The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls
100 Kulaniapia Dr, Hilo, HI, 96720
The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls Menu
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Address :
100 Kulaniapia Dr
Hilo, HI, 96720 - Phone (808) 935-6789
- Website https://www.waterfall.net
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Open 24 hours
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
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Laura V.
Do NOT stay here. Horrible customer service, absolute worst B&B I have ever been to! No greeting, no check in, no email in advance to let you know how to get to your room. Called the # on the wall four times, no answer. Absolute crap, and it is NOT near Hilo, it is about a 25 minute drive on a single lane road so be careful if you are arriving when it is dark. Terrible B&B, we were very regretful about paying so much for a miserable experience.
(1)Kim H.
This would be a great place for a wedding & / or honeymoon!!! The views are wonderful and we could hear and see the falls from our rooms balcony. (Pikake room) The owners have made this a very special place with a lot of hard work and true vision. This reminded me of "Fantasy Island". They have a beautiful bamboo garden walk and a walkway to the falls if you want to go into the pond below the falls. Can't say enough about this as you must see it for yourself. The breakfast included is great too! Be aware of the drive out there. It is about 4-5 miles from Hilo town and it seems a long way at first because of the road, but it is not bad after you drive it once. Best to come out during the daytime, but if you only can do it at night, give yourself time, follow the good directions they give you, and follow the signs they have posted along the way. It is TOTALLY worth it. After you drive it once, it is a breeze!
(5)Paul C.
Here's the main thing you need to know: the inn is maybe 1/10 mile from an enormous, lush waterfall that you can see from your room and hike down to and swim in. Everything else is icing. The Japanese themed buildings and rooms are pleasant and the come-when-you-like hot breakfast is great, too. The road from Hilo seems long, since it's one-lane in places, but it takes you through mac nut groves and an apiary and all sorts of other cool pastoral stuff. The nightime view of Hilo from the parking lot is, honestly, worth checking out, too. There are thousands of little (loud!) chirping frogs called coqui in the area, and if nature sounds keep you up, either bring earplugs or stay closer to Hilo town.
(4)Jen V.
The setting is magnificent, and the breakfast was great, however I have several complains. First of all, it was pouring rain when we arrived. We pulled up to the main house, and read a sign that said the room assignments were listed on the white board at the covered bench. Again, it was pouring rain, so we couldn't see much, and didn't really feel like investigating. My husband got out and started poking around until the owner came out. He wasn't very interested in helping us, but told us what building and room we were in, and said the key was in the door. So, we parked the car and went to our room. The moment I opened the door, I was slapped in the face by a horrible mildew/mold smell. The room was tiny with very little room for two suit cases. There was no a/c, but a weak little ceiling fan that hardly kept you cool. The shower water never got hot, and pelted out of the shower head like a thousand needles. And on top of all that, I swear there was a coqui frog right outside our door in the hall way...those things are soooo loud!!! Also, the TV was tiny and the remote was broken. Like I said, the grounds were fantastic (minus the dog poo you have to watch for) and the breakfast was great, but neither of those things make up for all the bad things about this place. One of the other residence let us check out her room, and it didn't smell bad, and the TV was a normal size, so perhaps we got the bad room (Lehua). Still, I would have a really hard time coming back to this place. Their website and pamphlets are deceiving, and I was happy to get out of there after two nights.
(2)Wendy A.
The place was absolutely breathtaking. The location is a little drive from the main road through Hilo. You'll drive through a narrow road through macadamia nut grove to get to the inn. They do have signs posted directing you towards the place so you don't get lost. We arrived late in the evening and found our names posted on a board with the room assignment. We went directly up to our room where we found the keys in our door. It was too late and dark out to see the falls but woke up to a beautiful view of the falls. We stayed in the Maile room of the Harmony house. I would recommend paying the extra cost for the room with the balcony. The room was nice and clean. Coffee is served starting at 7am with breakfast served between 8-9am. The lovely staff made us macadamia nut waffles, eggs, fruit, juice, coffee, toast, english muffins, etc. (you get the idea). After breakfast was the perfect time to take the short hike down to the falls for a swim. The sun hits the pool at the bottom of the falls at around this time. You'll have to sign a waiver prior to heading down though. The water is a bit chilly, but you can swim right over to the falls for a nice photo op. I would definitely stay here again during my next trip.
(5)Reed R.
My wife and I stayed at The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls during our honeymoon. We stayed in the Maile Room in the Harmony House, and it was a very nice room, with a great view of the waterfall from the room. We stayed at multiple hotels and B&Bs around the Big Island, and this was definitely the best. There wasn't anything I did not like about the place. My wife said there could have been more room to put her things in the bathroom, and thought it was a little far outside Hilo. Overall she thought it was a very nice place to stay, and she said she loved their breakfast and scenery. Breakfast included fresh fruit, eggs made to order, waffles made to order, coffee, juice, etc. The girl that made breakfast was very friendly and knowledgeable. She was very helpful with her knowledge of the area and provided ideas and suggestions of where to visit based on our interests. The common area also provided a computer with internet and printer for free, so we were able to print additional information based on her suggestions.
(5)DanceHer I.
Pure Heaven. World class everything! Wes Y, That one-star reviewer below is on SOME kinda crack? He was "sucked in by the waterfall marketing gimmick"!!! "Sucked in" by one of the most lovely, and PRIVATE!, waterfalls I've seen!?!? and: "Spiders... pigs... FROGS...", oh my! Actually, the check-in deal with the whiteboard is so friendly and mellow: your name is up on a board, and your room is waiting for you. Ba-da-bing! But really: be so careful of those dangerous "baseboards just sitting loose on the floor"! Anyhowz: We stayed 2 nights in The Orchid Room, and it's the nicest "feeling" hotel room I've ever been in - warm, super clean, classy as all get out, with THE BEST SHEETS this body has ever even IMAGINED! The people here, Lenny (The Man, played by Jeff Bridges in the movie of Lenny's Life!), Sweet Heidi and Lovely Laura, keepin' it clean, making BOMB gourmet breakies, and kind easygoing Eli workin' the land. Private HUGE waterfall (200'?), bamboo garden, and these lovely pagoda-houses, each with a few rooms. CRAZY value, for Hawaii: we paid $160 after taxes for all the above... yes!
(5)Sharon S.
Oh, what an experience!!! We loved every second of our stay here. The room was basic, comfortable and clean, the location-superb! There is a lovely trail that leads you to their own private gorgeous waterfall, filled with lush plantation, absolutely breathtaking. The breakfast is amazing, loaded with fresh fruit, fresh baked local breads and their amazing home made macadamia nut waffles. Yummy. And the best thing about this place is the staff. Loving, caring, friendly and will help you with everything you need. We just fell in love with them. So Ayanna, Lenn and the rest (I'm terrible with names, I'm sorry!) thank you for an unforgettable vacation! We will miss you guys Sharon, Yshay and Nadav
(5)D. H.
Oh boy...I wanted to love this place...I truly did. My husband knows that given the choice, I prefer to stay at cute, unique bed and breakfasts over the typical hotel chains. This place definitely fit the bill from the appearance of the website, so my husband booked the Princess room for $189/night. We stayed here for part of our honeymoon, having been lured in by the beautiful waterfall and the promise of a "luxury" bed and breakfast. It was an okay experience, but I would never stay here again. There were two wonderful things about this place: 1) Clearly, the waterfall and scenery. The inn is surrounded with peacefulness and beauty. It was wonderful to be able to sit out and enjoy our breakfast while watching the waterfall. We were excited to swim in it, but were not allowed to during our stay because the water was unsafe. 2) The free yummy breakfast. The cooks had fresh fruit, juice, and sweet breads out and they made delicious macadamia nut waffles and omelettes/eggs made-to-order. Also, one of the cooks was sweet as pie and I just loved waking up to her bubbly demeanor. Now, the cons: 1) MOLD. This really killed this place for me. There was black mold growing all over the bedroom and bathroom. It is extremely obvious and it is scary to think that the room keepers must see it when they clean up the rooms in between guests, but do nothing about it. We stayed here because we wanted romantic time together staying in at a cozy place, but we found ourselves dying to go anywhere else. 2) NO AIR CONDITIONING. For some folks, I'm sure this is fine, but we found it difficult to tolerate. When we saw the website's advertisement as luxury, we assumed it would at least have AC. There is a fan, which kept it cool enough at night, but during the day we were hot and sticky. 3) SPIDERS. After 2 nights, I woke up to a dozen (no joke..literally 12) bites on my legs and arms. 4) Website vs Real life. The photos you see on their web page when you click the link "rooms" are not really what you are getting, or at least our room wasn't. The photos had to be taken at least 10 years ago. Not a big deal, but we definitely felt deceived. In the image, you see a clean, crisp, modern and updated looking room with carpet and leather chair. In reality, it looks old, dingy, and there is no leather chair, but a hard wooden bench in its place and wooden floors instead of carpets. Not that I care about such things, but I'm mentioning them because all of the rooms in The Residence are just not as they are advertised. Overall, I would say that if you just need a place to crash while you are sightseeing on the Big Island, this place might be worth staying at, but my guess is that you can find a place of the same quality somewhere else cheaper. If you want to enjoy your honeymoon or celebrate anything by staying in with your loved one, there are DEFINITELY better things out there. Please... don't fall for the waterfall.
(2)Chris B.
I really liked this place. It's a bit off the beaten track which helped make it special; we never would have driven up the hill from Hilo if we weren't staying here. The road in is a bit daunting (especially if your first time is at night) but there are hardly any other cars to contend with (it's about a twelve minute drive up the hill from downtown Hilo). Len, the owner, welcomed us and then left us alone which is fine with us (can't help but 'flashing' on the B&B owner in "Groundhog Day" and many real-life innkeepers). Laura, who did housekeeping and prepared breakfast for us (macadamia waffles? sure, why not) was charming. We stayed in the 'residence' (part of it is Len's home). In the 'pagoda' I don't think breakfast is as sumptuous (guessing, more of a help yourself buffet).
(5)R M.
I loved this b&b!!! My boyfriend and I live on Maui and we came to Hilo to check out the school since I will be transferring in a couple semesters. We stayed in the Hibiscus room and it was lovely. We could hear the waterfall as we slept and the frogs hehe. It was nice because it was outside of town but not too far. It was a magical place and I definitely recommend it to people who enjoy nature and the simple things in life. Swimming in the pond was great, the breakfast was great and the owner, Len, was very nice. Only complaint would be to switch up the breakfast options. We stayed for 4 nights so we had the same eggs and waffles for 5 days, although it was good it was getting kinda boring. Overall it was a great place and Im so happy we stayed there! Wonderful experience.
(5)Sheri L.
The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls is as awesome as it gets. Let me make this clear: It is NOT the Ritz-Carlton or The Four Seasons, but if you are a nature lover and want a place to relax and get away from it all, this is it! The atmosphere is peaceful and serene, and the sound of the waterfall lulls you to sleep easily. There are views of the waterfall and/or the ocean as well as the surrounding tropical rainforest from most of rooms. And where else can you swim underneath a beautiful waterfall within walking distance of your hotel room? We stayed in a room with a direct view of the waterfall, and it was wonderful. The breakfast was delicious and the hosts are so nice. We took the time to walk to the waterfall, and then hiked the trail through the bamboo forest, stopping to enjoy our picnic lunch. All in all a lovely experience. We will definitely be back.
(5)Yon S.
We were sucked in by the waterfall marketing gimmick this B&B uses. Make sure to arrive before dark as you will have a heckuva time finding it in the dark driving 5 miles in a isolated single lane road in the middle of nowhere. Wild black pigs roaming all over at night. Coqui frogs loud as can be and some right outside the door and window. Spiders in the room. Baseboards just sitting loose on the floor. Curtains with no privacy. You walk in and your name is on a whiteboard with others. You go find the room yourself and your room key is hanging inside the doorknob. There is no humans. No check in, no greeting, nothing. forget about any kind of help if you are out of toilet paper or any problem. Soap and shampoo are in a pump dispenser taped to the shower wall. TV was broken, and they knew but didn't say anything. When I called 4x on my cellphone (there is no phone in any room - for what? no front desk anyway I guess) the owner Len makes lies and excuses. Anyway, I could go on and on. I really don't want to waste time on this horrible place. I am waiting for a credit card refund, and submitted a dispute with my CC bank. He has a lot of these it seems. Just go to tripadvisor and read the ones marked Poor and Terrible. Seems this guy has been doing this for close to 10 years and doesn't care if people complain, as they see the 'romantic waterfall' and book a room anyway...before reading reviews like this.
(1)Henry W.
There are some minor issues which if corrected would move them into the top drawer. Nothing major. The rooms are a bit small and the amenities in the rooms are a bit tired, however you are right beside one of the best waterfalls on the Big Island and definitely the best in Hilo. Breakfast is very good, with lots of local fruit, great coffee, breads, eggs made to order, and amazing mac-nut waffles. It is notable they do not serve any meats (bacon, ham, sausage). That's one of those small things. You can walk down to the falls and if the waters aren't raging too high, you can swim in the pond. We'd come over from Kona where we rented a 900 square foot studio apartment with great views. So, the first impression was a real setback. However. after adjusting, enjoying the great breakfasts, and walking the grounds...we'd definitely go back there again when we visit Hilo.
(4)David R.
We got here late at night and the staff was friendly. It is a very laid back atmosphere and you can here the sound of the waterfall from and of the rooms. We were in the queen room of the main house and did not have a direct view if the waterfall from out patio, but had a direct view of the sunrise. It comes up over the city in the distance and is beautiful. When you wake up and head to the breakfast you get greeted with fresh grown coffee from a neighbors farm. It is delish. I don't like coffee and I drank 4 glasses. Their morning staff is incredible and friendly.
(5)karishma g.
I wish I could give it a 0 stars ! I looked up a lot before paying such a high price for this place, I did my own research and I felt this was the place I wanted to stay in when I reach Hawaii ! But to my surprise, the roads leading to this place are lonely and extremely dark ! You dont see one person, one light in the 3 mile stretch that leads to this place. So if you want to go for dinner, returning to this place is ghostly and disgusting ! I reached this place and there was 'one' just ONE girl who came out after 10 minutes to help. There is NO staff here. Our room was on the second floor so you yourself have to carry your heavy bags up ! There were spider webs wherever I walked ! NO help nothing ! Then I saw a number on the board and called, FINALLY the person came out, I spoke to him saying this is not what I expect for $270 a night, the rooms ain't airconditioned even ! It was hot and disgustingly irritating. When I told him that I didn't know the place would have no airconditioner and its super hot, he told me - " IF you cared so much about the airconditioner, you should have done your research" Really ??? How often does one try to find if the hotel has an airconditioner ! Isn't a presumptuous fact? Rooms are tiny and very stuffy ! Obviously I didnt stay here and spent another 350 bucks getting another hotel in Downtown Hilo ! The waterfall is not worth $270 a night, trust me especially since you're in Hawaii, you will see tons of them. I dont mind the owner or whoever he was ( who cares ! ) but his attitude was plain annoying and my sympathies with him with the place he owns ! Him charging us for both the nights even when we didnt stay and expected him to understand what we felt as visitors, was extremely disappointing and horrendous !
(1)Kate M.
I am so grateful to Len and his staff-our quick weekend getaway from Oahu was absolutely wonderful, and it was due largely to where we were staying. The B&B is about a 20 minute drive from the Hilo airport, but half of said drive is up the private road through macadamia trees that turns into their driveway! My husband and I arrived at around 9 pm in the rain, and instead of being greeted by a tired innkeeper, there was a sign showing us exactly where we were staying-I didn't want to talk to anyone, and I didn't have to! Also, AT&T gets limited service out there, so I had to put my phone away and enjoy the here and now. What a bummer, lol. Our room (Jasmine) was exactly what was pictured on their website, tastefully and minimally decorated. There was a large ceiling fan, and the sound of the rain and the nearby waterfall were so comforting; I don't know the last time I slept so well. Breakfast was delicious, no frills. Tons of fresh fruit (lychee so sweet I could die), sweetbread, macadamia nut pancakes, egg souffle, plus well made coffee. The staff were so welcoming, and gave my husband and I a number of things to do around the island, which ended up being great suggestions that we took and really enjoyed. Everyone's gripe seems to be no air conditioning, but that is so common in Hawaii that I never even thought about it. Sleeping with the windows open out in Hilo was perfect, and though the room did tend to get warm during the day, that's when we were out and about, exploring the island! The waterfall and the trails along the property were well maintained and very scenic. I am so grateful at the solitude we were able to have while staying here. Every question we had was answered in the placards around the house, and I loved being able to come and go as we pleased without having to engage in small talk with anyone. The environment at this B&B is very welcoming and very friendly, but it's also very intimate in that it feels like you're here on your own private property. We will be back as often as our schedule allows!
(5)Kate K.
Bring bug spray! This property is really beautiful. The waterfall is amazing, the drive up through a macadamia farm, the sound of the falls and the coqui frogs at night, the lanai where they serve breakfast-- all of it is really lovely. That said, though, I was rather disappointed. As another review said, it is made out to sound quite a bit more luxurious than it really is. I know it was a rather warm night for Hilo, but up in our room it was Hot. And the bugs were terrible so we could not have our lanai door open or really even use our lanai, we were only able to open the screened windows. The ceiling fan was wobbly and didn't have a high enough speed to move to air around in the room. There were tons of these tiny little bugs that could fit right through the screen though, and they attacked me and my little ones all night. Probably the most disappointing aspect though is how big of a deal they make in their advertising about swimming in the waterfall pond. Upon closer inspection you learn that it's only permitted for a few hours a day. And then you learn that if it's been raining a lot they don't allow it at all. I totally understand the safety aspect of that rule, and I appreciate it. However what I don't appreciate is that I tried to ask the owner/ caretaker in advance of booking the room whether or not they had been allowing swimming the last few days, since I knew it had been rainy. He of course did not respond and I took the chance and booked anyway because there was only one room left. I had a suspicion that he didn't answer because he knew we wouldn't come if he said the pond was off limits. Sure enough, when we showed up he said no way. Annoying. Just be honest!! Anyway, we have mixed feelings about this place.
(3)Sherri C.
The property is beautiful and everything was very clean, but the advertising for this place definitely made it sound much better than it really was. My husband & I stayed in the King Kamehameha room. Yes, it is a corner room, overlooking the falls, but (1) they've moved the bed to the middle of the windows, so you actually had to get ON the bed to see the falls and (2) they've put a bright turquoise metal roof over their breakfast room which blocks most of the view of them from the 8'x6' lanai. Other things about the room that disappointed were the very, very firm bed pillows (my ear actually went numb in the night), the bed that rolled one toward its middle, and the fact that the hot water took, quite literally, 5 minutes to reach the shower. The furniture is beautiful black lacquer Japanese, as they said, but the only closet in the room is an armoire with the 4' hang-up space filled with a blow-up bed and extra bedding (but, alas, no extra, softer pillows), leaving nowhere to actually hang clothes. The night was fairly warm, but the falls, while lovely, are really loud. Because of this, we kept only the bathroom window open. The noise didn't bother my husband, but it disrupted my sleep. They advertise, with permission, that we could swim in the pond, but the water was said to be a cool 67°. Besides, when we called the proprietor on our cell phone (no house phone could be found), our call was never, ever actually returned. We had an early flight and had to skip breakfast, so I can't comment on it - although photos of it looked delish. When we booked the room, we noted that we had to leave early and wouldn't be able to stay late enough for the breakfast, which is only served from 8:00-9:00, but they didn't offer any alternative or a discounted price. Bottom line: We won't be back. For the $226 the room cost, we'll find somewhere else to stay the next time we're on the Big Island's wet side.
(2)Andrew B.
First off, I will say I did not stay here and am writing this review based on customer service. My wife and I called to make a reservation after reviewing their website. We were booking for the next night and online they had at least five rooms open. On the call, we were told there was only one room available and the man on the phone treated my wife like she was a complete moron and never used the internet before. We also asked if our family that lives in HIlo (two adults) could come up and hang out while we checked in and were told the resort for guests only. I get it - you don't want us showing up with half of Hilo, but not allowing two people to check out the waterfalls for a hour seems absurd. We decided to book elsewhere. Might be a great place but but we'll never know.
(2)Andrew T.
We stayed at this cool bed and breakfast for our past two nights on the Big Island, and had zero complaints. The grounds are beautiful, the staff was friendly and super accommodating, the room was excellent, and the macadamia nut pancakes were delicious. Not 25 minutes outside of town, but rather only 4 beautiful miles through a grove of Macademia nut trees. Great place to run as well. Give Len a call and visit soon.
(4)Sandy B.
This is a hidden gem. We arrived very late at night (it does take a bit to go through the macadamia nut orchard and the beautiful quiet winding raod) but the process to get to our room was seamless. Imagine our surprise when we wake up (we heard it but had no idea until daylight) there was a beautiful waterfall just outside our window. The breakfast was welcoming down at the owners residence, we spoke the one of the owners, Lennie and learned a bit about the Inn. Make sure to take the time to walk the bamboo gardens and see all of the nature around it including the waterfalls. We would stay here again, it was the highlight of our trip.
(5)Vanessa F.
I have done a lot of traveling in my life and have always stayed in grand resorts and beautiful hotels, but this place trumps them all. This was by far the most amazing, breathtaking, dream-like place I have ever been. I literally did not feel like it was real-life because it was so beautiful. Aside from the spectacular setting, the rooms and the rest of the accommodations were excellent. We stayed in the King Kamahamea room, which also has the best view of the waterfall, and it was the best! The people who work here are the kindest and most genuine. I will definitely be returning to this place and I will recommend this place to anyone and everyone. Best experience ever!
(5)Marty S.
Please take time to read the two and one star reviews on Yelp, Trip Advisor and Expedia before booking (I so wish I had) along with the owners responses which are telling as he does not take responsibility for anything. We paid $214/night for a very small room that just fit a queen size bed with one small window, a fan but no A/C and a small bathroom with tile work not finished. The Hibiscus room was behind the kitchen/living area and you could easily hear conversation from other guests which meant that they could clearly hear us giving us no feeling of privacy. The breakfast was identical both days (main course a Belgian waffle) with no protein except for a sad, tasteless inedible failed souffle the owner called a quiche since it had failed. I would have laughed if it were not so sad. The walk down to the falls toward the end was not safe with bad footing sinking into mud, hidden rocks in mud, etc. The owner requires anyone going into the pond to swim sign a release but he needs to take note of the path safety and make repairs to insure better footing. After the first evening stay we asked Lenny if we could change/upgrade room since the Hibiscus room was so small and close feeling making it difficult to sleep. He was not receptive arguing with us about the size of the room and how we were feeling in the room. He said that the room opened into a screened lanai increasing the size of the room. Keeping the door open into the lanai did not visually increase the size of the room as it was in a WALL. The lanai outside screen door has large openings in the screen and at the bottom and does not lock to the outside. I explained to the owner Lenny that I get eaten alive!!!! from mosquitoes and to leave the door open at night was not an option meeting deaf ears. At this point I was not going to argue with him and told him to forget it. I certainly did not want to put him out. He had our money and did not really care how we felt as guests. Not only did he seem not to care my husband felt he acted like he was in a haze. In addition, the lanai was not appealing with two small almost dead plants and a sunken grate (about 2'x3') with sump pump that gave off an awful odor. I would really like him and his wife to sleep in the room and sit in the lanai for two nights. The only plus to the property for us as there are countless beautiful views throughout Hawaii was the staff, friendly and helpful but there again we encountered the Aloha spirit everywhere else during our 14 days stay on Hawaiian Islands from North Shore Oahu, Maui, Lani, and Hawaii. In our 40+ years of traveling this had to be our worst experience at a B&B or Hotel.
(1)Sharon H.
Nature lovers? People who dream of living off the grid? BAM! You found your place to stay! Chat with Len. He is the man living dat dream right here right now! He built this place with his BARE HANDS (and hired some people).Took him 3 years to get those permit to allow him to harness the potential energy from the waterfall turning it into electricity for your free wifi. Water you will be drinking are rain water (filtered). You gotta hike down to his private bamboo forest to get closer to that mother waterfall. Only guests of this inn are permitted there. Making that a $200+ secluded view. Awesomeee!
(5)Alaysa T.
Booked Maile room for 1 night. Checked in at 4pm, amazed at the beautiful waterfall. The host, Len, is fabulous! Our room has a smaller bed, so we had a little trouble sleeping, it is comfy though. Breakfast was good, fresh eggs and pancakes, an assortment of fruit. Afterward we check out of our room and were given permission to swim down by the waterfall. We played for about 1.5 hours, used their kayaks and standup paddle board. It was wonderful. Before we left we ordered their lunch and showered in the spa. Such a wonderful place. It hard to believe someone owns it all and has only owned it for 20 years. If your looking for somewhere off the beaten path with peace and beauty this is the place!
(5)Chris P.
Excellent. Lenny and crew were super nice and friendly. I can't wait to go back. I slept so well w the sound of the falls all night.... Breakfast was fantastic.
(5)Matthew D.
Beautiful grounds and great breakfast. Having breakfast by the waterfall near the Ohana room was the highlight. We stayed here while visiting the big island for a volcano tour. The Inn is down a long road, so be prepared to drive for that. The bed was extremely comfortable. The staff was friendly, but don't expect a bell hop. Find the key in your door and settle in. Enjoy the hikes and the fresh breakfast. Definitely a great place to stay in Hilo. The website is a bit of an oversell, but the place is still very nice.
(4)Kari F.
It amazes me that anyone would complain about the drive out here...I'm surprised it took only a 20 minute drive to leave a town like Hilo and arrive in a paradise like this. I'll happily drive a desolate, dark road to find this peace; the road is full of signs so we knew we weren't lost. Sleeping to the sounds of waterfalls and frogs. Was there mold in our bathroom? Yep. This place is wet. I'll look past it. Room was beautiful and the linens snugly soft. Lea cooked us breakfast and she was sweeter than the macadamia waffles she made. And the owner, Len, came to visit while we ate. The bamboo garden and waterfall trail is breathtaking. If we had time, we would have swam at the bottom of the waterfall; and it's much larger than a "pond". We honeymooned on the other side of the island and found this place to stay on our trip around. Len built this place, planted the bamboo garden, made the waterfall trails, and he didn't miss a detail. If it's raining, borrow an umbrella. If it's sunny, borrow some sunscreen. If you need a stop on your way around, stay here. Once we saw the town of Hilo, I'm so happy we did.
(5)Kimberly H.
I'm also surprised people complained about the drive from downtown Hilo. I thought the drive was insignificant. The hotel was beautiful, the room was quiet, the deck was gorgeous, and the breakfast was tasty. My only complaint is that the family that lived in our unit was not very friendly. The daughters were friendly, but the mother was anything but. It made me feel like I needed to walk on egg shells while staying here; which shouldn't be the case when I'm spending upwards of $200/night. Regardless, it was beautiful, I enjoyed a couple early morning runs through the rural roads; amazing!
(4)Reena R.
This is a really neat place to "get away from it all." I never slept better in my life! The grounds are really nice... not fancy and manicured nice - but wild and natural. We stayed at the "Harmony House," which is the newest building, I think. The room was simple and clean. You could hear the sound of the 120 foot waterfall from the room. Breakfast was good - included eggs, waffles, local fruit, breads, coffee, juice, tea, etc. The hostess at Harmony House was so friendly and helpful. They have 2 short trails on the property - one goes to the waterfall, another through some of the biggest bamboo plants I've ever seen. You can swim in the pool at the base of the falls, if the Innkeeper says it's safe enough. When we were there - there was either too much water (unsafe), or the water was terribly muddy. It just depends on the day! If you do walk down those trails... wear long sleeves and long pants or use mosquito repellent. I didn't, and I was getting eaten up down by the water. Bummer. There are no lights on the long road out to the property - so go in the daytime. It's pretty far from everything, and once it got dark - we didn't really feel like making the long drive into town. This is both good and bad... you are literally away from everything - very peaceful, but if you want to go out for dinner or something - it's an effort. We brought a cooler, and picked up food in the day to snack on at night, to avoid the drive into town. I recommend a ground floor room, for convenience sake. The Orchid Room was nice, since it had the bath tub - though the tub is pretty square - can't really lay back in it. Hot tub on the grounds seemed nice... but it was downright cool. I bet they would have fixed it - but I didn't bother mentioning it. I was happy without it. All and all - the place was pretty awesome. Comfy bed, great surroundings, friendly people, good breakfast. Internet access in the common room, if you need. "Green" hydroelectric powered. Dish Satellite TV. Sounds of frogs, birds, and waterfall... very relaxing. Oh - I should mention, no AC - but the temp was totally fine for me. There was a ceiling fan - and screens on the windows... worked fine!
(4)Corinne Y.
This place is simply amazing. Just a short drive from downtown Hilo takes you to the most secluded and beautiful B&B in the middle of the rain forest. Definitely an "our secret hideaway" type of place and it feels as if you have the place to yourselves. Because we arrived at night, our first look at the property was at dawn and wow... it completely took our breath away. The seeing the waterfall against the dense jungle just below the terrace we stood on seemed surreal. The photos we saw of the property just don't come close capturing how beautiful and immense the surroundings are. The trail down to the waterfall is charming and loops around to connect to the Bamboo Garden trail. There are some sections of the trail down by the fall and the river that are very soggy so if you choose to walk all around, you may want to consider wearing proper footwear to keep your feet clean and dry. When we were there the entire trail was damp and sometimes slippery, but it is definitely worth walking down and seeing the falls from below and along the river. If you don't want to go all the way down, there is an observation deck about half way down with a terrific view. The Bamboo Garden is charming and I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of the bamboo species complete with placards with their history and descriptions. We stayed in the Princess Kai' Luani room at the Residence building. The room was very cozy, comfortable and clean. At night, you sleep on the softest sheets while listening to the waterfall, coqui frogs and the occasional rain. In the morning, we had the view of Hilo Bay bathed in sunrise. Our breakfast was prepared by sweet Laura. She would greet us with the biggest smile and cook us eggs to order and waffles filled with macadamia nuts. The kitchen island was filled with the best pineapple we've ever had, so sweet and juicy. Then there was the freshest mango, passion fruit juice, taro & sweet breads and Kona coffee all from local farmers. Then we would take our plates to the terrace overlooking the waterfall and enjoy the view while savoring every bite. Delicious! Len and Jane, the owners, have done a terrific job with the property and I like their "hands off" style allowing us to explore the property at our own pace. They are so relaxed and friendly, making us feel completely comfortable as if we are good neighbors and friends. Oh! And Coco Channel, their standard poodle is a total delight. The only negative thing I can think of was the lack of water pressure in the shower. Maybe it was just our room and needed to be fixed but the times that I spoke with Len or Jane, I just didn't remember to ask. Also, getting to the inn can be a little tricky especially if you arrive at night. Just make sure drive slow and keep your eyes open for the small signs posted at various intersections on the single lane roads. So enjoy the Inn at Kulaniapia Falls! Just leave a room available for our next visit! Mahalo!!!
(5)Marina B.
We stayed in an inn room. The room was clean and tastefully decorated. Tranquil atmosphere. Enjoyed a glass of wine on the porch facing the falls. A restful night with rain and waterfall soundtrack. Full breakfast with eggs, fruit, toast, waffles, juice, and coffee. Only a short drive from downtown Hilo. Lovely grounds surrounded with lush vegetation.
(5)