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Rating: 
Summary: Traveler's bible to Venezuela
Review: This guide has superb maps that are invaluable in a country that does not believe in signs. Unfortunately, that is about all the positive press I can give it. First, it is out of date and many of the hotels and resturants it recommends no longer exists. Second, the index is horrifically inadequate. Third, many of the descriptions are down right wrong. The Hotel Colonial in Ciudad Bolivar, for example, was called "Old World" and the "the best in town". Hardly, the places is overpriced and poorly decorated. The "Gran Hotel Amazonas", however, in Puerto Ayacucho, which is most likely the most beautiful hotel in Venezuela and only 20 per night for a double, is hardly credited a mention. The coverage of the Amazon and the Gran Sabana is much better in the Bradt guide, especially if you are taking a car. In the abscence of a solid Venezuela guide, we recommend a combination of Lonely Planet and either the Bradt or another guide. One last note, this book, like all Lonely Planets is quite well made and can be trusted not to fall apart, not something that can be said of most budget travel guides.
Rating: 
Summary: Not up to the expected standard, and out-of-date !
Review: Venezuela is quickly changing. Prices one day may double the next day. Politics and society are in fervid change. All in all, Lonely Planet has not managed to produce a guide up to the standard of other Lonely Planet guides. Having said that, I do not know of any better guides on Venezuela, and this is still a book worth taking with you. Though you will have to take all its advice and contents with some care, not for granted.
Rating:
Summary: Not up to the expected standard, and out-of-date !
Review: Venezuela is quickly changing. Prices one day may double the next day. Politics and society are in fervid change. All in all, Lonely Planet has not managed to produce a guide up to the standard of other Lonely Planet guides. Having said that, I do not know of any better guides on Venezuela, and this is still a book worth taking with you. Though you will have to take all its advice and contents with some care, not for granted.
Rating: 
Summary: What a joke!
Review: We normally swear by Lonely Planet guides (to southern Africa, Central America, SE Asia), but this one to Venezuela is far and away the most inadequate: Sometimes I wondered if the author had even set foot in the country, or if he just called up his buddies who in turn passed along 2nd-hand information. For starters, many of his write-ups are meant for people traveling in private cars; this is by no means a "back-packer's" guide. Sometimes, for example, we'd be interested in a particular place the author described, only to be disappointed that the place was accessible only by private vehicle or you could walk to it but had to cross 6-lane highways (quite common in Caracas). Furthermore, this guidebook provides nothing that other guidebooks on the country provide: in sum, Lonely Planet Venezuela rides on the otherwise strong LP reputation; it's of no merit and could actually be the source of a lot of headaches. I hope for the upcoming edition the author actually visits Venezuela! LP should know better...
Rating:
Summary: Too snobby for the budget traveler
Review: What ever happened to South America on a shoestring? Dydynski often sounds like he holds Venezuela in disdain as a dirty, dangerous, and messy little Third World backwater rather than someplace somebody might actually want to visit. He comes off like a gringo snob, and his personal hotel preferences obviously lean towards the five-star end of the spectrum. Missing here are all the excellent low-cost, unique, and out-of-the-way options I used to turn to Lonely Planet to find. No descriptions of night life or fun things to do, heavy on the historical landmarks. Here and there the book waxes useful when the location in question is someplace Dydynski seems to have liked, the rest of the descriptions are not helpful. Also: many of the phone numbers I have tried from the book are incorrect. I haven't compared this book to other Venezuelan guides, so can't truly make a comparison -- but I suggest you start with another guide first.
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