In April of 2023 my wife and I were lucky to be able to stay a few days in this one-of-a-kind hostel. We were in the process of completing an around the country train trip with a rail pass. Out of the blue, an offer from Southwest airlines appeared with a round trip airfare of $200.00 each from Oakland airport. We were able to book the trip and will NEVER regret the experiences and memories we had.
We were told that we were in the last group that would stay at the hostel as it was being sold and closed soon after we left. It indeed has ceased to exist as a hostel but apparently the building might still reopen as something else. I can't seem to find any current info (02/24/2024).
Again, we count ourselves so lucky to have been able to see, stay, and experience this once-in-a-lifetime treasure. RIP Hilo Bay Hostel
Worst experience ever. Please steer away from this hostel - unless you are extremely exhausted and have very high tolerance towards hygiene. We stayed for 3 nights in a private room and had no option for refunds since we prepaid it on a hotel booking site.
1. Check in was quick and thankfully we arrived slightly before they were closed at 9pm (saw some reviews that some had to be left outside since no one was there to open the gate)
2. Bathroom does not come with shampoos. Not extremely dirty but saw some strains of hair which were not picked up. It does have separate bathroom and shower room so that's great.
3. The kitchen does not provide drinking water. I didn't even dare to venture the kitchen.
4. Now, we come to the best part - the room. The bed was comfortable and firm enough (maybe because we were too tired). Spotted more than a few juvenile cockroaches (means the father mother and grandparents were probably around too). I took a call at the dresser and killed at least 5 of them in 10min. It was the worst hostel experience that I ever had. We eventually gave up and just braved through the 3 nights.
5. The hostel is located next to the main street and located at the second floor. So do bring some earplugs. During our stay some men were fixing the road so we were up for 2 hours at least during midnight.
6. Plenty of street parking.
7. Some guests were smoking weed at the common area.
8. Internet is spotty and unstable.
Very nice staff and I enjoyed the library-type atmosphere where people were chill and respected your space There is so much to do immediately outside from rock wall climbing to restaurants with an every-Friday night concert next door. My favorite was the farmers market a few blocks down with plenty of shopping along the way. In addition, Bay Inn has a very strong and trusted security gaurd on staff while you sleep.
Not nice!!! Overpriced! Rooms next to street are traffic loud!! Kitchen closes early ' is locked. No cold drinks or hot food. Shared restrooms are not so clean as shared by entire hostile. Staff was grumpy & outright rude at times. Staff sits in public gathering area all day & watches TV. Wouldn't stay there again!! Charged 10. For a towel at chek in. Not a fun place. Hardly any laughter by guests.
Hilo Bay Hostel was awesome and gave me just what I needed my last week on the island while I moved. I came in with 2 suitcases and a back pack with valuables as well. I had no issues storing all of my things and you can lock valuable items in a locker.
I paid for the shared room and didnt see a reason to pay for a private room. I basically just needed to come back to eat and crash from the night. They had all the kitchen amenities you'll need to cook and store food.
All in all an awesome place for the price, ended up being around $200 for the week. Walked everywhere I needed, wish everyone there the best! Thanks guys
The Hilo Bay hostel was a last minute booking for me for an overnight stay in Hilo. Kurt the manager was super friendly and helpful when I called to book the room. And was very pleasant and helpful when I checked in.
I was staying in a private room which was very spacious, albeit a bit out dated, but the bed was comfortable and there was a fridge in the room. I did think the accommodation was on the pricey side for what you got. The lock on my door was broken and tuck to the wall with gaff tape, so basically my room wasn't secure.
A bit of an odd vibe overall in the hostel. The Christmas tree was set up with lights on.. and its May. There was a lot of stuff laying around collecting dust, and the place was very dimly lit giving it a really closed in and erie vibe. In addition there was an older Gent parked in front of the TV in the common area... during the day and night.
Another odd thing was that when I booked the room, I was informed there was only 1 room available, but over the time of staying there I only saw/heard 3 other people. It wasn't busy at all.
The bathroom and toilet facilities were below average. The bathroom area was unclean with wet towels all over the floor and a strong smell of damp and mould. No windows or exhaust fans in the bathroom. I dont think the showers/bathroom had been cleaned in some time.
I didn't use the kitchen facilities at all.
The building is in a very central location, however being so close to the main road there as a lot of noise throughout the evening from traffic and people on the street.
I did have an uncomfortable encounter with some locals on the street outside the hostel and felt concerned about my rental car getting broken into at night. Kurt advised me of the best place to park the car and had indicated that there has been some issues with cars being broken in to when parked in that area.
I wouldn't choose to stay at this hostel for an extended period of time, but for a quick stop over, it was satisfactory.
I also think that the place would be much more appealing/comfortable if it was cleaned and some maintenance completed in the bathrooms.
The most caring, understanding, and helpful owner of anywhere i have ever stayed. The owner and coordinator Stanley went out of his way to help both my Fiancee and myself in such a tough time and managed to do so while also making us feel right at home. The location is fantastic and the staff is just the same. Truly blessed to have been able to stay in such a homey atmosphere. Thank you so much for this opportunity.
I stayed here in May of 2018 during a cycle tour of Hawaii's Big Island. Pretty nice place, staff was very friendly, the lady who cleaned the kitchen allowed me to come back after the kitchen had closed so I could get my clothes out of the drier, and the staff made an effort to strike up conversations and be personal. They also let me bring my bike inside and lock it to a ceiling column rather than making me leave it on the street locked to a light post. One complaint, which is a pretty important one, is that during the two nights I stayed there, this hostel catered to a significant minority of older, seemingly vagrant, destitute and possibly long term clients rather than the younger travelers that typically frequent hostels. There was a verbal fight that broke out between one such tenant and the owner over something kitchen related, and one man was talking to himself at one point. I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable, but it was a bit bizarre. Maybe things have changed in the few years since my visit, but this was my experience.
