This was the first time for us on the Big Island and this trip was our first time using Vrbo so was not sure what to expect. Therefore, please take my comments with a grain of salt as I have no basis for comparison with other accommodation in Hilo. We just stayed at Club Wyndham Royal Cliff in Kona and paid nearly double we spent here, so it would not be a fair comparison.
The best part of this property is that it is in a great location. We were minutes away from everything - restaurants and shopping etc which was very very convenient. Hilo is relatively a small town (we are from Tokyo) so maybe everything is close.
The unit may not have been 4 star or 5 star hotel quality clean but I guess it was clean enough for the price so I think it was reasonable. The bedrooms and kitchen were very clean which was great and most important, but the living room floor and bathroom/shower could have been a bit more cleaner I thought. The kitchen was well stocked with appliances, utensils, and condiments etc. which was also very nice.
This is not under the control of the property owner but the building itself seemed dated (as most buildings probably are in Hilo) but there were some garbage around the building and parking lot. If they maintained the property better, it could be so much better. For example, someone smashed dozens of eggs in the parking lot but this was not cleaned the entire time we were there (we stayed 3 nights) which was very surprising to see. I guess it showed the quality of the property management. The owner should definitely complain to the property management about that.
Overall, we were satisfied with the stay, given the price. The owner was responsive when we had questions so no issues there. In general, the unit we stayed was well maintained. Not having AC was a bit uncomfortable but I guess no AC in Hilo is relatively common.