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A quick recommendation regarding travertine: Don't get it in your shower. They make tile that closely resembles travertine (well at least the tumbled variety with chiseled edges). I originally planned on having my builder put in a travertine look alike into our shower that fit with the tumbled travertine on our floors (and the tile would have been cheaper) but decided against it when I heard that you could seal the stuff in the shower pretty well.
Simply put, no sealant, unless applied frequently, will do a good job protecting a travertine shower floor. The water and soap will wash it away and/or penetrate it and etch the floor. Since the finish on travertine is easily etched with common cleaning agents, it's a total pain in the ass to clean soap scum off of the walls and shower floor.
As for your bathroom, hallway and kitchen floors, I wholeheartedly endorse travertine, especially tumbled travertine. It's warmer than tile, holds up better and easier to maintain than hardwood and IMO, more beautiful than either. Just make sure you use a good sealer immediately after installation and then buy a decent steam mop. Accidents that etch the floor will happen periodically (my toddler barfed on the floor, it etched), but the advantage to tumbled travertine is that it doesn't really show a minor etch here and there (as opposed to widespread etching that occurs on a shower floor).
Simply put, no sealant, unless applied frequently, will do a good job protecting a travertine shower floor. The water and soap will wash it away and/or penetrate it and etch the floor. Since the finish on travertine is easily etched with common cleaning agents, it's a total pain in the ass to clean soap scum off of the walls and shower floor.
As for your bathroom, hallway and kitchen floors, I wholeheartedly endorse travertine, especially tumbled travertine. It's warmer than tile, holds up better and easier to maintain than hardwood and IMO, more beautiful than either. Just make sure you use a good sealer immediately after installation and then buy a decent steam mop. Accidents that etch the floor will happen periodically (my toddler barfed on the floor, it etched), but the advantage to tumbled travertine is that it doesn't really show a minor etch here and there (as opposed to widespread etching that occurs on a shower floor).