Dolphin Bay

02/21/09

Best deal for my honeymoon!

by tnelson466 at Citysearch

After the wedding, we didn't have a ton of money. The Dolphin Bay Hotel is a small apartment complex converted to a hotel with full living spaces, separate bedrooms, kitchen, and while I didn't see other bathrooms, my giant tub could fit had six or seven in the shower! My room was clean, and cleaned every day. The staff was awesome (tips on visiting the volcano and neat snorkeling pools, sweet!)! And the large garden on the grounds grows tropical fruits that are part of the free breakfast fare. BOTTOM LINE: If a luxury hotel is your idea of the great Hawaiian vacation, spend more money elsewhere. If you want a decent, clean place to crash after an adventure: stay at the Dolpin Bay Hotel..............PS Hilo is WAY prettier than Kona. Fact.

• Pros: Clean, Affordable, Staff Very Kind, Garden is nice
• Cons: Dated furniture, No A/C. (It's 78 degrees, who needs it?)

05/24/04

A no-frills hotel offering plenty of local color.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
This 18-unit hotel is located in a quiet residential section of Hilo called Puueo. It is only four blocks from downtown Hilo and 40 minutes from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It is a favorite for those seeking character on a budget.

The Details
Rooms don't have phones, and the property doesn't come with a pool or its own restaurant. But every accommodation has a complete kitchen and most have Roman baths. The staff is friendly and helpful--they pride themselves on repeat guests. They'll gladly help you decide what to see and where to eat in this picturesque and sleepy whaling town on the far side of the Big Island. A charming feature is that the management encourages guests to sample the fruit from the garden out back.