Hale Alahonua Dorm Reviews at UH Hilo

Hale Alahonua is the newest dorms offered at The University of Hawaii Hilo. The private rooms and AC are what makes the dorms appealing because these are the only dorms at UH Hilo that offer those amenities. I stayed in the other dorms at UH Hilo as well, but I switched into Alahonua within the first two weeks. The dorms are quiet during weekdays and on the weekends there's a bit more night life, but I would never say anything over the top. The reason why I couldn't score quietness higher is because the fire alarms do go off randomly and sometimes without cause. This happened four or five times during my semester in Alahonua. The dorms and bathrooms were clean when I first moved into Alahonua and after that it was up to me and my roommate to maintain the cleanliness. The trash is located in the back parking lot of the dorms, which is not far away. The common areas in Alahonua are a bit of a let down if you're looking for social life. There is no "private" common area. Meaning that within your dorms space, there isn't any room to be social with your roommate or friends unless it's in your actual bedroom which is fairly small. The social areas downstairs didn't feel clean, but there is a ping pong table and a T.V. that can be used when checked out. The bathrooms are interesting within the dorm rooms. One side of the dorm is the toilet and the other side is the shower. Which is nice when you're roommate is showering and you have to use the restroom. The bathrooms were clean and private. Alahonua is located across the street from campus and on the other side of the dining hall. Depending on what you find important, this can be an issue. If you heavily rely on your meal plan, then you do have to walk to the other side of campus to get to the dining hall; however, campus is not that big so it's about a 5-10 minute walk. The Student Housing Staff was always very helpful and understanding when somebody needed help. Security is always driving by Alahonua at night.