http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/04/22...it_tl_20120421

Pretty generic article that has listings that probably won't be used by many people.

Over the years, I've gathered my own websites for what interests me, and have accurate information.

I agree on the generic but am curious about which you recommend?

520 - depending on where I'm going and what I want, I will use a few 'trusted' websites along with extensive google searches.

I use www.venere.com to double check hotels and prices.
Nice dinner www.gayot.com once again to double check.
I usually don't book through a third party booking agency, but I will validate plane prices through these sites. If there's a problem, I can then go right to the source.

New country, I will buy a Fodors Guide Book and study the hell out of it. I wll also pick up 1-2 more books, usually LonelyPlanet for a change of pace.

Everything else I make up as I go along.

Then if you google for planning you vacation and like Fodors or Lonely planet you may you may try www.tratoz.com, it give you a direct link to the most trusted web sites and it is presented by destinations or travel topics

Minogami - once again, pretty generic site. For example, I want to know about specific hotels in specific areas for a specific price range. I can do that with Venere.com. I'll get hits on dozens of hotels to choose from. None of these websites are so specific that you can choose.

Years ago, I met a Frommers writer, William Danforth Prince, at the Vier Jahreszeiten Hotel in Munich. He had up to the minute information about what was going on. Frommer might publish it next year, but that was too late for my purposes.

Through him, I found a great new restaurant a few blocks away. I went there a few nights later and it was great. I came back about a month later, and they were booked full. Luckily they remembered me from when they opened and found a table for me. That's the kind of information I want.

We live in an instantaneous world, so I will take advantage of it when I can.

not sure about gayot--I tried to check out a few restaurants in Paris and New York that I've been to recently that have been widely reviewed and got a no listing response for them.


I've used Venere once or twice in the past--but tend to rely on personal sources more for hotels.