Expedia Reveals 2011 "Insiders' Select" List Featuring the World's Top Hotels for Quality and Value

BELLEVUE, Wash., May 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Expedia.com®, the world's leading online travel agency, today unveiled the Expedia® 2011 Insiders' Select® results. Insiders' Select is a global program that identifies the top hotels available on Expedia, based on "quality and value," rather than pure luxury. The ranking is determined primarily by Expedia customer reviews. Every year more than 500,000 reviews are submitted, verified and analyzed to compile the Insiders' Select list.

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This year's top 10 Expedia.com Insiders' Select properties are:

1. Cedarbrook Lodge – Seattle, Washington (USA)
2. iQ Hotel Roma – Rome, Italy
3. Hotel Antiche Figure – Venice, Italy
4. Hotel Berchielli – Florence, Italy
5. Hotel Monterey Kyoto – Kyoto, Japan
6. The Nines – Portland, Oregon (USA)
7. Les Terres M Barka - Morocco, Marrakech
8. K&K Hotel Central - Prague, Czech Republic
9. Hotel Teatro – Denver, Colorado (USA)
10. Sofitel New York - New York, NY (USA)

"When it comes to hotels, opulence is a fairly easy thing to measure. What's more difficult to measure is value – those hotels that regularly deliver a quality experience night in and night out. Insiders' Select features the world's top hotels for value," said Edward Nevraumont, vice president of customer loyalty. "Insiders' Select scores are primarily determined by our customers. Every year, hundreds of thousands of travelers take the time to share their experiences with Expedia and with one another. The 2011 Insiders' Select List reflects that collective wisdom."

To see the complete list of winning hotels and for more information on Insiders' Select, visit www.expedia.com/insidersselect. To shop for hotels, Expedia.com travelers can find Insiders' Select hotels by filtering results and selecting the box marked "Insiders' Select."

The Insiders' Select program debuted in 2007. This year, Expedia made the requirements more rigorous; the company required more reviews per property and higher scores per review to make the list. The 2011 winners are the top 500 hotels globally, out of the more than 135,000 properties offered on Expedia sites internationally.  Hotels that made the 2011 list received an average review score of 4.7 and a 98.2% recommendation rate.

Three components are considered when ranking a hotel:

• Customer Reviews: Reviews are the most powerful testament to the quality of a hotel. Travelers submit reviews after completing a stay at a given hotel. Expedia verifies that each review is legitimate. The company has a comprehensive method of ferreting out fake reviews. More than 500,000 hotel reviews were analyzed over the past year.
• Market Manager Input: Expedia employs hundreds of market managers in cities across the globe. These market managers work closely with Expedia's hotel partners to maximize the value the hotels get from Expedia's global online travel marketplace [and to maximize the value that hotels offer to Expedia's consumer base].
• Value Rating: Expedia compares each property's average daily rates to those of similar properties, to assess the hotel's relative value. This makes it easy for busy travelers to identify hotels that deliver an excellent experience at a comparatively good value. Hotels that routinely exceed customer expectations – in their customer service, amenities, competitive pricing and more – see that emphasis reflected in their rankings.

The 2011 Insiders' Select list highlights true quality and value in the hotel industry with a remarkable cross-section of properties in different regions, representing various accommodation types and star rating categories. The feature that each Insiders' Select property has in common is a surpassing commitment to value.

Of the 500 properties on the list, 55 are also Expedia VIP Access™ hotels. Expedia Elite Plus® members can earn free room upgrades and VIP perks at such hotels. Elite Plus customers are those who book more than 15 room nights, or spend more than $10,000 on hotels and airfare, in a calendar year with Expedia.

About Expedia.com

Expedia.com is the world's leading online travel site, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (http://www.expedia.com/, 1-800-EXPEDIA) aims to provide personalized service, the latest technology and the widest selection of vacation packages, flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and in-destination activities, attractions, and services. With the Expedia Best Price Guarantee, Expedia.com promises to offer to its customers the best rates available online for all types of travel. Expedia.com is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE).

Expedia, Expedia.com, Elite Plus, Insiders' Select and VIP Access are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.© 2011 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST: 2029030-50

Expedia.com:  "Savings based on all vacation package bookings with Flight + Hotel on Expedia.com in 2009, as compared to price of the same components booked separately."

Web site: http://www.expedia.com/

SOURCE Expedia, Inc.