Hawaii Volcano House

The location of the Vulcano House within the national park, offering a direct view of Kīlauea and the entire crater, is sensational. The service team was consistently very friendly—but that is where the positives end. I have never before stayed in such a filthy and dilapidated hotel. Everywhere you look, there is nothing but dirt. Staying in the room was absolutely disgusting. The bedding was soiled; both beds were covered in long, dark hairs (we ourselves have blonde hair). There was toothpaste residue in the sink, and the towels were also dirty. We very politely asked at the front desk to have the room cleaned, but our request was ignored. We paid $1,200 for three nights here—every single dollar was a waste. I cannot recommend this hotel to anyone! An absolute nightmare!

Eating at the volcano house was incredible. I will never eat anywhere with a better view! The service was also top-notch. Our server Jon was so kind and attentive! He brought us a pair of binoculars when the lava started flowing. And the stickers at the end where the chefs kiss. The food came out quickly, and the recommendations were amazing. We loved every bit of it!

We ate at Uncle George’s Lounge and the whole experience was wonderful! The view was unreal and just breathtaking as we ate our delicious meals. The Mai Tai and Guava Frozen Cocktail was so refreshing. Our server, Mario, was very kind and helpful throughout our meal. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting!

If you want to experience Kilauea up close and personally, this is the only choice. In that regard it's unique and very special. Overall staff is really friendly and very helpful, so the rating is high. Management on the other hand is not entirely trustworthy. Be careful to ensure that they don't mess around with your room assignment or your view will be obscured. Even when you think you've arranged what you want, the manager can and will sometimes yank it out from under you. They will quickly quote that rooms are not guaranteed. This mantra is the true heart of their limited customer focus. We know this for a fact first hand, having had the manager arbitrarily reassign the room that we had specifically arranged for when we agreed to pay for the top class of room and extend our stay where we wanted to be. Even after the paperwork had been printed out with the correct room assigned and the staff had been entrusted to move the luggage into that room, the manager changed it without our knowledge, with no communication whatsoever, no customer request nor agreement, they opted on their own to put us exactly where we did not want to be because they had already taken our money. They then provided a discount rather than resolve the problem in any fashion that would have been acceptable. So we paid less for something that we didn't want at all, but were forced to accept. Setting aside the very unprofessional management, the site itself is extraordinary, so just be flexible and you can enjoy the unique setting.