The Rough Guide to Prague - The Rough Guide

Advantages: Good level of detail and recommendations
Disadvantages: Not very easy to use initially

...We went to Prague on a mystery tour, not being told where we were going until we got to the airport, so this book was bought on a whim from East Midlands Airport (a lot of my travel guides are like that!) Twenty of us went together and this was the only guide we had between us! It performed admirably. The book itself is well set out, with general maps at the back and useful information (phrases, transport, exchange rates etc) inside the front cover. Inside, the guide covers history and culture of the the area before moving onto places to see, eat, drink and sleep. The review of our hotel (Andels) is spot on, it is a very modern glass and marble place (a little like an upmarket Ikea!), exactly as it says in the book. We found several places to eat, both snacks at lunch time and evening meals from the guide, and all coped admirably... Read review

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Advantages: Comprehensive description of Berlin and useful analysis + listings
Disadvantages: Subjective, prices out of date

...It must be very difficult to write a guidebook. So much information on a city or country to cram into one book small enough to be convenient for tourists. The guidebooks I have read (a fair amount- I like to plan!) tend to either have lots of information and few photos (Rough Guides/ Lonely Planet) or lots of photos and comparatively little info (Eyewitness Travel for example). A huge factor on whether you choose one guidebook over another depends on the style of guidebook that you are seeking. I bought this guide last October before a week long visit to Berlin. For me choosing this particular guide book over others was easy- as I found the 'Rough Guide to Prague' invaluable when I visited that city two years ago. So how useful is this guidebook? Is it the type of guide book suited to you? This review is split into the same sections... Read review

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Advantages: Has got just about everything you need in it
Disadvantages: Too much detail in places

...Having been to Thailand and used the rough guide book as a guide in conjunction with other travel guides, such as Lonely Planet, it was very useful. Unfortunately, it was printed in 1998, so obviously some of the stuff in it was out of date, which was annoying, as it’s about time they bought out a more up-to-date version. This guide contains a lot of information and there is no way you could sit through and read it all. Yes, the essentials, such as visa info, accommodation, flight info and medical advice are explained well and useful contacts are given. However, when it comes to reading about the islands and cities, just too many sites are explained and in too much detail. The average traveller doesn’t have the time or space for such detail! I’ve always believed with recent experience that Rough Guides need... Read review

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