A look at Lonely Planet’s new room-booking service, Haystack

You’re planning a big trip and you don’t want to worry about finding accommodation on the ground. You want to have the best possible travel experience, so you want to sleep in places that have some character. You’re overwhelmed by the huge and growing number of online room-booking services. You need to check out Lonely Planet‘s room finder, Haystack.

Haystack’s listings are hand-picked, recommended and reviewed by Lonely Planet guidebook authors — think of them as (to borrow their tag line) needles in the hospitality haystack. If you travel with Lonely Planet guidebooks, you’ll like their choices. And with Haystack’s online booking feature, you just reserve your room (or hostel bed) through the site, pay a 10% deposit with your credit card and you’re set.

If this is reading like ad copy to you, sorry, but I’m a fan. There’s a lot to be said for just getting out there and following your nose when looking for a place to stay, but sometimes you just want the best value for your money — that’s where Haystack comes in handy.

Now, Haystack is new, and since its listings are the cream of the crop, they’re bound to be slimmer than more comprehensive room booking services, and they are. Only top tourist destinations are represented on Haystack (there are listings for only five cities in Italy, for example), so if you’ll be following the road less traveled, you’re on your own. Also, while you can book hostel beds through Haystack, the emphasis here is on quality, so don’t expect bargain basement prices. Still, with top-notch listings backed by the authority of the big boys in independent travel — and this is it’s biggest selling point — Haystack is a great place to begin your lodging search.