The address says it all — 1 Crater Drive — the quintessential visitor experience at the Kilauea summit in a newly refurbished hotel and restaurant overlooking Halemaumau Crater.
That’s the Volcano House, a historic lodge that reopened in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park June 1 after being closed for nearly three years.
The new Volcano House is a joint operation of New Mexico-based Ortega Family Enterprises and Honolulu’s Aqua Hospitality, a management company that was awarded the contract to operate the only hotel and restaurant located inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Until it was closed in 2010, it was the oldest continously operated hotel in Hawaii, dating back to 1846, and has hosted such luminaries as Mark Twain and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The restored Volcano House now offers 33 guest rooms, a dining room, snack bar, lounge and gift shop, along with regular cultural events and demonstrations. Before it closed, there were 10 more rooms located in the detached Ohia Wing, but the Park Service will take over that space for other uses, said Volcano House General Manager Rudy Fao.
Volcano House also manages 10 newly refurbished cabins and campsites at Namakanipaio Campground, located in a eucalyptus grove in the national park about three miles away.
The newly named Rim Restaurant features views overlooking Halemaumau crater. How it came by its new name was the result of an unusual contest.
“No one actually picked the winning entry,” said Elizabeth Churchill, senior vice-president for sales and marketing for Aqua Hospitality. The name contest was supposed to be for Hawaii residents only, but when the entry form started going out on social media sites, there was no way to monitor where the entries were coming from, she said.
The eventual winner actually entered “At the Rim,” which was selected by the park’s Kupuna Council. But upon conferring with corporate partners, it was decided that just “The Rim” would be the best choice — though no one entered that exact name. “We didn’t want people saying they’re going to dinner “at At the Rim,” Churchill said.
A Massachusetts woman was awarded the prize because her entry was picked by the Kupuna Council, however, seven Hawaii residents who entered names with the word “rim” included were also chosen to receive free two-night stays at the hotel. “You know with social media, you can’t really control it,” Churchill said. “Obviously we wanted to be pono.”
Fao said breakfast fare is an American-style buffet for $15 for adults and $7 for keiki. “We emphasize local products. We’re proud of that.” However, while the Volcano House Web site says 95 percent of the meats and produce it serves are locally grown, it’s been difficult reaching that goal consistently so far. “We’re definitely trying to use as much as possible.” Some farmers grow their products exclusively for Volcano House, he said.
The breakfast buffet is served 7 to 10:30 a.m. daily. Dinner is 5 to 9 p.m., and Uncle George’s Lounge has a selection of pupu and drinks available in the interim, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Among the brunch selections are wild island turkey hash and Volcano House malasadas.
Uncle George’s libations menu includes such vintage concoctions as a Singapore Sling, a classic Mai Tai and the hotel’s traditional specialty, Volcano House hot buttered rum.
Dinner is more “upscale” with Pacific Rim/Island cuisine. New chef Jason Johnson is a “local boy from Hilo,” Fao said. He was formerly a consultant to Pineapples restaurant in Hilo, with experience as executive chef at Uncle Billy’s and at Roy’s Mauna Lani.
Volcano House rooms range from $285 to $335 a night, depending whether it has a crater view or rainforest view, and special kamaaina room rates are available.
The National Park Service spent $4 million on renovations, and Aqua Hospitality partner Ortega Family Enterprises spent an additional $2.5 million, to renovate and refurbish the hotel. About 40 employees have been hired to staff the hotel and restaurant.
Fao said the restaurant has been getting “huge support” from the local Volcano community.