FunnelScope announces the first hotel awards based on user reviews! These awards leverage an innovative approach of aggregating millions of reviews from travel and review sites and scoring each review for key criteria and categories. The winning hotels by each category are listed below.  Congratulations to the 2010 Reviewers’ Choice Hotel Award winners!

The Reviewers’ Choice Hotel Awards for U.S. hotels provide a unique and broad perspective by taking into account user experiences via millions of unbiased hotel reviews and distilling their implied ratings across numerous categories. These categories include: bed comfort, bathroom quality, beach hotels, service quality, business, access to entertainment, family-friendly, gym quality, pet-friendly, pool quality, romantic, overall value, and quality of views.

These days most of us rely on user reviews to help us make travel decisions. FunnelScope’s hotel search engine takes this a step further by quantifying user reviews into ratings that can be quickly and easily understood. FunnelScope’s unique semantic technology was used in scoring the reviews.

Millions of hotel reviews are posted online each year at multiple websites. It’s too much information to digest. In fact, it’s nearly impossible, not to mention a time waste, to find and read all the hotel reviews available. But online hotel reviews are a trusted and valuable source of information. They help people make their hotel booking decisions and often are a key factor that determines the quality of their trip.

Funnelscope solves the problem of being able to digest all that information!

Travelers have been waiting for someone smart to compile all that hotel review information on the web into an easily digestible format.  Travelers only want to see reviews that help them find a hotel that meets their needs.  FunnelScope is doing just that – simplifying hotel research to find the perfect hotel.

The awards are listed below by category. Congratulations to the hotels listed.  They’ve won FunnelScope’s first annual Reviewers Choice awards!

Consumers searching for the right hotel are also winners. Why? Because now they can use FunnelScope’s innovative hotel research engine to generate a personalized hotel list specific to their criteria and location (city or neighborhood).

Awesome Beach Hotels:
PARK SHORE WAIKIKI – AN AQUA HOTEL – HONOLULU, HAWAII

RAMADA PLAZA BEACH RESORT – FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA

SHERATON PRINCESS KAIULANI – HONOLULU, HAWAII

OUTRIGGER WAIKIKI ON THE BEACH – HONOLULU, HAWAII

PACIFIC EDGE HOTEL ON LAGUNA BEACH – LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA

MOANA SURFRIDER WAIKIKI BEACH – HONOLULU, HAWAII

FONTAINEBLUEAU – MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA

SHUTTERS ON THE BEACH – SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA

ROYAL KONA RESORT – KONA, HAWAII

ASTON WAIKIKI BEACH HOTEL – HONOLULU, HAWAII

Business Traveler’s Top Picks:
THE ORCHARD HOTEL – SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

BEST WESTERN WESTMINSTER INN – WESTMINISTER, CALIFORNIA

THE TREMONT HOTEL – CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

THE RITZ-CARLTON BUCKHEAD – ATLANTA, GEORGIA

BEACON HOTEL & CORPORATE QUARTERS – WASHINGTON, DC

SAN FRANCISCO MARRIOTT – SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

VILLA FLORENCE, A LARKSPUR COLLECTION HOTEL – SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

CLUB QUARTERS – PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

MILLENIUM HILTON – NEW YORK, NEW YORK

W- SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Close to Entertainment:
HOLIDAY INN CHARLESTON (HISTORIC DISTRICT) – CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

THE BELLEVIEW BILTMORE RESORT – CLEARWATER, FLORIDA

HOTEL JEFFERY – COULTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA

IMPERIAL PALACE CASINO RESORT SPA – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

MARRIOTT’S CUSTOM HOUSE – BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE – A KIMPTON HOTEL – SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

GEORGIAN TERRACE HOTEL – ATLANTA, GEORGIA

RAMADA PLAZA BEACH RESORT – FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA

21C MUSEUM HOTEL – LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

HOLIDAY INN EL TROPICANO RIVERWALK – SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

Most Family Friendly:
HILTON GRAND VACATIONS CLUB AT SEAWORLD – ORLANDO, FLORIDA

RAMADA PLAZA BEACH RESORT – FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA

ANABELLA HOTEL – ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA

DOUBLETREE GUEST SUITES TIMES SQUARE – NEW YORK, NEW YORK

SHERATON VISTANA VILLAGES – ORLANDO, FLORIDA

SIRATA BEACH RESORT – ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA

DUNES VILLAGE RESORT – MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA

ARIZONA GRAND RESORT – PHOENIX, ARIZONA

LAKE BUENA VISTA RESORT VILLAGE & SPA – LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA

PINK SHELL BEACH RESORT & SPA – FORT MYERS, FLORIDA

Pet Friendly Award:
BEST WESTERN INN – BLAKESLEE-POCONO, PENNSYLVANIA

DRURY INN & SUITES GREENSBORO – NORTH CAROLINA

THE ELLIS HOTEL – ATLANTA, GEORGIA

BEAZLEY HOUSE – NAPA, CALIFORNIA

DOUBLETREE GUEST SUITES – LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY

HOLIDAY INN – PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE

BEST WESTERN GREAT SMOKIES INN – CHEROKEE, NORTH CAROLINA

MARINER MOTEL – FALMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS

7 SPRINGS INN & SUITES – PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

SHERATON MUSIC CITY HOTEL – NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Best Pools:
RESIDENCE INN ORLANDO SEAWORLD – ORLANDO, FLORIDA

HOLIDAY INN SUNSPREE RESORT – PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLORIDA

UNIVERSAL’S HARD ROCK HOTEL – ORLANDO, FLORIDA

SHERATON SAFARI HOTEL & SUITES LAKE BUENA VISTA – ORLANDO, FLORIDA

BEST WESTERN KEY AMBASSADOR RESORT INN – KEY WEST, FLORIDA

THE WESTIN KA’ANAPALI OCEAN RESORT VILLAS – HONOKOWAI, HAWAII

MGM GRAND HOTEL AND CASINO – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

MONTAGE – LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA

CARIBE ROYALE – ORLANDO, FLORIDA

MANDALAY BAY RESORT AND CASINO – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

Most Romantic:
MADRONA MANOR – HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA

SANIBEL SUNSET BEACH RESORT – SANIBEL, FLORIDA

SAINT REGIS ASPEN RESORT – ASPEN, COLORADO

HOTEL MAYA – LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

DIAMOND HEAD BEACH RESORT – FORT MYERS BEACH, FLORIDA

OUTRIGGER REEF ON THE BEACH – HONOLULU, HAWAII

THE HOTEL OF SOUTH BEACH – MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA

OMNI LA MANSION DEL RIO – SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

HOLIDAY INN SANIBEL ISLAND – SANIBEL, FLORIDA

LITTLE PALM ISLAND RESORT & SPA – LITTLE TORCH KEY, FLORIDA

Best Overall Value:
PALACE STATION HOTEL & CASINO – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

EL CORTEZ HOTEL & CASINO – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

BEST WESTERN WESTMINSTER INN – WESTMINISTER, CALIFORNIA

MARRIOTT CITY CENTER – SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

DISNEY’S ALL-STAR MUSIC RESORT – ORLANDO, FLORIDA

CLUB QUARTERS – PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

MURRAY HILL EAST HOTEL – NEW YORK, NEW YORK

ANABELLA HOTEL – ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA

WINTERHAVEN HOTEL – WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA

BEST WESTERN PALM GARDEN INN – WESTMINISTER, CALIFORNIA

Great Views Award:
THE WESTIN MAUI RESORT & SPA – HONOKOWAI, HAWAII

HYATT REGENCY ON THE HUDSON – JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY

LOEWS VENTANA CANYON RESORT – TUCSON, ARIZONA

GRAND AMERICAN HOTEL – SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

ROYAL KONA RESORT – KAILUA, HAWAII

MOANA SURFRIDER WAIKIKI BEACH – HONOLULU, HAWAII

MANDARIN ORIENTAL – NEW YORK, NEW YORK

PACIFIC TERRACE HOTEL – SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

MANDARIN ORIENTAL – MIAMI, FLORIDA

PARK SHORE WAIKIKI – HONOLULU, HAWAII

Most Comfortable Beds:

SOFITEL – PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

THE ORCHARD HOTEL – SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

HOTEL DELUXE – PORTLAND, OREGON

BEACON HOTEL & CORPORATE QUARTERS – WASHINGTON, DC

MGM GRAND HOTEL AND CASINO – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

AQUA PALMS & SPA – WAIKIKI, HAWAII

RENAISSANCE HOTEL – NEW YORK, NEW YORK

MILLENNIUM BILTMORE HOTEL – LA, CALIFORNIA

THE WESTIN SEATTLE – SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

THE WESTIN RIVERWALK – SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

Best Bathroom Quality:
MGM GRAND HOTEL AND CASINO – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

70 PARK AVENUE KIMPTON HOTEL – NEW YORK, NEW YORK

ST. GREGORY LUXURY HOTEL AND SUITES – ROSSLYN, VIRGINIA

THE POD HOTEL – NEW YORK, NEW YORK

HOTEL METRO – NEW YORK, NEW YORK

HOTEL KABUKI – SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

BEACON HOTEL & CORPORATE QUARTERS – WASHINGTON, DC

W CHICAGO LAKESHORE – CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

MILLENNIUM BILTMORE HOTEL – LA, CALIFORNIA

JW MARRIOTT HOTEL – SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

High Gym Quality Award:
NEW YORK MARRIOTT MARQUIS – NEW YORK, NEW YORK

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE – NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

LOEWS PHILADELPHIA HOTEL – PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

MGM GRAND HOTEL AND CASINO – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

HILTON – SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

THE FAIRMONT SONOMA MISSION INN & SPA – BOYES HOT SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

GUESTHOUSE WILDWOOD – FLORENCE, KENTUCKY

MANDARIN ORIENTAL – NEW YORK,  NEWYORK

GRAND HOTEL – MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Yes!  Hotel prices are forecasted to drop by 2%-3% in 2010.

You thought there was only good news in the 2010 forecast didn’t you.  Sorry.

Here’s the bad news:  airlines will be able to raise ticket prices by 2% to 8% in 2010.  And, even though hotel costs should go down, the overall cost of a domestic trip is forecasted to increase by 1.2% in 2010.  Bummer.

Airlines have been able to lower supply by reducing or eliminating flights leading to the predicted rise in ticket prices.  Hotels, on the other hand, have a fixed supply leading to lower room rates as competition for the fewer number of travelers heats up.

Says who?  American Express Business Travel, that’s who.

American Express Business Travel recently released it’s annual Global Business Travel Forecast.  AMEX has an excellent pulse on travel costs due to their position as one of the world’s largest travel agencies.

Do you plan to increase or decrease your travel in 2010 and why?  Please comment!

AMEX 2010 Global Business Travel Forecast

Travel booked online is expected to continue to see growth over the next 4 years according to Barclays Capital.

However, the rate of growth is slowly tapering off from the 20% range in 2006/2007 to an estimated 9% in 2013.

Independent of economic factors, perhaps the online travel growth trajectory will once again start to see a rise in year over year growth.

How?

With innovation.  That’s how.

There has been little innovation in the online search space in the last 5 years.  Maybe that innovation will come from what is now a tiny start-up …

FunnelScope.

That’s right, FunnelScope.  We’re working hard to come up with great ideas to make your travel search experience even better.

Watch us grow.  Give us your feedback.  We’re listening.

Online Travel Bookings Barclays Capital