By the Where to Stay in Hawaii editorial team · Updated November 5, 2026
The Short Answer
Stay at Volcano House, the only hotel inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, if you want to walk out to the crater rim early or late. Otherwise, Volcano Village, just outside the park entrance, has small rainforest inns and cottages such as Kilauea Lodge.
Stay in Hilo if you want more hotels and restaurants and a short drive to the airport. It is about 45 minutes from the park. Volcano is cooler and wetter than the coast, so pack layers and a rain jacket.
Hilo and Volcano Compared
| Area | Best for | To the park | Downsides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside the park | Crater views, early and late visits | You're there | One hotel with 33 rooms |
| Volcano Village | Rainforest inns, quiet | About 5–10 min | Few restaurants; cool and damp |
| Hilo | Town, waterfalls, more hotels | About 45 min | Rainy; older hotels |
Map of Volcano Hotels
Volcano Village is just outside the park entrance, and Volcano House sits on the crater rim inside the park.
Map prices come from Booking.com and other partners through Stay22. Enter your dates on the map to see live rates.
Search all Volcano stays →Inside the Park and in Volcano Village
Stay here to be at the crater rim early, late or after dark.
Volcano House
Crater rim, inside the national park, Volcano
Our top pick: the only hotel inside the national park, on the rim of Kīlauea caldera.
Best for: Volcano views at night
- On the rim of Kīlauea caldera
- Crater-view rooms
- The Rim restaurant and Uncle George's Lounge
More about this hotel
The only hotel inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, on the rim of Kīlauea caldera, with crater-view rooms looking toward Halemaʻumaʻu. The park entrance fee is not included and parking is limited.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Hawai‘i Volcanoes NPS, Public domain
Kilauea Lodge
Old Volcano Rd, Volcano Village
A 12-room inn with a restaurant, about a mile from the park entrance.
Best for: Couples near the volcano
- About a mile from the park entrance
- Fireplaces in several rooms
- Restaurant and covered hot tub
More about this hotel
A cozy 12-room inn in the rainforest about a mile from the park entrance, with gas fireplaces in several rooms, a covered hot tub and its own restaurant. There are no TVs in the rooms and no elevator.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Volcano Village Lodge
Volcano Village rainforest
Five rainforest units with fireplaces and breakfast delivered each morning.
Best for: Quiet couples
- Five rainforest units
- Breakfast delivered each morning
- Fireplaces
More about this hotel
Five private rainforest units with fireplaces, and breakfast delivered to your room each morning. The park entrance is about five minutes' drive away.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Volcano Rainforest Retreat
Volcano Village
Four cottages with private hot tubs, about 10 minutes from Kīlauea.
Best for: Couples who want privacy
- Four private cottages
- Private hot tub at each cottage
- Kitchens or kitchenettes
More about this hotel
Four private cottages in the rainforest, each with a private hot tub and a kitchen or kitchenette, plus breakfast served in your cottage. Kīlauea is about 10 minutes away.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer), CC BY 4.0
Map of Hilo Hotels
The Hilo hotels line Banyan Drive on Hilo Bay, a short drive from the airport.
Map prices come from Booking.com and other partners through Stay22. Enter your dates on the map to see live rates.
Search all Hilo stays →Hilo Hotels
More rooms and restaurants, about 45 minutes from the park.
Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo, a DoubleTree by Hilton
Banyan Drive, Hilo Bay
A three-tower DoubleTree on Hilo Bay, with a nine-hole golf course.
Best for: A full-service Hilo base
- On Hilo Bay
- Nine-hole golf course
- DoubleTree by Hilton
More about this hotel
A three-tower hotel on the Banyan Drive peninsula facing Hilo Bay, with the only golf course in town (nine holes). It was renovated in 2016 and runs as a DoubleTree by Hilton.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Yoshi Canopus, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
Banyan Drive, facing Coconut Island, Hilo
An older bayfront hotel facing Coconut Island, close to the airport.
Best for: Easy Hilo stays
- Oceanfront on Hilo Bay
- Pool and Bull Shed restaurant
- Free parking
More about this hotel
An older bayfront hotel looking across to Coconut Island and, on clear days, Mauna Kea. It has a pool, the Bull Shed restaurant and free parking, and it is about 2 miles from Hilo airport.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Yoshi Canopus, CC BY-SA 4.0
SCP Hilo Hotel
Banyan Way, Reeds Bay, Hilo
A renovated budget hotel with free bikes and paddleboards.
Best for: Active budget travelers
- Outdoor pool
- Free bikes and paddleboards
- 24/7 market and free morning coffee
More about this hotel
A renovated, eco-minded hotel by Reeds Bay with a pool, free bikes and stand-up paddleboards, and a 24-hour market. There is no restaurant on site.
Opens Booking.com with prices for your dates
Photo: Yoshi Canopus, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hilo and Volcano Hotels at a Glance
Prices change by date and room type, so check your own dates on Booking.com before you decide.
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Volcano HouseCrater rim, inside the national park, Volcano · Mid-rangeVolcano views at nightCheck prices -
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Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo, a DoubleTree by HiltonBanyan Drive, Hilo Bay · Mid-rangeA full-service Hilo baseCheck prices -
Hilo Hawaiian HotelBanyan Drive, facing Coconut Island, Hilo · Mid-rangeEasy Hilo staysCheck prices -
| Hotel | Location | Price level | Best for | Prices | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Volcano House
Historic lodge
|
Crater rim, inside the national park, Volcano | Mid-range | Volcano views at night | Check prices |
|
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Kilauea Lodge
Country inn
|
Old Volcano Rd, Volcano Village | Mid-range | Couples near the volcano | Check prices |
|
|
Volcano Village Lodge
Rainforest cottages
|
Volcano Village rainforest | Mid-range | Quiet couples | Check prices |
|
|
Volcano Rainforest Retreat
Rainforest cottages
|
Volcano Village | Mid-range | Couples who want privacy | Check prices |
|
|
Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo, a DoubleTree by Hilton
Bayfront hotel
|
Banyan Drive, Hilo Bay | Mid-range | A full-service Hilo base | Check prices |
|
|
Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
Bayfront hotel
|
Banyan Drive, facing Coconut Island, Hilo | Mid-range | Easy Hilo stays | Check prices |
|
|
SCP Hilo Hotel
Eco hotel
|
Banyan Way, Reeds Bay, Hilo | Budget | Active budget travelers | Check prices |
Hotel details checked on November 5, 2026.
Visiting Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
- Check the eruption status first. Kīlauea has been erupting in episodes within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, inside the park. Activity starts and stops, so check the National Park Service's eruption page shortly before your visit.
- Hours and fees: the park is open 24 hours a day, every day. Entry is about $30 per vehicle, and Volcano House room rates don't include it.
- Construction: the park warns of closures and delays from a two-year construction project in the summit area, so check its conditions page.
- Lodging: Volcano House, with 33 rooms, is the only hotel inside the park.
Getting to Hilo and Volcano
- Hilo International Airport (ITO) is about 2 miles from the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on Banyan Drive.
- Hilo to the park: about 45 minutes, 30 miles on Highway 11.
- Kona to the park: 2–2.5 hours by the southern route, or 2.5–3 hours via Waimea and Hilo. In late September 2026, Hurricane Nolo caused flooding and closures in Kaʻū and Puna, including along Highway 11, so check road conditions.
- Kona to Hilo: about 1.75–2 hours across the island. For the dry west coast, see Kona and the Kohala Coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to help you choose where to stay.