What to expect: Beginning in 1933, celebrities, royalty, and national and local leaders have planted banyan trees on the street around the hotel. Between the deep shade of these trees and the bay is where nearly all of Hilo's hotels are located. Visitors stopping overnight in Hilo or exploring the Big Island stay at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

Amenity highlights: Though it's within a couple minutes' drive of downtown Hilo, the hotel's location on Banyan Drive gives a sense of tranquil isolation. Guests relax in Hawaiian ambience, swim and sun, and indulge in the spa's massage, body, and facial treatments before and after forays around the Big Island.

Insider tip: Directly in front of the hotel is the banyan tree planted by Babe Ruth in 1933. Although more than 40 trees have been planted since the first eight in 1933, none garners more attention that Ruth's, including those planted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and King George V.

What to expect: This quiet, well-maintained hotel provides many places within its grounds for tranquility and privacy. On the grounds is a freshwater pond filled with fish. People come here for budget accommodations close to Hilo attractions.

Amenity highlights: Secluded and open to the sun, the pool provides a tranquil spot for sunning and swimming.

What to expect: Kama'aina (island residents) come to the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort for weekend getaways, charmed by its secluded location behind giant banyan trees and just minutes from downtown shops and restaurants. The hotel also draws hula dancers and sports teams. The hotel's airy, glass-walled lobby with white-and-rose stucco ceilings opens to an oceanfront lawn with views of Hilo Bay and Coconut Island.

Amenity highlights: The Naniloa Volcanoes Resort, built in the 1960s, is casual yet offers resort services. Guests enjoy views of Coconut Island and Hilo Bay, with its paddlers, children, and fishers, as well as two pools, a nine-hole golf course, spa, and beauty salon. The hotel is 30 miles from Kilauea Volcano.

Insider tip: The winding pathways, curved bridges, little pagodas, and tropical foliage of adjacent Liliuokalani Park create an atmosphere for romantic seaside strolling when evening falls. From the park, a bridge leads to Coconut Island, a favorite fishing spot.