Brits lacking the Diamond Jubilee spirit

TripAdvisor reveals that the majority of Brits are not yet embracing the Diamond Jubilee festivities. A poll of nearly 7,000 respondents on TripAdvisor.co.uk, asking Brits how they plan to spend the long Diamond Jubilee bank weekend, showed only 11% plan to attend a celebratory Jubilee event.

With two consecutive bank holidays (4th and 5th June) allotted to mark the occasion, many Brits plan to take advantage of the four-day weekend and go away – 19% intend to travel abroad while 10% are planning a break within the UK.  By far the most popular option is to simply relax and enjoy the time at home, with 44% planning to do so. The remaining 15% have yet to decide their plans.

“With less than three months to go, it seems Diamond Jubilee fever is yet to grip Britain,” commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “As the weather gets better and the days longer, Brits may well start planning celebrations, but for all others, it seems the extra days holiday are welcomed as an opportunity to get away or simply enjoy a well-deserved rest at home.”

*Poll carried out on 6,695 respondents on TripAdvisor.co.uk in February 2012

SeatGuru launches its first iPhone app

SeatGuru, has released its first mobile app for the iPhone. The free app, available for download worldwide in the Apple App store, features SeatGuru’s extensive collection of colour-coded airplane seat maps — over 700 with detailed seat recommendations covering nearly 100 airlines – helping travellers find the best possible seat on their flight.

The app also provides users with helpful travel tools by integrating the TripAdvisor flight search engine, allowing travellers to book a flight on the go, and the ability to get real-time flight status updates. 

“We’re excited to put the power of SeatGuru’s flier-backed seat maps and recommendations in the hands of iPhone users,” said Jami Counter, senior director of SeatGuru. “Our free app gives travellers the peace of mind that they’ve found the best airplane seat at the lowest price, in an easy-to-navigate display to help make the air travel experience less stressful.”

More details on the app:

·       Colour-Coded Seat Maps – Backed by more than 45,000 flier reviews, SeatGuru offers more than 700 colour-coded airplane seat maps across nearly 100 different airlines. Each seat map includes indicators for good seats (green), seats with some cautionary attributes (yellow), and seats to avoid (red), as well as detailed hover-over comments summarised from fellow travellers.

·       Flight Meta-Search Engine – Powered by TripAdvisor Flights, the app’s flight shopping engine searches for the lowest airfares across online travel agencies, discount airfare consolidators, major airlines, and low cost carriers

·         Real-Time Flight Alerts – The app offers real-time flight status updates, supplied by FlightAware, to alert travellers if their flight is delayed or cancelled. Travellers can also have notifications sent to family and friends, so they can be kept updated on flight arrival times and other relevant travel information.

For more information, please visit www.seatguru.com. SeatGuru is a subsidiary of TripAdvisor.

The heads-up on where to lay down for National Bed Month

Arbroath’s Brucefield Boutique B&B and Blackpool’s Edenfield Guest House are the best places to sleep according to TripAdvisor travellers

The UK’s Sleep Council has declared March ‘National Bed Month’ and in its honour, TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, reveals the UK hotels where you’re likely to have the best night’s sleep.  These properties received the highest praise from travellers in the ‘sleep quality’ category on TripAdvisor in the last year*.

According to TripAdvisor travellers, The Edenfield Guest House in Blackpool  and the Brucefield Boutique B&B in Arbroath offer the best sleep quality of any UK properties, both boasting a perfect sleep quality rating of five out of five from travellers.

“A good night’s sleep can make all the difference to your wellbeing, as well as your holiday and overall impression of a hotel. The guest feedback on TripAdvisor speaks for itself - these properties have all been tried and tested, and pass the all-important sleep test with flying colours,” commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson.

The UK’s top ten hotels for sleep-quality are:

1.    The Edenfield Guest House, Blackpool, England.  Situated in quiet corner of Blackpool, a number of popular sites are easily accessible from this cosy property.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “It was excellent on all counts. Cleanliness, rooms, service etc.”

1.    Brucefield Boutique B&B, Arbroath, Scotland. This four bedroom B&B is situated in the historical fishing town of Arbroath on Scotland's east coast, offering stylish accommodation in a manor house dating back to the 1920s.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “You are made to feel at home, and the place is warm and welcoming. Everything in this B&B is first class.”

3.    The Redstone, Blackpool, England.  The Redstone is well positioned near to both the beach and some of Blackpool’s highlights.  This adult-only property offers five-star, luxury accommodation.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The guesthouse is decorated to an extremely high specification, and the fabulous Ursula is a perfect hostess. The beds were extremely comfortable.”

4.    Stoneleigh Guest House, Llandudno, Wales. Centrally located in a lovely seaside town, Stoneleigh Guest House is situated on one of the quietest roads in what is known as the ‘Garden Area’ of Llandudno.   As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “Thank you Anna for such a warm welcome and comfortable stay. We stayed for just one night, the bed was so incredibly comfortable and the room warm and very clean.”

5.    The Spoons, Isle of Skye, Scotland.  This modern property boasts a stunning location in tranquil Isle of Skye and three luxurious guestrooms.   As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The room was just luxurious and so lovely with a beautiful view (even in the rain!).”

6.    Manderley Bed & Breakfast, Chester, England. Manderley is a quiet and relaxing B&B in an enviable location, close to the River Dee and the meadows, yet just a few minutes from the city centre.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The room was extremely comfortable and spotless, the bed was very comfortable with nice crisp white sheets.”

7.    Elmdene Hotel, Torquay, England.  The Elmdene is well situated to explore the English Riviera and its surroundings. Just 300m from Torquay beach and just a short walk from Torquay town centre, theatre and harbour, the Elmdene is nevertheless set in a quiet and peaceful location. As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “We have been holidaying in Torquay for many years but never have we stayed in such a brilliant place that is the Elmdene. Our room was spotlessly clean, modern, spacious, comfortable, etc.”

8.    All Seasons Guest House, Filey, England.  The recently refurbished, family-run B&B enjoys a peaceful location just a stone’s throw from the sea.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The rooms were very comfortable, well decorated and no attention to detail had been spared.”

9.    Byfield House, Painswick, England.  This grade II listed property is located in the scenic Cotswolds village of Painswick and has features dating back the 16^th Century. As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “Croissants and a newspaper in the most comfortable bed in the world.....a bank of down pillows, a down quilt, a down covered mattress, and a six foot wide bed, what's not to like?!”

10. The Manor Coach House, Worcester, England.  Surrounded by attractive gardens, the apartments at Manor Coach House are newly converted.  As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “Ideal location and so peaceful. The rooms are lovely and spacious, spotlessly clean and have everything you could want, even fresh flowers.”

10.  Enchanted Manor, Isle of Wight, England.  This unique B&B specializes in romantic breaks to the Isle of Wight. As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “The welcome, breakfast, accommodation and hosts are first class, tucked out of the way but in easy access of costal walks and local pubs.”

Organised by The Sleep Council, the month aims to reinforce the importance of  sound sleep for good health. For more information on these hotels, visit www.Tripadvisor.co.uk

*The list indicates the ten hotels in the UK which have received the highest score in the ‘sleep quality’ category on the TripAdvisor hotel review form from 1 January-31 December 2011

TripAdvisor app downloaded 25 times a minute

2^ND only to Google Earth, TripAdvisor is the world’s most downloaded travel app

TripAdvisor today announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that it is, after Google Earth, the world’s most downloaded travel app, according to download data for 2011 provided by app research company Distimo¹. 

The TripAdvisor app was downloaded an average of 25 times per minute in January 2012 and has now surpassed 15 million total downloads² of the TripAdvisor app across all platforms and devices in 20 languages, making TripAdvisor the global go-to resource for mobile travel planning.

TripAdvisor has also announced its new HTML5 cross-platform tablet app, now available in the Android marketplace.  This free app features a clean and simple interface, making it an easy way for travellers to access the millions of reviews and opinions on TripAdvisor.  Travellers can see a list of top ranked hotels, restaurants, attractions and more in a destination and use filters to make quick comparisons and choices to meet their travel needs.

In addition, recognising that over 50 percent of travellers intend to use their phones to find hotels, attractions and restaurants near their current location³, TripAdvisor has launched a widget for the Android app, which loads a page on your mobile desktop to always show the nearest hotels, attractions and restaurants to where you are.

“TripAdvisor is focused on delivering the best experience to travellers on mobile and tablets and we’re delighted to see that TripAdvisor is the most downloaded travel planning app in the world,” said Nathan Clapton, vice president of mobile partnerships at TripAdvisor. “Mobile is a key initiative for TripAdvisor and we are constantly innovating with partners to develop features for mutual benefit.”

Other TripAdvisor Cross-Platform App Features:

Map-based Browsing
Travellers can conveniently zoom in on an area for more details about the destination they are researching. The app also allows travellers to identify other nearby hotels, restaurants, and attractions for those looking to plan a complete itinerary.

Near Me Now

Travellers can quickly determine what hotels, restaurants, and attractions are nearby their current location.

My Saves

Travellers can save hotel, restaurant, and attraction pages so they can conveniently access them again for future reference.

Photos

App users also have access to TripAdvisor’s more than 10 million brilliant full-screen traveller photos of the places they are planning to visit.

For conference attendees

Nathan Clapton, vice president of mobile partnerships at TripAdvisor will be at the TripAdvisor pod on the Android stand in Hall 8 (8C25) during Mobile World Congress. 

TripAdvisor has free mobile apps available for the iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, Nokia, and Palm smartphones, Android tablets, iPad, and a mobile website available for all major mobile devices.  For more information, visit www.tripadvisor.co.uk/mobile.

London’s trendiest hotels for London Fashion Week

As London Fashion Week fast approaches (17^th-22^nd February) and the fashion pack anxiously await their first look at the autumn/winter 2012 collections, TripAdvisor has rounded-up London’s trendiest hotels.  Whether looking for a place to stay, a place to drink or a place to dine, these hotels are London’s top in the style stakes.

With models, designers and A-listers set to descend on London, these stylish hotels may also be star-spotting hotspots.

London’s 5 trendiest hotels as decided by TripAdvisor travellers:

1.    Andaz Liverpool Street

Officially London’s trendiest hotel, Andaz Liverpool Street is home to a number of stylish hang-outs including a champagne bar and Japanese restaurant Miyako.  No stranger to celebrities, Andraz has played host to many, including the likes of Mark Ronson.

As one traveller said, “Mega-trendy and convenient.”

2.    Sanderson Hotel

This five-star hotel in Soho is associated with style, luxury and celebrities and has recently been visited by Jesse J, Cheryl Cole and more.  Don’t miss the Mad Hatter’s afternoon tea, with its Alice in Wonderland theme, gorgeous surroundings and delicious food.

One traveller said, “Sanderson was simply a fabulous experience! The hotel is very contemporary, cool, trendy and by far one of the best for design”

3.    The Soho Hotel

Located in the heart of fashionable Soho, a stone’s throw from London hotspot The Box, Soho Hotel is popular with A-listers including Charlize Theron.

As one traveller said, “Very stylish, high-quality and a nice buzz about it.”

4.    Hoxton Hotel

Located in London’s super-stylish Shoreditch, Hoxton hotel is the perfect hang-out for fashionistas and hipsters alike and has hosted fashion icon Alexa Chung.  The restaurant, The Hoxton Grill, is a super-trendy London hangout. 

As one traveller said, “The Hoxton is fantastic. Very clean and trendy. The bar/restaurant are the place to be in the evenings.”

5.    The Zetter Hotel & Townhouse

This small but luxurious Clerkenwell hotel has 59 individually-designed rooms and a restaurant headed-up by renowned chef Bruno Loubet

As one traveller said, “This hotel is modernist cool. The staff were fabulously helpful. The room was plush with a balcony looking out over the stunning landscapes of London.”

To see a list of the UK’s trendiest hotels, visit http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice-Hotels-cTrendy

* Trendiest hotels were determined using an algorithm that measured highest ratings by travelers taking into account the classification of “trendy” on the TripAdvisor hotel review form.

Hotel prices in popular Greek tourist destinations fall by up to 20%

TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, can exclusively reveal that hotel prices in a number of popular Greek holiday resorts have dropped substantially over the past year, with the island of Corfu experiencing a remarkable average decline of 20%* in its nightly room rates.  Other destinations to see a significant drop in hotel prices include Zakynthos, Kos and the capital city of Athens. 

Most of the nine popular destinations studied saw their hotel rates drop by 8% or more, with the exceptions of Mykonos and Santorini which have remained relatively stagnant. 

“While the Greek economy has experienced a traumatic year, the silver lining for tourism could be an increase in visitors due to the lower prices in many of its popular destinations, commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson.  “There are some excellent hotel deals to be had in Greece at the moment, and with hotel prices coming down, it could be a great time for Brits to plan a 2012 holiday to Greece.”

Popular Greek holiday resorts which have seen a year-on-year decrease in hotel prices**:

Destination	Average nightly hotel rate: One year ago	Average nightly hotel rate: Now	Change in price
Corfu	€99.27	€79.07	20.3% drop
Zakynthos	€86.96	€76.16	12.4% drop
Kos	€75.06	€67.86	9.6% drop
Kefalonia	€107.85	€99.05	8.2% drop
Athens	€81.02	€74.66	7.9% drop
Crete	€85.75	€79.16	7.7% drop
Rhodes	€96.82	€91.42	5.6% drop
Santorini	€162.08	€161.91	0.1% drop
Mykonos	€160.04	€161.09	0.7% rise

For more information on visiting Greece, visit http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Tourism-g189398-Greece-Vacations.html

*Percentages shown specify the average change in per room per night hotel room cost at hotels found on TripAdvisor in that destination when comparing 1 November 2010-16 January 2011 against the same dates one year later.  Between 22 and 401 hotels of various star-ratings were checked for each destination, for a total of 1,299 hotels checked across all nine destinations. 

**Prices shown indicate average per night per room per night hotel cost in that destination.  Between 22 and 401 hotels of various star-ratings were checked for each destination, for a total of 1,299 hotels checked across all nine destinations.  Prices in the ‘One year ago’ column denote the average per night per room cost from 1 November 2010-16 January 2011.  Prices in the ‘Now’ column denote the average per night per room cost from 1 November 2011-16 January 2012.

TripAdvisor’s response to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigation

As you may have heard, the ASA today announced the results of an investigation against us. Here’s our view:

We think this ruling flies in the face of common sense and is unrealistic in its expectations from sites like ours. The ASA has taken a highly technical view relating to two marketing phrases that were used in a limited capacity; complaints were upheld on the basis that we could not provide 100% certainty that every single review on the site was written by a real traveller and could be trusted. No system, verified or not, could provide this.  It is worth noting that the General Media Panel (an independent group that provides industry expert advice to the ASA) disagreed with the ASA’s view of the claims.

The average traveller reads dozens of reviews before making an informed decision, not just one or two.  The ruling has no bearing on our commitment to providing a trusted resource for travellers with valued advice and insights from the TripAdvisor community, based on the wisdom of the crowds. We know that our users approach TripAdvisor with common sense, and make an educated decision based on the opinions of many. 

We continue to maintain our industry-leading standards in managing the integrity of our site, because it is fundamental to our success.  It’s because of the usefulness that the traveller reviews and opinions on TripAdvisor provide that we enjoy such user loyalty.  According to a recent PhoCusWright study commissioned by TripAdvisor*, 98% of respondents have found TripAdvisor hotel reviews to be accurate of the actual experience.

We are the world’s largest travel site and we have confidence that the 50 million users who come to our site every month trust the reviews they read on TripAdvisor, which is why they keep coming back to us in increasingly larger numbers to plan and have the perfect trip.  

TripAdvisor was founded on a core set of principles - to give travellers a voice to share their experiences, promote consumer choice and encourage a level playing field for everyone in the industry– all within a free forum for sharing open and honest opinions. This remains our mission.

*According to a July 2011 PhoCusWright survey of 3,641 respondents.  Participants for the study were solicited at random through a pop-up invitation link on TripAdvisor.com.