Volcano Village Estates — Hotel in Hawaii

Home away from home!!

Volcano Village Estates is the perfect location for those on vacation looking to experience the aloha that can be found in Hawai’i or for locals on staycation (as my partner and myself) seeking the aloha of home away from home.

Our experience at Volcano Village Estates was amazing! Pua (translating to flower) was our point of contact throughout our stay. She is representable of her namesake! Each contact with Pua left us feeling excited to celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary and that Volcano Village Estates was the perfect setting for our milestone! People give and receive flowers to demonstrate aloha, love, and compassion: Pua was exactly that! She made lovely recommendations on which unit would fit our needs and was also concerned with our dietary preferences!

We stayed at the Pineapple Ohana. It was perfect! The unit was impeccably clean, which is a concern for many amid the pandemic. Our mini fridge was stocked with breakfast and fresh island fruit for each day in accordance with our diet limitations and as Pua promised. During our stay there, other staff were awesome and non-intrusive as well. Justin was cleaning the hot tubs (done daily!) and exchanged brief, but genuine and kind conversation with us. He told us about the other units, now we are excited to book our next getaway! Another gentleman, who we did not meet, quietly as to not disturb us, delivered more fresh fruit in the middle of the day, and left it on the porch! What a lovely surprise! I rushed out to thank him, but as quick and quietly as he came, he left.

The grounds were as idyllic as the unit! Nestled in the rainforest of Volcano, there is nowhere else in the world like it. Certain times of the day, fog came rolling in, adding to the beauty. Many of the structures were kept preserving and honoring the “old Hawai’i, while providing modern amenities. The unit we stayed in was an old water tank, close to 100 years old, that that constructed into a room. Being born and raised in Hawai’i, I was bought to happy, nostalgic, tears because my late grandmother had a water tank just like that! It reminded me of the “good ole’ days”!

I highly recommend Volcano Village Estates to everyone seeking aloha and a home...

Spent Wed-Sat (4) nights in late January 2023 in the Rainbow Falls cabin for $386 per night including tax and fees.

The facility is a 100-year old former summer residence with several detached guest houses. Setting is in a rain-forest area typical of the eastern half of the Big Island. There was a hot tub on the grounds.

The room had a small kitchenette with microwave and coffee maker, stocked with some great local coffee. Small front porch with two chairs and a table. The bed was comfortable. There was adequate hot water. And it was very quiet. It got to about 50F at night, and heat was provided by a gas fireplace insert, either full-on or full-off. We used it for a couple hours before bedtime, the switched it off until morning. The only knocks on this room were that there was no table inside (lap-tables instead) and the internet service was unreliable (we hot-spotted with our phones). And my favorite “gripe” applies to about 99% of places we stay: in a room for two there is only one suitcase stand.

Location was about 3 miles from entrance to Hawaii Volcanos NP, although you could walk about a mile and access a service road/hiking trail into the park at Highway 11 near Old Volcano Rd. Another half-mile would bring you to the Lava Tube and access to the Kilauea-Iki crater rim trail. Several average-to-very good restaurants were within a couple miles of the accommodation.

As long as Kilauea-Halema’uma’u crater is active, book early and make reservations for dinner. It makes for a busy place.

Hosts John and Pua could not have been nicer. John was always around and making sure we had everything we needed. Although he was always busy, he gave us a tour of the main house (Dillingham House) which was beautiful. He also had a vast knowledge of things to do in the area and took time to share those.

Breakfast (fruit & entree) would be delivered the day before, and the entree-of-the-day (pancakes, French toast, quiche, burrito) was heated in the microwave. They were all excellent. (And you could have your breakfast on your own schedule.)

If I were returning to the area, I would stay...

From the time our reservation was made, Pua, the innkeeper was in touch to make sure any questions we had were answered. Pua's gracious attention to detail was so appreciated throughout our six-night stay.

Volcano Village Estates is an oasis of tranquility, tucked into a gorgeous cloud forest complete with huge fer trees, ginger plants and trees dripping with orchids. Truly a magical setting.

Two friends and I stayed in three separate bungalows, one of which (Pele) had a full kitchen and all the amenities that are well appointed apartment would have. My friends and I enjoyed cooking in our homey setting every evening after exploring the island. The outdoor sunken tub was a real treat every night, as was the super comfortable bedding, heated bathroom floors and towel holder. Another highlight was returning 'home' every afternoon to find a delicious breakfast tucked inside; a couple of the highlights were the macadamia nut pancakes and the patched eggs perfectly nested in a slide of Canadian bacon.. All the breakfasts were plentiful and included a delicious selection of fresh, seasonal fruit.

The town of volcano has a surprising amount to offer the visitor, aside from Volcano National Park. While my friends and I used Volcano Village Estates as our home base to explore the island we also enjoyed the local farmer's market, circa 1940s lodge for cocktails and a local winery (incidentally, the southernmost winery in the United States).

I have visited different Hawaiian Islands and stayed at a variety of bed and breakfasts, Airbnbs and hotels through the years and can definitely say that Volcano Village Estates ranks in the top...