We stayed at the Hilo Country Club for two nights in March. The first night we had a terrible room. It was not as clean as I would have liked and it faced a noisy parking lot with a VERY noisy fan just outside the lanai that kept us awake at night. We actually considered pulling out the sleeping bags to avoid the sheets. The person at the front desk when we checked in was either very shy or very rude.
The next morning we decided to hunt for a room elsewhere but the new front desk person, who was incredibly friendly and helpful, showed us a new room. We actually had to double check that it was the same price. It was very clean with an updated kitchen. The lanai had a beautiful ocean and pool view and was very quiet so we decided to stay. At $78 a night, I'd say night 2 was great value. If you decide to stay here, have a look at the room first and if you don't like it ask for a different one. The day staff are much nicer to deal with than the night staff.

Back in December, I reserved a studio condo at this complex through a website called frbo.com (not to be confused with vbro.com). I viewed the attractive color pictures from every angle, and everything looked satisfactory. Of course the price was very low, but we'd been in Hilo before and knew that the tourist infrastructure was, to say the least, undeveloped. I dealt via email with the owner, Casey Carlton; she confirmed there was free parking and wireless internet. I called the complex directly to make the reservation.
I did read some terrible things about this place on tripadvisor, but didn't take them too seriously. Bad mistake ...
Should explain we needed to be in downtown Hilo because DH was going stargaxing on Mauna Kea and needed an easy drive back.
Arrived at County Club. Open-air lobby; okay, but the desk clerk was behind bullet-proof plexiglas, around whose counter lolled a huge slab of tattooed beef - evidently the security guard, but he was scary enough to me. I noticed a couple (two exactly) Vegas-like consoles parked on the concrete walkway; this was the "wireless internet", as it turned out.
Now the real surprise. "You can't have that unit," said the clerk,"there's somebody already in it." What??? "Yeah, I guess the owner rented it to a friend of hers." Butbutbutbutbut ..."I can let you have another unit," shrugged the clerk, "it's just like it. They're all the same."
Against my better judgment, the big guy led DH and I along the filthiest hall I have ever seen, into the most degraded, scratched, graffiti'd, groaning and rickety elevator in my experience (and I'm from NYC), along a stinking carpet and into a foul hole about the size of a college dorm room, with a bed, chairs, and TV crammed into it somehow and a "lanai" that looked ready to drop five stories if anything weightier than an ant stepped on it.
We did not take the room. Very fortunately for me, no money ever exchanged hands, since the idea of recovering a deposit from this owner didn't seem like a fun activity.
Humiliating experience with a phone book, how retro; "Big Island Revealed" doesn't list B&Bs, but we had stayed last year at the Kulaniapia FallsB&B, and tried that place first. No luck; none at the Shipman House either, which costs $189. a night; then I remembered having seen Maureen's B&B on the Web, called their number, and our problems were over. I'll write a review of Maureen's next.
Bottom line: the "County Club Condo/Hotel" is Skid Row. Don't go anywhere near it, unless someone is paying you to do a sociological survey.

I have lived on the Island of Hawai'i for over 17 years - coming here from Oahu. This is the first place I stayed and I still strongly recommend them. There have been some management changes over the years but this has never affected the service. Some rooms are better than others due to private ownership at some point. The staff is friendly and more than willing to try make you comfortable. Just tell them what you want - do you want to watch tv? Do you want a great bath? Let them know what is important to you - and they will try to help. The rates are great when you think about it -- steps from the beach in paradise..... Let's see -- save on the room so you can spend more on the experience. Brilliant!!!! Security is great here and you get a comfortable home base for your Big Isle experience. I highly recommend for the budget traveler or just the traveler that knows the destination is more important that where you lay your head - as long as certain basic needs are taken care of satisfactorily. A great place for those here on business, visiting relatives or just on vacation.

My partner and I stay at Country Club Condo Hotel every year and have been staying there for the last 4 Winters. When I read the "nightmare" reviews - this has not been our experience. We stay on the 5th floor, in a room without a balcony but big windows, lots of light and a nice view. The room is exceptionally quiet, any bar noise is at the other end of the hotel in the suites overlooking Banyan Drive not at the end overlooking the Hilo harbour and pool area. The hotel has seen better days that's for sure, but for a budget hotel it represents excellent value. The staff ARE friendly and the place is clean. The hotel is old and in need of repair but with the lease still in negotiation, the owners need to sort that out before they invest the money needed up upgrade the elevators and hallways.

Some rooms have been completely refurbished and are very nice. There's a mixture of Hawaiian families living at the Banyan Drive end and short and longer term tourists living at the other end. People have been returning to this hotel for years and years.

The best thing about this hotel is the location. It simply cannot be beat. Lots of great walking along Banyan Drive and then through the beautiful Japanese Gardens and park a short walk from the hotel. Coconut Island has been completely redone as well.

There is lots to recommend this hotel if you're realistic about its age and the price you're paying.