Hot Property

We nearly missed the turnoff to the small town of Volcano Village. Most people drive by without even realizing it, headed to the state’s largest visitor attraction, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the erupting Kilauea volcano on the Big Island.

Fortunately, we had a long weekend stay planned, but as we found out, a few days proved barely enough time to discover the charms of the town and its cozy range of accommodations as well as taking in the vantage points the island afforded at its southern and northern ends.

Being less than two miles from the national park entrance also allowed us to make multiple daytime and nighttime excursions to our primary destination: the volcano. From the 3,800-foot elevation, we saw the rainforest’s giant ferns and trees hanging over the narrow, sometimes one-lane streets. In the town below there were no stop signs, stoplights or sidewalks, and according to locals, two cars make for traffic. But hidden behind the lush vegetation was the town’s industry of vacation rentals and bed and breakfasts.

Often for less than the price of a hotel room, visitors can enjoy the privacy of a B&B or cottage, and if families or friends travel together, the accommodation prices can be a great deal.

Our first night’s stay was at Hale Mahinui, a two-story cedar house situated on a one-acre property. The large two-bedroom, one-bathroom home is marketed as a private, romantic getaway for $185 a night and sleeps as many as six, with an additional charge of $15 per person beyond the double rate.

The door was left unlocked for our arrival, and as we stepped inside, we first saw an inviting country-style dining table, fully set, and a large fireplace. The loft upstairs provided amazing views of the ohia trees. After hiking four hours to the spectacular lava flows after sunset, we could only think of soaking our tired feet and bones in the hot tub on the deck.

Vacation rental manager Beate Arnopole oversees 12 properties owned by others, including Hale Mahinui, through her company Kilauea Cottages. While a quaint, one-bedroom cottage starts at $95 a night, her largest property, the Aloha Retreat and Lodge, rents for $560. The 5,000-square-foot ranch home is located on 30 acres in Upper Volcano Village and is available for small group retreats, workshops or reunions.

One of the newer vacation rentals in Volcano Village offers high-end accommodations at $240 a night. Nohea is a one-bed, one-bath dream home with a spa. From inside, the multiple roof arches and windows make the Douglas fir home feel suspended in the midst of the forest. Through the bedroom’s stained-glass sliding doors we had a view of a red tropical bird against the blue sky, while a canopy of trees enveloped the other three sides of the room. Granite floors extended from the bathroom, which featured a double-head shower spa, to a room with an enclosed whirlpool tub. Other high-tech amenities included a lighting and sound system, high-speed Internet and flat-screen TV.

Two adjoining properties owned by proprietor Kathryn Grout are Kate’s Volcano Cottage, a studio cottage for $95 a night; and the two-bedroom, one-bath Kahi Malu for $125. Grout also manages the historic Volcano Village vacation rental home, Hiiaka which will run clients $150 a night. The three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath building reflects an arts-and-crafts style of the 1930s.

Aurelia Gutierrez offers 11 vacation rental properties, owned by others, through her company Hawaii Volcano Vacations. The properties range from two- to four-bedroom units, starting from $125 to $180; all are private and self-sufficient.

We stayed at the two-bedroom, one-bathroom cedar log home, Pete & Shirley’s place Hale Sweet Hale at $135 per night. Visitors are asked to confirm their arrival and departure times so the key can be left under the mat and the lights can be turned on prior to arrival. After a few nights dining out at the four restaurants in town, we enjoyed cooking a meal on the gas BBQ on the back deck, which also held a hot tub. Afterward, we avoided the computer equipped with high-speed Internet, and instead, lit a fire in the wood-burning stove and stayed in for the night.

We enjoyed mostly warm, sunny days during our visit. The town’s average daytime temperature hovers in the low 70s, but the ubiquitous umbrellas placed at most doorways still get used; no surprise, considering the annual rainfall is more than 100 inches.

Of course, the cool, rainforest conditions are what drew people to build vacation homes here in the first place, in contrast to the arid, coastal areas.

“It’s such a different experience, being in the forest,” said Beate Arnopole of Volcano Gallery. Everything in Volcano Village has a forest view, she added, and at night visitors can gaze upward at the stars.