Whether you’re planning a holiday in your own country or you want to plan a family holiday abroad, choosing the best hotel can be such a daunting experience. You can go online, to one of the many booking sites or you can visit each individual hotel’s website to find a hotel you think may meet your needs, but there are so many different factors to take into consideration that you must not forget.

A good example is if you were planning to go to a better place for your holiday, then you need to know it is one of the most visited destinations in the world and therefore there is no shortage when it comes to hotels, guest houses and bed, and breakfasts. In fact, there are over one hundred and twenty-three thousand guest rooms you can choose, so where do you start?

For most people, you will have a travel budget. You will have an indication on what you can afford to pay in terms of price for accommodation. Take a look at how long you intend to be in the area and what you want to pay for accommodation for your entire stay, leaving cash aside for food, entertainment, and souvenirs. The price you have in mind can help you identify the hotels you can afford to ensure you book the best hotel that works within your budget.

Try and make sure your budget falls into the three-star hotel category. You don’t really want to go below three stars. Three stars are already relatively basic, but you are guaranteed a clean and comfortable en-suite room. Though with three stars, the hotel may not have its own restaurants and chances of a twenty-four-hour reception is minimal. If you have a good budget, then aim for the five-star hotels, so you can enjoy twenty-four hour room service, a valet service, and concierge service, to name a few.

Once you have a budget in mind and you have an idea on the type of hotels you can afford, you need to focus on location. The location of the hotel will be determined by what you want to do on your holiday and what you want to see. If you are heading to the seaside, you obviously want a hotel walking distance from the beach. Having to drive half an hour or catch a bus to get to the beach defeats the purpose of the holiday. The same applies if you are planning a city break. Ensure the hotel you choose is close to the transport links, so you can explore the city with ease in your own time.

Look at the facilities provided by the hotel. Do they have their own restaurant? Do they offer room service? What about Wi-Fi? When booking into any hotel, the facilities and services offered are important so that you know what you can do at the hotel and what you need to go out for. Sometimes staying at the hotel and having a relaxing spa treatment or enjoying some breakfast in the comfort of your own room will make you feel pampered and relaxed.

The final consideration is the guest accommodation being offered. Most hotels of three stars and above will provide different room types, all come with their own unique benefits. You can choose from double, twin or king rooms or suites. You can choose a room with an en-suite shower or bath or you can choose a suite with its own living area, so you have your own home away from home.

Everyone is aware of the fact that one can easily save money if they opt for a budget hotel. But sometimes you just crave to have a five-star experience. Luckily, there are a few ways through which you can book a hotel for cheap without making any sacrifices in your choice for accommodations.

Here are five tips for saving money and booking a hotel room for cheap, no matter where you stay.

Time Of Your Booking

Time is essence in this case. On any day prices can vary as per the hotel’s liking if they think they will be able to fill all the rooms for the night. Your best time to book is before 24 hours of your stay; these are the times when hotels keep changing their prices just to fill their vacant rooms. But this creates a lot of uncertainty, and it’s not a wise thing to do if you are traveling to an unfamiliar place.

Revisit The Same Hotel

If you are a regular traveler and you visit the same location frequently, then you should book the same hotel as you can get great deals or offers. If the same hotel has a chain of hotels around the globe even then you can score great discounts quickly. Just remember that when you book your room mention that you have previously stayed at the same hotel. When the hotel sees your reputation as a returning customer, they will offer you a better rate or perhaps give you an upgraded room.

Make Use Of Deals And Coupons

You can save money when you book your hotel from websites that are hotel booking agencies, but if you want to save more money on your accommodation expenditure, it’s best you search for online deals and coupons before booking a hotel. Many money-saving sites offer deals and coupons for different hotels and motels. It’s always wise to make use of such offers and save as much on your travel expenses.

City Breaks Are Economical In Summer

Keep in mind the season in which you are planning to travel. City breaks usually are less expensive in summers, as there are fewer events, less business travelers and a huge migration towards the coast.

Travel Solo

If you are traveling solo – then take full advantage of it. Many hotels assume that there will be two persons staying so they offer a good discount for the room. This way you can enjoy a double bed suite all by yourself.

While the comparisons made between bed and breakfasts and hotels are very much dependent on who is making the comparison, one thing is certain: The world is simply filled with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. The great playwright, Henry Miller, said this. And, when it comes to the notion of why you’re traveling in the first place, Miller’s words give us pause for thought regarding reasons why traveler’s should consider staying at a B&B on their next journey.

First, let’s talk a bit about hotels. Surely, everything has its place and the chief attribute for many (though a deficit for others) is their predictability. That is to say, some travelers desire the commonness of hotels – all the rooms the same from location to location, and very little difference from their home environment. For some – particularly overnight business travelers – this sort of predictability is a convenience that fits in well with the purpose of their visit. Where they stay has little importance in the scheme of things.

However, for many travelers where they stay is of considerable importance. For them, it is the world of Miller’s rich treasures they are seeking. The escape from the common is not only a desire, it’s a goal, and the cookie-cutter sterility of a hotel room is not for them. It is for those who want unique experiences in their travel that the B&B experience is the perfect fit. Folks who’ve stayed at B&B’s while on a trip know this, and it’s the reason why B&B stays are in and of themselves an important part of the trip.

Why stay at B&B instead of a hotel?

1. Each B&B is a unique lodging experience – no two B&B’s are alike.
2. B&B hosts are excellent concierges at no extra charge (hotel concierge service usually costs quite a bit in gratuity). They are able to steer you to well-known attractions and restaurants, as well as the local gems found off the beaten path.
3. The decorations are charming, the environments comfortable, the linens fine, and the breakfasts homemade. Some B&B’s will have wine and cheese in the early evening, or a special tea-time included during your stay.
4. A B&B is an experience, a part of that rich pageantry of the world. An atmosphere that keeps your spirit of travel alive throughout your stay. A hotel simply cannot be these things.

Again, there are reasons why some travelers choose hotels, and it is for these reasons that hotels do have their place. However, if the reason you are traveling is to escape the common, to discover beautiful places, beautiful souls, interesting people – then a B&B stay is the fit for you.

Remember, just like choice hotels, choice B&B’s often book many months in advance. It’s good to plan ahead by visiting the websites of B&B’s in the places you are traveling to. Unlike hotels, though, you will be able to get a good look at pictures of the very room you choose to stay in. Make your selection, book your room. The experience of staying in a B&B is one you will want to have over and over again.

Barn doors may be best left on barns. I currently receive about a call a month to ask if I can help with a hotel room sliding barn door injury. This is a trend that has continued since hotel designers decided that it would be a great concept to install sliding type barn doors to separate bathrooms and other areas from the hotel guest bedroom.

The first time I saw a door of this type installed in a newly renovated hotel room, I immediately thought that this was an accident waiting to happen. It was either going to create a pinch injury, a crush incident, or the door would just fall off the hanging rail and smash into someone. I was more concerned that unattended children playing with these doors would get seriously injured.

Sure enough, within a month of seeing this kind of door installation, the calls started coming into the office. These calls have been ongoing for the last 4 years.

The peculiar aspect of these installations is that there are too many small hardware component pieces that can become loose and ultimately fall off causing detachment of the door. Various manufacturers use different types and qualities of materials to make the doors slide, however, most door systems are subject to the same problems. They loosen, fall apart, fall off of their track or move out of adjustment leading to serious personal injuries of hotel guests as the sliding doors disconnect from their hanging hardware in one way or another.

WHAT GOES WRONG?

Defectively operating hotel room barn doors have created injuries in many different ways. Hanger bars have become detached from the wall. Guide rollers and limiters have become disconnected. Screws have gone missing and were unchecked. Door hangers have lost their grip. Rollers have cracked and broken. Rubber stops have disappeared. The base plates and screws that keep the door from swinging away from the wall have broken or disconnected completely from the floor. Rust has affected the hardware due to moisture from the bathroom, and parts have seized. Glass doors have shattered due to stresses imparted as the door has been pushed into obstructions when they are out of alignment.

When depositions of hotel staff are taken and they are asked about how the barn door systems are maintained, the typical answer is “we don’t do much”. Sometimes they claim that they have boxes of replacement parts left from the original installation, and “when we notice something wrong, we go get one of those spare parts”. Many hotels claim that they make routine inspections of their guest rooms, but I haven’t encountered one hotel that pays the needed attention to these doors, even after an injury incident occurs.

In most hotels the housekeepers are charged with cleaning and preparing the rooms for new guests. Those housekeepers are the only check for room condition prior to a new occupancy. Housekeeping concerns are usually limited to quickly checking to see if the carpet is soiled, trash can liners are in place, the bed sheets are clean, and toiletries are in place in the bathroom. Housekeepers do not have the skill set, time in the room or training to evaluate loose hardware on sliding barn doors. Some managers have claimed that they inspect the rooms with other hotel personnel on a routine scheduled cycle, but their inspections are often too far apart. Quarterly or even monthly room checks are inadequate to counteract the daily changes that occur with the hardware on most barn style doors. I have never seen any information regarding specific barn door hardware inspections. In general, life safety and room security are the extent of any door inspections, if those issues are even evaluated.

WHAT KIND OF PARTS ARE ON A SLIDING BARN DOOR?

Installations and hardware of these barn door systems often include up to 30 separate components. There are bracket hangers that are attached to the top of some type of a slab door. Doors can weigh over 200 pounds depending upon the door width, thickness, and height. The door hangers are attached to a roller of some sort. These rollers can be made from steel, rubber, plastic or aluminum. Glass doors are hung using slots or holes that have been precut in the glass prior to tempering. Glass doors have hardware that must be gasketed with rubber or plastic to keep metal components from making contact with the glass directly. All doors using rollers are held in place with an axel or screws. Next, the rod or bar stock that these rollers move on must be properly attached to the wall.

To ensure that the carrier rods or bars are safely mounted, there must be steel backing plates or wooden blocking in the appropriate location of the adjacent wall. Sometimes, a renovation of the room has not included these backing materials, and the hanging rods are founded into drywall alone. The brackets that mount these rods or brackets have to be positively located into some formidable blocking materials, and appropriately mounted using proper screws designed to maintain the weight of the door and sliding systems. Deformation of the finished drywall surface, due to the weight of improperly designed systems, has created looseness of the hanging tracks, and ultimately led to barn door failures.

Many barn door carriers have only a top roller and rely upon a bar or piece of metal to keep the door from lifting off the hanging track. Some more sophisticated systems may have both a top and bottom roller to limit the movement of the door when the door is inadvertently pushed up by usage. Most wooden or metal barn door hardware sets require a slot cut into the bottom of the door so that a flat plate, screw or t shaped piece of metal can keep the door from swinging diagonally away from the opening when used. Glass barn doors often have L shaped floor guides to direct the travel of the sliding door. Not every barn door system has this bottom piece of hardware and some are very weak.

In addition to these basic components, there are also additional stop pieces, limiters, snubbers and other regulating pieces that maintain the door on the hanging rod or bar stock, depending upon the system, manufacturer, and design of the door hardware. Some barn doors are basically glass sheets. These doors are usually tempered or made of laminated safety glass. Moving doors made of glass can spontaneously shatter due to stresses imparted to the glass as early as when manufactured. Glass doors used for these barn door installations are like all other glass doors. They can be affected by previous use, impact from vacuums or other normal operational conditions. Sometimes holes or slots prepared in the glass that are used to hang the doors

become stressed and the door shatters without warning. Using a sliding glass door comes with increased risk of failure as it is a moving piece of glass. Glass is generally not as resilient to stresses as a solid wood or a metal door and adds to the possibility of injury.

Add to all these various components, numerous screws to attach these parts. Often, the screws are designed to have some sort of proprietary wrench or driver. It has been seen repeatedly that the hotel maintenance staff does not have possession of these proprietary adjusting tools. Sometimes the screws have simple slotted heads or allen screws, but they all require positive torqueing in order to assure that the screws will not loosen in usage. It is good trade practice to bind these screws either with a chemical thread locking agent or by deforming the screw threads to guard against loosening. That extra measure of security is rarely observed when defectively operating barn door hardware has been inspected.

My construction company has built hotel rooms for many major hotel chains since the early 1980’s. New designs and ideas were generally tried out and refined in several design stages and reviews before actually being constructed and put into public use. First, the hotel designers would configure the rooms for function. They would conceptually design most of the elements for a new project. After review by different design departments with operations and management commentary, my company would be called upon to build a model room to full scale in a warehouse. The rooms, all components, including doors, hardware, plumbing fixtures, lighting, furniture and finishes would all be scrutinized during these model room mock-ups. Construction spatial conflicts, operational concerns, maintenance of products, sampling of finishes would all be photographed and checked and rechecked prior to offering a new concept to a hotel in need of refurbishment. That is the responsible way that a professional hotel group reworks their projects.

POOR DESIGN CHOICE

It appears that recent design choices, such as the sliding barn door did not undergo the same design gauntlet that has been the standard in prior years. In the effort to find a cool new look to appeal to the current marketplace as to how to configure guest rooms, and with a goal of increasing useable room square footage, the poor design choice to use sliding barn style doors has become commonplace. If the amount of injury claims I am aware of is indicative of a small portion of all sliding door injuries, this type of door installation is a poor and predictable design failure. Sliding barn doors appears to be leading the hotel industry as a major contributor of unsafe room conditions.

From the hotel perspective, many chains require that a design format is followed whenever a renovation is undertaken. That means that if the hotel chain design requires installation of these barn doors, they are generally incorporated in a renovation project without question. The contractors that are installing these products are often doing so without any past expertise or forethought as to how to properly install this hardware.

From my inspections of dozens of defective barn door installations in hotel rooms where personal injuries or wrongful death has occurred, many products have exhibited observable damage to the screw heads, rollers and various components that were made during the original installation or through improper maintenance and repairs.

When the renovated rooms have been turned over to the local hotel management at the end of a construction project it is typical to receive product instructions and suggested maintenance routines for equipment. I have not been shown any documentation that describes how the hotel staff is supposed to care for these doors. Training, maintenance protocols or any basic instructional materials that provide any information or warning that the hardware will become loose with use, wear, rust or break down in a short period of time is non-existent. This seems to be evidence that there was little thought given to the ongoing use and long-term functions of these door systems.

Designers do not always get it right. That is why major hotel chains used to review proposed changes for renovations and new designs for an extended period of time prior to putting new ideas into hotel guestrooms. In the case of sliding barn doors, designers have made an extremely poor choice regarding the safety of the hotel guests. These doors require continual observation and constant attention to ensure secure fittings. Without a diligent inspection routine performed on a daily basis, and every time the room is turned over, there is no way to know if all the hardware is properly attached and secure.

HOTEL ROOMS ARE NOT BARNS

Sliding barn doors have been appropriate for barns for hundreds of years. Hotel rooms are not barns. This recent design trend has not taken enough consideration of the different occupants using these rooms. It has not addressed the continual requirements for observation and maintenance or considered the inherent danger with the door configuration. Children are often injured when they are leaning on an adjacent wall space and the door slides open in their direction. Guests that attempt to access these sliding barn doors in the middle of the night, not realizing that the door slides left to right, have pushed or pulled upon them, as it they were a ubiquitous hinged door. These late-night encounters have resulted in many injury claims where the sliding door has ended up on top of the groggy hotel guest. Sliding barn doors are simply a bad design element in today’s attempt to provide a trendy design for guests. Lack of training, appropriate maintenance or understanding that continuous observations need to be made on the part of the hotel management is an ongoing problem with regard to these sliding door systems. If hotels had opted for old fashioned pocket doors installed between walls, instead of this current trend to surface mount barn doors now being installed, there would be significantly less injuries to unsuspecting guests today.

Can a camping trip ever compare to the luxuries of a stay in a hotel? Most people would say that the two are by no means comparable, yet an increasing number of people find themselves choosing between these two very different holiday types.

This is partly explained by the fact that many of us are becoming more aware of the costs associated with travel and holidays. As we look to cut spending in all areas of our lives, it makes sense that we should also be looking at the amount that we are spending on holidays.

We may question whether we really need to spend such large amounts on flights and hotel accommodation. Would it be possible to have a cheap holiday that is just as much fun? This leads us to think about whether a camping trip offers a suitable alternative to more expensive holidays.

There may be no comparison when talking about the comfort that we can achieve in a hotel and then contrasting it with the situation in a tent. But many people are happy to accept a less luxurious holiday if it is also cheaper. More importantly, an increasing number of camping enthusiasts would say that a camping holiday offers a completely different type of experience.

They would not care to compare such experiences unfavourably with other holidays. The reality is that the camping trip can allow you to enjoy more basic pleasures. They offer the opportunity for you to get closer to nature. You’ll often end up spending a lot more time with your family. This may come about through necessity but it can undoubtedly have a positive influence upon your holiday.

This helps to explain why some people do choose to stay in a tent, rather than opting for a hotel. You obviously need to think about whether it would be the right option for you and your family. It’s not for everyone.

Don’t be put off by a perceived lack of facilities. You might be surprised when you see the various pieces of camping equipment and accessories that are now available. You can buy everything from larger tents to solar showers and portable camping toilets. All of these pieces of equipment are designed to help you be more comfortable.

What this all means is that there is now a very realistic choice to be made.

Isn’t your childhood dream to own a high-rise building with an elegant interior and one of the city’s best hotels? What would be the next step if you suddenly decided to open a hotel? The next step is to make a financial plan. It’s like a blueprint for the hotel’s day-to-day operations and activities. Entrepreneurs are submerged in troubled waters at this point.

Many entrepreneurs face a dilemma in the planning stage of their businesses, whether they are new to the industry or have been in it for a long time. One of the most common problems they experience is with their finances. When you don’t know how to plan for business finances, who wouldn’t get grumpy?

Your hotel budget should be as clear as a crystal to you. It will assist you in developing a feasible plan or strategy for allocating budget to key areas that can generate profit.

Here are some tips on how you can prepare a Financial Plan for a hotel:

1. Determine the type of hotel you want to open.

This is critical because it will serve as a guide and a starting point for understanding your target market. It’s important to remember that different types of hotels require different budgets.

2. Make a list of all the factors that could affect a hotel’s profit generation and all the accommodation units, services, and amenities that you have.

All the factors that may affect the hotel’s finances must be considered, and all the hotel’s offerings and services must be acknowledged. You will have a better idea of what you can offer your customers this way.

3. Make a budget for the hotel’s expenses.

Even if you are still in the planning and development stages, you must anticipate or estimate how you will allocate the budget for all the services, accommodations, and amenities you will provide. This will assist you in gaining insight and determining whether it is necessary for the long run to generate profit despite its costs.

This will also serve as a guide for keeping your company running smoothly. Forecasting startup costs will help you decide how to adjust and allocate your finances to finally open your hotel. 4. Use a plan to project or predict assumptions.

4. Use a plan to project or predict assumptions.

If you’re starting from scratch, creating a plan that projects your forecast of the overall performance of the hotel will help you determine the probable profit, cash flow, and risks. These forecasts or assumptions will assist you in predicting the hotel’s demand and future performance.

Forecasting or generating forecasts is an important component of managing finances or creating a financial plan since it will better prepare you to deal with future uncertainties. You must be ahead of the game in order to make modifications to maximize revenue, resources, and prevent any dangers, as they say, “If you plan to fail, you plan to fail.”

If you’re having trouble organizing your business’s finances and don’t have a basic understanding of how to plan and anticipate cash flows, as well as prepare reports and analyses, we offer a simple and painless solution for you. You can check out our best-tailored fit financial model for your business at http://www.efinancialmodels.com.

Have a great time, hustlin’!

Since Thailand is a huge country, it may be hard for you to look for the best hotel. As far as value for money is concerned, Thailand offers some of the best accommodations in Asia. Besides, the star-ranking system is a little vague, which makes the selection even more difficult. So, you can follow the guidelines given below to make the best choice.

1. Consider your Tour Purpose

First of all, you should consider why you are going to spend your vacation in Thailand. For instance, you may be looking to spend a few days away from work or routine life. Some people go out to celebrate their wedding anniversaries. And then there are people who go out on a business trip.

So, if you consider your purpose, you can choose the right hotel. For instance, if you want to go on a business trip, it’s better that you choose a hotel that offers some level of privacy so you can discuss business matters in a peaceful, secure environment.

2. Set your Expectations

As far as hotel ranking is concerned, you can find a formal criterion in Thailand. However, you can still find 5-star, 4-star, and 4.5-star hotels. If you are going there on a business tour, we suggest that you choose a 5-star hotel. These hotels are the most comfortable and offer all the features you can expect in your own house. They offer fresh breakfast, free WiFi, wide parking space and complete privacy. They also offer swimming pools and gyms.

3. Set your Budget

To set a budget, we suggest that you consider a couple of important factors, such as travel season, popular areas and location. If you consider these factors, it will be a lot easier for you to set your budget. These factors will have a considerable impact on your budget.

For instance, if you book a hotel anytime between September and March, you may have to pay handsome money as this is the hot season. So, if you choose a 5-star hotel, you may have to pay up to $150 or more per night.

4. Consider only Essential Facilities

While some facilities are quite attractive, we suggest that you make your choice on the basis of some must-have factors. For instance, if you have kids, it’s better that you choose a hotel that offers a hotel facility. Similarly, if you are with your partner, you can go for one that offers a private pool.

Long story short, we suggest that you consider these simple tips the next you book a hotel in Thailand on your trip. Hope this helps.

When you are on holiday, and going to a book a hotel room, what are those things that you should keep a note of? People generally visit places that they are unfamiliar of. Therefore, it is paramount to pick a renowned or reputable hotel, which is safe for stay over, when you are on holiday. There are many factors that you should consider when you are going to book a hotel or restaurant –

Reputation – Most people book hotel rooms, right after their ticket gets confirmed. They generally do it through their travel agent or from internet. Well, if you are also going to book your hotel room from the internet, it is advisable to do a little research to check the reputation of the hotel. You can easily find other customers’ feedback on their social network links. If you are booking a hotel through an agent, then also it would be prudent to ensure the reputation of the hotel where you are going to stay. After all, safety is your foremost concern; and you would never want to stay at a place that other customers are complaining about.

Purpose of visiting the city or place – You should also consider why you want to visit a specific travel destination. For beach? Or for jungle? Whatever your personal reasons are, you should try to find a hotel, which is located in proximity to the key attraction of the city. Staying in a seaside or beach view hotel has a charm of its own. In addition, it would be quite convenient, as well. Similarly, staying in a mid-forest guest house, if you are touring to the city for jungle, would be a great thrill.

Meal – Apart from sites that you visit, food is the element or essence of the city that impresses you the most. There are many foodies/travellers out there, who scan through the globe just in search of quality food. When booking a hotel, it is recommendable to check the menus of their kitchens. Star ranked hotels have the best cuisines and services; you should ensure that the hotel you are going to book serves your desired cuisine.

Hygiene – Who wants to enjoy his/her holiday in an unhygienic environment? Nobody does. There are many hotels and lodges that offer you unhygienic, dirty rooms. The room fare in such hotels is significantly low, in comparison to that of star category hotels. You should never book a hotel room, just because it is cheap. You want to spend a ‘quality’ time on your holiday. And ‘quality’ never comes at cheap rates.

After gold was discovered on nearby Columbia Mountain in 1902, the town of Goldfield, NV ranked as one of the biggest and brightest mining towns in the west. In its boom year of 1906, the town’s mines produced $11 million in gold. A year later in 1907, the mines were generating close to $10,000.00 a day.

The earthquake-proof, four story, 154-room Goldfield Hotel was built on top of an abandoned gold mine in 1908 for $500,000.00. Being the finest lodging between Denver and San Francisco, the hotel was known as “The Gem in the Desert.”

When it opened in 1908, the hotel boasted an Otis elevator then considered the most modern lift of its kind West of the Mississippi. The Goldfield Hotel’s crystal chandeliers, elegant, mahogany-trimmed lobby with black leather upholstery, gold leaf ceilings and gilded columns rivaled the best hotels in San Francisco.

In an era when few homes or businesses had telephones or carpets, the extravagant hotel featured a sophisticated switchboard and a telephone in every guestroom. Meals were “exquisite European cuisine,” featuring oysters, quail and squid. Patrons came for dinner attired in formal clothing – black tie and tails and ball gowns

Once the largest city in Nevada, Goldfield was connected to the rest of the United States by five railroads and with Goldfield’s mines producing more than $10,000.00 a day at their peak, the town’s five banks thrived. Goldfield even had several mining stock exchanges and three newspapers. As the town boomed, its leaders were considering bringing in a trolley to run through downtown.

But, as the mines bled dry, the city lost its allure and the once splendid Goldfield Hotel ceased operation in the 1920’s. During WW II, the military took it over and added a few improvements that included a grill in order to house Army-Air Force wives whose husbands were stationed and training in the nearby remote desert.

At the end of the War, the Goldfield Hotel was once again abandoned and boarded up. Then in the 1980’s, a well-to-do new owner began to pour millions of dollars into modernizing the hotel. His dream to open the former “Gem in the Desert” in all its original splendor went broke before completion. He lost ownership to back property taxes. Vandals carried off most of the newly installed bathroom and light fixtures, eventually taking all but the bare walls.

Today the town of Goldfield is home to fewer than 300 residents, although remains the seat of Esmeralda County, which at fewer than 1,000 residents, is Nevada’s most sparsely populated county. There is no gas station, no bank, no grocery store and much less a newspaper, a far cry from when the city was known as the “Queen of Camps,” for its more than 25, 000 residents.

The Forlorn Elizabeth Haunts

With its glorious past, the ill-fated hotel remains the most prominent symbol of Goldfield’s former glory. But contributing to its ghostlike mood is the fact much of the original luxurious woodwork has been destroyed by vandals. All of the old fixtures stripped away through the years by modern day gold seekers and sold.

Before the hotel was privately purchased at auction for back taxes in August 2003, the Goldfield Historical Society opened the hotel for special “ghost” tours several times a year. Bringing famed as one of the “Scariest Places on Earth,” when the Fox network filmed an episode for Halloween by the same name that aired in October 2001.

During filming members of the crew reportedly observed a ghostly presence in the halls. Feeling unsettled, one crewmember left, refusing to go back inside. Later orbs (foggy ghostlike objects) were seen in several of the photographs taken inside, including my own photographs.

Since about 1910, room 109 has been considered haunted. Legend has it, that this room is haunted by a prostitute named Elizabeth, whom while pregnant was chained to the radiator in the room by the original hotel’s owner George Winfield.

Winfield was so angered when he discovered Elizabeth was pregnant; he denied her freedom to leave. Once her child was born, it was torn from her arms and discarded. Thrown into the cute of the abandoned gold mine over which the hotel was built.

With the disposal of Elizabeth’s child, Winfield left the young woman to die and for days, she cried out for mercy. Rescue never came, she found herself alone and abandoned. Fearing Winfield’s authority, hotel employees were afraid to come to Elizabeth’s rescue and hotel guests could not hear her because of the isolation of the room and the thickness of the walls.

Psychics that have visited room 109, say Elizabeth was either left to die there or murdered soon afterwards. Her spirit is trapped within the modest room that looks out onto a brick side wall of the hotel. On dark forlorn nights, the infant is heard crying by passerby and nearby residents.

On the first floor, George Winfield’s presence has been felt near the lobby staircase. The smell of cigar smoke and ashes have been found periodically by people inspecting the hotel and once, fresh ashes were discovered by an electrical worker within a fuse box that had not been opened in more than 50 years. Ghost hunters on the third floor have also detected high psychic energy.

Many that enter room 109 find it colder than the other rooms and feel a presence in the room. Discoloration from age on the wall where the radiator stands appears to have the outline of a human form. Cameras have been known to malfunction while inside this room.

Other ghosts have reportedly been observed in the halls and on the lobby staircase. Doors sometimes slam and mysterious odors linger. Clairvoyants who have come to examine the building, say the Goldfield Hotel is among several portals or gateways to the otherworldly.

During the annual Esmeralda County land auction in August 2003, the Goldfield Hotel was sold for $360,000. The new owner was said to have plans to refurbish the bottom two floors of the four-story hotel and open them to the public. To date, the hotel remains empty and boarded.

Goldfield is located hallway between Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada on U.S. highway 95.

There won’t be a particular incident that will make people realise that hotel reviews done by Joe Public are not worth believing.

It will be a combination of revelations, individual experiences and Twitter and social networks that will blow away the myth that reviews on hotel review sites are truthful.

One of the problems review sites have is the temptation on the part of hotel owners to submit fake reviews. For instance if a PR company approaches a hotel and says they can get the hotel favourable reviews, thereby boosting it’s ranking. It can be hard for a hotel to resist this.

The trouble for review sites is that the number of reviews being placed on review sites is increasing yet they have no real way of checking if a review is true.

Various articles and questions have been raised about this.

Arthur Frommer from Frommer travel guides has voiced concerns about this for ages, here is one of his articles about it http://bit.ly/cTt9ZL. Then there’s Christopher Elliott, a champion of travellers rights here’s what he posted http://bit.ly/wWzuS.

These are respected people within the travel industry but soon individuals will start to realise this. And while individuals in the past, didn’t have a way of letting anyone know what had happened, now they’ll start to post their complaints on Twitter and their social network.

That in itself still wouldn’t kill of these type of reviews. But with Google starting to include reviews from Twitter and social networks in search results. You’re going to be left with so many conflicting reviews about a hotel you’re not going to know who to believe.

Once you get to that situation you’re going to want to find a trusted source and that won’t be a pure review site. Who knows the expert knowledge of the traditional travel agent may become the source people turn to.