Aloha Crater Lodge & Lava Tube Tours

We arrived in the early evening. It looked like a private home at first, and we could not find the office. We drove around to the back and there was a small office sign above a sliding glass door. I knocked on the door and several dogs came out to greet us and then the owner. I was sure we had gone to a private home instead of a lodge. We were taken to our room and we were shocked to say the least. It was damp, moldy, not clean, very dirty carpet and plastic patio chairs around a old table. I really felt like I should sleep with my clothing on!! We were there just for overnight thank goodness. The breakfast was 3 pieces of toast, with a jar of jelly that had been dipped in by many guests before us. I passed on that and ate one of the yogurts that were provided. The granola was in an old pasta sauce jar. I would have not taken a shower in the bathroom even if you had paid me. The grounds were lovely in the front and when you pulled in - we walked around the grounds and the back area looked like a junk yard seriously - no maintenance that I could see anywhere. What a shame as it could be so much more with just a little care. We do not recommend this lodge at all...

Enjoyed lava tube tour

Shannon and Dan were great; the accommodations were nice, clean and quiet too! We loved being so close to the National Park. The lava tour was defiantly an added bonus and well worth the stay! Dan did a great tour. The grounds are beautiful.

This lodge was a great place to unwind after our long trip. The vacation rental had plenty of room for our family of 5. Dan and Shannon are fantastic hosts, and went out of their way to make us comfortable. Don't miss the lava tube! MUCH better than the one in the park!

This was a good place to stay. Their referral saved us $200 on a helicopter tour. But far and away the coolest thing was the lava tube.

We only stayed for one night and the highlight was definitely the lava tube onsite. Thanks to Dan for giving us an excellent tour of it. The room was what was expected with what we paid for - we were just looking for a clean room/bathroom and nothing more.

we got upgraded without asking for it and then the lava tube expedition with the son was a really extreme experience, it made this stay a lovely memory also the room with many little details, so thoughtful, we loved it and already recommended it to other friends

This B&B offers some beautiful landscaping and even a personal on-site lava tube and crater. The location just outside Volcano National Park can't be beat. We appreciated an upgrade to a larger room on check in. Finally, Dan offered some great tips on lesser known sites like black sand beaches and lava viewing spots.

This is a unique B&B nestled in a rain forest with beautiful grounds that made you feel you were staying in a remote area but town was not far away! We were reserved for a smaller room but because they weren't full they upgraded us at no charge for our honeymoon! We loved the fresh baked items and they gave us good directions for things to do in the area. I would absolutely stay here again it was lovely!

The owners are nice and welcoming and it is very close to the Volcano Nat'l Park but the accommodations were lacking. We were off exploring the area so it was fine but nothing special. The sheets kept coming off the bed. The hot tub is only luke warm. Overall, it didn't give the feeling of being too clean (I wore shoes in the shower). Breakfast is minimal - a bread item, maybe a yogurt, fruit and a juice. She puts out items for a hot breakfast with no way to prepare them. When I tried to heat water in the coffee pot, it was dirty. I left it out and when we returned, it had just been put back, still dirty. It is about 45 min - hour drive to where you can see the active lava flow (as of the end of April 2010).

My wife & I just spent 2 of the coldest, wettest nights in Hawaii - where normally it is 80F (26C) or more. Dan & Shannon Fisher were good hosts, replacing a defective heater but only after we complained how cold the room was the 1st night and my wife caught cold... The 2nd night was definitely better! The in-room breakfast was very good with home-made muffins etc. But don't bother getting the bigger room with outside breakfast area - trust me, you won't want to eat outside at 9 AM! Nonetheless, the Jacuzzi and especially the amazing lava tube that are on the property as well as the giant ferns and flowers, are worth seeing. Volcano is at over 3,000 ft (1k meters) and that is why it is often cold and rainy. Fortunately we had NO vog - volcano smog - and the National Park nearby was great. We strongly recommend both the Kawi Kitchen and the Thai restaurants in nearby Volcano village for lunch or dinner. Both were excellent. But unless you plan a lengthy visit to the Park etc. and you want to feel in tropical Hawaii, you'd do better to drive in early, see the Park, stay until dark (6:30 PM), have dinner and then drive down to Hilo or Pahoa - 35 miles, all downhill - where evenings even in February are balmy and you don't have to worry about heaters or cold floors... We give the room itself a B and Breakfast an A. Inadequate bathroom lighting and worn covers etc. are the main areas for improvement.

My first impression of room #1 we stayed in was that it was immaculately clean, sunny and bright. The king size bed was very comfortable. The bathroom was also very clean and shower head was nice. We normally stay in timeshares which are pretty nice but have cheap dishes but this place has beautiful dishes. The owner, Shannon made us feel right at home. Her banana coconut pineapple bread is great. One of best we ever ate! She was very friendly and kind. The next day when we returned our room, she had changed the sheets, towels and cleaned the room. I didn’t expect it at all. I’d like to made comment on the 1/1/10 review. This comment makes me wonder if he stayed in the same place. The yard wasn’t exactly manicured but it was beautiful. I didn’t see any mosquitoes carcasses on the window not get bit by any either. We stayed here for 2 nights. The bed was little damp the first night when we got back to the room pretty late because the windows were open and it was chilly. But the second night was just fine. Of course we closed the windows before we left that evening. Yes, a bible was there, just like in any hotel room but nobody mentioned about the religion while we were there. The location is great. It was also nice to wake up to birds singing instead of rooster crowing (all we heard on Kauai). I definitely recommend this place to stay. Shannon even gave us some of bread to take on the road when we left! Thank you, Shannon.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
Wow! Thank you for the kind and positive review. I would also like to thank God for constantly sending us such wonderful guests. We sincerely appreciate all who have stayed with us over the past few years since we opened in 2007. We know that we can't please all of the people all of the time but we do our best to be consistent in how we operate our Bed and Breakfast. Our goal is to put the guest first and hopefully if anything is out of order it can be handled right away. God bless you to both our past and future guests.

Very pleasant, very small B&B in the rainforest. On a small street across the highway from the town of Volcano. Owners are very pleasant and helpful. The room was clean and the breakfast provided was very nice.

When we first stumbled across Aloha Crater Lodge on B and B.com we thought, rustic, affordable, seems clean, really all one needs for a night in beautiful Volcano. BUT well staged pictures are no substitute for honesty. Once you get past the Aloha Crater street sign the Yard in front of the house is a mess and the house itself needs some love. That would have been acceptable til you are led into the room which smells moldy and musty, you behold beds that are barely clean with ripped pillow cases, and windows which are piled with mosquito carcasses. The Patio door, which is your room door, barely a lock on it, slips closed and you say...well only one night... but I did pay $140 for this dump. After staying out for as long as possible, night falls and upon our return we realize that all we have to heat our large room is an 8 inch square portable electric heater and it does get chilly at 3500ft. A cold nights sleep is followed by a shower in a barely functioning and barely completed bathroom (a small curtain under the sink revealed a concrete basement floor)The cookies and the tea bread were good. But all that was unsatisfactory was crowned by the fact that the room was dripping with "Christian Love".I have my own religious beliefs and didn't come on Vacation to experience yours Mr. and Mrs. Innkeeper.

This B&B is located in the heart of a tropical rainforest, and is very nice. I stayed in room 2 and i still remember the delicious cocount bread and cozy bread. Its right outside the park , which is just great. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a peaceful and nice stay. Good value for the money

As my friends and I drove into the driveway of Aloha Crater Lodge a sense of calmness stole over my. It felt we were transported to the another world of stillness. I knew in that moment that this would be a place I could think through things and it was. Shannon was open and friendly, making sure our needs were meet. If you are looking for a place to get away from the rat race of life and do some thinking this is the place to go. It has wonderful clean rooms and amazing surroundings. :) Thank you Shannon and Dan Fisher for making our stay enjoyable and memorable.

We stay here for only a night and got there quite late so we didn't have time to enjoy the hot tub or talk much with the owners. The place is clean, nice and neat. The location is excellent with the park been super close and the little crater/cave is great. Actually the whole outdoors is great, flowers are beautiful and made us feel like we were in the middle of the forest (as it should be for the place). Summary, great location, super nice place, nice rooms...as good as it gets!

We stayed for one night in the honeymoon suite, which was very comfortable. After hiking all day, and then hiking down to see the lava flow entering the ocean in the evening, the jacuzzi tub in our room was a life saver! (Note: no shower in the room) I also used the hot tub in the garden the next morning--it was like being in a tropical paradise! The garden has been left mostly wild and is spectacular. Talked a bit to Dan and Shannon, who were both very nice and made sure we were comfortable. If I'm ever lucky enough to return to the Big Island, I would definitely consider staying here for a week.

outstanding hosts, food, rooms, service.

Overall, it was a great experience staying here. The lodging and property itself was lovely. Our only complaint is that the bed covers had a smell and it needs to be laundered.

I found the Aloha Crater Lodge as an anointed lodging. Dan and Shannon own a little piece of heaven on earth. The bathroom was pristine, the bed comfortable, and the kitchenette was stocked with enough food for my dinner, breakfast and lunch. As a nature lover, the wooded area surrounding the home was captivating. While I was there I felt very secure. I truly experienced the peace of the Lord on a Volcano.

We spent just one night here in the middle of two days in Volcanoes Park, and were very glad we chose it. The rain forest location makes Aloha Crater Lodge very different from most BnBs, and after a day in the park we especially enjoyed a soak in the hot tub surrounded by ferns and trees. As we were coming straight from a morning flight Shannon had kindly agreed to look after our luggage whilst we went to the park, but in fact our room was ready and we were able to go straight in. The banana bread left in our room for breakfast was wonderfully moist, and we enjoyed cereal and fruit as well.

This inn was nice overall. The dining is breakfast food provided for you in the room the night before, however there is a lot of it and it was good. The value of the place was also amazing after spending some time on the sunny side of the island to get a room and breakfast at half the cost of the big resorts. The location is great, only five minutes away from the national park. It was a little noisy in the morning, but we like to sleep in on vacation, if you're up early I suppose it wouldn't bother you.

We were greeted by our hosts upon arrival with 4 generations of family and given our choice of 3 beautiful rooms. Each room was a perfect choice for Great-Grandmother, Grandparents and parents of a 2 year old and a 4 month old. Easy access from the main hwy, but felt like it was a million miles and a million years away from the present, with beautiful, natural landscaping. A great choice for families with small kids. Shannon & Dan were very accomodating for our every need. Thanks for a wonderful, relaxing stay and the luxurious spa was a perfect ending to each day!

Great B&B in a beautiful setting- nice room, great hospitality. Clean, comfortable, quiet, just great!

Clean, cozy, great hosts, yummy banana bread, good “goodies”, continental breakfast more than your usual continental. Scenery is great sight outside your room. Thanks to Shannon & Dan!

Wonderful! They worked with me to rearrange my schedule when the flight had problems. Very nice couple! Will definitely come again.

We just got back from Hawaii and we stayed two nights at the Aloha Craters Lodge with Shannon Fisher and her family. It was a great stay! They have really nice, private rooms with detailed decoration! Everything is really neat, it feels really personal. We enjoyed talking to Shannon and her husband and getting good tips what to see and where to hike etc. Last but not the least, they have a hot tub right in the jungle :-)), which is great to take a break after a long hike. If we ever come back (we are coming from Germany), we would definitely stay with them again! Check it out. They even have further great ideas for future rooms. All the best, Jan and Ina

This is a newer B&B so it's overall in good condition and shows lots of promise. Location and price are very good. A few things you should be aware of: low, large branch over drivel could make it difficult for larger vehicles to enter; breakfast was a little sparse but the bread was very good; there is no heat in rooms 1 & 2 and it was cold; finally maybe we just caught them on a bad day, but it felt like we were bothering the innkeepers by staying there.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
I am grateful to receive this review. We are a new B&B, just opened in June 2007, and I know there is always room for improvement. I am glad to hear that we have potential and that we already offer a good value. Originally spaceheaters were available upon request but now they are standard in every room. Upon welcoming customers and showing them around, I always say to them "Please let me know if there is anything you need or if I have forgotten something, I will do my best to get it for you." My prayer is that I will always reflect the love of Jesus to every customer that God brings to me. God has reminded me, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for so by doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2

The Aloha Crater Lodge is set in the rainforest in the town of Volcano, just 1 mile from the Visitor's Center at the entrance to Volcanos National Park. This is a great base from which to explore the Hilo side of the Big Island. It's new--just opened mid-2007. It's clean. It's comfortable. And except for the exotic sounds of rare song birds, it's very quiet. It has cable TV which we never turned on--but high speed internet which we made good use of. Our suite had a private bath + very useful kitchenette. The inn-keepers are friendly and helpful and directed us to secret destinations not to be found in the tour books. They provided a simple breakfast daily including "to kill for" fresh banana bread. My wife and son some times have had a hard time with mosquitoes--but there were none present here--in August--during our 3-day stay at the Lodge. Did I mention a real volcanic crater right in the front yard with a brand-new state-of-the-art jacuzzi installed next to it in the middle of the forest? We used it at night to perfectly cap off a day of hiking into a volcano in the park. The ALOHA CRATER LODGE is a real diamond in Volcano. CAUTION: there are other places of accomodation in the area with one or more of the words Aloha, Crater and Lodge in their names. One particularly is old and to be avoided. Make sure you get the ALOHA CRATER LODGE on Lanihuli Road in Volcano.