Forbes Travel Guide launches Startle.com in conjunction with 2012 award winners

Today, Forbes Travel Guide (formerly the Mobil Travel Guide) announced their 2012 world winners of their four- and five-star hotel properties and also the launch of Startle.com, their new “curated” site for luxury properties worldwide.

The site launched with content for 72 US and five international markets, according to TechCrunch, and includes content from the Forbes reviews as well as specialized content from influential “Tastemakers” like Ivanka Trump and chef Eric Ripert alike.

The site is set up in a Q&A style where travelers can find answers to questions like “What are the rooms like at X hotel,” or “What are the bathrooms like in the suites” and get detailed responses about specific properties. City-specific guide information is also available. So far, the site seems most similar to a review platform like Oyster, but geared towards luxury properties already on the Forbes list.

A select deals component called “Startle Me” is also available, which looks like it takes aim at sites like Jetsetter.com, offering discounted package offerings at places like Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and The Mayflower Inn and Spa.

We’re excited to see how the site evolves – at present, more than 350 establishments on the Forbes Travel Guide list are accounted for. For those who are already fans of luxury travel and wish to visit spots on the Forbes list, this site will prove exceptionally useful. For those who want to explore additional destinations are are looking for more unique properties offering an experience that is still upscale but perhaps not “four star” by Forbes’ standards, the site may not prove as interesting.

In the interest of full disclosure, this writer has previously worked as a freelancer with Forbes Travel Guide.