Consumer Reports Highlights HotelShark.com

The November 2005 issue of Consumer Reports directs readers to "www.hotelshark.com" to "get travelers' opinions" on hotels. The recommendation appears in an article entitled "Great hotel deals: Not written in the stars."

The piece highlights problems with printed travel guides that use star-based rating systems. Inconsistencies between different star schemes "can lead to letdowns once you’ve checked in." As the article notes, "you can’t always count on the stars to guide you."

HotelShark.com has never used a multiple star-based rating system. Instead, the site awards fins to hotels that are reviewed, on the whole, positively by guests. A fin appears as a small, gray icon to the left of a hotel’s name within a given city index on www.hotelshark.com. The fin system gives travelers a quick way to find well-liked hotels in a given area.

The Consumer Reports recommendation is the latest in a string from major publications this year. Last month, the Washington Post called HotelShark.com a "widely used" trove of "up-to-date information." In May, the New York Times advised business travelers to Europe to visit the site to “learn as much as you can about the accommodations.” The Chicago Tribune called HotelShark.com an "unbiased" source of hotel "reviews written by real-world travelers." And in January, London's The Independent (UK) called HotelShark.com one of the ten best travel websites in the world.

HotelShark.com is not affiliated with any of the aforementioned publications.

About HotelShark.com

HotelShark.com is the world’s most-trusted Internet lodging guide. The site collects, screens, and publishes unbiased hotel reviews written by real travelers. It was named one of the five best travel websites by National Geographic Traveler magazine, and has been praised by the Independent ( UK ), US News & World Report, and USA Today. Founded in March 2001, HotelShark.com is available free of charge at the www.hotelshark.com Internet address. HotelShark.com is owned by SharkPage, a privately held company based in Palo Alto, California. HotelShark.com and SharkPage are trademarks of SharkPage. Further press information on HotelShark.com is available at http://www.hotelshark.com/media.htm .