Finding a Location Online

The internet is becoming an increasingly popular resource for potential travelers, tourists and business trippers who are planning their next excursion. It takes over from a shoddy and incomplete system of tourism hotlines advertised on TV and in travel magazines and the brochures in hotel and information centre lobbies. These methods are still used, obviously, since not everyone has the internet, but today's trip planners are more likely to see their next future stopover advertised in a banner on their favorite website like Tripadvisor.ca instead of in a brochure they received by snail mail.

It seems like everyone has a website these days, from the manufacturers of scented markers to every person designing T-shirts. This makes it easier to find Bed and Breakfasts (as well as a local boarding facility for your pets) than it used to be but make sure you remember that there is no way to regulate how people advertise or represent their businesses over the internet so there will be a fair amount of information to sift through. These articles should help you to make the best possible choice.

The best way to narrow down your findings into legitimate businesses is to use an online travel broker like Expedia or Travelocity. These sites do their own research, so they would know if the "sprawling lot" a B&B claims to be located on is actually a parking facility, for instance. Using an online travel broker also lists the accommodations for your destination city in one handy list, so you don't have to surf through dozens of pages to do your research. Their search protocols also classify accommodations by city, so you don't end up booking yourself in hotel in Ontario when your conference is actually being held at a resort in Miami.

Just because the internet is faster and easier to use, don't let it suck you into the trap of not doing proper research. You can find a Bed and Breakfast anywhere in the world in ten seconds on the internet, but don't just book immediately. You'll want to look around and make sure there isn't one that's cheaper or better suited to you. If you want to get the best price you don't just take the first quote. You look around and negotiate. Take the time to choose a Bed and Breakfast that's perfect for you and your vacation or business trip will be better for it.

The internet can be especially useful if you're looking for a place that is perhaps smaller or unique in some way. Newer-age places like green B&Bs or gay-oriented B&Bs are most likely found only online. Conference attendees looking for a B&B with full wi-fi so they can stream lectures from their rooms could perhaps find such a place through their favorite technology website.