Volcano Teapot Cottage is located in the town of Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The cottage offers two rooms and a private bathroom for one reservation of up to two guests at a time. Amenities offered in the cottage include a full kitchen, a clawfoot bathtub, a walk-in shower, a TV, internet, a fireplace, and a laundry room with a washer and dryer. Bill and Antoinette are the current and original owners of the business, originally establishing it in 1995. The cottage was originally built in the late 1800s when the town of Volcano was first established. Since opening as a vacation rental, Bill remarks that the property receives the most business during the summer months since it is relatively warmer for the generally cooler area. However, the vacation rental is available for reservations throughout the year. Attractions in the area include Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, various beaches, and hikes.
Located on the Big Island of Hawaii, specifically in the town of Volcano, is the Volcano Teapot Cottage. The cottage is about 1,000 square feet with two bedrooms and one bathroom. For reservations of the vacation rental, there is a limit of two guests that can stay at the property at a time. “Historical, craftsman, and bungalow” are three characteristics that Bill, the owner, uses to describe the style of the cottage. Amenities provided during a stay at the property include a full kitchen, a TV, internet, a fireplace with seating situated around it, and a laundry room with a washer and dryer.
On the outside of the cottage, there is a gazebo available for patrons to utilize. Two and a half acres make up the property. The area is landscaped with gardens and is designed as a “park-like setting,” says Bill. Specifically, the cottage is "nestled in a botanical garden setting surrounded by a lush tropical rain forest," which is stated on the business's website. Some areas of the land are more tropical, with ferns and trees native to the area. Activities that the owner says are possible on the premises include using the grounds for picnics. The town of Volcano is classified as a rainforest area that was established during the late 1800s. Today, the town continues to be rural, according to Bill.
Breakfast is supplied every day by the establishment. Bill says that the meal is continental style, including items such as pastries, fruits, and other breakfast supplies that guests can make themselves, such as eggs and sausage. The supplies for the meal are given at the time patrons set previously. Accommodations can be made for the food if the owners are notified ahead of time.
According to Bill, the owner, the Volcano Teapot Cottage is a place where visitors come to stay during the night and visit the surrounding area during the day. The cottage is meant to be a place where people can come and relax in a relatively cooler climate than the rest of the island since the town rests at a higher elevation.
One policy for guests to follow during their time at the Volcano Teapot Cottage includes taking their shoes off when in the cottage. Bill says that this is due to the Japanese culture that is found in the area. Other policies include the prohibition of pets, the cottage's two-person limit, and the restriction of smoking inside the building. Though it should be noted that smoking is allowed outside.
Guests who have stayed at the Volcano Teapot Cottage have left various reviews about their time at the property. One such review left by a visitor states, “The Volcano Teapot Cottage wowed us with all the small touches Bill and Antoinette provided to make our stay memorable. The clawfoot tub and shower were amazing, and the bathroom also included anything travelers could forget. The cool volcano nights had us sleeping like babes; the jungle is peaceful and quiet.”
“[It has the] privacy of a vacation rental but the ambiance and attention of a bed and breakfast,” says Bill, regarding what they try to focus on with their business. He goes on to remark that this particular aspect, as well as offering a “private getaway property,” is what has led to their success with the business over the years. Interaction with guests is varied due to the fact that the owners do not live on-site; however, they do see them when they drop off breakfast each morning. This is also meant to provide more privacy for each visitor.
The cottage is open year-round to guests. Bill reports that the summer tends to be the best season of operation since it is relatively warmer in comparison to other times of the year. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is about a mile away from the cottage and is also a 35-minute drive from the town of Hilo. This town is located along the ocean and is often visited by those staying at the Volcano Teapot Cottage for its beaches.
Activities in the area include ziplining, hiking, lava viewing, biking, golfing, visiting the beaches, and going to the local volcano. Overall, Bill says that people come to the area due to it being “rural, quiet, sparse, not as hectic or busy, and slower-pace.” In the area, Bill recommends that visitors should eat at the Volcano House, which is located in the national park. Other restaurants he suggests are Kilauea Lodge and Ohelo Cafe.
Bill Bullough, the current owner of Volcano Teapot Cottage, has been operating the inn for the past 27 years with his wife, Antoinette. The property has been a travel lodge since they purchased it in 1995. Prior to that time, the premises was either used as a vacation home or it was rented long-term. Bill says that entering the lodging industry has always been his wife’s dream and that, eventually, they were able to open the land as a vocational rental property.
The cottage was originally built in the late 1800s and now contains a considerable amount of history, according to the owners. When Bill and Antionette bought the property, they made multiple changes to the building since “it was in really bad shape,” says Bill. By trade, Bill is a woodworker, and according to the Volcano Teapot Cottage’s website, “Bill’s craftsmanship and Antoinette’s love for tea combined to create a guest cottage that they could share with this community.” The owners remark that their favorite part of owning the business is the opportunity to continually be able to “make the cottage better” through woodworking, keeping up with the gardens, and overall “preserving it.”
Bill recounts the history of the area, saying that the active volcano in the area, which rests over 4,000 feet above sea level, was officially made the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in 1916. However, before that time, the volcano was considered sacred land to the natives in the area. This changed as foreigners came to Hawaii and started to settle the land due to the relatively cooler climate. Bill continues to say that originally, the draw to Hawaii was not the beaches but instead the volcano located near their property. The owner remarks that the number of travelers to the island has increased significantly, specifically saying that “only about 60,000 people” visited in the 1980s and that today there are generally around “two million people a year.”
19-4041 Kilauea Road - Box 511
Volcano, Hawaii 96785
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Bill & Antoinette
