FBNY

I've hit the Meridian Montparnasse 4* for $111 and the Hilton Paris 4* for $96. These were both in the month of November which is in the off season. April is barely into the busier season so you could be getting into summer rates or more likely it is in fact early to bid. I go to Paris at least yearly and I watch the rates on Priceline regularly and the published rates don't change much. My guess is that the hotels are holding out until they see what their sales look like. I'd keep bidding weekly but don't go past your budget. PS - I hit the Libertel Moulin 3* (I think they call it Moulin Plaza now) in April 2004 for $76 but it was maybe a month before.

It's a great deal - I've never stayed in that particular hotel but it should be nice, certainly for that price. It's a good neighborhood also and depending on your schedule and the reason for your visit you should have plenty of things to do and places to eat.

I recommend you check the Hudson's website to get an idea of what the entrance looks like because there is no sign or other indication of what is there. If I hadn't known what to look for I'd have not found it.

I've never had a problem with additional fees on hotels although to be honest, I don't watch +/- $6 on a $650 tab that much. I hit the Hilton Paris on Priceline in November 2005 without incident. Where I HAVE noticed a huge problem with Priceline is on their airfare taxes and fees. I've bid on fares say, from Syracuse to Paris and then from smaller airports such as Elmira or Ithaca to Paris. The smaller airports have more than $100 more in taxes and fees attached. That's pretty noticable on a $400 flight. I've emailed Priceline about it and all I get is the worthless canned "taxes and fees" response but that's BS because on other sites like Orbitz and Expedia, the taxes and fees are essentially the same from the smaller airports. I say this to warn bidders to be careful if resubmitting a failed bid from a smaller airport - watch the extra and significant fees they tack on. Thankfully I've caught it and didn't just resubmit from the new airport. Regarding the Hilton Paris, I was pleased with my $96 Priceline win in November 2005. The room was big and had a big bathroom - both exceptionally large by Paris standards. Yes, the room was on the rear of the hotel but I didn't mind - it was a view of Ave Suffern and not a wall. It was a typical business class hotel and was worth the money. The only drawback I can think of was it was isolated in a way. If you are going for the tourist thing la Tour Eiffel was right there and every day the sight coming and going was breathtaking. All the other tourist sites and the city center were quite a hike away though. Some are walkable but if you plan to visit the Champs, Latin Quarter, Opera/Boulevards, Louvre, etc. you will need a ride. Another thing to watch is the taxi queue in the morning. I had a flight to catch and the wait for taxis was 20-30 minutes because all the business people were leaving for their morning meetings. If you need to leave in the morning by taxi be sure to add an extra half hour. Lastly, while the Hilton is very nice, it's typical business class hence quite sterile. If you are looking for a romantic getaway with Parisien ambiance the Hilton isn't it.

One can write for hours about Paris and there are tons of hotels available on Priceline. I've been to Paris probably 20 times in the last 10 years (I live in upstate New York) and have used Priceline the past couple years with ok results. As with most Priceline hits, I received bookings that were only 40% to 50% of advertised rates. I'm sure other readers have experiences varying from mine but here's my view: The 4* hotels I've hit were American style business hotels and not all that quaint or romantic. They were Le Meridian Montparnasse (Dec04 - about 111 US Dollars) and the Hilton Paris (Nov05 - about 95 USD.) They had large rooms by European standards and large bathrooms with bathtubs. The rooms were comparable to a Holiday Inn in the U.S. The drawback about these and other Priceline areas in Paris is they can put you in a hotel quite far from the city center. The only Priceline area in Paris that is entirely in the center is Opera Quarter East - Les Halles. If you look at the Priceline map you will see that all other areas that start in the city center also stretch to the edges of the city. If you get hotels on the edges of town you will still be in Paris, with cafes, shops, etc. nearby but you will be a long distance from the tourist spots in the center. The Hilton Paris is next to Tour Eiffel and had incredible views coming and going but I had to walk or take the metro to get most everywhere else of interest. Back to 4*.... It is my view that European hotels are one star level higher than US hotels. The 4* hotels I've hit were certainly nice but since they were business hotels they were strerile and had no ambiance. If you go for the 3* hotels you will likely get a more traditional tourist hotel. The advantages are the drawbacks: the quaint stairways, crooked floors, exposed beams, windows opening to the street, and fewer rooms give you a local feel but you also get tiny rooms, tinier baths (with a very small shower only) a cramped lift, and maybe noisy neighbors. Most tourist class hotels are converted 18th and 19th century townhouses and they jam a lot of rooms in the buildings and the bathrooms and closets (if any) are afterthoughts. So you have to determine what things are important to you in a room and decide from there. I'd read up on these and other reviews of Parisian hotels to see what other people are saying about the things that are important to you. And with the 3* hotels, you still have the issue of possibly being on the edge of town.... In April 04, I hit the Libertel le Moulin (now called the Moulin Plaza Hotel) for about 75 USD. It said 3* but was more like 2 and it was on the north side within sight of the Moulin Rouge. That all sounds good until you find out the 'famous' Moulin Rouge is in the red light district and every trip into and out of the hotel involved some interesting sights. Again, these things are good or bad depending on what is important to you but I would never be near the Moulin Rouge if I were on a honeymoon or with small children. I am probably going over again in late November and my strategy is to try to hit something in the Opera Quarter - Les Halles area. I'll work for a 4* in the USD 90-110 range, failing that a 3* for 70-90, and failing that a 2* for 50-70. We'll see how that works and I may end up going higher or taking the chance in the other areas. I have stayed in 2* Parisian hotels and I see no difference between them and the 3* hotels. I hope this was helppful and perhaps other readers will add their thoughts.... If you'd like to communicate more we can email each other directly without burdening the other readers here.

Margie: I stayed at this location in December 2004 and was pleased. The Glouscester Road tube station is just around the corner and the station serves some of the main lines so you will easily be able to get most anywhere in London you need to. The neighborhood is very quiet and calm (maybe too calm) and there a couple pubs, chain restaurants, shops, and 7-11 nearby. If you are a walker, Hyde Park and the V&A Museum are near. I think I paid $91 on Priceline and received my money's worth for London. This location may not be 4* by US standards because the room was kind of plain but it was very large compared to European tourist hotels, the staff was nice, and the bathroom was huge. Lastly, as many people do on this board, I recommend you sign up for the chain's frequent customer program and then ask for an upgrade when you check in. Getting a free upgrade depends on availability, the clerk's demeanor and mood that day, and your persuasiveness. It worked for me and I got an upgrade to the concierge level or whatever they call it. Enjoy.

Bid history: - August 20: 2.5 * - for August 25 - $31 - rejected. - rebid 2* - $31 - rejected. - no rebid zones. - August 21: 2.5 * - for August 25 - $41 - rejected. - rebid 2* - $41 - accepted. Holiday Inn Express State College At Williamsburg Square Published rate: $99.

Helped a friend bid his first Priceline hotel on Wedneadsy, August 23rd: - 4* MTW - Saturday, August 26th, 1 night - $111 Hit on first bid. Hilton Times Square. Published rate: $269. Felt bad he could have started lower but it's a great hotel at an even greater rate.

I'm not an expert on NYC parking but I doubt you would save a whole lot parking elsewhere. There are lots around midtown but you'd have to find one, haul back to the hotel, then deal with the wait when you want to leave. You may save $10 or so... Parking on the street is very difficult and risky. If you even find a spot you need to figure out the confusing and ever-changing parking rules. If you get towed you will spend big money and if your car gets stolen, well..... I avoid all that and bite the bullet by paying the rate at the hotel. One other advantage of that is you can call ahead and have your car waiting for you at check out. By the way, when they return the car they bring it to the mezzanine level next to Grand Central vs. street level on 42nd St. I learned that the hard way when I called for the car and stood at the wrong door for 30 minutes.... If there are any other readers out there that have NYC parking experience perhaps they will post some ideas for you.

I have stayed at the NYC Grand Hyatt via Priceline several times and it is very nice. You should be pleased with the quality, location, and service. True, there is no pool but not many NYC hotels have one. And the price you got is still very good. Lately they seem to have been on the $150 - $200 range and the lowest I've ever hit was $101. Depending the nature of your visit you should be pleased with the location. It's on E 42nd and Lexington Ave. and within walking distance to the major midtown tourist and shopping spots. Grand Central Terminal is next door and you can get a subway to anywhere in the city from the station. If you are new to NYC, try not to be shocked at the prices there. If you are driving, expect to pay $40-$50 per day for parking. Beer is $9.00 per pint - oy! But, there's nothing like New York... Enjoy!

It's a scam - stay far away. Priceline is reputable and stands by its commitments. Always remember - if it sounds too good to be true IT IS. I've been dealing with Priceline for years now and I trust them unquestionably. PS - I'm surprised the managers of this board allowed an obvious advertisement for that company to be posted here.

Fremont St and the Strip are the same zone on Priceline.

The only time I ever saw security actually checking doors was during the GOP National Convention in 2004. Unlike hotels in Europe and Asia, there are rarely ever people checking the doors or elevators in US hotels. That is true for the Hilton New York. I have been there a few times and except for the extraordinary security during the 2004 convention I have never seen anyone checking the doors. On New Year's Eve 2005 they were checking room keys in the hotels in Times Square but I doubt they did that as far away as the Hilton. In any case, they just made sure you were staying at the hotel and didn't quibble about who was in which room. There is of course security around but they are unobtrusive and they don't check every person as they walk in the door or the elevator. Regarding the elevators' location: they are on the northwest side of the lobby. Taxis will probably drop you off at the main (east) entrance on 6th Ave and you would have to walk through the huge lobby to get to the elevators. Depending on the time of day, there is also an entrance on W 54th that bypasses the lobby. This entrance may close after 11 PM. And there is an entrance from the valet driveway/alley on the west end of the hotel between W 53rd and W 54th. This would also take you to the elevators without using the main lobby.

The lobby at the Hilton New York is bigger than some small-town motels. There are plenty of seating areas, shops, and hallways where your family can hang out or browse while you check in. You should enjoy the Hilton. It is in a great location in midtown and is a nice property. I signed up for the free Hilton Honors card and if you ask for a room upgrade they will give it to you if they have one.

I stayed at Murray Hill Suites in 2001 or so and it is nice. I'm surprized its only a 2 star. It used to be an apartment house or something and the rooms are very large. Also, it is on a very quiet street. I never bid 2 stars in NY anymore because there are so many terrible ones like the Ramada New Yorker but I would never mind getting the Murray Hill Suites.

I work in Binghamton and have done events at the Holiday Inn - Arena and the Binghamton Regency and they are decent places to stay in dontown Binghamton. Priceline comes up with the usual Super 8, Holiday Inn, Best Western class of hotels in the area and they are what you would expect. Your desired location may play a large role in your choice because they are fairly spread out. As the other poster mentioned, in these smaller markets you may not get that much of a deal so you may wish to simply book on Expedia. Let me know if you have any other questions.

The Paramount is not a bad hotel, it's just very tiny. The backpacker crowd and leftover hippies love it because it's "trendy." I avoid the Hudson on W 58th for the same reason. If I'm paying $100 plus I'm not going to be in a dormatory with a bunch of sardines. There is no reason not to get a decent sized room and bathroom, even in New York. For the same price I bid only on 4 star hotels in New York and I've gotten the Waldorf, Hilton, and Grand Hyatt each for $101. The Paramount is in a great location if you are going for the tourist thing. It's a half block off Times Square and adjacent to the Marriott Marquis. The neighborhood is as safe as any in midtown and there are plenty of pubs and restaurants in the area. 8th Avenue down there is still a bit seedy in a couple spots but nothing like the heyday of the Times Square of the 1970's. God Bless Rudy Giuliani. If you can deal with the shoebox thing you will enjoy yourself.