Hamakua Hotel — Hotel in Hawaii

An Unforgettable Stay at the Hamakua Hotel

My wife and I recently stayed at the Hamakua Hotel on the Big Island, and it was one of our best hotel experiences ever. Just north of downtown Hilo, this gated boutique hotel offers a peaceful retreat along the stunning Hamakua Coast.

Arrival and Ambiance As you enter the well-kept grounds, you’re greeted by spectacular ocean views. The hotel, which opened in July 2024, feels fresh and intimate with only eight rooms. We were upgraded to a corner suite with breathtaking sunrise views, and one morning, I even spotted a pod of dolphins playing along the shore.

Exceptional Service Val, the General Manager, welcomed us with her two friendly dogs and instantly made us feel at home. Val’s hospitality is second to none; she’s polite, respectful, and genuinely kind. Every morning, she prepared a delightful breakfast featuring fresh Kona coffee, homemade juices, and locally sourced goodies. Val’s attention to detail extended even to offering us the hotel’s washer and dryer when we needed to do laundry, making our stay even more special.

Our room was not only new but exceptionally well-furnished, with beds so comfortable that we later found out they were the same ones used by Four Seasons Resorts. Some of the best nights of sleep I’ve ever had! After a day of exploration, it was a treat to soak in the tub with the windows open, listening to the waves crash along the shore—pure relaxation.

Unique Touches and Memorable Dining The hotel’s personal touches, like growing its own pineapples and bananas, added to its charm. I set up my laptop outside under the lanai and joked that my bosses would have been jealous if I’d shared the incredible work view on Zoom. Dining at the hotel was a highlight—seven-course dinners prepared by talented chefs, shared with other guests and Eric, the warm-hearted businessman and owner of the hotel. Eric’s stories about the property, his journey to becoming the owner, and how he met Val, added a personal and memorable touch to our stay. The tequila tastings were another treat, and Stacey, the bartender, served drinks from a top-notch selection while we enjoyed lively conversations.

Looking Ahead While the hotel is still in the process of building a pool, I have no doubt it will offer breathtaking views of the Pacific and the Hamakua Coast once completed.

Final Thoughts Listen, I want to keep this review short, but it’s near impossible given the exceptional experience we had at the Hamakua Hotel. This hidden gem is a choice I would make over any other hotel on the Big Island. If you’re looking for a peaceful, luxurious, and charming place to stay, away from the downtown craziness, I highly recommend booking a stay here. The kamaaina rate was just another great perk that added to the overall experience.

Amazing food, incredible rooms, a breathtaking property, and top-notch staff—especially Val, who truly made our stay unforgettable. And of course, a special shoutout to Eric for creating such a wonderful retreat. We can’t wait to return!...

We stayed 3 nights at the fabulous Hamakua Hotel to celebrate our 12 year anniversary. This stunningly beautiful property is located on the gorgeous Hamakua Coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i. It is located a short 20 minutes car ride from Hilo, or about 2 hours from Kona.

The entrance to the hotel has a security code controlled gate for extra safety. Once inside the property, there is a J-shaped curved 100m driveway leading to the main house and the adjacent guest rooms building. There is parking for about 10 vehicles. The grounds of the property is adorned with a beautifully manicured lawn, mature palm trees and lush tropical trees and bushes. There is also a brand new infinity pool with attached jacuzzi, as well as a fully functional spa building, equipped with massage rooms, ice bath and sauna. There is also a trail that offers a 15 minute hike from the hotel grounds through a lush tropical forest down to a stunning rocky beach which is not to be missed.

The main house and guest rooms are set atop a 40 foot cliff overlooking the vast Pacific ocean. We checked into room #3, which was a standard ocean view room on the ground floor. The room itself was newly renovated, clean, spacious and beautifully adorned with fluffy king bed. A sliding glass door opened onto the lanai offering a stunning ocean view. Wifi signal was strong and free of charge throughout the property.

Each morning, breakfast is served from 7:30-9am in the main house, offering a delectable selection of coffee/tea/juice, fresh fruits, bread and eggs, along with yogurts and chia. In addition, on 2 nights during our stay, there was a 6pm Happy Hour offering specialty drinks prepared by Kristen, the house mixologist extraordinaire, followed by a delicious dinner prepared by renowned executive chef Joseph. I have included some photos of the Michelin caliber dinner below.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the outstanding service provided by Valerie, the on site general manager of Hamakua Hotel. In addition to being an encyclopedia of information about everything there is to know, including local plants, trees, floral and fauna, she is also an expert on all the local attractions and points of interest. It was Valerie's friendliness and hospitality that made our stay truly memorable. Without equivocation. I highly recommend Hamakua Hotel to anyone in search of the highest quality in service and accommodations to use as a base to explore the enchanting Big Island of Hawai'i

Dr. Kingstone Shih and Laura Meneses Los...

We spent eight glorious days at the Hamakua Hotel. The hotel is situated on a cliff overlooking the sea and the common areas, pool and all of the eight well-appointed and modern rooms with balconies have the same view...the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean. We started every day of our adventure with a fantastic breakfast and Kona coffee (included in room rate). Fresh baked bread and pastries, local fruit, eggs and an assortment of overnight oats, yogurt parfaits, and other breakfast staples were available each day. We then moved to the front porch for coffee and some reading time (and one morning...some whale watching time) before heading out to various adventures. Let me pause and state unequivocally that you do not need to stay on the Kona side of the Island to see the highlights. We visited Volcanos National Park, Akaka Falls, Mauna Kea at night for stargazing, manta ray swim in Kona, coffee farm/tasting in Kona, Akaka Falls, and Captain Cook Monument Trail. Sure, we did some driving to get to the Kona adventures but they were gorgeous drives. Locally, we really enjoyed Richardson Ocean Park in Hilo for swimming/snorkeling and exploring tidal pools and the Hilo farmers market for fruits and vegetables we've never heard of before. We ended each day poolside back at the Hamakua Hotel. The brand new pool and jacuzzi are beautiful and the view is spectacular. Four of the nights at the Hamakua, they offered a cocktail hour with three house cocktails (all were super creative and very well executed....hats off to Stacey and the cocktail team!) and either a multiple course dinner or Hawiian BBQ (on Saturday). The dinners were prepared by their in-house chef, Joseph Martinez. My understanding is that the menus were planned with Edward Delling-Williams, a French chef and TV personality. The dinners generally blended local ingredients (ahi, mahi mahi, Waimea pork, etc.) with French influenced preparations. We would happily paid for these dinners as they were the best we had on the Island, but these too were included in the room rate. Nicely done Joseph and team! Last but not least, Valerie, the General Manager, was an incredible host...super communicative, responsive and willing to do what it took to make sure we loved our stay. Vacation destinations are like ice cream flavors...there is something for everyone....if the idea of a generic resort on the Kona side doesn't excite you, this may the special place you are...