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Yeah, that's the "good" A'dam hotel I mentioned earlier today. It seems that most people are getting it these days. But I know somebody's probably going to get the Jolly one of these days and be disappointed. Not a risk free endeavor, but I think Priceline's rates are now beating the online competition in that city (unlike in Paris).

If my memory is right, I stayed in their Berlin hotel. I'm always somewhat more amused than impressed by art hotels -- not sure why, it just always seems like they're trying too hard to be trendy. That said, I'd be more than happy to stay for 60 bucks in Budapest!

Just a point of clarification on Amsterdam. Upon further reflection, I think Amsterdam is a BETTER town than Paris for Priceline. In the center city zone, it does appear possible to get a good 4-star hotel, like the Renaissance, for around $100. There is, however, some risk. I think there's a Jolly hotel in that zone that is vastly inferior and also rated 4 stars last I heard. I don't recall the free bid opportunities for Amsterdam, but if you were to start at $75 or $80 and worked your way up to about $105 (if necessary), you might snag a better deal than you have -- but there seems to be at least a 10% chance you'll get hosed.

Well, lwitchell, you're pretty much following in my footsteps by a couple weeks. If you read the loooong Paris exchange mostly between me and Willtravel, you'll see a lot of european hotel discount options (about 1 by me for every 10 by Willtravel!). I got "close but no cigar" on some of the online services. I would particularly recommend checking hrs every day or two -- their inventory changes dramatically (especially for Paris), and there are often GREAT deals for a couple of days. In other words, you might snag a bargain. The last minute sites also looked promising. I wound up booking an "Easter Offer" at the Paris Hilton for 99 Euros as the "best value" (an offer which, sadly, expires before the end of April, but you should definitely check hilton.com just in case). My personal view is that this assortment of websites will yield a better deal than what folks are getting on priceline, plus you'll have more control over where you wind up staying. Brussels is a priceline no-brainer. The deals are GREAT! I saw on another board somebody got a priceline hotel in Brugge, but my own experience is that it's near hopeless and the rates aren't good anyway. Hrs did have a 4-star deal pop up for a few days for under 100 Euros, which offered considerable savings. You might also want to look at the Brugge tourist office's listings (sorry I don't remember the link). I recall many smaller inns and b&bs with prices MUCH cheaper than most of the hotels (probably with more character, too, albeit perhaps a slightly greater risk of winding up at an unsatisfactory place). Rick Steves offers some suggestions in that category, too. I personally decided to stay an extra night at the "el cheapo" rates on priceline in Brussels and day trip to Brugge. It's very day-tripable, and nice not to have to move hotels, but I think a night in Brugge would be enjoyable, too. I think the decision comes down to whether you can find something you like in Brugge at a price you think is reasonable compared to what you'll pay on priceline for Brussels. Priceline for Amsterdam looked a little like priceline for Paris, but perhaps a little better. As willtravel noted, the zones there are a little troubling if you want to be very centrally located. The various European hotel websites previous referenced are probably just as cheap (or even cheaper) than Priceline, and you get to pick the property. After surveying the scene, though, I decided to use my Starwood points to stay at the Pulitzer (one of the city's top hotels) and a great deal for 10,000 points/night in that program (rooms there seem at least $250). Good luck!

Interesting, Will. I probably made a dozen unsuccessful Paris hotel bids in the past couple months (I WAS lowballing it, because it wasn't "worth" $100 to me for a 4-star). I only got one counteroffer, and that was when I bid low for a 3-star in La Defense (I was fishing for a cheap Courtyard). I did get a lot of hotel links, though. Must have been lowestfare and not Hotels.com. I didn't look that carefully (everytime I glanced at the prices, I stopped looking!).

Interesting stuff. I have a few observations and a question to ask. First, I know I've had bids hit when I've gotten a "warning" that I was bidding too low (I don't remember the exact language of the warning though). My strategy has always been to ignore the warnings, and I think that's still the correct thing to do. Second, I've noticed I don't seem to get the "warning" when I rebid, even if I'm only adding five bucks and a new zone. Finally, I'm wondering what the significance is when (always after my second unsuccessful bid) I get a link to Hotels.com offering me their prenegotiated (and not very good) rates. I've assumed that likely means that priceline has nothing in my star category or that my bid is WAY below the minimum they'll take, but I'm not sure. Anybody know?

You raise an interesting point, thereuare, that should get more attention in the media. The airlines are truly shooting themselves in the foot by not allowing rebooking pax to use the cheaper webfares. Since they are already charging a rather steep $100 change fee, it is pretty much unconscionable not to let their pax get the best fare. One thing I wonder about, though, are the latest policies regarding display of cheaper webfares. I recall that the airlines are contractually-bound to offer those fares to Orbitz (a company majority-owned by the major airlines), but I don't recall the latest regarding Expedia and Travelocity. I know they were initially trying to keep those fares off Expedia and Travelocity, but I recall that they recently relented, at least to some degree.

Right, Will. I think a Sofitel on the Peripherique has come up in that zone for $100+ on priceline. Really no comparison in location to the Hilton a couple blocks from the Eiffel Tower. And I've never heard anyone get the Paris Hilton on priceline (not sure if it would be 4 stars or 5). Just confirms my view that Priceline is OK for Parisian 4-stars, but just one of many possible options -- unlike in other cities, where priceline is usually MUCH BETTER than the alternatives.

Anyone going to Paris in April might want to consider staying at this now-unfortunately-named hotel. The rate is only 99 euros including breakfast for many days in early/mid-April under their "Easter Offer" bookable, it seems, only at Hilton.com. Hilton is also opening another hotel in Paris in late March by the Arc de Triomphe. The photos I've seen suggest it will be quite nice -- perhaps even more luxurious than the now somewhat-dated Paris Hilton. Last I checked, the "easter offer" wasn't good there (it is good at the airport and La Defense locations), but I've seen it pop up before, and would keep checking if you're interested. FWIW, of the major chains, Hilton is the only one that offers exceptional "exclusive" promotions on its website for Paris. Certainly worth checking if you're headed that way.

Decided to take the Easter promotion (actually good for about 10 days in early/mid April at the Paris Hilton for 99 Euros, including breakfast -- available only at hilton.com. Took two rooms for my family. The hotel has gotten some mixed reviews for a luxury hotel (some love it, some hate it), but I have the feeling my kids will like being "across the street" from the Eiffel Tower. The hotel is also known for its excellent buffet breakfast, which wouldn't ordinarily be a selling point to me at a Paris hotel (save your appetite for lunch!) but with kids, it seems like a great perk. Now all I have to do is talk my way into a "deluxe room" with a balcony overlooking the Tower at night. Adults might also want to consider staying at the new Hilton northeast of the Arc de Triomphe, which looks quite nice and opens at the end of March. I saw a 119 Euro promo rate there once, but it wasn't listed the last time I looked. I find it interesting that this deal at the Paris Hilton is better than anything you can get from Priceline. For about the same money as one of their 4-stars, you're getting a better hotel in a better location with free breakfast. Of course, it is a limited time promotion, but still. Priceline simply isn't very good for Paris. It is also possible to snag a good deal at hrs.com or a last minute site like ratestogo.com. I was having a hard time getting 3 nights in a row at cheapo rates on hrs, and ratestogo simply didn't have a property that I thought was as good a value as the Hilton (there are a few "unknown" 3-stars in the 65 to 80 Euro range, though). I could also have saved money staying at the edge of town at that Accor Suite Hotel, but heck, it's Paris. Might as well have a memorable stay.

I had a couple of colleagues decide to go to the same conference, so I bid for a hotel room for them. This time -- less than a week after having to pay $50 for the World Gate Resort for the same day, I got this one for $10 less. Looks like a somewhat better hotel for, obviously, a somewhat better price. I guess the lesson of this one is to be patient with your bidding, even at peak times. Of course, when you're within about 10 days of your arrival date, you've got to take your chances. :<) In this zone, though, I wouldn't pay $50 for a 3 star say 30 days out.

any experience with Accor's new Suite-Hotel chain? They have these very low 3-day weekend rates that have been discussed above.

If you're like me, you have a fairly low opinion of travel agents these days because they usually aren't very helpful and rarely save you time, trouble or money if you're a fairly savvy independent traveller. The idea that an on-line travel agent would be "looking after you" seems almost silly. Yet, I must report the following very pleasant experience with Orbitz. I had booked this discounted airfare to Europe a couple months ago with Orbitz (and paid their nominal fee) because I couldn't get my itinerary to price on the airline's own website. Indeed, it was a complicated itinerary involving a connection between two airlines that Orbitz's "super-computer" had cobbled together somehow at a very low price. Well, this morning (a Sunday, no less), I get a call from a very nice lady at Orbitz who tells me one of my flight times has just changed and that the connection (1 hour) looked pretty tight (not necessarily illegal, but tight). Accordingly, she had already called the airline and arranged for us to fly nonstop to our destination, saving at least 2 hours travel time (a flight I would have booked in the first place, except that it was hundreds of dollars more). She wanted to let me know about the change and make sure it was OK. Pretty good service, I'd say. Maybe worth the $5/ticket.

BTW, if I hadn't gotten hit at $50, I would have started again with 2 1/2 stars at about $30. Only benefit to 3 stars in that zone is that I have the impression that some of the 2 1/2 stars might be even more questionable.

Not a deal of a lifetime, but I've got a conference in the Disney area that week and, bummer, it's spring break. Tried to get a resort in the WDW zone, started at $50 and bid up to $85 (where the Gaylord Palms has been repeatedly hit), but got nothing. Then started at around $30 for the 3-stars in that zone (I wanted to be near my conference, so I only bid other Orlando zones where there were no hotels at the 3-star level). Finally got hit at $50. You might be able to get this property for $10 to $15 less if it weren't peak days. Former Resnaissance, seems incredibly mediocre now according to reviews. Their own website has $89 promo.

Amenity icons were restaurant, pool, fitness center, golf, tennis and laundry. Not sure folks need to avoid it, but they should know that a hotwire 3-star hotel in Frederick (and, from my experience, anywhere) is likely no better than a 2-star priceline property -- and probably worse than priceline's 2 1/2 star hotels. Accordingly, unless they have bonus money like I did, it would be pretty silly to accept Hotwire's $47 offer without gradually bidding up to that level on priceline for their 2* and 2 1/2* levels. Unless you're particularly partial to basic Holiday Inns!

As usual, I feel a little suckered by my hotwire experience. Needed a room in Frederick for a night -- a town without any really "nice" properties, so we're basically talking motels. Hotwire listed mine as a 3-star, and put a lot of (admittedly vague) "amenity" icons next to it. They also listed a couple of 2-star properties, at about the same price, with far fewer amenity icons. Meanwhile, Priceline displays 2 1/2 star and 2 star bidding opportunities for Frederick. Looking at TOBB, I see folks had gotten a bunch of 2-star holiday inns over the years in the $30 to $35 range. So I bid $31 first at 2 1/2 stars and then at 2 stars. I don't necessarily expect to get hit, but I did expect a counteroffer (especially since I know from Hotwire that some properties are "lurking"). Priceline just rejects my bids with no comment. So then I have this dilemna: the one amenity I would like at a roadside motel in Maryland in March is an indoor pool. Looking at my AAA guide, about half the rated motels in Frederick have them. I reasonably presume these are the "nicer" ones, more likely to get a better star rating. Hotwire tells me their 3-star has, among all those other things, a pool (unfortunately, Hotwire never tells you whether it's indoors). I have $25 in hotwire bonus bucks (from a hotwire snafu a year ago) that I can use. That brings my base price down from $47 to $22. Given that priceline looks like it will cost me at least 40 bucks -- if I can get a room at all -- I figure it's a good time to use by hotwire bonus money and presumably increase my chances at an indoor pool. After all, the hotel is 3 stars! Bad guess. The Holiday Inn I get is the ordinary one in town WITHOUT the indoor pool. Why it rates 3-stars in hotwire's system is, as usual, beyond understanding. Oh well. An inexpensive place to sleep. I won't be getting my winter swim in. And I doubt I'll be using hotwire much in the future.

As a value conscious traveller, I'm constantly amazed at how quickly the travel "game" is being changed by technology. Strategies I used to score deals just a few years ago are no longer effective, or are simply unnecessary in the internet age. But some vestiges of the "old ways" linger. And so it is if you want to get the best deal on a car rental in Europe. You will have to abandon your computer, and pick up your telephone. And do some old fashioned haggling, not unlike if you wanted to BUY a car! I'll explain. As many of you know, the trick to getting a good deal on a car rental in the US is generally to NOT use the phone. You want to visit one of the major internet booking engines like Orbitz, and then (if you have the time) scout the websites of each individual car company looking for special "internet offers." Perhaps you'll want to enter a few different "discount codes" into the rate field to see which one is cheapest. Maybe even look at Hotwire and consider a Priceline bid (although I find car bidding to be the best deal in only maybe one out of fifty rentals). None of these strategies is likely to net you the best deal on a European rental, however (and priceline and hotwire don't do European cars). Why? Because the best deals on European car rentals are generally through consolidators -- companies like AutoEurope, ITS, Europe by Car, Kemwel, etc. In other words, the MIDDLEMEN save you money! You generally pay more to book directly with the car rental companies themselves. And while some of the consolidators do have websites, which are worth looking at BEFORE you call, it is unlikely you will get the best deal unless you talk to one of their agents. To get started, Rick Steves has put together a good list of European car rental companies, including the consolidators. http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/rentcar.htm Here's what I then do: the first place I generally go is Alamo.com (OK, the internet is now a LITTLE useful on this). Like in the US, Alamo often has the lowest published rates in Europe. They often list a promotion with a discount code attached. Enter it, and maybe any coupon offer you have, and see what pops up (don't forget to consider whether you want an automatic or a manual shift). This generally will be a decent, competitive rate. You've found your "base price" useful to future negotiations. Feel free to make a fully cancellable reservation on alamo.com so you'll be holding "something." You can then compare that price to what you'll find at other major car rental companies (either by phone or on the web), like Avis, Hertz, National, Budget, etc. In my experience, sometimes Hertz has a good promotion, but usually Alamo is still cheapest. You then take the best of these published rates and start calling the consolidators (you can first look at their websites to get an idea of their prices). The trick to using the consolidators is that their rates are usually FLEXIBLE -- the first rate they quote you generally won't be their best. Indeed, most of them have what's called a "beat rate department" where if you tell them you've gotten a better rate elsewhere, they will generally try to beat it (among the car rental companies themselves, Hertz will sometimes beat rates, too). Sometimes they demand "proof" of your lower rate (like a confirmation number), sometimes not. And, needless to say, it is sometimes possible to play the consolidators off against themselves (beating each other's "beat rates"!). How well you do is largely a product of how good a negotiator you are (luck helps too). In my experience, you'll soon develop a "feel" for when you're nearing the bottom price -- the key is to usually "annoy" the beat rate representative a little, but not so much that they don't want to help you. (Like you can't go back 4 times and say "A-hah, I now have a lower rate!"). I personally usually wind up with AutoEurope because they have a good beat rate desk and they're generally easy to deal with (and reliable). I am, however, always prepared to go with someone else if AutoEurope won't at least match the best price I can get, and do so occassionally. And, oh, by the way, the Europeans almost always pay MORE to rent their own cars, so don't think you'll do better to "wait until you get there". And while there are some "local" car rental companies (particularly in the UK), in general I find their rates are not cheaper than going with the major US companies and -- especially -- the beat rates from the consolidators. Now whether you actually WANT to rent a car in Europe, well, that's a topic for another day.

The "boil" cycle? Scary! It's funny though because I've rarely found "self-serve" laundry facilities in Europe or, for that matter, most places around the world. I think my wife once did laundry herself in London (with help from the locals figuring out those machines!), but usually we have to drop it off with the staff. Given your experiences, it's probably better that way, anyway, even if it costs more. But look at the great "cultural experience" we would be missing if it were easy.

Yeah, somehow I think the Paris Hilton for 119 Euros would be a better value. :<) I do agree about the value of a washer/dryer. Probably the only hotel in Paris with one for guest use. For many years, my foreign trips were mostly limited to about 10 days so I would simply cram all my clothes in a carry on and never worry about laundry. As I've gotten older, the length of my trips have generally increased and bringing kids makes it untenable to pack "50 person days" worth of clothing. Laundry does seem needlessly complicated overseas (self serve facilities are quite rare), but you can generally figure out "the system" with minimal confusion. You usually can drop the stuff off in a storefront laundromat, and it seems to cost me about 10 bucks for a load or two no matter where in the world I am! I usually just ask my innkeeper, consult a guidebook or stumble upon one.

Nice hotel. I've stayed there in the days before Priceline. Good value for money at that price.

I keep discovering some very good non-priceline hotel offers for April in Paris -- none of which are good for families, however. Hilton is opening a new hotel near the Arc de Triomphe and is pricing some April weekends at 119 Euros including breakfast. If I were just travelling with my wife, I think I'd take that deal for a new 5-star hotel (it looks like it's going to be a VERY nice property). Getting a free luxury hotel breakfast in Paris would be fun (I'm sure breakfast is otherwise easily 25 Euros each). But, alas. needing 2 rooms for my crowd, it's still a pricey deal. I may try fishing for this hotel on priceline. You'd figure Hilton might have some rooms it will need to quietly "give away" the first month or two.

I was actually referring to the new Accor Suite Hotel at Porte de la Chapelle, which is supposed to open in the fall. My knowledge of "suburban" Paris is mediocre at best, but I'm thinking that the Porte de Montreuil location would be more convenient/better than St. Denis (which seems further and doesn't have Metro access). Can anyone confirm or deny this? :<) Thanks.

I guess you couldn't wait any longer! :<) I do agree that, of the current Paris priceline choices, you picked the best deal. It's also obviously a "fair" price -- you can't easily stay in a 4-star hotel for $110 in Paris. That said, the hotel and location itself are only "OK." Whether it was worth booking that far in advance on a non-refundable basis I'm not sure. FWIW, I did make a fully refundable reservation at that Accor Suite Hotel Porte de Montreuil at their weekend rate (3 day stay required) of 46 Euros. That's my current back up plan as I await the 21-day "last minute" specials and wait to see if Starwood will have an April "dollars and points" special for Paris. The price differential between that property and anything else in Paris for my family is currently staggering. My only problem is that I have 3 children and I'm only supposed to have 2 -- my guess is that my "extra" 2 year old won't be a problem if I'm discrete about it. The room is certainly large enough for everyone (I'll have an inflatable mattress for the little one). If anyone has any additional information about that hotel or the Porte de Montreuil area I would be most apprciative. And for folks travelling later this year (after the summer), I see that Accor will be opening a new Suite Hotel on the north side of town that might be a better choice. Meanwhile, for folks travelling without kids, the Villa Royale Montsouris in Montparnasse is available for 99 euros in April on hrs.com, including a nice breakfast. That's a very good deal for this well regarded boutique hotel. Unfortunately, my crowd would need 2 rooms, and that makes it expensive for me. Not sure it's worth 5 times the price of staying at the Accor hotel!

Don't go to Expedia and Hotels.com. Rather, check these "crazy" Euorpean hotel internet sites WillTravel and I have been posting in our recent European links. And here's another one that specializes in London. Seems perfect for the "picky" person who needs certain features. Otherwise, my experience is that Priceline is better in London than it is in Paris. http://www.lastminute.com/lmn/pso/catalog/...y.jhtml?CATID=4