Tara Firma Inn - Volcano

We stayed two nights while visiting the Park. We only spoke with Fritz when we checked in and he handed us our receipt and insisted we check with a park ranger before going to Kalapana and considering hiring a local guide. The park ranger looked at us like we were crazy. The entire house smells of woodsmoke and you are truly in the Bell's home, not a traditional B&B set-up. They are on the other side of the living room wall and come out only to use their kitchen, which is not very clean and loaded with old margarine tubs. The sleeping room was quiet and comfortable, the upstairs bathroom is nice, but we felt the price was double what it should be for renting a bedroom in someone's mountain cabin.

I have brought friends to theVolcano to see the glow which requires an over-night stay. Tara Firma makes our visit pleasant everytime. We are greated with smiles. A warm fire in the stove. Courtesy water, teas, coffee and hot chocolate at any hour. There is the use of panchos, maps, guide books, and flash-lights. They have a nice sized refrigerator for guests to use and a microwave. The breakfast is beautifully displayed and delicous. I feel relaxed and at home when staying here. A definate recommend.

We loved our stay here. It really felt like a home away from home, with a warm cosy living room to come back to after our days of hiking or touring (and since it rains a lot around here, having a nice dry place to come back to is very welcome!) Every morning there was a delicious, home prepared continental breakfast waiting for us: fruit, breads/muffins, cereal, juice, coffee and tea. The hosts, Fritz and Kate were very helpful, with advice and tips to get the most out of our time, mainly leaving us to enjoy the peace and tranquility, but just a knock away if we needed anything - they got the balance just right. They had also thought of some of the little things to help make our stay even better - like torches to take with us since there are very few street lights around Volcano, so it gets very dark very quickly after sunset. We stayed in the fern room, which technically has a shared bathroom, but since the other room was empty, we had the bathroom to ourselves too. The location is excellent to explore the National Park and surrounding areas from, and even though its nice and close to Volcano village, feels wonderfully secluded among trees and ferns and lush vegetation.

My family and I stayed at Tara Firma Inn at Volcano and had a lovely time. The Tara Firma Inn is very homely! We received a warm welcome on arrival and Fritz advised us of good places to go for dinner. Frita was very accommodating to our needs and requests eg we only wanted to stay one night and we needed to leave our car whilst on a day trip. We had a great time!

We spent two nights at the Tara Firma Inn, and we were enchanted. With its cedar wood walls and wood burning oven fireplace, it's a cozy and inviting place to spend a few rainy nights in Volcano. The innkeepers were welcoming and took great care of us without being imposing. Breakfast each morning was tasty, with fresh local fruits and 100% Hawaiian coffee--a perfect way to fuel up before hiking in Volcanoes National Park. The only thing that we'd change is that the mattress in our room probably needs to be replaced; it was a little less supportive than we'd like. Other than that one little thing, we highly recommend Tara Firma Inn for anyone heading up to explore the park or the east side of the Big Island.

Extremely helpful & friendly host, wonderful location. The house is built from cedar and smells wonderful. You feel like you are in a treehouse.

Recent trip to Tara Firma with our 11 year old daughter. Fritz was very pleasant and his recommendations were excellant to "non tourist" things to do onthe island. Super clean,

Where on earth did the prior reviewers stay!? Not at the Tara Firma in Volcano, HI that we stayed at! The place was unheated other than during the arrival time of guests, so we froze most of the time. There were lots of dirty dishes in the sink already by the time we sat down to breakfast (and we had been the only guests that night), and the rest of the kitchen looked like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks. The only sign of either of the owners was when the gentleman came out of his den when we arrived. Is there really a woman in the house? She was rumored to bake wonderful bread but everything we ate for breakfast came from the cheapest possible grocery store. The bed smelled strongly of mildew and the windows were filthy, inside and out. On the plus side, the bed was comfortable, the bathroom was clean, and there was a hair dryer. But we had to pay way too much for a room that we couldn't heat in a house that felt like we were not welcome from beginning to end.

At arrival Fritz Bell was waiting for us already. He provided us with feedback about the house, rooms, breakfast and nearby restaurants. We had a nice, clean room. Next morning we had a wonderful decorated breakfast table and enjoyed our breakfast.

Fritz and Kate are wonderful hosts and went the extra mile for us. They provide a warm, comfortable, inviting environment. They gave us a great deal on a second room for our son. The breakfasts included very cleverly done fruit bowls with tasty, local fruit. Access to Volcanoes NP and the town of Volcano was super easy, and Hilo didn't feel far away.

We enjoyed our night in Volcano very much - perfect place to stay so we could see the volcano at night! Quiet, quiet place nestled in ferns - so tropical...thank you Fritz and Kate.

I recommend the Orchid Room. The tub was very relaxing and the room itself was clean and cute! Worth the extra clams for the privacy.

Tara Firma is a charming, spacious inn surrounded by a giant tree fern forest, with a cozy fire burning in the fireplace for the chilly November evenings at 4,000 feet above sea level. We were made to feel most welcome by Fritz and Kate, and were delighted with our upstairs room. The smell of freshly made home-baked cinnamon-raisin bread greeted us in the morning, and breakfast was sumptuous. Next time we'll plan on staying here longer than one night!

My husband and I had just stayed in a sub-par B&B on the Kona side of the island and randomly picked the Tara Firma on our drive to Volcanoes. What a lucky break! Arriving at the Tara Firma was like a breath of fresh, clean air. Kate and Fritz are extremely knowledgeable and super friendly and very welcoming. We stayed in the biggest of the three rooms - the Orchid Suite - and fell in love with it so much that we extended our stay in volcanoes. :) Super quiet and clean. Riley the cat is a sweetheart. Very highly recommended!

Charming Inn with a rustic atmosphere. Owners very caring. Get the upstairs room for extra privacy. Great way to explore VNP, Hilo and South Point on Big Island!