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Happy Thanksgiving 2024

November 26, 2024 By Doug Arnott Leave a Comment

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 and Mahana are hard at work beautifying the Lodge for your visit!*

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.

*Arnott’s celebrated 34 years in business this year*

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.

*Sunset at Lili’uokalani Gardens in Hilo*

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!!

Throwback to ’95

October 6, 2023 By Sarah Garcia

This past week we were given a gift in the form of several photos of Arnott’s Lodge and our Mauna Kea tour all the way back from 1995! We want to say a special thank you to Geerten Kalter of Delft, Holland, for sending us his pictures. We have been in operation since 1990 and are so grateful to all the people we’ve met along the way. Things sure have changed!

One of our original tour vehicles. You have to love the old suburban.

The front of Arnott’s Lodge. A lot has changed!

2023 starts with a new Kilauea eruption

January 15, 2023 By Doug Arnott

Aloha to Arnott’s Guests and future guests!
This is an update to the current status of the Kilauea volcano and its eruption. As of January 10th, 2023, there is a spectacular lake of molten lava with one fountain that varies from a few to 30 feet or more in height (10m +.)
The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park staff have have prepared great viewing areas that are very close to the crater and allow spectacular photography. Be aware, however, that the full show does not begin until the sun sets (currently around 6:00 p.m.) and that large crowds and long waits for parking can be expected until about 9:00 p.m.
After 9:00 p.m. and until around 4:00 a.m. there are very few people in the park. It can be very cold at that elevation at night, so bring warm clothes and a hat or beanie for your head.

The lava lake at Halema’uma’u Crater, as of January 19th, 2023

According to information we learned, but did not observe; around 4:00 a.m. those who want to see the lava and also the sunrise begin to arrive and it may get more crowded.

The first thing to know is that eruptions can stop and start over very short time spans, and there are excellent websites with cameras constantly broadcasting up-to-the-minute information. https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/webcams

The next thing to know is that Hawaii, like the rest of the world, is critically short-staffed so do not book late flights into Hilo. If they are delayed, there may be no Uber, Lyft, or Taxis available, and rental car agencies do not wait up for you. You may spend the night at the airport! Buy travel insurance that covers delays.

Pack light, and use bags that YOU can carry and load, as there is no one to load your bags for you.
Almost all restaurants in Hilo close around 9:00 p.m., and only McDonalds drive-through is open 24 hours.

Be aware that the Kona airport (KOA) is a good 2.5 hour drive from Hilo, and we do NOT recommend that any first-time visitor drive this road (the Saddle Road, also known as Highway 200) at night.

Some hotels, many B&Bs, and vacation rentals have limited check-in hours. Be sure you know the limits of your accommodation.

We look forward to hosting many new and returning guests in 2023!

Halema’uma’u Crater, Kilauea, January 2023

Mr. Arnott’s January Blog

January 24, 2021 By Doug Arnott

Aloha to those joining my blog…..

There is a move afoot on Oahu to encourage mainlanders who want to (individually or with family) come to Hawaii for remote work, to fulfill their dream by offering good rates for longer stays into months for qualified applicants.
We recently had an experience with 30 college-age students who would have gone on overseas trips but, because of Covid, had to stay in the US. This group stayed with us for 3 months, from Sept. through Nov. last year and taught us a great deal about longer-term stays, which we have never entertained before.

One of the things we had to provide was really fast Internet for them, and after a new contract with Spectrum and about $4000 to a local Tech company, we had gigabyte speeds translating into 200mbs for laptops on WIFI…these 30 students had over 70 devices hooked up at any one time…leading us to believe we have THE best WIFI in Hilo.
Added to this we have extensive grounds allowing for far greater than 6ft distancing, and our location is near several ocean access points which are used for recreation by people from other suburbs as our area provides the Lungs of Hilo where pure tradewinds make their first landfall.
Beware of offerings on Hilo Harbor, which is perennially brown from glaciated runoff from Mauna Kea Mountain. We are right by the Blue Pacific Ocean….but not too close as recent HUGE surf has demonstrated.

The group that we had used EVERY food service and delivery option available in Hilo, and we were frankly stunned at the variety and competition to provide delivered food and beverages.

For your comfort we have Fujitsu Split or Ductless Aircon and double-pane windows to guarantee you a good nights sleep.
We also have extensive common areas where guests can meet with appropriate distancing to exchange ideas or form business partnerships.
Hilo is in the grips of the Pickle Ball craze and our GM Glory can introduce you to our local players. Hilo has the distinction for kids of being one of the top Soccer towns in the nation for per capita players.

For this type of accommodation email me direct at arnottd@gmail,com or Glory at manager@arnottslodge.com. We have 9 two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes and a few single rooms in this category and expect them to go fast.
Hilo is low-key with low Covid rates, and the Big Island population hovers around 200,000 with a very low infection rate.
We look forward to serious inquiries..
Doug Arnott

A Blog by Doug Arnott, founder and owner of Arnotts

December 20, 2020 By Doug Arnott

Douglass Arnott standing in one of Arnotts guest areas.

While 2020 with Covid raging around the world has presented its challenges, we find ourselves approaching Christmas with a deep appreciation for Hilo and the Big Island of Hawaii where we are based.
Our small population…only 200,000 on a large island and our sense of Ohana (family) and of Kuleana (ones obligation to others) has seen us through; far better than many other places.

Going into 2021 we will probably see hesitancy by our usual clients of Paddling, Hula, Soccer, Rugby, Biking, Adventure Hiking and of course our Au Pair camper groups to travel in numbers, and so we find ourselves pondering who might we reach out to who could utilize our unique Hotel and the vans and buses which used to serve for Mauna Kea (mountain) adventures and the Cruise Industry. As the result of a group of college age students who were supposedly here to do serious study, we installed World Class WIFI with Gigabit service throughout most of our rooms and public spaces (this translates to VERY fast service at your laptop on WIFI….Gigabit is Spectrum to our Routers.)

Due to some PPP Stimulus money we did extensive refurbishment and art projects around the lodge.
We are located in a delightful coastal area where even Hilo residents from other areas come to walk, ride bikes and swim in the blue Pacific Ocean.
We are interested to attract both those visiting our Islands as Tourists and also some individuals or working groups interested in distance learning or distance working while living in delightful surroundings.
We have extensive public areas reserved for our guests as well as maintained garden grounds so that even future Covid spikes can be taken in a pleasant manner with outside space and sunshine.
Our public areas allow for conversations while distanced so a Community of Remote workers or Entrepreneurs could exchange ideas in a productive environment. As with many towns on the mainland, we have a vibrant food and grocery delivery business sector that has sprung up in response to quarantining and social distancing. You can get virtually anything delivered locally, and both USPS and Amazon and Fedex, etc. have swift delivery to Hilo.

With 9 two-bedroom apartments and one 3-bedroom apartment we can accommodate almost any configuration from full Suites with kitchenette to individual rooms within a Suite. Also, VERY Important to those who are not already used to living in the Tropics: we have superb ductless Fujitsu Air Conditioning. Very few apartment or budget rentals in Hilo have AC.

This Blog is addressed to the Individuals or the Movers and Shakers who have a handle on the evolving Distance Learning/Distance Working reality and might like to join us in utilizing our facility.
You can message back or contact me directly at arnottd@gmail.com. If you want to make a reservation, please go back to our website and access through that medium.
Aloha…have a safe and Wonderful Christmas and a much better New Year.
Doug Arnott

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