Shipman House Bed & Breakfast Inn

Shipman House is an 1899 Hilo mansion that has been in the Shipman family for six generations, run since 1997 as a five-room bed-and-breakfast. The house hosted Queen Liliuokalani during her stays in Hilo and Jack London during his Pacific travels. The current operation is run by the great-great-granddaughter of the original builders, which puts the property's "family-owned" credential beyond debate.

It's a bed-and-breakfast in the proper sense — five rooms, full breakfast, owner present, and the building itself as the main attraction. The Big Island has plenty of resort hotels and quite a few vacation rentals; small historic-house B&Bs at this register are rare.

The setting

In the Reed's Island neighborhood of Hilo, on the rainy windward side of Hawaii's Big Island. The mansion sits on a low ridge above the Wailuku River, with views toward Mauna Kea on clear days. Downtown Hilo's farmers market, the bayfront, and the restaurants are five to ten minutes by car. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's main entrance is forty-five minutes south.

Hilo is one of the wettest cities in the United States. Rain at the property is part of the experience. The trade-off is the deep tropical vegetation — heliconia, plumeria, mango, lychee — that surrounds the house.

The building

An 1899 Queen Anne-style mansion, restored to period register, painted in muted Victorian colors with the gingerbread porch trim characteristic of the era. The interior leans Neo-Victoriana — period millwork, original light fixtures, family heirlooms, antique upholstery. The renovation work has been a multi-decade family project, and the texture reflects that attention.

The aesthetic is committed. Antiques throughout, with the family's actual collection rather than an acquired one.

The rooms

Five rooms across the main house and a small detached cottage. Categories climb from compact rooms in the main house (around $285) up through suites with the better views and slightly larger floor plans. Beds are queens and kings, linens are heavy, bathrooms are updated. The cottage offers more privacy.

There's no elevator. Stairs to the upper floors are part of the experience.

Food & drink

There's no full restaurant. A full hot breakfast is included, served on the lanai or in the dining room. For dinner, downtown Hilo's restaurants are five to ten minutes by car: Pineapples, Moon and Turtle, Hilo Bay Cafe, the Kalapana area for the more adventurous drives.

On the property

A small B&B with hospitality and the building as the amenity.

• Full hot breakfast included
• Concierge from the family
• Lanai overlooking the river valley
• Open year-round

Who it's for

• Travelers who'd rather stay in a 19th-century Hawaiian mansion than a resort
• History travelers — the Shipman family's roots in Hawaiian history are deep
• Couples doing a multi-island Hawaii trip who want the Hilo side properly experienced
• Volcanoes National Park visitors using Hilo as a base

Who it's not for

• Beach-resort travelers — Hilo is on the windward, rainy side, and the Big Island's resort beaches are a two-hour drive west to Kona
• Families with very young children — the antique-and-quiet format isn't tuned for it
• Travelers who want a contemporary hotel amenity stack

Nearby

Downtown Hilo is five to ten minutes — the Hilo Farmers Market (Wednesday and Saturday mornings is the big event), the Pacific Tsunami Museum, the bayfront, and Lyman Museum. Rainbow Falls is fifteen minutes' drive into the park system. Akaka Falls State Park is forty minutes north. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's main entrance is forty-five minutes south — Crater Rim Drive, the Thurston Lava Tube, and the active Halemaumau crater views. Drive longer for the Mauna Kea Visitor Center (the road up to the summit is for 4WD vehicles only past the visitor station).