94-2152 South Point Road Box 1125, Naalehu, Island of Hawaii, HI 96772
E-mail hotel
Full view
View all photos (234)234
Dining (41)
Videos (1)
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Travel safe during COVID-19
Visit our Travel Safe hub to see how we're helping you make more informed travel decisions during COVID-19.
What you can expect during your stay
- Hand sanitizer available to guests & staff
- Stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Staff required to regularly wash hands
Updated 06/10/22 Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
A note from Kalaekilohana
Updated 06/10/22 Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
About
Location
4.7
Cleanliness
5.0
Service
5.0
Value
4.8
Travelers' Choice
GreenLeaders Gold level
Hawaii's Boutique Hotel in the Country. Locally Sourced - Culturally Appropriate - Centrally Located - Breakfast and Dinner Available Daily
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Free breakfast
Massage
Baggage storage
Non-smoking hotel
Private check-in / check-out
Clothes dryer
Wifi
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Complimentary tea
Outdoor dining area
Special diet menus
Outdoor furniture
Self-serve laundry
Washing machine
Show more
Room features
Bathrobes
Private balcony
Seating area
Bottled water
Private bathrooms
Extra long beds
Walk-in shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
Show more
Room types
Mountain view
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
Languages Spoken
English
Hotel links
Location
Full view
Contact
94-2152 South Point Road Box 1125, Naalehu, Island of Hawaii, HI 96772
Getting there
Rental CarsSee all Naalehu rental cars
418Reviews3Q+A88Room tips
Reviews
Traveler rating
- 411
- 3
- 2
- 1
- 1
Time of year
Traveler type
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Most Recent
From our welcoming arrival to the final goodbye wave on the wide sweeping front veranda, Kenny and Kilohana ensured our stay with them at their island oasis, Kalaekilohana, was absolutely wonderful! We enjoyed a fresh, locally sourced delicious breakfast each morning, and chef Kenny created a delicious dinner one night that we thoroughly enjoyed as well! Kilohana offered helpful tips for outings and we were able to use beach towels, a cooler, and beach chairs for our snorkeling and beach day! Truly a home away from home and we were so well taken care of! Jenny and Scott
Read more
Date of stay: July 2022
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: All suites are very spacious with wonderful rich colors and comfortable furniture and beds.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Hotel's Favorite
Why is this four bedroom inn at the southern tip of Hawaii the most highly rated lodging on the island? Visitors rate it more highly than the Auberge or the Four Seasons, which both cost three or four times more. It's not obvious. After all, there is no pool or gym here, no fresh-raked white sand beach, no ghostly manta ray dives, and no cute cabanas with mai-tais at the waterslide. These can be fun, for sure, but that’s not happening here. At all. This place is not for everyone, but if it's for you it's a knockout. We booked it in January during Covid hoping that a place with only four rooms and forthcoming vaccines would make the visit safe for May, 2020. It did (although for awhile, perhaps until July 2021, Hawaii requires you to present a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of takeoff. Vaccines don’t count unless you are flying in from another island). To summarize what made an eight day visit special: -- Kenny and Kilohana will become your friends, not just your hosts. They are terrific people. That’s really all you need to know -- I'd go back just to see them. -- Kilohana knows a lot about Hawaiian culture and history. He has a lot to teach and we barely scratched the surface. Terrific library on Hawaiian history. Lots to learn here. -- Kenny is a phenomenal cook, even if his kitchen jacket says STIK (figure it out). -- The location is away from it all, temperate, isolated from Kona, and wonderful. It rained daily and, as is true in much of Hawaii, it's welcome when it happens. Carry a rain jacket. -- The lodge is a hand-built wonder. The decor is tasteful in the extreme. Each of the four rooms is terrific and quite similar (one has two queen beds, the others one king). Our rear room got wonderful breezes. -- The meals are fabulous. Unless you are traveling far away, plan to eat your dinners here. Kenny's ingredients are fresh and often local, his cooking simple and honest, his menus well-chosen, his wines fine and plentiful. Literally not one miss in eight days of breakfasts and dinners. -- You can grab beach chairs, towels, an iced cooler, and beverages for your trips to beaches or towns. Great sandwiches available at Coffee Grinds in Ocean View. -- Katie gives great massages in the cupola of the lodge. Recommended. -- After dinner you grab a nightcap on the lanai. Bit of a highlight, actually. OK, but without a pool and mai-tais, what exactly do you do all day? These were our highlights: -- Reading and swimming at the beaches, which are color-coded. Black sand with green turtles is Punaluʻu. Green sand is Papakolea, at the end of a 3 mile hike. Grey sand is Honomalino at the end of a half mile short hike. For white sand, go to Puʻuhonua ʻO Honaunau NHP (Place of Refuge — but you cannot swim there.) -- You are an hour drive from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. There are several hikes here, but we liked the Lava Tube (very short), the 4-mile Kilauea ‘Iki Hike across a collapsed volcano (best hiked counter-clockwise), and Chain of Craters Road, a long drive with several great stops and short hikes. -- You are also a very short drive to Ka Lae (the point) also called South Point. This is the southern tip of the big island, so it is both the southernmost point in the US and the landing point of Polynesians who headed north in about 1,000 CE. -- On Wednesdays there is a very cool farmers market at Na’Alehu, a ten minute drive away. In Na’Alehu, you can also grab lunch at Hana Hou or the food truck and eat fresh Malasada at the Punalu’u bakery if you need a sugar fix. -- The Kahuku Unit of Hawaii Volcanos National Park is about ten minutes away. It’s open Thursdays through Sundays (this could change as Covid recedes). Some nice ranch land hiking with great views. -- Hilo is a two-hour drive away (you can land there or Kona; it’s basically a toss-up). Unlike Kona, which is a region, Hilo is an actual town. It’s sleepy with an overrated farmer’s market but interesting in lots of ways nonetheless. -- Two fishing villages are absolutely worth a visit. Both require a ~1,500 descent from the main highway down to the coast. Miloliʻi is poor and is home to too many junked cars, but is a tight-knit community and a nice beach. Ho’okena Beach Park is further north, but a fine village and excellent swimming spot. -- As always, some things struck us as over-rated, but YMMV. Snorkeling at Two-Step is highly touted and often crowded. We were not blown away. Paradise Meadows across the street from the lodge is a highly-rated place that left us scratching our heads. Holualoa is a bit of an artist colony outside of Kona. Don’t go on Sunday (it’s closed tight). Maybe pass through on the way south from the Kona airport. Or skip it.…
Read more
Date of stay: May 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: I visited all four rooms. They are very similar, except that one has 2 queen beds instead of a...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
6 Helpful votes
Helpful
+1
We spent two nights in the Green Sea Room during our 30th anniversary trip to Hawaii. It was an honor to stay with Kilohana and Kenny. Everything was fabulous, and we hope to return someday if our travels lead us back to Hawaii! We had the most delicious dinner of our trip here. It was prepared by Kenny. Kilohana was so gracious to write down plans for us of things to see, do, eat, and enjoy in the areas we were exploring from there. We were “mid trip”, so we did our laundry there. It was conveniently located right outside our room, and it was complimentary (detergent and supplies included). We learned about pronunciation in the Hawaiian language and the significance of the kahili. We learned about beautiful fresh flowers and birds that we saw on the property. The delicious meals Kenny prepared were all locally sourced and it was fun to hear about the foods, flowers, etc coming from this property and that of neighbors. The bed was so comfortable! I would love to know where to get that mattress! There is a fridge on the porch where guests may help themselves to water and other drinks at any time of day. We borrowed an umbrella one day, and we were offered binoculars and walking sticks, as well. Generosity abounds here! Of note, there is internet, but no tv (which we were happy with). There is no air conditioning, but just opening the windows in our room provided the perfect natural A/C…that is a big deal coming from someone who is hot literally all the time! We cannot recommend Kaleakilohana more highly! Thank you for a wonderful stay, Kenny and Kilohana.…
Read more
Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Beautiful house and property. The Gentlemen were waiting on the lanai to greet us, show us our room, etc. The room is large and nicely appointed but you'll want to spend your time on the lanai relaxing on the comfy chairs. The breakfast was different and delicious each morning. We did the optional dinner 2 of the 3 nights as we spent one night at the volcano park. Kenny's cooking is top shelf; don't miss out. Kilohana gave my wife a weaving lesson; very charming man. Overall, our stay there was the highlight of our three island visit.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Our room faced East but we are early risers so the sun didn't bother us.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
The only complaint I have about my two-night stay at Kalaekilohana is that it wasn't nearly long enough. Kilohana's and Kenny's hospitality was marvelous and Kenny's imaginative meals delicious. Kenny and Kilohana truly treat their guests as members of their family. I can certainly understand why one of the couples staying there was returning for the tenth time! The inn is perfectly located for exploring the south and east sides of Hawai'i and Hawai'i Volcanoes NP. I hope to return in the future.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
This is one of the best small inns in which I have ever stayed. The inn and room are beautiful and spacious and the breakfasts and dinners are outstanding. But the most memorable aspect of this accomodation is the friendliness and hospitality of the two owners and hosts. Kilohana and Kenny are friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable: they set the tone for a convivial experience with the other guests. Every evenings hosts and guests gathered on the lanai to discuss the day's activities, future plans, Hawaiian culture and activities, and any other topic relevant to the group. Kilohana's and Kenny's recommendations made our day trips truly wonderful! We stayed there four nights. One day was spent at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's Kilauea site, hiking the Kilauea Iki trail through a rain forest and volcanic crater, taking Chain of Craters road to a rocky beach with a great view of a Sea Arch, and taking the Crater Rim drive to its end and stopping to observe the Kilauea Caldera and steam vents . We spend another day driving to South Point and walking to a Green Sand beach (about 5 miles round trip) and stopping at a food truck in a nearby town for a great Hawaiian lunch. We also drove to the Captain Cook area where we went to a historic park that was both home for Hawaiian royalty and a temple/place of refuge. Attending the talk by a ranger who had native Hawaiian ancestry, grew up in the area, and had ancestors who had been priests at the site was a truly educational cultural experience. We also went to a beautiful untouristed beach park nearby. Finally, we also visited the Kahuku unit of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for a beautiful hike through rolling hill country at the base of Mauna Loa. Kenny and Kolahana make coolers and beach chairs available to their guests, and even made us a picnic lunch! The breakfasts on the lanais and the dinners inside were truly wonderful. Kenny is an outstanding cook who uses locally grown fruits, vegetables, and eggs as much as possible. Even the meats were locally produced! We truly enjoyed our meals! But what we most enjoyed is that thanks to our hosts' tips and knowledge, as well as the inn's location, we were able to enjoy a relatively untouristy location (as compared with the Kona and Kohala resort areas) and learn a lot more about Hawaiian culture. We really got to appreciate Hawaii's history, culture, and hospitality on this trip, which was a memorable experience. I recommend this to anyone who wants to experience genuine Hawaiian vacation experience!…
Read more
Date of stay: April 2022
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: All the rooms looked great and are quiet! We stayed in the green room, which was spacious and...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Kenny and Kilohana and the house are amazing. That’s it, hands down. There is a reason they are the top rated place to stay on the Big Island. If you want to go to an expensive resort and miss an authentic connection to the true beauty of this place and its people, go ahead. But you will be missing a life-changing experience. The accommodations are stellar. We loved our room. Perfectly designed, extremely comfortable, and generously outfitted with everything we needed for a relaxing stay. Kenny is a real cook, and my professional chef husband and I loved the healthy, fresh, locally sourced breakfasts, and the gourmet dinners. Among our best meals in the Islands and including the “foodie” places. Best of all are Kilo and Keni. We put a lot of thoughtful research and planning into our vacations, but our hosts refined recommendations vastly improved on what we were hoping to do. Their advice made our trip the volcano magical, our beach day a day we wished would never end, and our nearby hike sweetly romantic. I am an introvert (yes, really!), but I looked forward to the after dinner chats with our hosts and the other guests on the lanai. Thank you K & K for birthday / anniversary trip memories we will savor forever. A hui hou, malama pono.…
Read more
Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: They are not open 365 / 7; plan ahead!
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
It's a peaceful retreat, fabulous food, airy comfortable rooms and charming fantastic hosts Kilohana and Kenny. It is truly Aloha at its best. The guests who come love adventure and come with interesting tales. Its our favorite place on the Big Island and we have come back and come back for more. The food prepared-is always fresh, organic, tasty, and they are interested if you have dietary issues. Kenny and Kilohana know all the great places to visit, hike to Green Beach or just relax on a quiet piece of space. We can not say enough about this beautiful spot in Paradise!
Read more
Date of stay: March 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Each of the four rooms are excellent
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
We had an absolutely wonderful experience here. Hospitality was unmatched during our stay. They genuinely cared about our experience both at their inn, and on the big island. After dinner, if you choose to, everyone gathers on the front porch to chat and discuss what their plans for the next day are. They provide a valuable service by telling you exactly what you are going to encounter, and how to navigate your chosen activity. The location lends itself for a trip to Volcano National Park, Green Sand Beach, or to the southernmost point of the US. They even went the extra mile and provided us with coolers and beach chairs to take with us on our stops. Everyone was eager to hear about our trip, proof that they were invested in our vacation. The food was great. Breakfast and coffee on the front porch is a memory that will stick with me. The room was large, plenty of room to move around, place your things, and never have the feeling of being cramped for space. The bathroom and shower were very nice. Overall, very clean and tidy, A+. Would recommend to anyone, young or old.…
Read more
Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
It is the perfect place to relax and unwind. The location is a quiet spot away from the resorts while being a short drive to all the wonderful places on the big island. Their hospitality, locally sourced gourmet breakfasts and dinners, and large appointed rooms made our two anniversaries stays special. Kilohana and Kenny are fantastic hosts. With their relaxing evening talks they got to know us and made suggestions for our next day adventures. Highly, highly recommended.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
PRICE RANGE
$445 - $504 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
kalaekilohana hotel naalehu
LOCATION
United StatesHawaiiIsland of HawaiiNaalehu
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Kalaekilohana
Which popular attractions are close to Kalaekilohana?
Nearby attractions include Paradise Meadows (0.4 miles), Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Kahuku Unit (2.2 miles), and Hawaii's Local Buzz (0.7 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Kalaekilohana?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Kalaekilohana?
Top room amenities include extra long beds, a view of the mountains, and a seating area.
What food & drink options are available at Kalaekilohana?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and complimentary tea during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Kalaekilohana?
Conveniently located restaurants include Hana Hou Restaurant, Ka Lae Coffee, and Taco Tita Take Out.
Are any cleaning services offered at Kalaekilohana?
Yes, self serve laundry and a clothes dryer are offered to guests.