Hilltop Legacy Vacation Home

I spent a single night in the Hilo Room at the start of my Hawaii vacation. I needed a basic, inexpensive place to spend the night following long flights from New Hampshire via Los Angeles. The Hilltop Legacy, conveniently located just a couple of miles from the airport, certainly satisfied that requirement. The house was in some disarray, with remodeling going on; this is by no means a glitzy establishment. But my room, though small, was clean. The bathroom needs repainting. Again, though, for my purposes, I wasn't concerned about some peeling paint. Jade, the host, is the star. He is warm, friendly, and helpful. I was sorry to miss the horse, who was on assignment trimming the grass at another property owned by Jade and his father.

We stayed in the Legacy Suite, which does include a bathroom and separate area with counter, dressing mirrors, small fridge, coffee machine. The room is spacious with a king bed (rather too firm, and I like firm), a private open deck overlooking a well-manicured yard, windows all around allowing great breezes during the night (really no need for air conditioning), a fabulous view looking down towards Hilo, the water, the airport. We walked down the hill to stroll the downtown (easy 15 minutes down, a bit sweaty going back up!), but the pictures you'll take along the way are worth it (living rock wall, beautiful church, flowers, funky old buildings). The Hilltop location is quiet, but you are in a residential area with a few barking dogs, and masses of croque frogs that chirp non-stop all night long (we thought it was birds at first-very odd but really beautiful 'songs')...I still managed to sleep with it though. Breakfast of fresh papaya and grapes, muffins/breads, instant oatmeal available, coffee/tea and juice-seems pretty standard for B&Bs on the island (we haven't come across prepared, hot breakfasts). The house is old but with great character, was relatively clean with no evidence of mold in our room, and no musty smell within the house. The yard is a large-sized residential lot, landscaped with trees all around and a small pond. You could eat outside under a small covered area but it was rather dirty so we ate inside in the dining room which was nicely appointed. Jade was a gracious host and I've read all the reviews and I believe that he takes them to heart because some of the 'issues' others guests have noted appear to be resolved.

Not a top notch place. Friendly service, good location but very simple with basic b-fast. Ok for a night sleep over.

We were extremely pleased with our one night stay at the Hilltop Legacy bed and breakfast. As new comers to the bed and breakfast scene we didn’t know what to expect. We were happy to see that Hilltop had all the basic amenities you would find at any hotel – toiletries, hair dryer, fresh towels, coffee maker, microwave and small fridge in the room, even robes and slippers! The bed was comfortable and the room was very clean. The room did NOT have A/C, which we were ok with and slept comfortably; but for those who enjoy cooler environments it might have been a little on the warm/humid side. Hilltop is only a 5 minute drive from downtown Hilo, so its easy to get out and explore while lodging at a more serene location (serene as in you can here crickets at night. Crickets!). Both hosts were extremely amiable and helpful. Jade gave us tips for visiting the volcanoes and Lee went out of his way to share fresh fruits/nuts from their garden! They also have a horse which was a fun surprise! Don’t expect much for breakfast. There were store bought muffins, cereal and fresh fruit. It was enough of a cold breakfast selection to fill us up, but it wasn’t outstanding. All in all we were very pleased with our first bed and breakfast adventure. We highly recommend Hilltop to anyone visiting the Hilo area!

This was a moderate place to stay. Needed to wear earplugs because of the chirping of small frogs. Room faced forested area, queen size bed, Large Screen TV, bathroom down the hall. Breakfast continental, host not present during meal. Fruit okay, Needed to ask for water, juice. Host was very gracious, answering questions.

The Hilltop is a quiet out of the way B&B. It literally sits on the top of the hill overlooking Hilo. The most enjoyable aspect of our stay were the frogs chirping all night long. Some may find that difficult to adjust to but it felt like home to us. Jade was very accomodating for our early departure and set the continental breakfast out early so we could be on our way. We did notice cobwebs and dust accumlulated in the corners and on the furniture. It was hardly enough to upset our stay.

We recently stayed here on our first trip to the Big Island, and chose this based on location and price. It worked out great for our time in Hilo. Our room was nice, the host kind and we really enjoyed many of the other guests we met.

My stay here is good. We enjoyed the sounds of nature at night and mornings. However the Volcano room is a bit warm in the afternoons. The other rooms facing the Hilo bay are cooler in the day from what we can see.

This is not a hotel, it is better than a hotel. It is like being at home or at new friends. We had such a nice welcoming, and service was so friendly. The children were like at home. They enjoyed the cats and the horse, what a difference with a classical and formal hotel. The view is wonderful. And we can use the kitchen and choose the place to eat, inside or outside. Very friendly but still professional help. We also got very good advice for trips and visits around.

Very convenience location. Clean room and nice host. A little bit disappointed about breakfast, too simple.

Very friendly owner, however the rooms aren't cleaned during your stay and kitchen in sky room isn't well equipped for cooking. I'd Definitly stay again and recommend this place!

During our stay, we only met the the father once. Jade was the one that took care of us for the most part. He is very friendly and knowledgeable of the area. I was satisfied with our stay. The room was clean. Although there wasn't any airconditioning, it was cool enough at night (even without having the fan on). The bathroom was a bit outdated, but it was clean, which was all I wanted. For breakfast, there was donuts, bread, coffee, and tea. Nothing fancy, but we knew about that before we made the booking. Overall, I was happy with everything and hopefully plan to stay here again in the future if I'm ever visiting the Big Island and staying on the Hilo side.

The bed location was a problem. A bed should be able to be accessed from two sides. In addition, the TV was just too big for the room. The bathroom needed some attention due to the humidity and mildew but was clean. The hosts were very friendly and the setting is lovely. It was a convenient place to stay while on the Big Island.

Sumptuous decor and friendly staff, the bathroom is a bit old fashioned but that is consistent with the theme. Simple breakfast as advertised, overlooking beautiful gardens and their horse Vish.

Upon my arrival,Jade Lee, the young man operating the B&B, was very warm and welcoming. This property overlooks the town of Hilo and is close to everything you would need for your stay. The landscaping and property are beautiful and they even have a friendly horse on premises.

The Lee's are perfect hosts. Close to Hilo. Our room had two beds ,big flat screen and kitchen and jacuzzi. The view and privacy makes for a nice couples place. My we all enjoyed our stay. Natalie 808 769-1449

Hilltop Legacy was our favourite place that we stayed at in Hawaii. Our hosts were very friendly, and the house and grounds were charming. The view of Hilo Bay from our bedroom was glorious. Our breakfast of fresh fruit and freshly baked donuts was also very yummy! A warm and friendly place to stay.

I would highly recommend a stay at the Hilltop Legacy VH. I was biking around the big island and was looking forward to a quiet and relaxing stay. And that is exactly what i got! The host family is very accomodating and sweet, quietly taking care of all your needs. The room was very comfortable and cozy and very affordable. This B&B is a very good value. The oriental gardens are beautiful and the breakfast hit the spot.

Amazing location on a hilltop overlooking Hilo Bay. Outstanding garden! Jade was an excellent host- so kind and helpful. We felt very welcomed and will definitley return!!!

We just needed a place for the weekend - and all of the hotels in Hilo are subpar. A B&B is the perfect alternative. This is an old historical house and is completely charming. It was perfect for our family! MAHALO!!!

The owners were delightful and extremely helpful. The room was adequate, although the bathrooms all seem to be in some stage of renovation. For the price, it was doable. The horse and rooster are a delightful addition to the atmosphere. The facility does not really serve a breakfast, although they do leave coffee, tea, toast, and bagels out. I would recommend that cream cheese be included in the breakfast option as well as being able to get to a glass of water.

If your looking for Glitz, this is not for you. The rooms were all cooled each night by cool breezes of the ocean. Some places claim to have a "Million Dollar " view. Hilltop Legacy truly has one. Our room had windows that looked out on the complete Hilo Bay area. we could watch aircraft land at the airport, watch the cruise ship in the port and even watched people having family time on Monkey Island, which sticks out into the beautiful Hilo harbor area. The whole experience was reminiscent of the Planter's house in "South Pacific" the movie. The Owner, Mr Lee and his Son and Co-Host Jade, both wen't out of their way every day to make us feel comfortable and welcome. My Wife and I have stayed in many B&B's all over the world and this was by far one of the best. Ambience, "Feng Shui" what ever you care to call it, this worked for us. My Sincerest gratitude for a Pleasant, Comfortable 4 night stay.

Great view and excellent value. The hosts are wonderful. The breakfast was yummy. Loved the grounds and the friendly horse.

I stay at many B&Bs throughout the continent, and few were as relaxing as the Hilltop Legacy. I stayed in the Legacy Suite. The room was a very large...huge flat screen TV...beautiful bathroom with all the little amenities. I loved the complimentary fruit plate when I checked in (I'm a muncher). The in-room Coffee was excellent. The Japanese style garden and koi pond were very well maintained. It's very obvious the innkeepers here at the Hilltop Legacy take pride in what they do. Keep up the great work! I hope to be back one day.

I normally stay at hotels when I travel, but this time I decided to try something different. The Hilltop Legacy was the first vacation rental I have stayed at. This property was beautiful. The hosts were very kind and informative. They helped me plan out my stay in Hilo and gave great recommendations on places to see. This property is located in the heart of Downtown Hilo but without the noise of town. At night the relaxing sounds of frogs put you to sleep. They are currently renovating the property but it was still very quiet . I will definitely stay here again.

I made my reservation two months before our stay in late October. When we arrived late that evening, we were told that our room was being renoated and so we were being "upgraded" to a larger room. The catch--our reservation was for 3 nights. The "upgrade" was only available for 2. So we were told that the other room would be ready. It was not and we were expected to move into a room with a blue tarp extended over the empty hole in the wall. There was no breakfast provided much less coffee except for the one morning when we managed to make our way to the kitchen. Mr. Lee and his son were the only people in evidence. They would drive away and we would be the only people in the house which was left unlocked. It was a very strange experience and I would not recommend this place to anyone. We left after two nights and had to find another place to stay.

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I deeply regret any unpleasant feelings this has caused our guests. We were renovating our property and adding a private Jacuzzi and full wet bar. Upon checking in we informed them that there had been some delays in the renovations and that the Jacuzzi room was not done yet. We did not tell them that the new addition would be ready by their 3rd night. We told them that for 2 nights we could give them the Legacy Suite, which is a huge upgrade from the room they had reserved (Sky Room), but on their last night, we would have to move them to the Sky Room because the Suite was already booked. We showed them both the Sky Room which had a tarp covering the doorway entrance to the Jacuzzi room and the Suite and they said that was fine. The first 2 nights went by and everything was fine, but on the 3rd day when it was time for them to move to the Sky Room, they refused. I wish we had an opening in the Suite for their last night too. We put a tarp between the doorway from the Sky Room to the new addition. We did not do any renovations inside the Sky Room. We refunded them in full for their last night. However her sister who was traveling with her stayed and had no problems at all. I will put pictures of the Sky Room with the new addition. On our web site, We clearly stated that breakfast would not be served for our discounted rates. We usually unlock the main entrance for our guests convenience. This property is in a very prestigious and safe neighborhood. It's too bad we couldn't finish the new addition just a few days earlier so they could enjoy the private Jacuzzi and wet bar. We would like to make it up to our future guests by keeping the Sky Room rate the same $85/ night for now even though the addition is complete. Please see our totally worry free reservation policy on our web site. After a day of exploring the Big Island, have a cocktail and soak in the Jacuzzi. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to learn from your review so we can improve.

Stayed for 6 nights on the Big Island in Hilo. (All at the Hilltop) The owners were fantastic and very accomodating. (Since we stayed for 6 nights we got a complementary barbeque) Laundrey service was included as well. A mix up had occurred with thebooking where the suite we had booked was double booked, causing us to have to change to another room for a few days. We did not mind, since we were out and about seeing the sights. (We were refunded the difference) The house is undergoing many renovations and improvements by the owners. The views of Hilo Bay are impressive, since the house is on a hill. We had a great time. (Wife and I)

We stopped at Hilltop Legacy for just one night. We arrived at 2 a.m. but as we e-mailed them about this there was a young man waiting for us to let us in. Despite late hour he was extremely kind. Room was very nice. We were a bit surprised that the bathroomwas shared (one for 4 rooms on the floor) but as we were the only guests we were happy to enjoy it privately. The bathroom was clean and nice (8/10) with shampoo, towels, soap provided so nothing to complain on. The room featured huge LCD TV, microwave, fridge, queen bed and marvelous sounds of nature from outside - the hotel is loceted on the hill, at dead end and at the backyard has huge green terrain, grass, trees, bushes, supposedly some pond as well as we heard lots of frogs. Windows open towards the ocean so morning was cute! We did not have a chance to try any meals as we were leaving early. Managers of the possession are really kind and nice people. The price is attractive as for Hawaii (keep in mind the shared bathroom) and the hotel is a pleasant stay. For sure. P.S. Free parking. Volcanoes National Park - about an hour drive. European, 40 years old, experienced traveller

We made a hasty reservation for the Legacy Suite at $95/night. We left after being there for about an hour and received no refund (to be fair, that's the policy stated on the site). The website advertises amenities that do not seem to exist, such as the backyard mini-jungle, which looks to be a former trail in disrepair. We never saw the alleged 1,200 sq. foot gym either, which one would expect to see somewhere. The website ultimately over-promised, and the place under-delivered. The Lees were warm and attentive, but the state of the property and room was our chief concern and reason for leaving. Other reviews praise attention to detail and rate cleanliness highly. Compared to what? We stayed at Castle Hilo, the Kiluea Lodge (in Volcano), and the Luana Inn (Kona) -- all of which had drastically different standards for quality and cleanliness. Our first trip into the bathroom was a surprise. The toilet needed to be flushed, there was hair on the floor and in the sink, and the grout in the tiled shower was various shades of black. The shower door felt like it had a layer of soap scum. I would not have showered there without flip flops. The bedroom had a nice large bed, a huge TV, a cheap desk, a small fridge, and dirty windows with a great view of the bay. Many surfaces were lightly dusty, and there was a dead bug curled up in the carpet (under a carpet protector near a door). My opinion strongly differs from those others on this site; whoever you are, it would be best to stop by this place first and decide whether it meets your needs. Some un-doctored, hi-resolution photos would help -- and this place could be really great with some work and consistent attention to detail. If you're shopping for rooms in the $250-range, skip this place. You may be shocked at what you discover if you pay the full rate. If the bathroom felt clean and the website didn't oversell so hard, it might have been a nice place to stay at $95/night.

A super nice team of father and son. Very friendly but low key, the Lees give you lots of space yet are willing to chat and offer suggestions when asked. We stayed in the Legacy Suite, which had a great view of Hilo Bay. The room was spacious and bright, very clean and well-kept. We got the summer rate, which was a real bargain. Since the special rate did not include breakfast, we inquired about paying extra to have the full breakfast usually offered. The breakfast we got was enough to feed us for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with the usual hot items such as eggs, bacon, sausage, and LOTS of fresh and delicious island fruits, juices, coffee… all thoughtfully presented. The house itself is light and airy with windows and glass blocks to allow in lots of light. Despite having been built in the 1930s and having stood in the rainforest weather for all those years, the Lees have done a great job maintaining the place. We can tell they put a lot of thought and heart into running the place from their attention to small details. Aside from the house, the shiny coats on the family horse and dog really speak to the attentive and caring nature of their owners. The Legacy is located at the top of the hill, and actually within walking distance (for those who enjoy walking, of course, since it is uphill on the way back) to downtown, the waterfront, and within short drives to many other places to visit. The website (put together by Jade himself) gives clear driving directions from the airport. Overall, we were very happy to have found Hilltop Legacy as the first stop for our trip. Our stay there started our trip with a very positive and warm note. We definitely plan to return to the Big Island, and will stay with the Lees again (for a few more days) next time.

I feel that anyone coming to Hilo should stop here. The owner and his son comprise two of the nicest and most humble people I have met in the islands. They are willing to talk, joke, and help whenever they can. If I ever go back to Hilo, I will stay here again without a doubt.

I truly enjoyed your island hospitality and personal care to detail of every meal. The surroundings were like a mini-tropical retreat! And, a special thanks to Mr. Lee for the adventurous ride to Waipio Valley! I'd sincerely recommend this peaceful place!

Old fashioned hospitality combined with with breath taking views makes this wonderful home the 'place to stay' when your vacationing in Hilo, Hawaii. They have the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in. My daughter and myself truly enjoyed everyday here. Barb & Mishele

This is our first stay at a B&B and found it to be absolutely wonderful. It's a great alternative to your traditional, expensive hotel stay. Hospitality was exceptional. Very friendly, but yet gives you your space. David and Barbara Kong Wailuku, Maui