Hotel Ratings - Find the Right Hotels for Your Florida Vacations

Like many things in life, you get what you pay for and a Florida hotel or Florida beach motel stay is no different.

We've heard too many horror stories and ruined vacations because of unbelievably terrible hotel stays. Don't let that be you.

Unlike staying in a condo, home, or other Florida beachfront rentals, hotels can be a hit or miss as you typically gain a referral for these other places.

I must admit I've stayed in some shady places, but mostly on our Florida spring break trips when all we could afford was a $50 per night stay.

Obviously there are way too many hotels in Florida to provide hotel ratings for all of them. What we are going to do here is discuss the overall view of these ratings and point you in the right direction on where to get the best, most unbiased information.

What you'll get with Florida hotel ratings usually runs on a 5-star rating system. Anything over that is complete B.S. - this is a marketing ploy - don't fall for it.

Ratings will vary across the board as experts and travel enthusiasts alike now come home from their trips and report on their findings. Just follow the reviews and your own intuition and you'll be ok.

What someone may like, others will not. Some of the things we have always gone by when choosing a hotel include:

• Price - Price plays a roll. You get what you pay for right? However, that doesn't mean you can't get a great stay on the beach for an inexpensive price.

• Location - Be wary of where you stay. You must find out if you are say, near the airport or near the beach. It's funny how these places will market and the Internet can be great, but do your research.

• Chain - Most times you can feel confident of the big chains. They are professionally run and big companies that keep tabs on each of their hotels. Just because it says 2-3 start doesn't mean it isn't clean, tidy, and perfect for your situation.

• Other's opinions - Perception is one's reality as they say. Read between the lines and really understand what people are saying. There are too many resources nowadays to not get other's advice.

• Does it fill my needs and wants - Bottom line is that I know what I/we need and want and that's what we look for when choosing a hotel.

• Oh, and don't overdo it. Too much can worry you to death and before you know it, not one place sounds good enough.

• And whatever else you require...

It is important to pay attention to hotel ratings from experts as well as other travelers.

Florida has many great places to stay and visit. Be sure it fits your criteria. The best way to do it is plan and stick to it.

Below are some of the best places to get the most unbiased and up-to-date reviews regarding which places to stay at and which places to stay away from.

AAA travel is the ultimate if you take a trip - visit our AAA page

Yahoo travel is one resource I do trust when comparing hotel stays

It's no secret we love TripAdvisor and their reviews, ratings, and more!!

Frommers - the ultimate travel guide won't steer you wrong either

Finally, any of the big online travel sites that have been around for a long time offer great tips, tricks, advice, and more...

If you own or rent out beach front properties in Florida, then you'll want to do so here. As one of the premier sites on Florida travel, offer our eager Florida beach lovers the opportunity to find great deals on beach front stays...