Volcano House, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

I had read the reviews about the Volcano House before I visited it last week. I was pleasantly pleased. I found the rustic atmosphere relaxful and calm. The views were awesome. The food was great and I felt the staff was congenial and helpful. I wish they had a soda machine as there was no place to get soda after the bar closed. I was first upset they didn't have a television in every room, but after the first day, i enjoyed the serenity. It forced to go for walks or just enjoy the scenery.

We had read some negative reviews, but decided to take the chance on the Volcano House. We are very glad we did! The location is exotic, the views from the public places (and some rooms) are wonderful, the staff was helpful and charming. The public lounge was wonderfully rustic, a great place to relax. Our first reaction to the restaurant's menu was a gasp - it looked expensive! However, it was our first meal on this Hawaiian trip, and we hadn't realized how expensive all restaurants are (even the cheap ones!) are. So we have revised our opinion to moderately expensive but not at all out of line with the excellent food and service. It really was a very nice meal. The back of the hotel looks out on Kiluea's active crater, and a park guide gives the same excellent tour from there that is given at the Jaggar Museum - except there are a lot less people at the hotel tour. We strongly recommend a night (or more) at the Volcano House.

When else can you stay right on the rim? Cool at night and like you're in a different world. But then Hawaii is like nowhere else on earth!

The room was beyond threadbare. The reading lamps on the bed had spliced wires with black tape. I spent two nights wondering what the fire marshall was doing. Just know that all food and lodging on the volcano are VERY expensive. Take a cooler.

The only thing that I disliked about the hotel was the Black Mold in the shower. A little clorox could have taken care of it. The rest of the experience was wonderful and I would like to stay there again. I wouldn't book the deluxe room next time. I would request a Crater view in one of the standard rooms. I loved hanging out by the fireplace, the restaurant was ono-licious and the staff was very friendly and informative. I especially loved the feeling I had there, it was very relaxing. Mahalo from Kauai...

Run down and shabby, no fridge or coffee-making facilites in the room, no clock-radio, the bar man and snack bar staff resented filling our ice bucket, the manager and staff seem to resent queries from customers, foam coffee cups. Give it a miss and stay at nearby Volcano village.

Had been looking forward to having the buffet lunch and enjoying the nice view from Volcano House. The buffet was disappointing. Food scarce and not good what little we did manage to get. The two people we had contact with, the cashier for the buffet and in the gift shop were both on personal phone calls. Most of the tables were not cleaned and still had dirty dishes on them Next time we will by pass and save ourselves the $30+ and pack our lunch!

We booked this early - heard that the view was the best - well it is but we chose to stay in Hilo instead. Why? The Volcano house is a throwback to the 1950s in terms of facilities - there is no A/C, no real heat, the room furnishings were last updated back then and the security is nil. Each room is fully accessible to the public (who wander thru the room areas in great abundance since the Volcano House is very small and the tour buses all stop there for the daily mediocre lunch buffet). The place goes to sleep at 6 PM, and if you need a Coke or snack - you better be prepared to drive halfway to Hilo or Kona to get it! We saw the Volcano National Park in its entirety in a day and saw the lava flow at night down along the coastline but hightailed it back to Hilo for better accommodations and a nightcap under electric lights and cool ocean breezes.

In the old days when the Volcano House was managed by the Sheraton chain, it was run much more efficiently. The food in the dining room was good, the service great, the lobby, fireplace lounge and bar were well managed. Now the owners are tying to run it themselves, and are not keeping the place up. To generate revenue, they encourage tour buses full of tourist to stop in for meals, crowding the dining room. They now have buffet services for breakfast and lunch, instead of waiters. The lobby fireplace area has old furniture, poorly positioned and maintained. The bar has irregular hours. In short, the experience was not up to par, even for a "lodge like" operation. We requested a volcano view room, but the door lock did not work and they had to put us in a room facing the parking lot. I've stayed there five times during the last 25 years - but not again. Like a previous reviewer said, there are bed and breakfast placaes in Volcano Village that offer better value. (Kilauea Lodge is recommended).

It's a great place to go if Volcanoes are your interest. Great view of the Kilaeua Crater, rain both days we were there. Morning fog burns off by 8-9am. It's a very old building, no elevator if your on the 2nd floor, you'll carry your bags up the stairs. Limited creature-comforts in rooms. No TV, no Coffie Pot, no Radio, their is a Phone in the rooms though. Buffet is pricy and at best "average" in quality. If your into "Roughing It" this is the place. Kind of an artsy, athletic, hiking, outdoors, old-hippy type crowd.