A few years ago, we relied on travel agents and word of mouth to find a hotel. We had to pay cash in advance or send a cheque which needed to be cleared to secure a room. You had no idea whether you were getting a good deal and you had to hope for a brochure to come through the post to check out the facilities and quality of accommodation.

The internet has revolutionised the hotel market. There are now more than 55,000 hotels worldwide that can be booked online. You can often take a virtual hotel tour, view a location map, find local attractions, check live room availability and reserve a room for the night or for a longer stay.

We all know that the internet is a great information resource and some things are better suited to the internet than others. Hotels, hostels and other lodgings are a perfect internet resource and this is absolutely to the benefit of consumers.

Many of us will have booked a hotel, having seen photos in a brochure and been very disappointed when we arrived to find that it looks so very different. If we all owned a hotel we would make sure we photographed it in its best light, but as customers we expect a realistic impression so that our expectations are at least met and hopefully exceeded.

There are now an ever growing number of websites and resources on hotels and incredibly useful customer reviews - recommendation by others is often worth as much as any other available information.

I have stayed in many, many different hotels located in England, throughout Europe and Worldwide. Standards vary immensely and I have experienced budget no star accommodation and five star luxurious hotels. I have enjoyed local friendly bed and breakfast accommdation and clincal and functional business rooms. The key in all things is expectation - I have been pleasantly surprised as some 2 star hotels and incredibly disappointed at some 4 star rated hotels.

You now have more information at your fingertips than you have ever had before. There are fewer and fewer excuses for getting it wrong and I strongly advise you to research your stay very carefully. Always look at consumer reviews as you cannot beat the recommendation or otherwise of recent guests.

Always shop around as there are some great prices and deals on hotels.

To begin with, if you are looking for a hotel in England, the UK or Europe, take a look at http://www.deals-on-everything.co.uk

Plan ahead, take your time, do your research and you minimise the risk of disappointment. You will maximise your chances of find a great hotel, a great deal and a wonderful stay.