Good questions.

Some guidebook publishers "update" their books each year by visiting some/none of the facilities listed. They'll receive updates from the hotel or restaurant owners via phone or fax. Not very precise.

Overall, the advice in Rough Guides or Lonely Planet will get you where you want to go. Once you arrive, the only difference might be the state in which you find the hotel or restaurant that was recommended.

Of the 2 series, I've found Lonely Planet easy to use and more reliable. But, the true answer probably depends more upon who wrote the book for the particular country/city/region and how recently it was completely updated.

People will say what they will about Rick Steves, but at least he (or his co-authors) literally checks out each and every place for each new edition of his books.

thanks,u give some good information.does rick steve publishes a book every year?whats the title?

Any guide, no matter who writes or publishes it, will not have current information regarding accommodations. From the time a writer or researcher visits an inn, hotel or hostel until the time his review appears in print and bookstores, a year can easily pass by.

Your best bet for truly current information regarding the quality of accommodations is right here or at comparable websites, Frommer's, Lonely Planet, etc.

Select what you find appealing in a guidebook then come here or to a similar site and ask for opinions of anyone who may have stayed at the inns or hostels you choose.

We've bought a lot of different guides. Now we buy "Open Road" guides. The hotel and food stuff is always right on. Sightseeing stuff is very good. They don't have good maps.

My favorite for youth guides is the "Let's Go" series, i.e. "Let's Go Spain & Portugal". Gives great info on cheap hotels and hostels for the "young" and hip places to hang out. And important stuff like where to find a small grocery store or laundromat.

Personnally, I slightly prefer RG over LP, which is a bit "Australian" (sorry for any Aussies out there ! ) to my taste. In particular I still have to understand their obsession for veggie food and bird watching whatever the country ! Rough Guides being British, they have more of a feel of what a European country should be visited (100 % biased and personal opinion, I do admit ! ), and the maps are brilliant. That said, given the choice between a LP hot out of the press and a two year old RG, I would definitely go for the LP, I'll just skip the veggie section.

For European cities, we think the TimeOut guides are the best and most up to date. It's true, there's always a lag between the time the stuff is written and when it hits the shelves. Nonetheless, I do think they stay as current as possible.

Give me a decent large scale map and a Michelin Green Guide any day.
Vincent: The maps in Rough Guide are excellent??? they are the worst thing about it (together with the overwhelming prediliction for Churches). However I too much prefer RG over LP or Lets Go for the wonderful opinionated nonsense that gets my hackles up. As its European opinionated nonsense its far more satisfying the stultifyingly inane commentaries from the others. But as you can tell I am very biased here. No.... I'll say it again, if you can't get by with a large scale map (1:50,000 max) and a Guide Verte for pointers then you better off stay home with your Discovery Channel!
(Oops - think I might have over done this now)

top top top!

Vincent,
"Personnally, I slightly prefer RG over LP, which is a bit "Australian" (sorry for any Aussies out there ! ) to my taste. In particular I still have to understand their obsession for veggie food and bird watching whatever the country."

I quite honestly, don't understand your comment. Yes, I am from Australia.....
" Obsession for veggie food & bird watching".
That's a new one to me.
Are you sure you mean Australia and not perhaps Austria....
I don't think we are a country well known for our 'bird watching' (unless you mean the guys checking out the girls (birds). And the Veggie food???
Don't know where you have been or who you have been speaking to, to make that statement.......I've obviously missed something in my education about we 'Aussies'
Please let me know. ciao