Press Release: Lodging.com
January 29, 2001
BOCA RATON, FL -- Lodging.com, an online hotel reservations discounter, now provides travelers with information
that helps them save money and avoid travel hassles.
All travelers, whether leisure or business, are encouraged to check Lodging.com's 50 new city guides at www.travelguides.lodging.com
before traveling to Miami, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., or any other U.S. hot spot. The guides reveal the best
time to visit, average weather conditions, public transportation information, in-season costs, suggested day trips,
and much more insider information. In addition, Lodging.com's city guides include a comprehensive list of hotels
with discounted rates that are exclusive to Lodging.com customers.
According to Managing Editor Wendy Maxey, the most unique and popular new feature in the city guides is the lodging-by-location
tool, which recommends hotels that offer true proximity to the attractions, business locations, or areas of the
city the traveler wants to visit.
``If you have ever booked a hotel 'downtown,' only to realize upon arriving that it will take a 30-minute cab ride
to reach your 'downtown' appointment or attraction, then you will appreciate this feature,'' says Maxey. ``It really
allows travelers to find the most appropriate hotel for their needs.''
The new city guides were created to make booking online easier, and more accurate, and it is especially useful
to first-time visitors.
``The guides meet the needs of the growing number of consumers using the Internet to plan their trips,'' said Lodging.com's
Vice President William Marbach. ``This new tool provides our customers with enough information to make wise travel
decisions, both financially and personally, resulting in a higher level of customer satisfaction.'' About half
of all Americans use travel media to plan their vacations, according to the June 2000 Travel Industry Association
Report. Of those who used more than one medium, 26 percent found websites the most useful.
The 75 guides cover cities in 22 states and include popular and unique destinations such as Albuquerque, San Francisco,
Seattle and Key West. Lodging.com plans to expand its collection of city guides on a continuing basis as the company
grows.
Lodging.com processes more than 2,000 hotel reservations per week and offers an alternative to online travel agents.
Media Metrix, PC Data Online and Top9.com rank Lodging.com among the top 25 most popular travel sites. Located
in Boca Raton, Fla., Lodging.com is also ranked in the top 500 ecommerce companies by Inter@ctive Week. For more
information, visit www.lodging.com or call 561-989-9330.
SOURCE: Lodging.com