Comparison shop for hotels online with Lodging.com’s new five-star rating system

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Picking a hotel online just got easier thanks to Lodging.com’s new five-star rating system. Using the ratings as a guide, all levels of travelers - from budget to luxury - can determine if even unfamiliar hotels or brands will meet their needs and standards.

Ratings are based upon the following criteria: amenities, location, cleanliness and service and provide a measurable gauge for comparison-shopping.

“This gives people the opportunity to shop based on their expectations, rather than just price or familiarity,” said Edward Silver, Lodging.com vice president of Technology. “It also alleviates the fear of staying in an unfamiliar hotel or brand by raising travelers’ comfort levels. They know, in advance, what to expect.”

According to a December 2000 report by Standard Media International and Forrester L.P., 36 percent of online consumers considered brand name and reputation when booking their last hotel. While 79 percent of these users agreed that it was easy to consider a variety of lodging options online, only 38 percent felt that Web sites provided enough information for them to determine if they would be comfortable staying in the hotel. Lodging.com’s new five-star ratings system is designed to provide the depth of information needed to make educated lodging choices.

Lodging.com ranks each property based upon the factors listed above, as well as an onsite inspection. Generally, economy hotels receive a one-star rating, while first class hotels receive a four-star. Only the most flawless of hotels, where the guest are treated like royalty, such as The Breakers in West Palm Beach, receive the top, five-star rating. Most hotels fall into two or three-star ratings, which typically includes brands such as Comfort Inn, Doulbetree, Hilton, Holiday Inn, and Marriott. For more details about the rating system criteria, visit moreinfo.lodging.com/ratings.html.

This new feature can be used in combination with Lodging.com’s exclusive lodging-by-location tool launched earlier this month. Using the lodging-by-location technology, Lodging.com customers can find hotels in the desired region of their destination, then determine which of the available hotels best suit their criteria. Customers hail the convenience.

“The system has really simplified both finding and booking the right hotel,” said Christopher Gladstone, a regular Lodging.com user who recently visited Washington D.C. “After determining a neighborhood with the lodging-by-location tool, I narrowed the list to hotels with a three-star rating. With four to chose from, it only took me a few clicks to book the one I wanted – at a major savings.”

Lodging.com processes more than 10,000 hotel reservations per month and offers discounted hotel rates in more than 100 U.S. cities. 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 e-commerce companies by Inter@ctive Week. For more information, visit www.lodging.com or call (561) 989-9330.

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