Aloha, this is Doug Arnott updating our Blog and apologizing for such a big gap since Christmas 2023.
So much has happened that time flew and here we are with word that a major East and Gulf coast Dock Strike was avoided but that workers will get $62 an hour. On the other side of the world we await anxiously to see Israel’s response to Iran’s attack and how that situation and Ukraine play out and what impact it may have on Tourism.
These things matter to travelers as airports can descend into Chaos when a destination is impacted by weather, war or maybe a Volcanic eruption as happened in Iceland some years ago.
This reminds me to remind you, our future guests to PLEASE buy Travel Insurance….there is a world of difference between finding a flight has been delayed or cancelled and you are going to have to overnight in a strange city…WITH INSURANCE and Without Insurance…..”With” is a breeze while without can be a stressful nightmare….many airlines offer it as a clickable item during the reservation process. Doug also recommends TSA precheck if you are a US citizen as it really simplifies those Security Check Lines.
Doug was highly honored a few days before Christmas 2023 to personally provide Hike transport to the Crew of the recent Orbital Flight of the SpaceX Capsule that spent five days in orbit on the Polaris Dawn mission. The Crew arrived at 4:30am in a beautiful corporate Jet to be greeted by me armed with Starbucks Coffee casks and enough McDonalds Egg McMuffins and Sausage Mcmuffins with egg to feed double the number of people….there is just “something” about Starbucks and McDonalds at 4:30am ahead of a grand adventure. Subsequently they Launched to space and had a highly successful mission, testing new minimalist spacesuits and some new Laser communications.
It is worth restating that here at Arnotts we have a range of accommodations and in many cases can customize our various room and Suite shapes and sizes to take care of your requirements….In business 34 years since August 1990 we have hosted every shape and size of group and every variable from Basic to Comfortable Cozy accommodations We do not pretend to compete with fancy or Luxury Hotels which have “Resort Fees”, charge for parking, and where it takes you an elevator and 10 minutes to get to your room. If you are older, like Doug our owner, we have ground floor rooms within 10 to 70ft of your car and no stairs or obstacles….if stairs are no problem we have just one level up….you do have to carry your own bag so bring appropriate sized bags.
The huge difference between Arnotts and all other Hotels in Hilo is that we are East along the coastline and outside the Harbor Breakwater. This means that within walking distance of our Lodge you have direct access to the sparkling blue Pacific Ocean, turtles, whales in season, and playful porpoises just offshore….in fact our location is at the head of a string of jewels of “Beach Parks” from kid friendly Onekahakaha to Carlsmith and on past a series of smaller parks to Richardson’s Ocean Center with full ADA facilities.
For those who may not want to rent a car, the County Bus, which is Free, passes nearby every hour and can take you quickly downtown to restaurants and the famous Hilo Farmers Market, or with a transfer to Prince Kuhio Mall and nearby Target, Safeway, Home Depot and of course Walmart….we even have a Ross..
As a guest at Arnotts you get a special rate on our Mauna Kea Summit Sunset and Stargazing Adventure in our rugged 4×4 vans to 13,700ft or 4200m. We can also assist you to book tours to the Volcano National Park or any number of tours of Farms, Ziplines, Kayaking or Foodie trips around our Multi Ethnic Town….be sure to try the amazing Mochi from Two Ladies Store…..you can even learn to sail during your stay.
Watch for major changes in flights and prices to and from Hawaii as Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines merge operations to make more efficient use of their mix of Aircraft….Alaska is exclusively Boeing 737 Max aircraft while Hawaiian has a mix of Boeing and Airbus and has larger wide body long haul aircraft for International flights to Japan, Australia, Tahiti and other South Pacific destinations.
We have two new Coffee venues nearby, one at our local Keaukaha Market and a new one across from SCP Hotel about a mile from Arnotts, both have similar coffees to Starbucks but using local premium coffees. The locally made Cookie selection at Keaukaha Market is outstanding.
These are very interesting times we are in right now so we will be blogging more frequently to keep you updated on Hawaii and Hilo and changes that may impact your travel….and PLEASE buy Travel Insurance!!
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