I'll start with the positives first: - The water-views are very nice. - Friendly reception staff. - Very good cheesecake from their restaurant. (Take it to go though). It has a coconut jello-custard like top. - Proximity to Coconut Island - a nice stroll. Okay, now for the negatives: The entire hotel is dated and tacky. Hallways are dark and the doors look cheap....reminding me of a terrible hotel I stayed in a semi-rural part of China minus the stench. My guidebook says that this hotel is the best accomodation that Hilo can offer. I cringe at the thought of what other places must be like. The bed is uncomfortable. Even with 3 pillows, as soon as my bed touched them, they got pretty flat. The tv is small. I'm sure the room was clean, but because the hotel is dated...it just felt a bit dirty. I only stayed here so that I can spend my time enjoying the Hamakua Coast, Hilo and the Volcano Park. We were spoiled having just come from the resorts in Kohala.

Walked into the room and I was transported into the 70s. Add the chuncky pillows, and the dingy lighting, it felt very unclean and very old. We piced it because it was close to the airport for a quick trip for an early morning flight. But if you don't have to, don't do it. I would have stayed some where else, outside of Hilo. Old, dirty, and nothing much to see.

This hotel in Hilo offered us a great view from our room. As others have said i would avoid getting a room with an inland view, as you will see not much other than the parking lot. The rooms and decor at this hotel seem a little dated, although they were very clean. We had booked a room with two beds, but at first ended up in a room with only one. After bringing this to their attention they offered to bring us a roll away, but end moved us to a room with two beds. The pool was pretty nice, but for whatever reason was only open from 7am to 7pm. In all I fell the hotel offers good value for money, along great views.

I read the reviews prior to booking our stay and just about up to the day before we left on our trip to Hawaii for this hotel and was concerned about spending two nights at this hotel, with bugs, bad food, bad service,etc. reported. But found none of the things reported here. We found the staff very friendly, and very helpful, the food at the buffet was good, and excellent for the price. To say how good the Saturday and Sunday nights buffets where they are not kidding when they say you need a reservation, both nights the place was packed, we where lucky and got in with out one but the people behind us did not. Lots of locals. For picky eaters and those that are food snobs you will hate this place but for those who want some just good food and for in Hawaii a good price and a lot of it, it was good. To give you the reader an idea of the places I have eaten and consider good, Roy's, Kemo's, Dukes, Wolf Gang Puck, NOLA, Ken's House of Pancakes. The breakfast buffet was great for the price, the food was and selection was just as good as the buffet at the Hilton for half the price. The rooms and hotel, great place to stay for the price, if I paid more I would expect more so to compare this place to a Hilton or 'W' is a bit much. Plus why spend $250-$300 a night for a room, you are not going to 'live' there just spend the night and take a bath, you are in Hawaii people, get outside and look around! We also stay at the 'Hilton' on the other side and know a lot of the people who go there never leave the property and think all there is to see and do is right there at the hotel! While the Hilton Wiakola is a destination in its self there is more to see! And those are the people who have slammed this hotel. the ones who go to Hawaii for things like the 'pool', in Hawaii there are more places to swim(water falls, secluded beaches). Or we heard one girl talking on the phone as she was leaving to go back home she was disappointed and bored because there where no casinos!!!! I wonder if she got on the wrong plane and was looking for Vegas. No wonder 'Americans' are getting a bad reputation around the world. Hilo is a great place and lots to see, we found the people the friendliest on the island, but we are very open and when we leave home we leave the 'A' type personality behind and as they say in the islands slow down and 'talk' to people you will find you will have a more enjoyable time.