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Big Island · Hotel shortlist

Hotels with a kitchen in the university district, Big Island

Gerald Whitfield

Gerald Whitfield The American northeast and Canada

Updated 1 September 2026 · 6 Big Island hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Big Island, out of the 6 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.9 down to 4.2.

The Carriage House Inn and Events is the one I would book myself.

The Carriage House Inn and Events

Highest rated of the five

The Carriage House Inn and Events

★★★★★4.9 from 81 reviews

The Carriage House Inn and Events comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.9 from 81 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 3 star property and found under city centre.

6 hotels in Big Island qualified for this list and five made it. Staybridge Suites Seattle - Fremont by IHG is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze
  • Kitchenettebreakfast on your own schedule
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in
  • Step free accesslevel entry and a lift

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All five, ranked

  1. The Carriage House Inn and Events1

    The Carriage House Inn and Events

    ★★★★★4.9 from 81 reviews

    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

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  2. Staybridge Suites Seattle - Fremont by IHG2

    Staybridge Suites Seattle - Fremont by IHG

    ★★★★★4.4 from 1,186 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Kitchen

    Check rates Read more

  3. Staybridge Suites Seattle Downtown - Lake Union by IHG3

    Staybridge Suites Seattle Downtown - Lake Union by IHG

    ★★★★★4.3 from 642 reviews

    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Kitchen

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  4. Residence Inn by Marriott Seattle Downtown/Lake Union4

    Residence Inn by Marriott Seattle Downtown/Lake Union

    ★★★★★4.2 from 1,704 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

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  5. Hyatt House Seattle/Downtown5

    Hyatt House Seattle/Downtown

    ★★★★★4.2 from 2,154 reviews

    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Kitchen

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How this list was put together

6 Big Island hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Gerald Whitfield

Gerald Whitfield The American northeast and Canada

Volunteers three days a week and travels the rest. Maritime museums and working boatyards in 19 countries, mostly by ferry and train, talking to the shipwrights in every one.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.