Robespierre

Hmmm...

sounds like there's a market for a line of continuously-updated online travel guides.

(In pdf, of course, so the buyer can either print them on dead trees or download them to his/her pocket computer.)

platzman

I think travel guidebooks are going the way of the traveler's check, eventually.
Remember when you read a 2005 guidebook, the information is already a year old.
I have many times found Frommers and Rick Steves books to be incorrect with restaurant information.

machin

Fodors was always correct for us for Italy and Provence.

lyb

I think Guide Books should be exactly that "guide", not considered a bible. If they say that trains/planes/buses have a certain schedule, you should always double check with the local transportation. As many others have said, by the time the book is printed the info could very well, and most likely be changed.

Buyer beware, buyer beware...double check and confirm....and most of all, take responsibility for not having done in-depth research.

Sarvowinner

Why is this thread running twice? - it is also with the same original post down about 65?

annesherrod

I actually like the Frommer books, the one for Getmany a few years ago was great and right on the money with everything.
I currently have one for Costa Rica - I will soon see if it is accuarate.

DenverDice

I'll have to check out Rough Guides - and I used Rick Steves web section for Athens information - it was awesome. He also "convinced" me to pack lightly and boy was I glad I did. Call me naive, but I would think that if a company's sole purpose is helping people with their travels, they would doublecheck their information.

And as far as doing research before I went, sometimes you want to wing it a little - during a 3-week trip you want to leave some flexibility for new adventures. Other than a guide book or asking people for information, there's really not many options. Sure, I could spend half a day finding an Internet cafe and then trying to find the right websites for information, but I'd rather just be on my way. Next time, I will get better books and do better research on the important stuff (like bus schedules). I thought my handy Frommer's book was all I needed. Ha!

Underhill

Back when Frommers was the $5 a Day guide, the emphasis was on hotels and restaurants--not so much on sightseeing. Fodors has paid more attention to all three aspects of travel, but I still long for the Fielding, Fisher, and and Birnbaum's guides that are no longer produced.

Nina66

When I first started to travel, I used Frommer's, mainly because it fit my budget - especially the 'big splurges'. We stayed in some marvelous, affordable places all over Europe and in Mexico.

A number of their hotel rates were substantially different, and I asked the hotel owner in Venice why this was so, especially when the info should have been only a year or so old.

She said that every year Frommer's sent her a form asking about rate changes, new owners, remodeled rooms, etc.. She said that they hadn't responded in years, yet they were still in the new guides. Frommer 'guessed' about the increases, which were always incorrect - sometimes in our favor, sometimes the hotel.
She said that no one ever came to the hotel in person to ask or inspect the facilities.

I also used Let's Go for quite a while, even though my budget had increased, I liked the information on sights, cities, transportation etc.. Once in Carcasonne, we saw the review from the previous issue of Let's Go France. It raved about the bar and restaurant and especiall the cassoulete (sp). We laughed as we read it, because the newest edition, which I was holding, said that it was canned and that people had gotten food poison from it!

Rick Steves, what can I say..it's like stopping to watch a terrible auto accident - for me at least. I say I will never use him again, but then I buy his books again and again. The worst part is eating in his restaurants. We must have 'tourist sent by Rick' stamped on our foreheads. We have received some of the worst service and mediocre food that we have eaten any where. Don't even asked where we are seated - how about right next to the waiters' station in an almost totally restaurant. We generally eat about 9 or 10PM, but this one evening DH was starving at 6:30PM. We asked to be moved to another table and were told that they were all reserved. Right ... we saw others walk right in and be seated elsewhere. We would have left, but have you ever tried to find a restaurant nearby that serves at 6:30PM???? Sure there are some, brasseries etc..but they are never right there when DH has a hunger attack and has to eat NOW.

suze

I never travel with guidebooks. I do my research ahead of time using the internet and books from the library. I only secure plane ticket and hotel reservations.

Then when I arrive I buy or pick up maps, weekly entertainment guides, and tourist pamphlets. This serves me very well. But I am not an itinerary driven person nor am I heartbroken if I miss doing some particular thing.

Unless they run out of wine in Europe and close all sidewalk cafes, my trips will continue to be successful with this simple inexpensive method.

worldinabag

Hi

Why bother with a guide book (except for its use outlining history of a place etc). There is a wealth of info on the internet. Just look at this site! Even the guidebooks have websites. Prior to my trip I searched the travel forums and various websites and made notes which I brought with me. This included photocopies of maps for dining, shopping, entertainment, transport etc. I found it fun researching and making up my own guide "book". Saved a lot of time and fatigue too when travelling. A lot of restaurants, museums, hotels etc have websites now so you can get pretty current info. I also visited the Tourist Info Centres for city maps, attractions etc. when I arrived. Still can't find the answer? Post your question here.

See ya

PurpleNeon

I must throw my lot in with the person waaay up at the top who said they used Cadogan guides. That is the book we brought to Greece and I loved it. It worked well for us as people who had planned much of the nuts and bolts of our trip before-hand (hotels, ferries, flights, etc) so what I really liked about the Cadogan book was how much more detail it gave about places that we were seeing. I would definitely say that we went to several places that we may not have chosen to go, merely based on the wonderful description in the book. On islands that we rented a car, I often read aloud from the book as we passed by places and it helped us determine many a spur of the moment turn off.

We did try several of the restaurant recommendations and were satisfied with those as well.

While not everything works for everyone, I definitely recommend perusing a Cadogan guide before your next trip to see if it works for you.

Diane60030

My favorite guide for greece was actualy the Beriltz guide. It was more focused on walking tours. (I tend to be spontanious as far as eating) But it was very accurate. I was able to navigate the entire island of Rhodes with something bearly larger than my passport.