, next door someone started slamming their door from 4 am til 7 am. Pool was closed and looked like something died in it. The surrounding area did not look safe either. We did not dare leaving anything in our room even for a short time as it seemed too easy to get in. The hotel may have been a luxurious one in the early 50s but now it is a mildewed rotten rat-trap. The total cost of the stay, $80 for the room (base of $70 plus tax) plus $50 for breakfast for 4 of, us was more than what we paid per night at our beach resort on Kona coast (with great breakfast). Pick another hotel. You cannot go wrong.

We just stayed one night at this quaint hotel after a day of exploring and hiking at Volcanoes National Park. The outside may not look inviting compared to the nearby hotels but once inside the friendly desk clerk makes you feel right at home. This family owned hotel features a small restaurant with mid price range Hawaiian meals and bar. The rooms are a little small but quite comfortable. Bathroom was small but adequate. Water was nice and hot. One thing very distinct from other hotels we found in the bathroom: a small sewing kit! We liked that. It is important to keep the windows closed bc of termite swarming which is seasonal. To economize on energy the rooms will have windows open and lights off. You can turn on the A/C once in your room. Coffeemaker is available but be sure to request it at the front desk. There is no dryer nor iron. There is a cute small pool in one of the courtyards. There is a pond with fish on another wing. Across the street is a mid size lake that the locals would take dips in. The water there is very cool. Overall, great place to stay as a base if you want to explore Hilo, Volcanoes and vicinity. The Volcanoes park is about 40 minutes away. Be sure to bring an umbrella or pancho during the summer months. It rains alot on this side of the island!