Testimonials
I stayed here four years ago in the large "white" room upstairs. It was nice to come back to Megan's place again and try a different room/building. ... read more I love the colors and style of old buildings turned bright, splashy, and stylish.


January 29, 2020
Very convenient, and super chill spot in the middle of Hilo. Megan was quick in response from pre-booking questions, up through our time at the Lotus Garden Botanical Apartment. She... read more gave us tips on some cool hiking spots off the beaten trail, and good spots for local dining.
Parking was easy on the street right next to the apartment.
Fresh coffee delivered to the apartment at 7am was an amazing touch!
We loved the laid-back vibe. There is a mosquito net provided to go over the bed, since there are open air rafters to outside, but we didn't see any insects our whole time there.
Some city noise, but nothing bad or disturbing by any means, and we were there on a Saturday night. I think a cat (?) jumps on the metal roof sometimes which was startling at first but pretty hilarious.
Overall a really convenient and chill spot, and we'd definitely stay again!


February 25, 2020
Megan's lotus garden was absolutely amazing! We needed a staycation, and this was perfect. The location is more than ideal and definitely worth the money. The cottage was adorable and... read more the loft upstairs area was very private. The outside garden area is very relaxing and peaceful. The unit had everything we needed to cook and more than enough space for 2 people, easily fitting 4. Megan and her husband were really adorable and fun to talk to. We will definitely be staying here next time we come to hilo! Thank you Megan!!


November 16, 2020
We loved everything about this place! A surprising little tropical oasis right in town. We’ve been to Hilo many times & would never have guessed this place existed. We arrived... read more early in the day with our 8 month old & Megan was very sweet & offered us a beautiful space we could be in with our baby until our room was ready.
The outdoor shower is such a treat. The water feature is gorgeous and blocks out the street noise well. We will be back!


August 24, 2020
This place is located right downtown in Hilo and a block from the ocean. The full house is charming and has a complete kitchen which we found very useful.... read more It is a great place to stay if you are looking for somewhere to hole up for quite awhile during the Covid-19 period. Megan is a wonderful host and was very warm and helpful.


April 5, 2020
We really liked Megan and Jasper and their incredible property. The house and grounds are really impressive and the hosts and their community work hard to maintain it all. Perfect... read more location. The house has been fixed up and is beautiful but can be damp when it rains and buggy when it stops. If it rains a lot you’ll want to use the laundromat to dry out your clothes, which won’t dry in the house or outside because of the humidity. We liked having the windows open and listening to the frogs at night, and were glad the hosts, other guests and work-exchange folks on the property were respectful and not noisey. There are a lot of people around fixing up the property and working during the day, so something to consider if you’re trying to avoid interaction during Covid. We enjoyed chatting with everyone and the relaxed community vibe.


December 26, 2020
We had an amazing stay. This place is so cool and Megan and Jasper and their friends were all amazing. The room was adorable and spacious and had all the... read more amenities we needed. Hope to return. Highly recommended!


January 11, 2021
Aloha! We were on a counter-clockwise driving tour from Kona, three weeks after Hawaii had reopened for tourist travel following closure due to the COVID pandemic. We had chosen Lotus... read more Garden wanting a location in town, rather than the big hotels by Reeds Bay, and are glad we did. After a night in Volcano, we spend one night in the Botanica Apartment. It’s location is perfect for sauntering around town to shop, nibble and gaze at gallery art. Megan and Jasper, our hosts, were friendly and attentive, establishing communication beforehand and providing tips for our stay. We made advance dinner reservations at Pineapples, cater-corner from Lotus, and it exceeded expectations, featuring the first live music that we’d seen since pre-COVID. Breakfast at The Booch Bar was outstanding. We hope to return to Hilo and Lotus Garden to indulge at Kula Shave Ice and the lovely farmers market adjacent. Mahalo!


November 7, 2020
This cottage is a simple delight and offers the best of both worlds: the relaxation of a country garden cottage that is still downtown and walkable to everything you need.... read more It was an absolute haven. The cottage is inset - in the middle of the block, not along the street - and a stream-like gurgle from two water features on the property floats into most rooms.
The upstairs loft feels very much as photographed: bright and airy and spacious. As someone who appreciates the sound of rain on a tin roof very much, I enjoyed Hilo's frequent showers. But if you are a light sleeper, I would recommend bringing good earplugs as it can get loud. There is a second bedroom not pictured on the lower floor, which I would recommend for any light or sound sensitive sleepers.
There is also a perfectly equipped kitchen not shown in photos. We bought a lot of produce from the nearby farmer's market and other groceries from the natural food store just around the block and had all of the tools we needed to cook most of our meals in-house. For those who prefer to dine out while on vacation, there are at least a dozen great eateries in easy walking distance. The Poke Market was our favorite, and Antics Pizza offers gaming counsels while you dine (Nintendo etc - with some throw backs!).
Overall, this cottage made for a charming staycation, with everything we needed - including shampoo & conditioner, beach towels and board games - and enough space for two of us to work undisturbed while a third slept in.


May 17, 2021
Megan was great. Super hospitable. I requested some flowers to be put on the bed only a few hours before check-in and the host accommodated. Great rental.


July 26, 2020
As other travelers have noted, this cute spot is a great location but not for a light sleeper. It’s open to the outdoors. It’s also very close to a busy(ish)... read more road so there are normal “city noises” like traffic or music from Pineapples. If you want to be walking distance in a cute indoor/outdoor space and you’re easy going with sleep and noise, this is a great space! We felt like we were in Thailand or at a southeast Asian hostel 🙂
The host is very nice and we enjoyed our stay.


February 6, 2020
Megan and Jasper are simply wonderful people that host an amazing property. The gardens are lovely. Loki, Yin and Yang are sweet cat and dog visitors. The coffee... read more was amazing and you cannot beat the location. It felt like home.


July 11, 2021
Megan’s place was nicely decorated and well equipped (kudos for the stove). It is ideally placed in Hilo still very quiet and peaceful thanks to the fountains. Megan was extremely... read more nice to us and we really had a great time there so I would recommend the place for all that.
Two small issues with the post though: (1) it is listed with parking on premises but you actually need to park in the street (2) there’s an extra fee you need to pay, it is technically written in the listing, however easy to miss and it virtually make the place look more affordable.


April 8, 2021
Great space, perfect location. Megan was a great host and the space has a great location in the heart of town. I’ve stayed in Hilo a few times and have... read more never found a spot to stay that’s so central to downtown—very convenient. It’s kind of a little oasis in the middle of town, as the hidden courtyard gives it some serious jungle bungalow vibes. Definitely recommend!


December 3, 2020
The place is a beautiful relaxing atmosphere escape while still being close to everything in Hilo. The hosts are very friendly and accommodating and have a beautiful spot.


February 20, 2020
Megan and Jasper have created a serene and beautiful oasis…in the middle of downtown Hilo. Flowers, foliage, kois, and fountains galore. This is definitely a hidden gem where we will... read more return to.


August 22, 2021
We booked this stay only 45 minutes prior to arriving and were grateful to have found such a gem right in the city! The space is very cute and stylish.


December 10, 2020
Megan and Jasper were welcoming and friendly. Their cabin is in an amazing location in Hilo since you can easily walk to restaurants, a grocery store and the farmer's market... read more in under 5 minutes. We especially liked the Pineapples restaurant which is basically right across the street and open later than some other places in Hilo.
The kitchen had everything we needed for light cooking including a full stove/oven and kitchen sink so we easily made breakfasts and lunches. There wasn't quite enough cookware for us to feel we could easily cook a full dinner and there was no microwave.
Since it was warm and humid, we left the windows open and fan on to stay cool enough. Having all the windows open made us feel close to nature which was nice and relaxing in some ways and a bit bothersome in others. For example, the frogs were loud at night (although we still slept well) and there were some mosquitos inside (although each bed had a mosquito net if needed). The open windows also made the place a bit less private since you could hear and see some folks walking around in the garden during the day, although everyone we met was very friendly.
Overall, it was a great base from which to explore Hilo, nearby waterfalls and Volcanos National Park.


September 6, 2021
Great location in the heat of Hilo paired with a unique atmosphere that made for an excellent experience.


January 20, 2020
You can’t beat the location. We walked everywhere right from the front door. Other reviewers mentioned that it’s noisy during the day... that is true, it’s right on a busy... read more street, but it dies down in the evening. I love how airy the place was, with the high windows and the Buddha statues. The king bed was very comfortable and there is a lot of open shelf space. The farmers market is a few hundred feet away, so we got fresh fruit for breakfast every morning. It was SWEET (literally and figuratively). The tea station was my favorite. I really like the Murphy’s and Alba products that were ours to use. It was a great place to stay and I would return. Thank you!


December 3, 2020