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Hawaii’s Kilauea has stopped spewing lava. Nearby Volcano House reopens to visitors after five-month shutdown

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Volcano House, the closest visitor lodging to the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, is back in business. More than five months ago, lava eruptions and earthquakes forced it to close.

Located steps from the park’s visitor center, some rooms at the popular Volcano House offer stunning views of the scenic Halemaumau Crater, which has grown massively since volcanic activity began in mid-May.

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A pathway outside the hotel provides unobstructed views of nature’s dramatically altered landscape.

The national park reopened in late September. Volcano House was inspected by structural engineers and reopened Oct. 6, a few weeks after common areas and gift shops did the same. As of Friday, The Rim restaurant and Uncle George’s Lounge, each with expansive windows overlooking the caldera, were serving visitors.

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A multimillion-dollar makeover in 2012 restored Volcano House to its pre-World War II heyday. There has been lodging on the site since 1846, when a grass hut was built to house adventurous travelers wanting to view the active volcano. Former guests include French microbiologist Louis Pasteur, British novelist Robert Louis Stevenson and American writer Mark Twain.

Room prices vary by date; forest-view rooms start at $159, and those with crater views start at $199.

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Info: Volcano House, (866) 536-7972

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