Finding a good café in an unfamiliar area, learning where a pharmacy is nearby, or looking at the top parks in the city you're flying to — each time it's a separate search: open maps or websites, type a query, compare ratings and reviews, copy or save the address so you don't lose it. The "Guide" module in VELA's AI assistant solves this task right in Telegram — you write a question in plain words and get the top places with ratings and buttons to the map below.
Two search modes: by city and near you
The module works in two modes, and the difference between them is significant.
Search by city — you specify a city in the request. Handy for planning a trip or finding venues and locations somewhere other than where you are now. Examples:
"the best spas in Tbilisi"
"coffee shops in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona"
"where to eat in Hongdae in Seoul"
"a pharmacy in Minsk near Nyamiha"
The AI assistant returns the top 3 places (no more) with rating, number of reviews, address, and a button to Google Maps.
Search nearby — you share your location once via Telegram (📎 → Location → Send selected location), and the AI assistant remembers it for 24 hours. After that you can ask without specifying a city:
"find a pharmacy nearby"
"a restaurant close by"
"where's an ATM here"
In this mode the results favor the nearest places — handy when you need to quickly find something literally a couple of blocks away.
What it searches and what it returns
The module works through Google Places. That means the places database is the same as in Google Maps, and the ratings are the same.
For each place the AI assistant shows:
Name
Rating — a star and the number of ratings, for example ⭐ 4.7 (1240 reviews)
Address
A button to Google Maps — opens the place in the app or browser
You can search for practically any type of venue: restaurants, cafés, spas, barbershops, pharmacies, ATMs, parks, landmarks, malls, cinemas, fitness clubs, etc.
The AI assistant always returns only the top 3 places. That's the module's limit.
How the results are sorted
There's a nuance here worth knowing.
If the request has the word "best," "top" or similar — the AI assistant sorts by rating. A place rated 4.8 will be above one rated 4.2, even if it's farther from you.
If the request has "nearby," "close by," "nearest" — priority goes to the nearest places. The closest one usually comes first.
If there are no explicit qualifiers in the request — the AI assistant decides the priority itself by context. As a rule, for unfamiliar cities it uses rating; for a location, proximity.
By voice
You don't have to type. The AI assistant recognizes voice messages and handles them just like text.
Send by voice: "find a good restaurant in Warsaw" or "where's the nearest pharmacy here" — the AI assistant recognizes the speech and returns a list of places. Handy when your hands are busy or you're behind the wheel.
Which plan it's on
The "Guide" module is part of the free Basic plan — no card needed. Available right after you connect your Telegram bot to VELA.
On Pro the capabilities are the same; there are no extensions for the guide. But on the Pro plan other modules appear — flight search, Google Workspace and others. More about choosing a plan — in the article how to choose an AI assistant.
What the module can't do
Honest limits — so there are no surprises:
No booking. The AI assistant finds a place and gives a button to the map. Booking a table or making an appointment — no, that's outside the module.
No price filters. You can't request "a restaurant up to 5000 rubles" and so on — price category isn't supported.
No schedule or menu. The module doesn't show venues' opening hours or menus.
No photos of places. Only text: name, rating, address, button to the map.
Maximum 3 results. It won't return more places per request.
The location is valid for 24 hours. After that you need to share it again.
Illegal requests aren't processed.
If you need more information about a specific place — tap the Google Maps button; there you'll find photos, reviews, the menu and other info.
When it's handier than Google Maps and other services
Google Maps is a powerful tool. But it requires opening a separate app, typing a query, scrolling the map, reading reviews, copying or saving the address, filtering out what you don't need.
The "Guide" module doesn't replace maps — it gives a quick answer right in the chat when you need a list of top places. You write — you get three options with ratings in seconds. If one of them fits — you tap the Google Maps button. If not — you refine the request right there in the dialog with the AI assistant.
Your phone is always nearby, and Telegram is usually installed on it. No need to download or open anything extra. Everything is saved in one place, in a single chat with your personal assistant.
FAQ
Do I need to turn the module on manually? No. On the Basic plan the module is active right after you connect your Telegram bot to VELA. No actions are needed in the dashboard.
Do I need to send my location every time? No — once a day is enough. The AI assistant remembers it for 24 hours. After that, share it again if needed.
Does the module work in any city in the world? Yes, the Google Places database is global. It finds places in any city — from Tokyo to Tashkent.
Can I ask for something unusual — for example, an exhibition or a veterinary clinic? Yes. The AI assistant understands the type of place from the request's context. Write as usual: "a veterinary clinic nearby", "contemporary art galleries in Rome" — the module passes the request to Google Places and returns results.
Can I get more than three places? No, the module's limit is 3 results per request. If none fit — try refining the request: add a district, cuisine type, other criteria.
Is the Guide available on the free plan? Yes, on Basic ($0/mo). The paid Pro plan is needed for other modules — flight search, Notion, image generation and others.