TripAdvisor Announces World’s Best Hotels With 2012 Travelers’ Choice Awards

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP), the world's largest travel site*, today announced the winners of its 2012 Travelers' Choice^® awards. The 10^th annual awards has revealed premier properties in the U.S. and world, in addition to winners in the categories of Best Luxury and Bargain, Best for Service, B&Bs and Inns, All-Inclusive, Spa, and Trendiest. In total, 3,943 properties globally have been recognized this year with dedicated lists featured for 30 countries and eight regions worldwide. Unlike any other hotel honors, TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice winners are based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions from travelers around the world.

As TripAdvisor has continued its growth globally, featuring sites in 30 countries and in 21 languages, the Travelers' Choice Hotels awards now highlight a broader range of spectacular properties across the globe. This is TripAdvisor's biggest awards ever, with lists covering 19 new markets and expanded categories from "Top 10" to "Top 25" winners, providing more inspiration for travelers seeking remarkable properties around the world.

The average nightly rate¹ for 2012 Travelers' Choice Hotels award winners is $270 and 45 percent have an average nightly rate of $200 or less per night. Average nightly rate for the Best Luxury hotels is $455, Best Bargain $106, Best for Service $255, B&Bs and Inns $124, All-Inclusive $488, Spa $376, and Trendiest $253.

"TripAdvisor is incredibly proud to announce its Travelers' Choice award-winning hotels for the tenth year," said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. "We're also thrilled to grow our awards with winner lists for twice as many markets globally this year, as we continue our mission to help more travelers around the world plan and have the perfect trip."

Select 2012 Winners:

• Best Hotel in the World - The Phoenix Resort - San Pedro, Belize
• Best Hotel in the U.S. - Elysian Hotel Chicago - Chicago, Illinois
• Best Luxury (4&5 star) Hotel in the World - Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo - Tokyo, Japan
• Best Luxury (4&5 star) Hotel in the U.S. - The Grand Del Mar - San Diego, California
• Best Bargain in the World - HueNino Hotel - Hue, Vietnam
• Best Bargain in the U.S. - SeaCoast Inn - Hyannis, Massachusetts
• Best for Service in the World - Arcadia Residence - Prague, Czech Republic
• Best for Service in the U.S. - SeaCoast Inn - Hyannis, Massachusetts
• Best B&B and Inn in the World - The Twenty One - Brighton, England
• Best B&B and Inn in the U.S. - A.G. Thomson House: Historic Bed and Breakfast - Duluth, Minnesota
• Best All-Inclusive in the World - Garonga Safari Camp - Phalaborwa, South Africa
• Best All-Inclusive in the Caribbean - East Winds Inn - Gros Islet, St. Lucia
• Best Relaxation and Spa in the World - BollAnt's im Park - Bad Sobernheim, Germany
• Best Relaxation and Spa in the U.S. - Bella Monte Hot Springs Resort and Spa - Desert Hot Springs, California
• Trendiest Hotel in the World - Villa Zest Boutique Hotel - Cape Town, South Africa
• Trendiest Hotel in the U.S. - Smyth Hotel – A Thompson Hotel - New York City, New York

The complete list of TripAdvisor's 2012 Travelers' Choice winners can be found at: http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice.

¹Average nightly rates averages reflect those properties with rates listed on TripAdvisor.