A 5-star service. Recommended! (tripadvisor.co.uk)

Member Name: doctordarke2389

Product:	tripadvisor.co.uk
Date:	20/08/09 (14 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A one stop information shop

Disadvantages: Subjective reviews, but not that much of a problem

As any readers of my reviews will know, I have spent a lot of time gadding about going to conferences abroad, and stuff like that. This, naturally, entails staying in hotels, using various airlines, going to restaurants, and so on.

I've only relatively recently come across Tripadvisor.com in the last year or two, and use it to check out hotels I've never used before to see if they're any good. A friend of mine put me onto it, as I was going to book a hotel in Bangkok that is apparently dodgy and riddled with 'orrible crawly things.

Anyway, I have subsequently found this web site to be invaluable; the range of facilities available to use are very comprehensive, and quite exhaustive in terms of what is available to assess. For example: let's say you're off to Crete for a couple of weeks. The site gives you a good, assessed, list of 'things to do' whilst you're there, what airlines to use, listed hotels with reviews, holiday guides, holiday ideas, and so on. All backed up with their personal emailing service when you join.

Given that the average traveller will spend a significant amount of time in their hotels, it's advisable to make sure that you pick the right one for you. So, on that basis, I would highly recommend using the search results for the place you're staying in. Example: Bangkok lists 525 hotels in descending order of popularity. This includes details on each hotel's amenities, a map, and pictures of the establishment, and how many stars it has. This, together with often quite lengthy and detailed reviews by users. You can also get the current daily rates per room, too.

On the downside, the only real problem that I can see is that each review is by its nature highly subjective, and what some traveller from North America dislikes may not present much of a problem to you. But, it pays to spend a bit if time on this site checking out the reviews, because by and large the general consensus reviewing a particular hotel or airline or whatever gets it just about right, and is therefore an accurate barometer of whatever is being reviewed. I certainly like to review places I've stayed, and so on, and try to be as honest and helpful as possible. After all, I rely on others so it's only fair to repay the compliment.

Summary: Well worth a visit. I use it all the time.