Lonely Planet Reviews 330

Bad, Worse, The Worst …. just a bad Joke!
Avoid buying from their absolutely ridiculous online place. About 2 weeks ago ordered an travel guide to an EU country from their store.
No info when it is coming from their parcel tracking, No info where it is, Package status update keeps saying in synonyms how the package status is just to be updated with no additional info, The only help you can get from their so-called Customer service is that they tell they might get soon their own delivery system, maybe even soon; then it tells I should read in small print how their products can take up to 3 and more weeks for delivery, etc. etc.

While elsewhere in EU and UK packages get delivered swiftly, with timely updates on their status.
… or maybe it is a Lonely Planet thing - we give you adventures, when you have not even started!

Recently returned to UK after 11 weeks in South America. Colombia was ok but the month or so in Peru was a nightmare. Most of the country is a dire dump and Lonely Planet clearly glosses over that with one particular example from Brendan Sainsbury on Huaraz where he describes it as "won't win Andean village beauty contest but has personality" The place is a cesspit with the personality of a stray ravaged dog - and there's plenty of those along these filthy litter strewn streets. Stop polishing a turd LP and tell the truth. I have not just wasted money on reading your garbage, but a month of my life and also risked my sanity in this gunge of a country. Only decent place in Arequipa really and perhaps the over rated Machu Pichu trip.

I have been using The Lonely Planet since they nineties and travelled all continents with them. For me it used to be thé best travelguide ever. Around 2023 The Lonely Planet changed it content and layout and have become the worst travelguide ever published. Please stay away from these books. They hardly have any restaurants in the new guides, with little information about the few restaurants they mention. They always described all the sights to see and gave the most important ones a star. So when you we're short of time you could make a quick selection. Also the preferred restaurants, café 's, shops and activities received a star. That again helped making a choice. To give you an example: in the 2024 edition of Paris, there were 3 restaurants mentioned in the area called Le Marais. None of them were on any map. In the 2022 edition of Paris there were 12 restaurants described to the details in Le Marais and they we're all marked on a map. I have sent several emails tot the publishers to go back tot the perfect travelguide they used to be for so many years and gave many examples on what used to be better but I have had no response. For now I am trying to work with the Rough guide and the Michelin guide and I try to buy (2nd hand) or borrow as many "old" Lonely Planet books as I can. Take my advice : don't buy the Lonely Planet anymore untill they change back to what they once were.

Thanks lonely planet. When I was young I used you and the other one. Always useful. I sometimes felt hemmed in and went off piste and took what came. That was better but I didn't often have the courage to do it. Everyone should. Now I'm older I find you useful. Plus of course we have the intenet now. Just a big thank you for your post about Tata in morrocco. The hotel le relais des sables. The only beer in town. We drove 5 hours from the desert. Mhamid. To get here. Good plan. Worth it. Cheers

Recently ordered a Canada planning map for a motorcycle trip this summer. I'm so disappointed with the map. VERY small print. The roads are not well defined. Mostly just the major roads. Very little detail. Also, no information for the US states that border Canada. A true waste of money. Would cost more to return than cost of map. Seriously, don't waste your money!

I’ve sent a handful of emails regarding a double order. I need one cancelled but seems that no one is currently working there? Anyone?

I ordered two books for Christmas in November and one still hasn't arrived. Have chased several times but their email replies make no sense. No sign of either the book or a refund.

I used to love these books. They were my source! They’ve totally turned to garbage First, their layout has completely changed and they no longer offer insight into public transportation options. In fact the one I had from Portugal kept telling me to drive places. ( in Europe) Second, they do not have good sources anymore. They used to have people who actually knew the places. Now it seems like they over rely on these bloggers who really just do the top sites that another blogger told them before they get their latte at some gentrified coffee shop. It’s really sad because these books were amazing.

I used to travel with the book in hand and the other on my camera, but the latest version of Philippines guide (2024) looks for no longer short budget travellers (the getting there and away with bus options and prices has been removed, no public transport map or map of the city as a whole), the new section “we love to stay in” is super expensive plus there is no indication on the price that is correct what was very useful to negotiate and not be corrupted. So honestly. I preferred the old version and it seems that lonely planet is shifting from his initial segment and business model.

I live in South Africa and ordered two books on their Black Friday sale to be delivered to a friend in London who was coming here on holiday as it was quicker than having them delivered to me here. Delivery guidelines UK orders - Usually 3-7 business days; tracked via Royal Mail

My friend has since left for South Africa and I’m now getting emails from the delivery company today (business day 8) that they’re out trying to deliver my parcel but obviously no-one is at home as they’re in South Africa and I cannot change the delivery address with the courier and have to contact Lonely Planet Shop.

Have emailed their shop email address four times and got no response until today and they’re saying they can’t change the delivery address and give no alternative suggestion.

Pretty sucky service if you ask me

I understand perhaps delivery delayed due to BF volumes but why is it so difficult to just have it delivered to another UK address?

Zero customer service or options given

After previously purchasing around 20 Lonely Planet books, we recently purchased 3 more of there new styled Lonely Planet books.
This are not worth the money and would not recommend.
They have way less information, not set out in a easy functional way to find information.
Extremely dissatisfied and would not purchase again.

After years of happily using Lonely Planet's travel guides, I am SHOCKED by how useless the new format is.
The practical information that one would use a travel guide for are just now there anymore. Where I used to check for good hotels/ restaurants/ tour guide agencies etc. are now general descriptions that I could also get from google or wikipedia.

I recently bought the new edition of the Tanzania guidebook. I hadn't realised that Lonely Planet completely changed their 'blue spine' guidebook style and format in 2023. Regrettably the new format is a disaster. Almost all useful information about each location has been removed. What little information remains is hard to find due to a rambling, inconsistent structure. All the book now offers is section after section that read like a mediocre travel blog, of which there's hundreds already on the internet. Incredibly disappointing and, unless they revert to the old approach, they've lost me as a customer and, I suspect, destroyed their brand.

EDIT: And finally I received the guide! Thank you to LOnely Planet for pushing the courier

I have been traveling with lonely planet for decades and I always buy the original English editions because I prefer them. Despite this, the shop is absolutely deplorable, the last time I bought a guide, and although it was never delivered, the shop first told me that they would send it back to me, then in reality the guide never arrived and no one ever responded to my complaint emails. At this point I have to open a dispute with the credit card I paid with. Therefore, the shop is not very serious and not very collaborative.

I really liked this movie . I’m reading reviews that are pretty abysmal and I’m starting to second guess myself but … I found it hopeful , unexpected ( couldn’t figure out HOW this was going to happen?). And I thought the performances were wonderful , Dern is always a revelation and Hemsworth was so believable and dreamy . It’s an idealistic (perhaps fanciful ) depiction of two people discovering themselves through finding eachother . I’m a sucker for romance and this delivered ….

I've traveled for two decades and always relied on Lonely planet guides to help me find restaurants, hotels and the 'how to get there' were essential! I have about 50 guides in my closet (not necessarily proud of this, but hey).

I was shocked to find out there is a 'new concept' for the guides which is COMPLETELY USELESS. Just some random texts about what to visit, without opening times, fees, restaurant section, etc. The guide became a photo album with no actual information.

Looking at the other comments here it seems im not alone - and I look forward to the automatic robot response with a link to post a complaint..!

Because Iiked my first Bulgarian Phrasebook and Dictionary so much I wanted to get another one. I ordered it from Lonely Planet directly and I got the new edition just as I wanted. The price and delivery were very reasonable, especially since it came from so far away. I am very happy with it and would recommend my easy to use and comprehensive Phrasebook for anyone who would like to try Bulgarian.

I went to China recently and the Lonely Planet was very poor in terms of content. Much information was missing (sometimes very interesting area with little to no explaination), sometimes wrong or very unclear. Also the it doesn't take into account that it's hard to type addresses in the local map apps, while it could use qr codes or other ways to make this major paint point disappear. I basically couldn't visit any restaurant recommended by them. It's a pity

I am in Athens at the moment and before leaving Sydney I purchased a lonely planet guide book for Athens. Three places that were recommended in Athens were non existent, they were Hitchcocktales, and Cafe Avissinia. Taf existed but was nothing like it was described in the book.This was very disappointing as I have always relied on lonely planet guides and maps. Will have to reassess our guides in future travels.

I have been a lonely planet user for many decades. Just bought Malta and Indonesia. It’s bad to the point of being unrecognizable. Empty content. History section now restructured by notable places without any kind of sequence. No practical information. Nothing. Completely empty. Better buy the vintage editions. Will never buy again.