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Accommodations

Whether your ideal vacation is spent sleeping under the stars in a treehouse, relaxing in a private cottage situated alongside a stream, or luxuriating in an oceanfront villa, the Big Island offers a range of accommodations as varied as its topography. And as such, prices vary. You can spend $150 per night at the historic Kilauea Lodge in the quaint village of Volcano -- or up to $1,800 per night for an oceanfront suite at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows on the Kohala Coast. The Big Island Visitors Bureau provides a comprehensive listing of accommodation choices including B&Bs, inns, campsites, condominiums, hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals.

Most hotels and other lodgings require you to give your credit-card details before they will confirm your reservation. If you don't feel comfortable e-mailing this information, ask if you can fax it (some places even prefer faxes). However you book, get confirmation in writing and have a copy of it handy when you check in.

Be sure you understand the hotel's cancellation policy. Some places allow you to cancel without any kind of penalty -- even if you prepaid to secure a discounted rate -- if you cancel at least 24 hours in advance. Others require you to cancel a week in advance or penalize you the cost of one night. Small inns and B&Bs are most likely to require you to cancel far in advance. Most hotels allow children under a certain age to stay in their parents' room at no extra charge, but others charge for them as extra adults; find out the cutoff age for discounts.

Assume that hotels operate on the European Plan (EP, no meals) unless we specify that they use the Breakfast Plan (BP, with full breakfast), Continental Plan (CP, Continental breakfast), Full American Plan (FAP, all meals), Modified American Plan (MAP, breakfast and dinner) or are all-inclusive (AI, all meals and most activities).

Bed & Breakfasts

For many travelers, nothing compares to the personal service and guest interaction offered at bed-and-breakfasts. There are dozens of B&Bs throughout the Big Island that offer charming accommodations in country and oceanfront settings; breakfasts include everything from tropical fruits and juices, Kona coffee, French toast with macadamia nuts and lilikoi syrup, and even the local favorites of rice and poi. A handful of the B&Bs invite their guests to enjoy complimentary wine tastings and activities such as lei making and basket weaving. The Hawaii Island B&B Association is a member-based organization with 40 properties on the island, many of which offer spectacular views.

Reservation Services

Bed & Breakfast.com (512/322-2710 or 800/462-2632. www.bedandbreakfast.com) also sends out an online newsletter. Bed & Breakfast Honolulu (Statewide) (808/595-7533 or 800/288-4666. www.hawaiibnb.com). Bed & Breakfast Inns Online (615/868-1946 or 800/215-7365. www.bbonline.com). BnB Finder.com (212/432-7693 or 888/547-8226. www.bnbfinder.com). Better Bed and Breakfasts (www.betterbedandbreakfasts.com). Hawaii Island B&B Association (www.stayhawaii.com).

Condominium & House Rentals

Vacation rentals are perfect for couples, families, and friends traveling together who like the convenience of staying at a home away from home. Whether you are seeking a condominium for a week or a large house for a month, you should be able to find the perfect getaway on the Big Island. Properties managed by individual owners can be found on online vacation rental listing directories such as CyberRentals and Vacation Rentals By Owners, as well as on the Big Island Visitors Bureau's Web site. There also are several Big Island-based management companies with vacation rentals.

Though there are rentals throughout the island, there is quite a bit more inventory on the west side of the island. Compare companies, as some offer Internet specials and free night stays when booking. Policies vary, but most require a minimum stay, usually greater during peak travel seasons.

Contacts

Aloha Hawaii Vacations (800/662-5642. www.alohahawaiivacations.com). CyberRentals Vacation Properties (512/684-1098. www.cyberrentals.com). Hawaii Holiday Vacation Rentals (808/965-0400. www.bigislandvacationrentals.com). Hawaii Vacation Rentals (800/332-7081. www.vacationbigisland.com). Interhome (954/791-8282 or 800/882-6864. www.interhome.us). Keauhou Property Management (800/745-5662. www.konacondo.net). Kona Hawaii Vacation Rentals (800/244-4752. www.konahawaii.com). Mauna Kea Resort (808/880-3491. www.MaunaKeaResortRentals.com). Vacation Home Rentals Worldwide (201/767-9393 or 800/633-3284. www.vhrww.com). Vacation Rentals By Owner (www.vrbo.com). Villas International (415/499-9490 or 800/221-2260. www.villasintl.com). West Hawaii Property Services (800/799-5662. www.konarentals.com).

Home Exchanges

With a direct home exchange you stay in someone else's home while they stay in yours. Some outfits also deal with vacation homes, so you're not actually staying in someone's full-time residence, just their vacant weekend place.

Word of Mouth

Did the resort look as good in real life as it did in the photos? Did you sleep like a baby, or were the walls paper thin? Did you get your money's worth? Rate hotels and write your own reviews in Travel Ratings or start a discussion about your favorite places in Travel Talk on www.fodors.com. Your comments might even appear in our books. Yes, you, too, can be a correspondent!

Exchange Clubs

Home Exchange.com (800/877-8723. www.homeexchange.com); $59.95 for a 1-year online listing. HomeLink International (800/638-3841. www.homelink.org); $80 yearly for Web-only membership; $125 includes Web access and two catalogs. Intervac U.S. (800/756-4663. www.intervacus.com); $78.88 for Web-only membership; $126 includes Web access and a catalog.

Hostels

Hostels offer bare-bones lodging at low, low prices -- often in shared dorm rooms with shared baths -- to people of all ages, though the primary market is young travelers, especially students. Many hostels provide shared cooking facilities. In some hostels you aren't allowed to be in your room during the day, and there may be a curfew at night. Nevertheless, hostels provide a sense of community, with public rooms where travelers often gather to share stories.

There are a handful of hostels on the Big Island that cater primarily to a lively, international crowd of backpackers and hikers. (Those seeking intimacy or privacy should seek out a B&B.) Arnott's Lodge and Hiking Adventures in Hilo is a popular no-frills spot which offers a camping area for those willing to pitch their own tent; there are also shared bunk rooms, semi-private and private rooms, and suites. There's coin laundry, an entertainment area, bicycle rentals ($2 per day), and free airport shuttles.

Information

Arnott's Lodge and Hiking Adventures (. 808/969-7097. www.arnottslodge.com).