Uncle Billy's Hilo Bay Hotel

the hotel had nice location. The room was clean and equiped with stove and refrigerator, but carpet and fixtures were old. Elevator was only available to some rooms. It was dificult to walk up stair with luggage. Only two computers were in the lobby. But, they were not free, a little expensive to use.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

the birds squaking all night long was horrible!! they never shut up. never have experienced anything like this in my life. this was supposed to be a "superior" room and for what we paid for it, it should have been even a little better. moldy smelly room and a bathroom fan that sounded like an airplane, anyway, never again

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Hotel appears to be from the 50's, and would need a lot of TLC before I would be a proud owner. It is in a beautiful setting. Room was adequate.

Genuine Expedia guest review

The hotel we stay was pleasant the room service was great,and what I really like about it was the garden area. They also had complimery breakfast of papaya ,muffins, English muffins, wheat bread. and drinks for the morning. The stay along with the birds chipping at 5 p.m after that the koki frog making the noise.. But you get use to it. u

Genuine Expedia guest review

The rooms were really run down and there were uninvited critters in our room. You get what you pay for.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Hotel personal acted like they were family. Beds were very comfortable. Hotel was clean and breakfast was just right. I look forward to staying there again at the next family reunion.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

If you want a very basic room and plan to spend your money exploring the island, this hotel is fine. It does need to be renovated...there are cracks in the wall and the carpet us shabby. But it was clean. The location is good. The parking is limited. The 2nd floor and above are quiet.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Old hotel. Needs remodeling. Staff friendly and helpful. Nice location on the water. Good place to sleep at night and morning free continental breakfast before heading out for the day.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Good location to airport. Very good front desk service and the hotel is fairly clean. The hotel and rooms are little run down/outdated and needs refreshed and updated. Average hotel and included Wi-Fi is a nice benefit. Missed the included breakfast and can't comment on it.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Great location, great service. The hotel is very close to downtown and right off the shore. Besides the fact that the hotel is a little old, everything else was great.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Could use updating, general clean up, painting, bathrooms.

Genuine Expedia guest review

The hotel could use remodeling. The service was fine. The carpet could've used shampooing, but so could the rooms of an upscale condominium we stayed in. The continental breakfast was a disappointment. They really should provide dry cereal at least.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Friendly staff, older hotel. Air conditioning did not work. Door locks do not give you the sense of security unless the crime rate is very low. No eating places (only restaurant closed).

Genuine Expedia guest review

The location of this hotel is great, the staff is helpful. However, the hotel is older and it shows; much of the inside is shabby and the room was a bit grimy.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Uncle Billy's is not a luxury hotel (nor do they claim to be), but it is friendly, open, affordable and laid back, and the all you can eat papaya at breakfast is just the crowning touch. My husband and I stayed at the Kona-side Uncle Billy's when we first started dating, nearly 20 years ago, and had the fondest of memories. This August (2012) we went […] back, now to the Hilo side (with some apprehension given some of the negative reviews I read) and loved it all over again! It's family-style, and that is what makes the Big Island so special. Oh, and Andy Bumatai was playing when we were there -- wow!! :) Thanks for the memories, Uncle Billy & co.!! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Overall, the story about Uncle Billy on the Big island as i understand it is, he is a stingy man. He gives the least amount and will get the most if he can. His motel in Hilo still has old school keys and if you lose one they charge you $20,the place is bare minimum, not that i am one of the chosen few who think they should always be fed the red carpet […] either. Unfortunately, the night we stayed we attended a reggae fest in Hilo as did many of our neighbors, they stayed up till 4:30 in the morning partying and moving furniture it seems?, the long night was capped with a young girl vomiting off the balcony next to us, sure uncle Billy isn't responsible for that behavior but that was our experience, we will stay elsewhere next year and let him count his money in peace. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The hotel does need to rennovate if they could. Everything, carpet, furnishings, are old. The staff is very friendly and accomodating and the continental breakfast was good. Hope the hotel can rennovate and be around. If so, I would come back.

Genuine Expedia guest review

We had a 'superior' room looking into the central garden area with partial ocean view ....it was really beautiful. At night u can hear bird calls from the trees in the garden. The back of the hotel has spectacular views of the ocean and mountain. Rooms were great and the staff was very helpful. Continental breakfast was adequate. Parking is limited, […] so you might have to park on the street outside if you come back later in the night. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Unlike what I had heard online, this hotel is not that bad. Infact, I really enjoyed my stay here. The room I got was nice and quite spacious, as compared to the other hotels on other islands, for the same rate. The hotel is situated right in front of the backwaters and not too fr from the Hilo airport. The only thing some might find annoying is the […] sound of the crickets all night. Nonetheless, I would recommend this place to anyone who is planning to stay in Hilo. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This is an old hotel but, it has a real kamaina (local)feel. The room is very basic but also clean. Staff is very friendly and helpful.My only complaint is there is not enough adequate parking! If you show up in the middle of the day there is usually a lot of room in the parking lot. I had a late night and when I got back to the hotel I was told to […] find parking on the street. I am a woman travelling alone the thought of parking on a dark street was ridiculous so, I ended up parking illegally in a loading zone praying I would get towed. I was so paranoid I got up early to move the car. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Older hotel in need of a little upgrading (bathroom mirror fell off the wall but didn't break...thankfully). Hotel staff were pleasant and helpful. Parking was limited especially with the county working on tree trimming project thus limiting parking on the street. Kokes (little loud croaking frogs) were everywhere...took a couple of days to adjust to […] their noise at night. Enjoyed the stay. Read more

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Staff was wonderful and immediately addressed issuses to my satisfaction. Hotel is old but packed with lots of rustic charm. Garden is beautiful. Breakfast was great.

Genuine Expedia guest review

This place is not for everyone, as it is an old hotel, but I loved it. Our check in clerk was very friendly and made us feel comfortable from the get go. Kudos to her. Unfortunately, I cannot remember her name, but she was the Tues. night gal. She upgraded us to an ocean front room which was fantastic. Sliding doors on both sides provided amazing breezes. […] Coqui frogs are abundant and loud, if you are not used to loud....this may be taxing. For me....it was heaven. Read more

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Different from the standard resort hotel experience - old style but clean and comfortable. Nice size room and great location.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Love the hotel. We booked a double bedroom and there are actually two double beds and one single bed. Good for us. The kids had their own bed instead of sharing. The shop are excellent. We love the ice cream there. Free breakfast. The only issue if we have to say is there are lot of birds and they love to sing/talk.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Very helpful staff and I will stay here again. If you are an adventurist, as we are, it's not that bad of a walk to the airport 1 mile.

Genuine Expedia guest review

You can hear the birds and animals at night. It's hard to sleep. The hotel is old and need upgrading. Hotel staff are helpful. Free breakfast was okay. You can hear the planes from the runway. The air condition was noisy. The exhaust fan in the restroom was noisy, like an airplane taking off.

Genuine Expedia guest review

This hotel is fine for a couple of days. It has air conditioning which is great. It is clean, but slightly musty (nothing ever really seemed to dry, but that may be as much Hilo as anything else). The staff was friendly, and gave us a room with an extra bed at no extra charge, which helped because we have 8 & 4 year old girls that don't always get along […] at night. It was a good location for our day trips to the volcano, lava tubs, Puna Black Beaches & tidal pools. I don't think I would have wanted to stay there for much longer than we did (4 days) but it was fine for what we needed and we could not beat the price. We are a family of four, but this hotel would be fine for just about anyone. The free Wifi was great. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Uncle Billy's use to have a cute bar area They also were connected with the resturant that had a nightly Hula show. Without that the hotel is too run down too hold its own Sorry

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Old and moldy chairs on the balcony. Inside smelled of mold. The pillow smelled of sweat. I asked for more sheets because when I looked under ours there was human hairs of some kind on the mattress cover, The hotel staff was very pleasant and helpful. I would highly suggest investing in cleaning the rooms but that would mean removing the carpets and […] mold. Completly redo the bathrooms. We remained there for our 2 night stay only because of the staff. The surrounding garden areas and views were beautiful but the rooms did not stand up by comparison. Old smelly rooms that clearly needed modern updates seemed out of character for the surroundings. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

The hotel was a little run-down but good location, very nice park close by. Very good price. Pool was very small, but you can swim in the bay, which is nice.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Great staff. Fantastic location. Fantastic value. This is kind of a weird place that appears locked in the past which is not a bad thing. The hotel is right on Hilo Bay and close to everything. While not remodeled in a long time, our room was clean enough and our balcony looked out to the bay. If I was planning on spending a lot of time in the room […] or expecting a resort I would have been disappointed, but we wanted a central location that was away from any traffic and this fit the bill. The breakfast was fine, albeit not terribly creative, and the staff was very helpful. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Everything was pretty decent. The room was pretty clean, had a great location and not that crowded. The beds and bathroom were nice, but of course not the most up to date. If you're looking for cheap and decent then this is the place. If you will be out a lot and just come back home at night to sleep and shower and relax for a little bit, then it's […] perfect for that. Since I'm on a budget, this hotel was great for me. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Breakfast could have been better and the rooms could use a refreshing touch. The hotel is right on the water and provides for great walks and views. If you are looking for a beach, you need to find another spot. The hotel is convenient to everything if you have a rental car. You can walk to an outstanding park which is about 3 blocks from the hotel […] . Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We booked this at the last minute with nothing else available. The staff is very friendly and had a better room for us to stay in (4 adults) than Expedia offered. We were able to get 2 double beds and a fold out couch. However, the towels were terrible and the fan in the bathroom had an exposed wire directly above the shower. The elevator smelled very […] musty. I knew this was not a great hotel from ratings I had seen but it worked for the one night we stayed. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

It was very comfortable for the price that we paid. It was clean, maintained and had all the ammenites that we needed.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Basic hotel - 2 double beds rather than a queen bed. Wireless internet included (worked well). Clean and friendly staff - gave us an excellent recommendation for dinner within walking distance. Parking available out the front of the hotel. Excellent view of ocean and Japanese garden.

Genuine Expedia guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

This hotel needs some major updating. It felt like a college dorm stuck in the 1980's that hadn't been updated. We didn't notice any bugs or pests, but upon walking into the room, we were a little worried that there might be as the carpet was such a dark green colour that it would hide all traces of any bugs and dirt. The frogs in the area are very […] loud - which isn't the fault of this hotel... but the balcony windows could not surpress the sounds of them during the night. The walls looked like they have been painted 100x's over. Bathroom fan was very strong and loud (can be a positive and/or negative). Towels could use some fabric softener. The pool was not inviting and the beach (rock) front was nothing to be excited about. There was free breakfast with papayas, toast, jam, juice & coffee - all decent, except for the coffee which tasted very bitter. Elevators were small & old - we used the stairs most of the time since we stayed on the 2nd floor. Parking is extremely limited and on a first-come basis... but it's free. We had to park along the street one of the nights. The staff that helped us were very friendly and kind - no complaints there. Based on the price, it's an okay place to stay - but don't expect much. We literally used it as a place to camp because we went out early in the morning until late at night. Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Nice ambiance,gives the feel of old Hawaii,in a nice comfortable way. Hotel shows her age,but she earns her respect from it. Feels like you stepped into a sixties movie, like you might bump into Elvis, or Annette Funicello,in the lobby. Being right on Hlio Bay gives Uncle Billy's a great Atmosphere. I will do it again! Make sure to meet the flower lady,she […] had been delivering free flowers to the Hotel for over fifty years. She is a real sweetheart! Read more

Genuine Expedia guest review

Uncle Billy's is a bit outdated, and with the climate of Hilo, looks to be run down. The service was fine, breakfast OK, and our beds clean and comfortable. It doesn't pretend to be a resort hotel, but was fine for our needs.

Genuine Expedia guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Yes, Uncle Billy's is an aging building but there is a certain local character and charm to it. The staff was friendly and helpful. The room had all the basics that we needed and was clean. Considering the very reasonable rates the free parking, wi-fi and basic continental breakfast is a great deal! There are a couple pretty parks just down the street […] and restaurants in walking distance. The location right on the water is picturesque. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Uncle Billy's is fairly classic -- simple, Hawaiian style from several decades ago. Small garden but with water and red-painted fences, our breakfast had all-you-can-eat papaya. The room was spacious and comfortable, but the plumbing looked old. Location is good (where lots of other hotels are too), basically if you have a car. Close to the airport. […] There was no real view from our window, but a comfortable lanai (balcony). Sheets are synthetic rather than cotton. Staff is very friendly. In the morning, in the lobby, they offer a free flower for the ladies -- ours were beautiful red and orange hibiscus. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel was in a great location and yet relatively close to the airport.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Great stay at Uncle Billy's Hilo. It is a nice hotel, nice place to see things in Hilo and Volcano. We would stay there again. It is not a resort, or fancy. But, it is comfy and safe.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Without proper maintenance I personally don't think this hotel will be around much longer. The hotel is taking a beating from the ocean. Area around hotel lacks good eating places within walking distance. Sound of tree frogs until 2 in the morning was different. Front desk staff were very nice. Almost time to retire Uncle Billy's, Hilo.

Genuine Expedia guest review