g'day everybody,well I think I have made my choices on Islands,Oahu and the Big Island.Now my next problem,where to stay on the Big Island.We are visiting the Big Island for the volcano so we will probably stay at Volcano House(seems to be everyones first choice)but should we stay there for all 10 days or move to another hotel perhaps on the other side of the island.Is the Volcano House a good place to access everything there is to see?

My opinion is three days at the most at Volcano House. It's not really close to anything but the volcano! I'd spend the rest of the time in Kona. And try to spend a day in Hilo if you can.

to post a vague header or not to post a vague header....hmmm

2 nights to 3 nights is enough at volcano. Eat at Kiluaea Lodge the food is great. Kona Village in the Kona area is a great place to stay for a few days. It is romantic, all inclusive, great food and great snorkeling.

There is a vacation rental called Hi'iaka House about 1 mile from Volcano NP. Nice and reasonably priced. They have 2 or 3 houses for rent and Hi'iaka is one of them. www.volcanoplaces.com or www.volcanogallery.com

Cathy

I second Cathy's recommendation of Hi'iaka house as a nice place to stay in Volcano Village. It is charming and low key and comes loaded with great breakfast fixings. Volcano House has an interesting location right on the crater but is crammed with tourists streaming off of tour buses all day long. Plus the smell of the buffet as you enter the building is overwhelming in a less than appealing way.
While you are in the volcano area I would recommend a side trip down to the big hot pool south of Pahoa. I am blanking on the name. It's down near Issac Hale State Park.

I'd say second half of your trip would be well spent on Kona side. We like the Kona Seaspray condos across from Kahaluu Beach, a small (8 unit) complex in a great location. Very well maintained and well priced. They have a website with good pictures of units.