On September 12th, 2011 I sent an email to Kilauea Volcano Cottages enquiring about accommodation in March 2012! On September 13th I received and email from Beate [--] from the Kilauea Volcano Cottages informing me of the availability of the cottage I would like to rent. It was available so I forwarded my credit card information to finalize the booking. I was expecting another quick response but to no avail. I waited almost a week before sending a follow up email. Still nothing. A third email was sent requesting my reservation. At about the third week mark I called the toll free number and spoke with Beate who said she was going to look into this when she got back to her office. That was two weeks ago and on October 3rd I sent an email once again to see what the delay was and that if I don't here back from them by today I would like to cancel my reservation request. I am mainly upset as Beate [--] has my credit card and billing address information and has so far proven untrusting in a professional sense. Clearly I no longer want to stay at Kilauea Volcano Lodges any longer and hope my credit cars will not be charged illegally!

Our family stayed at the Forest House. The location is beautiful and private, set in a lush rainforest just a few minutes from the Volcano National Park visitor's center. Volcano Village, the small town where the house was located, was very sparse and food/groceries were very limited, but if you want to visit the volcano, it's worth it to be so close. The 2-bedroom house has VERY dated furnishings and appliances. And, in addition to a musty/stale smell in much of the home, there were cobwebs around every window. The size and layout of the house is great for a family--large open spaces, an open kitchen and large dining table. However, there's no central a/c or heat, so to circulate the air and make the temperature more comfortable, you have to either open all the windows in the afternoon to cool the house or use space heaters or a wood-burning stove to heat the rooms. We did appreciate and make use of the washer and dryer in the house, and the shower heads were brand new with great water pressure. The manager is difficult to reach through the office number, but she was easier to reach with her cell. Because there were some clothes hanging in the closets, books on the shelves, and food in the refrigerator, we think this house has owners that visit somewhat often. We had mixed opinions about this house, but recognize that there are other houses available to rent with this property. I wouldn't recommend this specific house unless they did some updating and more thorough cleaning, but the overall location was beautiful and great for visiting the volcano. On a related note, be sure to pack clothes for cooler weather because the elevation here is about 4000 ft and it's very cool in the mornings and evenings.

Stayed at the Honeymoon Retreat ...a huge 2 bedroom home, gorgeous yard and setting
amidst a classic rainforest experience. Wonderful kitchen facility, Extremely quiet and comfortable rooms with a deck right outside the bedroom overlooking the grounds, but a very very private setting. Hot tub was a marvelous addition, but on top of that, a high quality Finnish sauna in a separate building (What a treat). Real easy to be comfortable and feel safe in this home. It was a magical stay.

30 miles from Hilo and next to the Volcano park, close to a great inn/restaurant, this 2 bedroom/2 bath home was a Garden of Eden at the end of the road, Idyllic , quite, with lush surroundings. Fine kitchen, exterior hot tub and separate sauna, all the requirements for a couple or close friends. Bring your fresh fish, cook and drink wine overlooking this grand private 2+ acre landscaped back yard. It is a place worth coming back to.