Once in a while, something comes along that makes you go “Wow, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that!” RoomAtlas.com is one of those. The site is a mashup of Expedia, TripAdvisor, and Google Maps. It combines the real-time database of hotel availability from Expedia with the reviews at TripAdvisor and the mapping capabilities of Google Maps.
Searching for a hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark right now, for instance, will show you only sparse availability. But those that are there (probably because Al Gore canceled) don’t just get marked on the Google Map of the city. The marks also include overnight prices, availability times, and more. Clicking on them takes you to booking and more information.
The best part is that finding what you’re looking for is quick. At the RoomAtlas front page, for instance, you can search for location and then once inside, you can narrow your search by hotel type, and even required amenities (spa, pool, etc.). The map shifts to your location and all of those matching your criteria are displayed on it. Quick and easy. The tabs marking each hotel, for reference, are color-coded by price so you can more quickly find the cheapest or most expensive.
The site doesn’t charge a premium, but monetizes through affiliate collaboration with Expedia and Hotels.com.
A very awesome, very useful site.
