Every now and then you come across a place you want to keep secret, it's that good. This is such a place. We stayed only one night (necessitated by circumstances!) knowing that this wouldn't be enough. The house is charming, built in the Japanese style in the early 20th C, and spectacularly decorated, especially the upstairs suite which Gay showed to us. We had the Honu's Nest, a small but beautifully appointed room with a comfortable bed, sea-themed bathroom, and spotless cleanliness. The room had an a/c, but we didn't need it, as the room had an overhead fan and windows on two sides for the crossbreeze. As others have said, Gay's breakfast was amazing, and her recommendations for sightseeing and restaurants were spot on. We were genuinely sorry to have to leave.

We were delayed a day due to airline and Gay was so gracious that she didn't even charge us for the lost night! The breakfasts were amazing and hospitality just as great! Highly recommend this B&B! It feels like home!

We had a great stay at Hilo Honu Inn. Gay was so friendly and helpful with tips for all of our planned destinations! Our room was immaculately clean and beautifully decorated. Breakfast, cooked by Gay, was absolutely delicious! Great base for exploring the east side of Big Island and the volcano!

My husband and I and two teenage children spent three nights at the Hilo Honu Inn. After much research for places to stay in Hilo, I thought this place was too good to be true. It lived up to our expectations... and more. We had the two rooms on the first floor - the Bali Hai Suite and Honu's Nest. Both had air conditioning, which is a real find in Hilo. The rooms were beautifully decorated and absolutely spotless. We also were able to relax in the main living area. The owner, Gay, and her friend delighted us with stories about Hawaiian culture and provided critical advice for sightseeing. Gay also went all out to cook first-rate breakfasts. The Inn is in a nice, residential area of Hilo, a two minute drive from the main shopping/restaurant streets. We used it as a central location for touring: south to Volcano National Park and Black Sand Beach and north to the Hawaiian Botanical Gardens and Akaka Falls. It was a perfect place to stay. (The only reason I am not giving it five stars for sleep quality is because there were no room-darkening shades, so we were up earlier than we wanted the first day. Gay was sympathetic and gave us extra sheets to drape over the windows. But after all the touring, we were so exhausted that we didn't really need them the second two nights. Otherwise, the beds were super comfortable.) We highly recommend the Hilo Honu Inn.