on 08 February 2010 
(No Ratings Yet)Google Maps broadened its features with the introduction of “Nearby places you might like,” solidifying its role as a vehicle to plan your hotel stay, dining experience or activity.
No, Google Maps isn’t necessarily a hotels.com, TripAdvisor or a Zagat killer, but it sure is becoming a nifty place to begin trip-planning, with its plethora of user reviews, photos, videos and basic information about hotels, restaraurants and activities — and now alternative venues in the area.
So, if you search for the New York Marriott Marquis Times Square on Google Maps, you’ll find that Google has aggregated information about almost everything you might want to know about the property. If you scroll down the page past the basic property information, the photos, videos, map and user reviews, you’ll find “Nearby places you might like” and it looks like the following:
Nearby Places isn’t flashy and it is flawed, but it does provides a handy way — with links, star rating and user reviews — to search for other area hotels.
You’ll notice that although the New York Marriott Marquis is a four-star property in the very touristy Times Square, Nearby Places provides links to the 2 1/2-star Pennsylvania Hotel, as well as to Hotel Gansevoort, which isn’t exactly nearby or similar with its location almost two miles away in the meat-packing district.
Google says of Nearby Places: “You’ll notice that we do not limit these suggestions to places sharing any specific characteristic; instead, we use a broad set of signals to come up with what are hopefully the most interesting suggestions. We’re still working on refining these signals, so bear with us if your serendipitous discovery of a new place is even more unexpected than you’d anticipated.”
Thus, some further refining may be in order if Google’s goal is to eventually furnish similar, nearby places.
You can use the new Google Maps feature to search for nearby restaurants and activities, as well.
For example, if you are looking for an activity to replace — or to supplement — your visit to NorthStar Trekking in Juneau, Alaska, Nearby Places points you to the following venues to consider.
Thus, Google Maps is continuing its evolution into an online destination guide.
The only thing missing is an integrated booking engine.
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Google probably could have released this half a decade ago when they acquired Dodgeball but the market is now ready for it, and with all the buzz surrounding location-based services and the huge leverage Google already has here with its maps, businesses listings, etc., I’m sure it’s going to be a killer. Not sure if there’s already a good API for it, but if so, I think lots of mobile apps will take advantage of it. This just one example: http://scobleizer.com/2010/02/08/why-if-you-miss-siri-youll-miss-the-future-of-the-web/
I doubt Google will ever integrate a booking engine though, it’s just not in their DNA. Plus it’s probably more profitable for them to let businesses compete over ads anyway.
Tao: I definitely agree about Google not getting into travel booking. Indeed it’s not in Google’s DNA. Then again, Google just ran a TV ad during the Super Bowl. Just sayin’:)
Dennis,
I hope you’re right. Google could drive some much needed standardization in everything not-flight, not-hotel, not-rental car or cruise, or least set stronger incentives for it.
Cheers,
Tao