We decided to hire a car in Kona and drive south around the island towards the east coast, arriving in Hilo after dark. After finding the street of our hostel we drove up and back looking for 69 Waianuenue Ave but could only find Hilo Bay Hostel. In the end, we thought we may have more success on foot so got out and walked. We did eventually find an old looking warehouse with the words Hilo Backpackers Hostel printed on the side and my heart sank. Being the sister hostel of the Waikiki Backpackers Hostel in Oahu, I was expecting big things and so far this run-down abandoned looking building wasn’t living up to my expectation. It is set back from the road, separated by a large car park. The entrance, if you have a car, is actually from Kalakaua St. If you haven’t hired a car from Kona, you can fly into Hilo International Airport and catch a taxi to downtown Hilo ($15 – $25 USD).
I shouldn’t have judged it so quickly though, because after we got the official tour from Jared (who appeared to be running the hostel single-handedly), I was thoroughly impressed. It has the largest common room I have ever seen in a hostel, complete with a stage, kitchen facilities, gym equipment and TV with over 300 channels. There was also a second living area upstairs where you could escape to somewhere quieter to read or sleep (which I saw one girl doing, although not sure why she didn’t just sleep in her dorm room).
I would happily go back to Hilo Backpackers Hostel if I were to return to Hilo on a budget.
Rating: 83%
Atmosphere: 75%
This hostel had a very laid-back and homely feel to it. It was a place you were happy to hang out in (which we did one rainy afternoon when Jared put Pitch Perfect on for me after I told him I hadn’t seen it. It’s awesome by the way!) instead of place you needed to escape from.
Cleanliness: 80%
The place was very clean and I saw cleaners coming in to keep it that way. The shared bathrooms were in good condition and I felt comfortable barefoot showering.
Facilities (most important ones): 75%
– Free breakfast (toast, spreads, hot drinks, fresh fruit)
– Free wi-fi
– Free parking
– Cooking facilities
– Linen included
– Common room with cable TV and Dvds
Location: 90%
Great location, just one block back from the main street of Hilo.
Security: 85%
Hilo seems like quite a safe town in general, we were given two keys when we checked-in. One for the main door, which is locked after 10pm and one for our bedroom. There are no lockers in the bedrooms.
Staff: 95%
Jared was the only staff member we saw except for one other girl who arrived as we were checking out. Jared was an absolute legend, going above and beyond to help us out. Due to a last minute decision to stay an extra night, we had to transfer rooms which Jared did for us when were out for the day (even making up our beds), he lent us his personal phone charger and gave us all his tips for what to do around the island. He always seemed to be in a cheerful mood and was happy to help out with questions we had.
Every Country 