Ski trips are so expensive. Before you go, wouldn’t it be nice to have a friend who could give you all the inside info on hotels and resorts? Scout is here for you.

» What it does: Scout is a recommendation and review site that covers 370 hotels, lodges and chalets as well as 48 ski resorts in the U.S., Canada, Japan, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy.

» What’s hot: All the website content (and the guidebook given to customers who book a multiday trip through Scout) is written by Sarah Plaskitt, a skier and writer who has visited every resort and property on the site. She handpicks the destinations, and if she doesn’t like a place, she won’t include it. Don’t miss the Scout Collections if you’re an advanced skier hunting for the most "extreme steeps," a mom looking for the best family resorts or a "resortist" who selects his or her ski lodge based on the best hot tubs. Some properties have partnered with Scout to provide room upgrades and other perks if you book through the website.

» What’s not: A minor annoyance: When I was in the Browse & Book section looking at ski resorts on the West Coast, the pinned resorts led only to pop-up descriptions. To get the full insider’s point of view, you must scroll down (outside of my laptop screen’s view) to a list of the resorts that links to more info. I would liked to have clicked on the resort’s description or pin and been taken straight to the info.

Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times