At The Crater's Edge — Hotel in Hawaii

This place is not what one would expect from a four-star hotel. In fact, this is not what one would expect from any hotel as there is no reception, no lobby, no services of any kind including not making up the rooms. This is just a large wooden bungalow divided in half to make two rooms.

This star rating is self-assigned and not verified by booking sites. They make several claims on their web site that are false: “One mile from the Volcano National Park” – false. According to Google maps it is 3.8 miles to the park entrance. They call the rooms “Vacation rental studious” – false. There are no kitchens in the rooms. They advertise “Rain forest SPA available day or night” – false. When we came, the SPA was broken and according to older reviews other guests had the same experience.

When lodging provides ear plugs it tells you clearly that there is a noise problem and indeed you can hear people talking in the adjoining room or rain hitting the metal roof as there is no sound insulation.

The room is quite dysfunctional. The bed is about 33 inches tall so they provide special benches to help climb it. The curtains were very hard to close and too narrow to block the light, and the furniture provided no storage space as the items were vintage pieces just for show.

We travelled all over the world and have never experienced anything like this. For $400.+ a night and a claim of four stars one expects far better. About this place, as they say: “You could get better, but you could...

This place is not what one would expect from a four-star hotel. In fact, this is not what one would expect from any hotel as there is no reception, no lobby, no services of any kind including not making up the rooms. This is just a large wooden bungalow divided in half to make two rooms.||This star rating is self-assigned and not verified by booking sites. They make several claims on their web site that are false: |“One mile from the Volcano National Park” – false. According to Google maps it is 3.8 miles to the park entrance.|They call the rooms “Vacation rental studious” – false. There are no kitchens in the rooms.|They advertise “Rain forest SPA available day or night” – false. When we came, the SPA was broken and according to older reviews other guests had the same experience.||When lodging provides ear plugs it tells you clearly that there is a noise problem and indeed you can hear people talking in the adjoining room or rain hitting the metal roof as there is no sound insulation.||The curtains were very hard to close and too narrow to block the light, and the furniture provided no storage space as the items were vintage pieces just for show.||We travelled all over the world and have never experienced anything like this. For $400.+ a night and a claim of four stars one expects far better. About this place, as they say: “You could get better, but you could...

A jewel on Big Island

We stayed here for three days during our visit to Hawaii and this paradise was by far the best accommodation we had on all the islands. Incredible. Lovely room, really the best bathroom I have seen in a long time and every detail perfectly done and thought through.

Be it an incredible modern large shower (sorry Waldorf Astoria and Koa Kea, you don't even come close) or drinking water from an artesian fountain (presented in an artisan water spender), or having a lovely thoughtful collection of organic snacks at our disposal...it was really great. Spending our eves at the Jacuzzi in the rain forest with a glass of wine did make our day.

I could go on and on, because everything was so perfect. Chris and Eric were wonderful hosts, Chris the organizer and Eric the artist. You guys really are a great team. Without you we wouldn't have seen the amazing Lava glow in the sky from a place nobody would expect (Pahoa) - and which by chance also has a lovely Italian restaurant.

Thank you so much, both of you, and when we come back to Hawaii we're definitely going to stay with you longer than three nights. It was the highlight of...