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      TrustYou may be the best travel site you've never heard of

      By Sean O'Neill
      October 3, 2012

      Before booking a hotel, most travelers look it up on TripAdvisor or on another travel site with reviews from regular people. But some hotels have been reviewed dozens of times. Add up all of the hotels and reviews, and trip planning can feel like you're researching a PhD thesis.

      Enter, TrustYou. This free site aims to save you time by doing the homework for you. It pinpoints only the hotel reviews that are relevant to you. It's more comprehensive than TripAdvisor, too, because it searches all of TripAdvisor's reviews as well as all of the reviews of other major user review sites, such as Expedia, TravelPost, and Venere.

      Searching is easy. Type in what you're looking for ("a family-friendly B&B; in Philadelphia" or "cheap hotel in downtown Amsterdam"), and TrustYou will fetch a list of properties that are a good fit.

      The hotels you'll see at the top of the list will have two things in common: They'll be the highest rated properties overall, and they'll be hotels where the reviewers have most often commented on things pertinent to you. If you asked for "family friendly B&Bs; in Philly," then the first hotels retrieved will be ones praised by the most number of travelers who wrote comments such as "excellent amenities for families" and "a great B&B; for families."

      Examples of these key phrases are listed. Positive comments are printed in a green font, negative comments in red. Click to see any given review in full, putting quotations in context. Another click will show you the hotel's location on a map.

      One aggravation is that TrustYou doesn't link up directly to hotel sites, such as the specific site of the Omni in downtown Chicago. You either have to book a room through one of the partner sites (like Expedia) or you have to use a search engine like Google or Bing to find the hotel's site. That's annoying, but TrustYou is hoping to making money off of you making a booking through one of its partner sites.

      Overall, TrustYou is a handy new arrow to have in your quiver when hunting for the perfect hotel for your needs. If you try it, let us know what you think.

      NERDY FINE PRINT FOR TRAVEL GEEKS

      Are the reviews on TrustYou honest? A drawback is that the line between legitimate reviews and fake ones can be difficult to discern. But one of TrustYou's managing directors, Ben Jost, says that the average ratings of hotels are unbiased overall. "We've studied this and found that once you have more than ten reviews, fake reviews stop being a significant factor."

      Considering that there are loads of reviews on the Web, enough reviews out there are honest to make it likely that rating averages will land near the middle of the pack. This is a statistical fact of life. To make doubly sure that the overall ratings aren't skewed by biased reviews, TrustYou typically ignores the five percent of reviews that are improbably positive and the five percent of reviews that are insanely negative.

      Why not just use Google, Bing, or Yahoo instead? TrustYou uses semantic search technologies, scanning for keywords and phrases and analyzing the patterns in which they appear. That makes it more sophisticated and accurate than using, say, Google, to do a "site search" of a hotel review site like TripAdvisor for a key phrase. After all, Google's web crawlers only study how pages are linked to each other, while TrustYou's semantic search studies the patterns of text and data within webpages and compares them with statistical patterns.

      How does this site make money? Tnooz has the scoop.

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      San Francisco: 5 best July values

      Free admission to museums Target is sponsoring free admission to six top San Francisco museums, with an emphasis on family-friendly programming: Friday evening ballet performances at the de Young in honor of Degas's paintings, Saturday storytelling at the Asian Art Museum, and a free entry to Zeum children's museum and a world music dance party for kids at the Yerba Buena Gardens on Sunday. Even for adults, the chance to hop for free from SF MOMA, to the Contemporary Jewish Museum (check out the new Maira Kalman exhibit) and the Museum of the African Diaspora, all located downtown within blocks of each other, is not to be missed. July 16-18, Friday free at the de Young, Saturday free at the Asian Art Museum, the rest are free on Sunday. An indie craft fair The much-loved DIY Renegade Craft Fair is like shopping on etsy.com come to life. Over 200 exhibitors sell indie-craft creations—many by local artists and designers—including jewelry, housewares, stationery, and clothing. There will be crafts workshops, DJs, live music, raffles, a free photobooth, and more. It's the perfect place to pick up a unique, affordable souvenir to take home. July 31 and August 1 at the Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion. July 31-Aug 1st, 11 am-7 pm, Buchanan St. and Marina Blvd., 415/345-7500, near Fort Mason. A tribute to Angel Island immigrants To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Angel Island (known as the Ellis Island of the West), the United States Immigration Station is reopening its doors. The historic landmark features exhibits about the millions of mostly Asian immigrants who were processed between 1910 and 1940, including the original interrogation table and detention barracks. On July 31, opening day, there will be a series of speakers, book readings, Tai Chi demonstrations, and Japanese bamboo flute music performances. Free, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 415/262-4429; for more information including discount tickets for ferry service, check aiisf.org. A pop-up shop opens at YBCA The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is getting in on the pop-up shops trend this month by hosting Zinc Details in conjunction with their TechnoCRAFT: Hackers, Modders, Fabbers, Tweakers and Design in the Age of Individuality exhibit curated by San Francisco's acclaimed designer Yves Behar. Zinc, one of San Francisco's most popular design shops, stocks home furnishings, gadgets, and accessories, by the artists in the exhibit. July 10-Oct 3, Thu-Sat, 12 p.m.- 8 p.m., Sun 12 p.m.-6p.m., 701 Mission St., 415/978-2700. A festival celebrates street art Many visitors check out the murals on Balmy Alley in the Mission, but here is your chance to see the art in the making. Every year about 250 people show up for the Precita Eyes Urban Youth Arts Festival to create murals and paint graffiti on the 2,000 square feet of portable wall space donated by the Precita Eyes Mural Center. Free paint, brushes, and aerosol paint cans will be available for anyone to use—while musicians, spoken word lyricists, poetry slammers, and break dancers perform throughout the day. La Parilla Grill restaurant will be serving free Mexican food, water and soda. July 24, free, 1-6 p.m., 415/285-2287, 2981 24th St.

      Taxing controversy: Should hotels or booking engines be paying more in taxes?

      And if either is forced to pay more, how and when might the added costs trickle down to travelers? Over the last few years, municipalities and states around the country have periodically sued online travel agencies such as Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz for what amounts to underpaid taxes. Cities such as San Antonio, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, and at least one state (Florida) have been fighting it out in court with the booking engines regarding how much the localities should be collecting in occupancy taxes. It's a rather complicated issue. When a traveler books a room directly with a hotel, the traveler pays the full tax on the room rate. If a room is booked for $150, and the local tax is 10 percent, the traveler pays $15 in taxes, and the municipality where the hotel is located collects $15. But if that same traveler booked the same room for the same price through an online booking agency, the municipality doesn't get $15. Instead, the way things work now is that the municipality is being paid based not on how much the traveler pays, but on the amount of money the hotel receives for the room, after the online booking agency takes its cut. The hotel may only collect $120 for that room, and a 10 percent tax on that is $12. From the local authority's point of view, this situation means that it is losing out on $3 in tax revenues -- differentials that quickly add up to substantial money when we're talking about the thousands and thousands of hotel bookings made via Expedia and other online travel agencies (or OTAs). The OTAs argue that all necessary taxes are being paid. Back to the hypothetical above: The municipality, the argument goes, isn't entitled to collect taxes on that $30 difference between the price paid by the traveler and the price received by the hotel. Assessing a hotel tax on that $30 would be unfair -- because Travelocity and the other OTAs are not hotels. The municipality would be assessing a hotel tax on something that's not a hotel, but instead is a service fee. Complicated, right? The OTAs, in the hopes of ending this tax battle -- in their favor, of course -- have launched a campaign and website, TravelersFirst.org, which asks travelers to back new legislation called the Internet Travel Tax Fairness Act (ITTFA). Making a plea to the heartland, and beckoning travelers to contact their representatives and request their support for the law, the website states: While families across the country are struggling to make ends meet, let alone afford their summer vacation, the last thing politicians should be doing is adding yet another tax on travel. If they succeed, not only will your travel costs increase, but your local businesses could be hurt as well. When taxes increase, families, couples and business travelers travel less. And when tourists stay home they don't spend their hard earned dollars in your Main Street shops and businesses, creating jobs and supporting local economies. Some of this seems a bit misleading. The municipalities would argue that there are no new taxes—that they're simply trying to enforce existing tax codes. The phrase "not only will your travel costs increase" seems like quite an assumption as well. How, exactly, will the traveler's costs increase? That's unclear. If the municipalities succeed in their quest for additional tax revenues, travelers won't be paying more as far as I can tell. Instead, they'd pay the same amount, with a little more going for taxes and a little less going to the OTAs. The traveler would, however, pay more if an OTA or the hotel decided to somehow add fees to make up for the revenues lost if the municipalities win the tax squabble. No one has suggested that this would occur (least of all the OTAs themselves), but it's unclear how a traveler's expenses would otherwise increase. What's particularly interesting is that the OTAs and the hotels are not on the same side of this argument, as one might expect. According to a Wall Street Journal story about the ongoing tax battle, the American Hotel & Lodging Association is opposed to the ITTFA: …the American Hotel & Lodging Association has come out against the legislation, asserting that the hotels could potentially be subject to a tax increase as governments try to replace the revenue lost as a result of the new rules. "Hotels are worried that they will have to pay the extra tax because the city won't sit idly by and let that revenue go away," says Shawn McBurney, the association's senior vice president for governmental affairs. What seems a bit sneaky, and what probably contributed to the OTAs getting into trouble, is that, from the traveler's perspective, it appears like he is already paying the full amount in taxes. Again, back to the above hypothetical: A traveler would pay a total of $165 ($150 plus $15) no matter if he booked with an OTA or through the hotel directly. On the surface, it appears as if the traveler is paying $15 in taxes, even though he's only paying $12 in taxes if he booked with an OTA. What do you think? Would you prefer the cities or the OTAs to be collecting this extra money? (Answering "neither" is not an option, though that's the one we'd all prefer.) Is it fair to collect hotel taxes from a middleman that doesn't own or operate hotels? And what scenario do you think would result in an increase in travel costs?

      Travel Tips

      Paris: 5 best July values

      What to do in Paris this month… Les Soldes (June 30–August 3) The season for frenzied shopping began in Paris on a very hot June 30 and will continue through early August. The city's bi-annual sales are the only time when French retailers are allowed to sell their products at a loss to liquidate their stock and make room for new collections. Reductions this summer are expected to be high—around 50 percent off—from the very beginning and to climb even higher toward the end of the five week period. (Tips on navigating the sales.) Fête Foraine du Jardin des Tuileries (June 26–August 22) The city's annual summer fair has just opened in the Tuileries gardens next to the Louvre (1st arrondissement). Rickety rides, barbe à papa (cotton candy) and carnival games make this Fête a lot of fun for traveling families, and the giant Ferris wheel provides an incredible panoramic view of Paris. On July 13–14 the fair will host a series of free jazz manouche performances to honor the 100th anniversary of the birth of musician Django Reinhardt. From 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. on weekdays and until 12:45 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. feteforaine-jardindestuileries.com. Tous à vélo (July 1–4) The centerpiece of this four day celebration of cycling is a Critical Mass bike ride on Saturday, July 3. Want to ride through the streets of Paris in a pack of thousands? Rent a Velib' bicycle (check out Budget Travel's video on how to do rent a bike), then meet up anytime after 2 p.m. for a 4 p.m. departure from the Hôtel de Ville (4th arrondissement). The ride will culminate in a party with music and food (the location to be shared only with those who ride). velorutionuniverselle.org. Paris Cupcake Camp (July 4) Following similarly sprinkled events in Montreal, Bombay and other cities, Paris will soon be hosting its very own Cupcake Camp. Local sugarmamas like Berko, Synie's Cupcakes, Chloé S., Cupcakes & Co., and Little Miss Cupcake will be sharing sweets and baking tips, and participants will taste and vote for the winning cupcakes in several categories. A portion of each €10 ($13) entry, which includes tastings and a beverage, will benefit the charity Rebuilding Haiti Now. From 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Bistrot Vivienne, 4 rue des Petits Champs, 2nd arrondissement. rebuildinghaitinow.org. Street Food Soiree #2: Fish & Fries (July 5) The free foodie magazine M.I.A.M. will be hosting a street food party to celebrate Fish & Chips—the British dish that turns 150 years old this year. Beginning at 7 p.m., revelers will be downing Zubrowka cocktails (a bison grass vodka rarely seen in the U.S.) and tucking into cones of fish and chips prepared by celebrated Japanese chef Toyomitsu Nakayama (restaurant Toyo). DJs will be spinning on the banks of the Seine from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets at €15 ($19) for can be purchased online or at the door. Le Batofar, Port de la Gare, 75013, batofar.org. MORE Our Paris blog coverage

      Inspiration

      San Francisco: Free concerts in the parks

      Grab a picnic blanket and lie back in the grass to enjoy a wide selection of tunes at these outdoor music events. The annual outdoor Sunday afternoon concert series at Stern Grove features a range of jazz, symphony, opera, pop, and world music. The grove is a natural amphitheater, with redwood and eucalyptus trees, that offers great sound quality in a woodsy setting. Save the dates for the SF Symphony (July 11), Caravan Palace (July 18), Rickie Lee Jones (August 1), and Maceo Parker (August 15). Picnic tables are available by online raffle. Otherwise just show up with your own picnic gear. Sundays at 2 p.m., June 20-August 22, Sigmund Stern Grove, 19th Ave. and Sloat Blvd. Curious about the indie music scene in San Francisco? Then head down to the Mission Creek Festival's free show at McLaren Park in the Outer Mission. The lineup includes locals like psych-rock band The Fresh & Onlys, all girl pop-punk group Grass Widow, and the New Wave sounds of Brian Glaze and the Night Shift. The concert is part of the annual Mission Creek Music and Arts Festival, which hosts live music and documentary films across the city. Festival July 9-11 in Oakland, July 14-18 in San Francisco, outdoor concert July 17th at McLaren Park. Yerba Buena Center's grassy lawns and sculptural waterfall provide a welcome respite in downtown. It's also the setting for a summer time concert series. July highlights include the Jewish Music Festival (July 11) and the Merola Opera (July 25, 2 p.m.). Concerts are held on weekends and at lunchtime on Thursdays. Between Mission, Folsom, Third and Fourth Sts. The San Francisco Symphony heads to Dolores Park in the sunny Mission District for an afternoon concert that pays homage to Mexico's Bicentenial. The symphony will play Márquez's Danzón No. 2, Chávez's Symphony No. 2, Sinfonia India, Rosas's Sobre las Olas, Moncayo's Huapango, and Dvorák's Symphony No. 9, New World. Get there early: the park is a favorite among local hipsters and gets jam-packed, especially on summer weekends. Sunday, July 25, 2 p.m., Dolores Park, between Dolores and Church Sts., and between 18th and 20th Sts.

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