Shipman House Bed & Breakfast Inn, Hilo, Hawaii

Shipman House Bed & Breakfast is the luxury inn for guests who love the history, gardens and ambiance of Old Hawai`i. Shipman House offers the authentic, unpretentious hospitality of a fifth generation Island family in a home listed on the National Register. At Shipman House guests may:
Enjoy tropical fruits from the estate
Make a flower lei
Find out where the locals eat
Learn a hula
Get insider tips on what to see, and how to get there
Sleep where Jack London slept
Gaze through curved windows of hand-rolled glass
Relax among furnishings of Hawai`i's monarchy era
Walk on honey-colored, old growth fir floors beneath 12-foot ceilings
Play the piano Hawai`i's last queen, Lili`uokalani, played

Ahh, smell the fresh-brewed aroma of Ka`u coffee...and is that the fragrance of lightly toasted homemade Portuguese sweet bread? Have some sun-ripened papayas splashed with tart lime juice and topped with a scoop of fresh passion fruit! Served tropical buffet style.

All five guest bedrooms are large, with 10 to 12 ft. ceilings, private baths, small refrigerators, cotton kimonos, heirloom furnishings, hand-woven lauhala mats, fans, free wireless Internet and fresh flowers. The main house has three guest rooms:

Flossie's: On the first floor, adjoins the library, with antique koa wood twin beds, ceiling fan, and private bath with shower/tub. It opens onto the wraparound veranda through a unique window-door and tall shutters. Originally a billiard room, this is the room Charmian and author Jack London stayed in. $219/night

Auntie Clara's Shell Room: Upstairs, with parts of her shell collection, koa wood furniture, and a queen-size bed. Spectacular view of Hilo Bay. Its large private bath, adjacent in the hall, with claw foot tub and separate shower, was the only bathroom in the original house. It is not shared. Waikapu ("forbidden spring") Stream gushes through the gulch below. $249/night

Auntie Carrie's Room: Upstairs, one-third of the original ballroom, it overlooks the expansive side/backyard and adjoins the upstairs balcony. It has a private bath (shower/tub) en suite, sitting area and antique koa wood queen-size bed. $219/night

Cottage Mauka and Cottage Makai: Two (separate) spacious bedrooms upstairs in the 1910 guesthouse, across the driveway. Each has a queen-size bed, window seat and private bath (shower/tub). Private entrances and ceiling fans. No kitchens. See photo on Home page.

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