I found a couple good discussions here:

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/archive/index.php/t-27512.html
http://www.humboldt1.com/~dspreen/board/messages/12489.html
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Travertine is a great product to use to increase value to your home and also add beauty to the design of your home. However there are some concerns to be aware of in using travertine where you would otherwise use a porcelain tile. First travertine is an alkaline product and is more porous than other stone products as well as porcelain. This can be an issue more so in a kitchen than say a bathroom with the reason being stains from foods and liquids, especially anything acidic. Also with travertine being an alkaline base corrosion can be an issue with acid based cleaning products.

In my opinion I would stay with porcelain tile and granite for places like the kitchen and bathroom areas and use travertine in the patio and pool areas.

Here is some information on travertine:
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This is a calcareous stone. It is will react negatively to acids found in common household items such as lemons, vinegar, alcohol and some cleaning products. These acids will etch the stone by leaving marks, rings or dull spots.

Similar to limestone, travertine also varies in hardness, density, and porosity. Some travertine stones are harder than others.

Although the hardness varies, it will still scratch. It's not as soft as soapstone but it can't compete with the hardness of granite. You can always test a sample stone by running a sharp blade across the top or even tossing your keys on it a few times.
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Taken from: http://www.natural-stone-interiors.com/travertine-stone.html

And some information on Porcelain tile:
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Advantages of Porcelain Tile Flooring

Porcelain tile flooring can easily endure heavy foot traffic at both residential and commercial locations while not reducing its color and beauty! It is used for many decorative and functional purposes but regarded as an ideal choice for flooring applications. Some of the advantages of porcelain tile flooring are mentioned below:

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Porcelain tile is both harder and denser than many other ceramic tile products
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Porcelain tile is frost-resistant, and often frost-proof
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Porcelain tile is highly resistant to stain, scratch, and moisture
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Porcelain tile is a hard wearing material which is resistant to harsher cleaning agents, scratches, stains, fading, heavy loads and fire.
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Porcelain tile is available in glazed as well as unglazed varieties.
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It is strong and long-lasting.
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It can be easily installed in heavy traffic areas (Group 4 and 5).
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Porcelain tile flooring is aesthetically pleasing.
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It has a high breaking strength. Porcelain contains less clay and more feldspar (a mineral). It�s also pressed at a higher pressure.
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Porcelain tile flooring has low water absorption. Therefore, less staining occurs on these floors and they are easier to clean.
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Porcelain tile flooring offers a wide range of colors and textures, and many different designs and styles. Professionals can produce an accurate recreation of the look of natural stone, granite, slate, travertine, limestone, marble, quartzite, terracotta and even woods and metals.
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Porcelain tile flooring can be easily maintained. For this reason it is a practical choice for flooring in any room in the house as it needs no polishing, waxing, or sealing, and can be cleaned easily with a damp mop.

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Taken from: http://flooring.builddirect.com/Porcelain-Tile/Ceramic-Tile-Articles/Advantages_of_Porcelain_Tile_Flooring.aspx

Travertine can be found in some of the most popular, oldest and most beautiful buildings throughout history. The places I have seen where travertine is used have been amazing. It is a beautiful stone to look at and the texture and feel is amazing as well. More information can be found at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travertine

Travertine:
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11967812/A_Scabos_Gold_Travertine_Versailles_Pattern_Set.jpg

Porcelain Tile:
http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50062850/Porcelain_Tile.jpg
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