The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls - Inn in Hilo - 100 Kulaniapia Dr, USA

Absolutely stunning grounds and gorgeous waterfall right in their backyard. Room was spacious, comfortable bed, common area and grounds well maintained and the woodworking pieces are exceptional. We will definitely be staying there again and recommending it to family and friends. Please note they don't serve the included breakfast until 8:30 am so we ended up missing it except for one day. Also it is a good drive from downtown Hilo, but well worth it. About 15 to 20 minutes.

We are glad that we stayed here, but also glad that we didn't book for more than 2 nights. And realistically, one afternoon / evening would be enough time to explore the grounds and swim in the waterfall that's all you're interested in doing.||We stayed in the Maile Room, which was VERY basic for the price with very few amenities. You are truly paying for the falls, but comparatively, we stayed in a luxurious rainforest bungalow in Volcano for the exact same price. We didn't really unpack, since the room was small, furniture was limited, and the bathroom had little surface space for toiletries (just enough room for the sink, toilet, and standup shower). I was concerned with potential humidity since there wasn't air conditioning, but we slept fine once evening set in. ||The Maile Room is on the second floor of the Harmony House. The house doesn't have an elevator, but we appreciated the coffee and snack bar downstairs. Guests have access to the Harmony House's refrigerator, microwave, and dishes, and there were also towels, flashlights, and bug spray for those walking down to the falls. There was a laundry room, but there was a sign on the door saying that it was for staff only.||Breakfast in the morning was filling and made to order. You get to select one of three options the night before and order online via QR code. The options were the same each morning, but we tried and enjoyed them all -- the omelets, eggs and meat, and the french toast.||Ultimately, we were there for the falls, which were impressive. The lanai of our Maile Room in the Harmony House is among the closest to the falls on the property, and I'm glad that we went for it over the similarly priced and located Pikake Room (which had a view of the falls, but one which included a view our lanai). You can see more of the entire falls from the deck where breakfast was served, but it was pretty cool to sit on our room's lanai and see a waterfall.||We walked down to the waterfall and swam for about an hour in the chilly water. It had rained a lot before our stay, and we slid in the mud walking down and up the path from the inn to the falls. As far as we could tell, the walking trails, bamboo forest, and path to the waterfall are mostly the same thing (but one section of the trail leading away from the main falls was so muddy that we didn't try it, so maybe there were more trails that way). Getting in and out of the water next to the falls was challenging, as there is no set entrance path and you are navigating around rocks. We managed okay and took our time, but it might not be possible without injury for those with mobility challenges.||The property is about 20 minutes away from Hilo. Some of the roads are one-lane, so we would have to pull off the road at various places for on-coming traffic. Given the recent rains, the sides of the roads were quite muddy and rutted, so I was glad we had an SUV rather than a sedan for our rental.||All in all, I'm glad that we visited as it was nice to experience, but I don't expect that we'll return. Perhaps it is a more impressive visit for folks who participate in the waterfall rappeling, farm-to-table dining experience, or who stay in the more luxurious accommodations in the main residence or pagoda guest house.

A wonderful experience. We could hear the waterfall (and frogs) from our room. We slept with the windows open, and it was delightful. If you’re looking for a 5-star hotel, this is not it. It’s an experience. The rooms are clean and well decorated. The staff are young adults who volunteer and live there, and are incredibly hospitable and helpful. It felt like a retreat, and a true getaway! You can also play near the waterfall, including paddle boards and rappelling. Highly recommend.

I stayed up at the Barn, in one of the Garden View Cabins. The cabins are quite nice, with very comfy beds and high-quality sheets. The shared bathrooms and showers were clean and never too busy. Bring your own food & be prepared to cook - there is a large shared fridge and a full kitchen in "the Barn", which has spectacular views of both the farm and the ocean (you can see Hilo airport!). The Inn itself is down the road, and also is quite lovely. I did the rappelling excursion at the waterfall - very exciting, the guides were great and highly qualified. My only complaint for the entire stay, was the pricey "Breakfast at the Waterfall" - for $22, I got scrambled eggs - that's it! No sides, no options (except "add cheese"). I was offered a tiny dish of pineapple that I had NOT ordered, when I told them I was allergic, they brought back half of a very large papaya (thankfully, else I would have left hungry). The coffee was good (there was also tea available). When ordering, there was no way to customize the breakfast, indicate gluten-free, or allergies, or request substitutions. Other than the breakfast issue, all the other "contactless" online booking & checking-in went very smoothly. All the work-share staff were lovely, friendly and courteous; the Barn cats were also charming and love meeting the guests. Regarding the cabins - the "Ocean View" cabins have larger lanais, a spectacular view of the ocean, and are closer to the Barn (so, more convenient than traipsing through the orchard through the wet grass at night). I wished I'd upgraded to the Ocean View cabins, once I saw them.

Save your money! The waterfalls are stunning - but get a day-pass. The rooms are sub-motel quality at resort rates. The hospitality is non-existent. A young man checked in two seniors, then watched as we schlepped our own bags up rickety wooden stairs to a musty room with yard-sale bedding and dingy linens. The Chef's Table dinner was shockingly overpriced. The food was bland and unmemorable. The chef/server apologized for the tasteless taro balls ("an experiment") At $190 per person PLUS another $85 per for wine pairing (post tax/tip) it's gotta be a lot better than this. The wine was not freshly decanted, the red had been refrigerated and had sediment the pours were ungenerous. We were seated communally, with strangers, without any notice. The next night we drove 10minutes to Booch Bar, paid 1/10th, and enjoyed food that tasted 10x better. The included breakfast is fine, but hours are limited. We asked if we might dine 8AM to get an early start. We were told "I'll see if my husband (the chef) feels like getting up that early." Finally, the falls are glorious, but when you pay for an hour's kayak rental, you receive no help getting it into/out of the water. The shore is rocky, the support is nil. In short: Caveat emptor. You pay the money, you schlepp the stuff, the staff hangs loose.

This is an amazing inn on a scenic property with acreage fronting on a huge waterfall, but only 10 minutes from downtown. It seems perfect for honeymooners as it is quiet and private. Each house has several rooms with a shared kitchen. It was a lovely experience.

I’m not a man of many words when it comes to writing, BUT!, there is something wrong with you if you don’t stay here! I don’t care what others say negatively about this place. It was an ahhhhmazing stay. It’s different things to different people. I stayed in a cabin, it was AWESOME! If you want a real Hawaii feel/vibe stay there. The waterfall is spectacular, everything was spectacular, including the staff! I WILL GO BACK. Ummm let’s just say that one of my most favorite things everyday was returning “home” hot shower, sit in the barn, chit chat with HUT(staff) lol. Anyways 10/10, but hey that’s just me..

The off-grid cabins consist of simply a bed, a couple USB-A and couple USB-C charging ports, ceiling lights, a battery powered lantern, and deck with table and bench, and night stands beside the bed. There is a place for a suitcase and hooks for clothes. Window blinds open to screens for a nice breeze. The cabin is enclosed in screens to keep bugs out, however no food is allowed in the cabin as this will attract ants. A small amount of insects are still able to get inside the cabin. The abundant population of crab spiders does wonders for keeping the insect population down. The sinks, toilets, and showers are a very brief walk to the barn. A full communal kitchen and living space is on the second floor of the barn. It is full of fun activities such as books, board games, a star scope, a ukulele, and a lovely view. The toilets were clean and dimly lit with solar lights and included a beday. If you aren't into camping or have poor bladder control, I wouldn't recommend staying more than a couple of days, but for the avid camper, this place is a dream. The view from the cabin is incredible overlooking the property and the town of Hilo down below. Waking up to the sunrise, the rooster crowing, and the chirping of birds was very nice. The frogs can be loud depending on how close to the cabin they get, so ear plugs could come in handy.