Amazing house, hosts and experience! I stayed here with my daughter and it was the most relaxing, informative and tasty vacation. Hilo is old and charming and not crazy like Kona or Waikiki. The people were friendly and Barbara and Gary gave us daily advice on what to see and experience. The breakfast was HUGE and had fresh local fruits, fresh smoothie, juices and baked local bread and a homemade breakfast muffin. Simply fabulous!

We loved our stay at the Shipman House. The trip up the driveway to this enchanting home was just the beginning of our excitement. The owners have restored an old Victorian Home to it's former grandeur and have furnished it with many family antiques. The main floor is a step back in time to pre-statehood Hawaii. We stayed in Auntie Clara's Bedroom and loved watching the sunrise from our very comfortable bed. Then was the fabulous breakfast on the lanai. The weather was beautiful, the owners were great hosts, and the amount of quality of foods available was outstanding. There were 13 different fruits (most gown on the Shipman House grounds), two kinds of homemade granola, a hot cereal, fresh yogurt with 6 different toppings, two kinds of bagels, and two kinds of homemade breads with 4 different jams or fruit butters. And that doesn't include a fabulous assortment of teas, coffee, and juices. My only disappointment was that I couldn't eat it all! The wrap around porch on the first floor and the second story porch were appointed with great chairs to comfortably watch the sun set through the palm trees and to enjoy the sounds of the Hawaiian evening. The innkeepers were spot on in their recommendations for great parks, eating places, and businesses to visit. The value for your money was definitely worth it and we will stay there anytime we are in Hilo.

The Shipman House is beautiful. The hosts, Gary and Barbara, are very nice people who take good care of their guests. The house is centrally located in a pretty part of Hilo. The breakfast is delicious and full of variety (from baked goods to many kinds of tropical fruit that were was grown on the property). The hospitality at The Shipman House is superb. If you're comin for a peaceful stay in Hilo, this is your place.

We stayed at the Shipman house for just one night about two years ago (october 2010), so I am not good on the details. I just remember that Barbara took great care of us, asking for our plans for the day, and making great recommendations: we wanted to see the lava flow in the evening, and not only did she recommend a great place to have "the best" chocolate milkshake, but she also provided us with things we had not though of, such as a blanket to seat on, binoculars, and I think she even mentioned a tripod for the camera. She also recommended a great place for dinner on our way back.
For our needs, breakfast was more than sufficient, with plenty of fruit, which I am really fond of. But I usually don't eat a lot for breakfast.
We were not annoyed by the frogs. In fact, I don't really remember hearing them.