When we travel we often stay in B&B's or small inns because we get the opportunity to meet and exchange information with people on a more personal level than in a large hotel. This was the perfect place for that. Steve and Su have a beautiful home which was a pleasure to stay at. Our room was quite spacious with sofas and a cute bathroom, hallway and all the room we needed to feel comfortable. It opened to a large yard with beautiful pool, plantings, and a pond.......breakfast was always delicious and relaxed on the lanai and Steve was there to help guide us and answer any questions we had about Hilo, things to do, where to eat, real estate prices, etc......We miss it already and had a great time in the Hilo area.........hope to visit again someday...............
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I was so comfortable and happy I didn't want to leave! Great food and coffee for breakfast, great neighborhood to take walks down to the beach. Steve and Su, the owners, are awesome and a wealth of knowledge about Hilo and the Big Island.
I surfed great waves right out in front of the house every day, and Steve, the owner, always knew what the surf was doing. If he wasn't busy, he would also go with me.
They also have a great son who lives upstairs when he's home! If you're lucky enough to be there when he is there, make sure to get a surf lesson from him!

The Orchid Tree is in a secluded setting just 2 miles from Hilo and a short walk to a surfer's beach. We saw whales spouting from the lovely, large patio that has a swimming pool and hot tub. We stayed in the newer room which has beautiful wood floors and custom work all done by the owner Steve. Fresh fruit breakfasts were beautifully presented on the patio. The owner was very knowledgeable about the area and was a perfect host. It is a gem and I would reccommend it to anyone.

I'm not necessarily a fan of bed and breakfast arrangements, but this one was perfect:

- the owner treats the rooms he rents like his own house: the newer room has beautiful hardwood floors, all the finishing touches that one would do for one's own home. we stayed in the "older" room that was so comfortable that we chose not to take the newer one when it was offered;

- the owner is very accommodating - he doesn't force guests to shoehorn the (very fresh and beautifully presented) breakfasts into his set schedule. he is neither indifferent not intrusive and is very knowledgeable about the area. in fact, he seems to have thought about every possible piece of information, etc. that a guest could want to have available.

- the location is lovely - idyllic itself but close to a beach and the highway.