hotels

TripAdvisor Plays the Kevin Bacon Game to Make Reviews More Social (Sort Of)

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on April 11 at 9:00 am PT

Its app is one of the Top 25 on Facebook; now TripAdvisor is adding an even deeper level of integration on its homepage, surfacing more relevant reviews by using a wider circle of friends.

Kayak’s Web Site Takes Its Influence From Mobile for Its Latest Design

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on January 30 at 5:02 am PT

Don’t worry, you’ll still recognize it — especially if you use Kayak’s iPad app.

Expedia Tries Out New Last-Minute Deals Site Relying on User-Generated Data

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on January 19 at 9:58 am PT

Here’s a new twist on flash sales deals in which users — not suppliers — find the best prices for last-minute travel deals.

HomeAway Hopes Golden Globes Ad Can Fix Super Bowl Blunder

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on January 15 at 6:00 am PT

The new campaign — set to the tune of “Let’s Stay Together,” by Al Green — is much more subtle than last year’s ad.

TripAdvisor CEO Says Wall Street Underestimates Its Value Now That It’s Flying Solo

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on January 9 at 6:00 am PT

TripAdvisor’s co-founder and CEO Stephen Kaufer talks to AllThingsD about the media company’s prospects for growth now that it has broken off from Expedia and is an independently traded company.

News Byte

O.co Partners With Priceline to Relaunch Shuttered Travel Site

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on December 6, 2011 at 3:28 pm PT

O.co, the Salt Lake City-based company also known as Overstock.com, has partnered with Priceline.com’s partner network to provide deals on hotels, flights and car rentals. The retailer’s foray into travel is its second. In March, it launched a vacations tab, but put it on hold a few months later after a third-party relationship did not work out. The new site, called O.co Travel, will offer Priceline’s “Name Your Own Price” feature.

Voices

Two Airlines Battle Mileage-Tracking Websites

Scott McCartney, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on October 13, 2011 at 12:00 am PT

Websites that help consumers manage their frequent-flier miles are the hot new thing in travel. And that bugs Southwest and American airlines.

Oyster Makes Searching for a Hotel a More Visually Stimulating Experience

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on June 27, 2011 at 7:46 am PT

Going forward, Oyster.com, which is partially owned by the Travel Channel, will be less about hotel reviews and more about photos.

Exclusive: Groupon Books Travel Plans Through Expedia Partnership

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on June 1, 2011 at 11:13 am PT

Groupon is announcing a partnership with Expedia at the D Conference today that will create a new discount travel service that will offer people trips at half the cost.

Overstock's Travel Site Takes Flight With Heavily Discounted Hotels

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on March 27, 2011 at 4:00 pm PT

Overstock, which has focused on liquidating unsold inventory for the past 12 years, is branching out into offering discounts on hotel rooms around the world.