Google Place Pages Sporting New Navigation Features

Yam Regev has pointed out several new navigation capabilities on a business’s Place page that allows users to more easily move through a list of Places returned from a Google Maps search result. The feature is only visible when a Place Page has been accessed via the list view resulting from a Map search and is currently not visible if a Places page is accessed from the main search results page or via Places search. The feature is visible in both UK and the US and possibly more widely.

It is not clear if it is a test or permanent or will be rolled out beyond the Map results view (click to view larger):

Google Earth: The 10 most expensive hotel rooms on earth

A few weeks ago, we showed you a cool new tool that allows you to preview your hotel room using Google Earth. If you have a lot of money to spend on your hotel visit, then today’s list could be quite helpful.

Google Sightseeing recently showed off the “Top 10 Most Expensive Hotel Rooms 2011“, and we thought we’d track those locations down in Google Earth for you.

10 The Bridge Suite, The Atlantis, Bahamas — $22,000/night
View: Maps | 10-KML

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9 The Ritz-Carlton Suite, Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo — $25,000/night
View: Maps | KML

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8 The Penthouse at The Setai, South Beach, Miami — $30,000/night
View: Maps | KML

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7 Villa Le Cupola Suite, Westin Excelsior, Rome — $31,000/night
View: Maps | 7-Westin.kml

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6 The Royal Villa at the Grand Resort Lagonissi, Athens — $32,000/night
View: Maps | KML

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5 The Presidential Suite, Hotel Cala di Volpe, Costa Smeralda, Sardinia — $34,000/night
View: Maps | KML

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4 Penthouse Prestige Apartment, Hotel Martinez, Cannes, France — $35,000/night
View: Maps | KML

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3 Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons Hotel, New York — $35,000/night
View: Maps | KML

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2 Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas — $40,000/night
View: Maps | KML

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1 The Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel, Geneva — $65,000/night
View: Maps | KML

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Have you ever been fortunate enough to stay in one of these hotels (even outside of the suites listed here)? If not, do you have a favorite hotel due to its location, view, amenities?

Google Puts Hotel Booking Feature to the Front Page

Google, having first introduced the hotel booking feature in November on a limited test basis, has now pushed the ability to procure a reservation to the front page of the main search results for both blended and 7-pack displays. The test from Google has included a limited number of travel sites and a few high end independent hotels on a pay per click basis. Google has not been forthcoming about how to participate in the program noting that the program would be available to all someday.

The option to book directly from the page is visible in both the blended results and the 7-Pack.