Consumer travel Web site hotelbook.com has extended its online offering, to also include a dynamic Web log or "blog," launching this week, and regular podcasts to provide educational and entertaining reports to travelers.

Offering the only "exclusively independent" selection of hotels online, hotelbook.com will now further serve consumers with more interactive opportunities for increasing awareness of destinations.

The blog, http://blog.hotelbook.com , will feature posts from the Pegasus travel team regarding popular destinations, upcoming world events, travel news and tidbits from the world of popular culture to serve as a clearinghouse for all things travel.

The professionally produced podcasts will complement the blog by offering comprehensive information in a variety of travel categories including topics such as vacationing in English castles, where to stay for the World Cup and top global golf getaways.

Bob Boles, chief operating officer of Pegasus Solutions, says the two moves will further the site's ongoing commitment to support independent hotels. "We launched hotelbook.com to not only provide consumers with access to the independent and boutique hotels we represent worldwide, but to also generate more awareness of the unique hotel finds available," Boles said.

"With the fragmentation of how people are gathering their information, we want to ensure consumers hear our 'Stay Independent' message -- through media coverage, via search engines, in a daily blog, or through their iPod," he added.