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Rolling out of bed is a luxury. It’s the best part about staying at the Volcano House hotel in Volcanoes National Park. After donning a t-shirt and hiking pants, I meander down the staircase. It’s early morning, and although the lobby is packed with day visitors from 9 am to 5 pm, at this hour, there are only a few hotel guests milling about. Some guests are waiting for the opening of The Rim restaurant’s breakfast buffet, others, like me, are grabbing a quick dose of caffeine at the Coffee on The Rim coffee bar.
Macadamia Nut latte in hand, I stand at the wall of windows and savor the view. I understand why people book this hotel a year in advance. Watching the steam rise from the crater, only an hour after my eyelids open, is unforgettable.
It’s our first National Park hotel. Although we visit multiple National Park sites each year, we have never visited a park with an official hotel. We are curious to learn what the experience is and if it is worth the additional price.
The Grounds
Staying at Volcano House is the definition of “location is everything.” Some of the most popular Volcanoes National Park areas are accessible steps outside of the door.
You can visit the Kilauea Visitor Center and walk a portion of the Crater Rim Trail without a vehicle.
An easy walkable path will lead you to the Sulphur Banks Trail.
The rock wall on the Crater Rim Trail is a prime spot for volcano photos.
All of the windows at the back of the hotel provide breathtaking views of the Kilauea Crater.
Nature being nature, you must manage your expectations. Of course, you hope your visit coincides with a spectacle of red lava, but Pele doesn’t always want to make an appearance. The vast landscape of lava rock and rising steam is still stunning.
The lodge’s exterior is beautiful but understated.
It’s meant to blend into the landscape and keep nature the star of the show.
Walking through the Nahuku Lava Tube is the most sought after experience in Volcanoes National Park. One of the top benefits of staying at the Volcano House hotel in Hawaii is the ability to get up and be on the road before the day visitors descend. Though there are fellow hotel guests with the same idea, we get a good ten minutes with the lava tube completely to ourselves.
Stargazing on the Crater Rim Trail, directly behind the hotel, is supposed to be a stellar experience. Unfortunately the evenings were cloud covered during our stay. We were happy we stayed at Open Gate Hostel the night prior to soak up the star-filled-night sky.
The Main Level
The main level of the hotel is available for all Volcanoes National Park visitors to enjoy. The seating areas are packed with day visitors from 9am to 5pm. Once the crowd disperses, you can lounge by the fireplace in an unoccupied rocking chair.
The main level contains multiple seating areas, restaurants, and a gift shop. Even if you browse the Kilauea Visitor Center gift shop, it’s worth stopping into the hotel’s shop. There is a great selection of t-shirts, merchandise, and snacks.
Just a reminder, try your best to be a decent human. I encountered a woman in the gift shop who told the staff she didn’t need to buy anything in the gift shop because she was going to take a lava rock from the park.
“Why would I buy anything here when there are free souvenirs for the taking?”
The staff gently reminded her that removing nature from a national park is against the rules.
The lady responded,
“What are they going to do, search my pockets on the way out?”
The staff then mentioned that the volcano is a sacred spiritual place to many people, and it is thought that lava rocks removed from The Big Island are cursed by Pele. The lady huffed out of the shop, expressing that she found this information to be nonsense, and she was going to leave the park with a free souvenir.
Why? Even if you plan on breaking the rules, why would you feel the need to brag about your plan to the gift shop worker? This is why people hate tourists.
The Room
When staying at the Volcano House hotel, it’s good to understand that nature is the main attraction. The interior of the hotel is minimalist and plain. The color scheme is mainly brown and beige.
Our standard room is large and clean.
It contains a comfy bed, a small bathroom, and simple furniture. I’m not sure if it is outdated or if they are going for a hotel room from the Brady Bunch Hawaii episode vibe.
I appreciate that the toiletries provided in the bathroom were made from flowers in the National Park.
If you are dreaming of staying in a fancy tropical oasis, there are places you can stay outside of the park. Staying at the Volcano House hotel is for the location and ample volcano landscape views.
The Dining
The Rim Restaurant
The Rim is one of the most well-known National Park restaurants. You can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner while gazing out of the windows at the Kilauea Crater.
Dinner is the most popular meal, as diners hope to get a glimpse of red lava (if the volcano is active). You must make a reservation for dinner, and you must make that reservation months in advance.
Click here to read about our experience eating dinner at The Rim restaurant
Uncle George’s Lounge
If you aren’t able to secure a reservation at The Rim, you can get a no-reservations-needed meal at Uncle George’s Lounge. This eatery is open for lunch, dinner, or a drink in the bar area. Uncle George’s Lounge is a good option if you are traveling with the entire family and/or less adventurous eaters. Several of the menu items are the same items offered at The Rim, but in addition to The Rim’s gourmet cuisine, Uncle George’s Lounge serves up burgers and pizzas. We didn’t get food at Uncle George’s Lounge, but we did indulge in some tropical drinks.
If we had stayed at the hotel longer, I would have tried a meal at this casual Hawaiian pub.
Though there aren’t a ton of eating options while staying at Volcano House, after a long day exploring Volcanoes National Park, it’s nice to have at least two options that are a short walk from your room.
Tuk Tuk Food Truck
Located just outside the boundaries of Volcanoes National Park is the Tuk Tuk Food Truck. The food truck cooks up Thai Cuisine. It was an absolutely delicious meal.
Click hear to read more about our experience at Tuk Tuk Food Truck
Volcano Winery
Also located just outside of the National Park boundaries is Volcano Winery. Wineries are rare in Hawaii. We couldn’t pass up the chance to visit America’s Southernmost Winery.
They do not take reservations. It is walk-in only.
The only food offered at the winery is a snack plate or prepackaged tarts.
The tart is yummy, but messy if you plan on eating it in your car while driving around the park.
The main focus of the winery is the tastings. The wines were just okay, but the staff are fantastic and the overall experience is fun. If you are alcohol free, Volcano Winery also has a tea farm, and you can do a tea tasting instead of a wine tasting.
Conclusion
Was staying at the Volcano House hotel at Volcanoes National Park worth it?
We vote yes. This isn’t an upscale resort. There is no pool, hot tub, or game room. Evening activities involve dinner, followed by stargazing and perhaps if you are lucky, lava gazing. You stay here to be immersed in nature.
If I had one complaint, it would be a lack of breakfast options. A day of driving and hiking requires fuel. The Rim on-site restaurant offers a breakfast buffet, but this takes up precious park time. The coffee bar offers a small selection of pastries, but a spot to grab a banana, yogurt, or breakfast sandwich on the go would be nice.
If you plan on doing a basic exploration of Volcanoes National Park, two nights is enough. If you want to go on some longer (non-backcountry/camping) hikes in the park, you will need to add on an extra night or two.
Our favorite part of staying at a National Park hotel was location and ease of access to the park. It was wonderful waking up and having volcano views mere steps from our bed.
We relished the ability to hop in our rental car and see some of the park sites ahead of the tour busses and day visitors, and the privilege to spend a full-day seeing the sites without having to cut out early to drive to a hotel.
Stay at the Volcano House hotel for the morning and evening quiet. Stay for easily accessible trails, and above all, stay for the amazing nature.
***Due to volcanic activity or dangerous air quality due to volcanic activity the hotel and park will be evacuated.
Highly recommend downloading the Shaka Guide Audio Tour to use while driving around Volcanoes National Park
https://www.shakaguide.com/?via=sarah
