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Yeah, I suspect it would be fine. Right now (if I don't stumble upon a good 4-star deal), I'm thinking my best option is to wait for the 21-day advance rates at ratestogo.com. There are lots of 2 star and some 3-star hotels popping up in the 50 to 60 Euro range, with some family rooms available, too. Indeed, I think Paris may have the best hotel deals of any major Western city! Certainly much, much cheaper than NYC or London. And I don't think many Americans know this.

I tried to confirm that information about safety around the Porte de Montreiul, but had little success. I did look at reviews for the Hotel Armstrong, a nearby reasonably-priced hotel that seems to pop up a lot on Paris hotel searches. While the reviews for that hotel are largely unenthusiastic, there aren't any safety issues raised. Some describe the neighborhood as "dreary," others say it is "an average non-touristical neighborhood." Still another says it's a GOOD location if you're arriving in Paris by car! That said, especially if you don't have a car, it seems pretty clear that you can find a better located hotel for little or no additional money (especially if you'e only a party of 2). I suspect the facilities are nicer at the Suite Hotel (it's only 3 years old), but it would be a longer Metro ride to where you'd want to visit.

Thanks for finding that, WillTravel. It would obviously be better to find a review from somebody who actually stayed there, but if those 2 posters are correct, that part of town is less than desirable safety-wise (I'm personally not keen to stay anywhere safety is an issue, especially with my family). That said, the price does not appear to be related to the desirability of the location, as all the Accor Suite Hotels seem to have the same weekend deal. They also have 2 other locations in suburban Paris, but neither seems to have as easy access to public transportation.

I came across this new chain by the large Accor group. Weekend rates are a very low 46 Euros, even in Paris. They have a hotel near the Porte de Montreiul -- last Metro stop and about 2 kilometers from city center -- that I'm trying to find some reviews for. I don't think it has any charm, but with kids and a car it might be a reasonable option. http://www.suite-hotel.com/suitehotel/index.html

I think you got a pretty good deal, nfahey. Especially leaving from Scranton, your odds of a getting a much lower fare to Aruba (especially around Thanksgiving time) were relatively small. That said, it's a VERY long time in advance to book a completely non-refundable, non-changable airline ticket, much less a pair that will cost you a thousand bucks. Odds are you'll make the trip just fine, but there's really no need to book such a ticket 9 months in advance. Moreover, while the Caribbean is a strange (and usually very high priced) destination, there's almost always a crazy airfare sale to anywhere in that time. For instance, in the early fall (hurricane season!), I usually receive a coupon or email offering $299 or $349 promotional roundtrips from the Northeast to various Caribbean islands. Not many folks are eager to fork over $500 or $600 in the offseason when they can get some sun in Florida for a small fraction of that cost. Bottomline is that unless the deal is unbelievable, patience is usually a virtue -- especially if you're going to lock yourself into nonchangable reservations many, many months in advance.

An interesting tool to find low airfares that I haven't seen discussed anywhere is Travelocity.com's "dream map" feature, which you can find on the bottom of their home page. You enter in the city you want to fly from, the region of the world you're looking to go to, and how much the maximum is you're willing to pay. They then create a map showing the cities where there are fares that meet your price criteria. I have used the European maps to find deals to cities I might not have thought to look for (if you're like me, if you're going on vacation to Europe, you often fly to a major European city, pick up a car and "drive around"). For instance, I've found very low fares to Nice and Brussels (like $200 + tax). Also, it keeps you informed of rock bottom sales to the more popular destinations. If there's any weakness to their system, it is that fares sometime "pop up" but when you click on them, you learn the fare is no longer being offered. Seems to be some sort of long standing technical glitch. Also, you can't yet draw a month-specific map. Like right now, you might find cheap fares on the map for Europe, but those fares are likely good right now. If you want to catch a bargain for June or July, you'll have to click through a lot of inapplicable fares.

It's been a couple years since I booked a vacation BECAUSE of priceline rates. I usually decide where to go and then consult priceline (although I do sometimes change my itinerary based on where it will be cheaper to stay -- like spending an extra night in Brussels instead of Brugge because priceline makes Brussels the cheaper place to stay). A couple years ago, when there was still bonus money, I did book an Arizona vacation BECAUSE of priceline. Another board had posters getting $30 Scottsdale resorts for winter. I got the rooms and then organized a family reunion. The rates now aren't THAT attractive!

Information overload! That last one looked harder to navigate, and the rates didn't see as good.

I poked around that site will and would say it has some potential. I liked the fact that they seem to get a bunch of "special offers" -- there were a couple dozen listed for Paris alone. They also make it easy to book quads and family rooms. What my Paris hotel strategy now is to keep looking at that HRS site at least once a week to see if any better fully refundable rates come along. Then, about a month out, I will get serious about trying to find a deal, making sure to check those "last minute" sites about 3 weeks before my arrival. I might even try Priceline again then (although, frankly, I haven't seen Priceline deliver any deals good enough in Paris to lose "control" over my final hotel choice). My guess is that I'll get the most bang for my buck that way. Significant discounts seem to be available a few weeks out. Meanwhile, if anyone finds any more super-discount hotel websites for Europe, I'm all ears.

Yeah, did you see the value of the Pound? Yikes!! Highest in 11 years they say. If this keeps going on, nobody will be able to afford to go overseas. :<) I'm not sure I'd rate the Marriott a 5 star, but the location is very good. Personally, I always stay at the Gellert in Budapest, because I think their spa baths are great fun (my favorite is the wave pool, but that's probably not open in early May). Even if you don't stay at the Gellert, you can still get into the baths by paying a few dollars. I would highly recommend it as a "cultural" experience.

Yes and no. I'm also going to Amsterdam where I have a family room reserved at the very nice Pulitzer Hotel with points from Starwood. If it looked like I could get a great deal on a priceline hotel in Amsterdam, I might save my points (so far, I haven't seen any great deals there). Also, I'm waiting to see if Starwood's Trianon Palace at Versailles extends their "points and dollars" promotion into April (it's currently good thru March). If they do, I may use my points to stay there instead (I don't have enough for both) and then find other accomodations in Amsterdam. I'm also making some reservations in the Mosel valley of Germany, but priceline can't help me there.

I decided to "add" an additional night to this reservation (I was going to stay in Brugge, but concluded I would pay a lot more to do so, so I decided to "stay put" at the Sheraton and just day trip up there). Interestingly, I first tried Priceline's "obscure" add-a-night-to-your-existing-reservation feature, but the computer said "sorry -- you can't do it with this reservation." So I just bid the $50 for the night before and got the Sheraton again. This wasn't without some risk, as it was possible that I'd have to switch hotels, since Brussels does have several 4 star properties which participate on priceline. BTW, not sure if you can get it for less than $50. The adventurous could try a few dollars less. We haven't seen this category go for less than $50, but Sheraton seems to have loaded a new rate (my earlier $55 bid had been rejected).

It seems incredible you could get this hotel for that price, Will, but I see it's no fluke -- another website has similar prices for more recent days (bid away, folks!). FWIW, I like Berlin, and your location will be super-convenient. At those prices, makes me think I should make a summer trip, too. Now if only I could find a $200 summer airfare . . . And why can't we get anything like this in Paris? :<)

Right. Although when I looked at their Paris offerings, ratestogo seemed a lot cheaper than hotelclub. If it's the same company, maybe they are getting better "last minute" deals. Frankly, I don't mind booking only 20 days in advance -- especially when I can hold something from HRS without obligation. FWIW, I would think you'll have plenty of good last minute deals for Paris in the summertime, when "everyone" leaves town. I'm not sure what the inventory will look like for me in April.

Now that's DETAIL, Will. Thanks. Looking around, I seem to have found another discount European hotels website: ratestogo.com. My guess is you've seen it. Any thoughts? Somewhat of a "last minute" booking site, as you can only book 20 days out. Looking out 20 days, the Paris rates look attractive, with tons of selection (and you can book suites, quads, etc). I'll definitely check them out again when I'm "within range." Given the no fee cancellations on HRS, it pays to book there first and wait to see if you can beat it close in.

That's a pretty shocking low price, Will. Priceline is definite hit or miss in Europe. I bid with low expectations of getting "hit," but you never know. There also seem to be some additional risks. I read on another website of a Paris airport hotel zone on Priceline which included a hotel many, many miles from the airport with no shuttle bus or public transportation whatsoever. Taxis refused to go there as well. As happens too often, Priceline's customer service was appalling, refusing to do anything about the problem. I don't think it's too much to ask that an airport hotel should be easily reachable from the airport!

Well, that was another good tip, Will. I looked up the Sevres Montparnasse for my nights in April on HRS and found -- of all coincidences -- a 50 Euro/night rate (incl breakfast) for ONE of my nights! The other night was 35 Euros more. Fortunately, it is the night before the 50 Euro rate at the La Manufacture. So, knowing I cancel it anytime, I booked 2 rooms for that night. Obviously, I would be more inclined to actually use either of these hotels if I could spend both nights at that rate. Now, I guess I'll take a wait and see approach. If something better/more practical comes along, I'll cancel. Otherwise, you can get a trip report from me. BTW, here is the hotel's own webiste. I'm a little suspicious that there's no real outside shot of the hotel, but I did come across one very favorable review on the web by an individual travellers. And it would be hard to beat 50 euros with breakfast. Given these deals, I don't see how we could bid for anything less than 4-stars on priceline in the central zones (no La Defense). Otherwise, we definitely could do worse. http://www.hotel-sevres-montparnasse.com/

Oh, I meant to mention that I've also been trying for Brugge. Unfortunately, I've never seen anybody ever get a Priceline property there -- even though you would think there are some possibilities, like the Crowne Plaza. It's a shame, too, because Brugge hotel prices tend to be on the high side. Another Priceline-created paradox: it's cheaper to stay in the "big city," instead of the smaller one.

A little surprised to get it for $50, as a similar bid a few weeks ago was rejected. Obviously, a good deal. For some reason, Priceline generally has good, cheap inventory in Brussels. Wish Paris was so easy! I did take 2 rooms for my family. The Brussels Sheraton is actually one of the few 4 star hotels in Europe that you can squeeze a couple kids into -- but I obviously didn't know I'd get the Sheraton and didn't want to take a chance on a re-bid (and getting a different hotel). That's Ok, though -- at $50 bucks, no reason to be cramped.

Yeah, I just started researching it. That's the big pain of planning a family trip to Europe if you're going to try to do it economically (and given the value of the dollar, I think most people would!). While there are good sites to get recommendations and compares prices for "normal" hotel rooms, it's hard to "narrow the field" if you're looking for family accomodations. You have to figure out what the bedding is, if they have any larger rooms, how the price compares to renting two rooms, etc. It basically means looking at a lot of individual hotel sites (once you find them -- google searching tends not to work , you need to find the local tourist board and link from there). I hope the kids appreciate the effort. :<)

Thanks, Will. Those are certainly good European hotel websites. The HRS website actually had the 3-star Paris La Manufacture hotel (it looks quite decent) for 50 Euros a night for ONE night in April that I plan to be in Paris. The nights surrounding that day are 100 Euros! I really don't want to move my family from one hotel to another, but the rate is fully cancellable, so I booked 2 rooms for the 1 cheapo night and will decide what to do later. I also saw some other good deals on HRS, like the 4-star Han Membling hotel in Brugge, Belgium for 90 Euros including breakfast (the hotel's own website wants 224). I didn't book that one because 90 Euros times 2 rooms is still a pretty pricey hotel night for my family, so it may pay for me to instead look for "family accomodations" elsewhere (ah, the pitfalls of bringing the kids to Europe).

It's actually 2 adults and 3 children -- the youngest not quite 3. I have some doubts about taking the gang to Paris -- as I think the European countryside works better with kids -- but my crowd has seen all the kids' movies about Paris and really want to go. So we'll probably do a couple nights in Paris and THEN head to the country. While my youngest can easily sleep on a small "inflatable" bed we can travel with, I'm very reluctant to pile the whole group into 1 regular hotel room. First, I don't think the hotel would like it. Second, I don't think WE would like it. So I think I need either a large "family room" in a hotel, an apartment rental of some kind, or 2 hotel rooms. I'll pay more for better quality, but I want to do it for under $200/night (no easy task). I also don't want to stay in La Defense (although I'm contemplating staying at Versailles and taking the train in for a day). Any recommendations would be most appreciated.

i don't know Will, I think it's risky. There's just something scary about bidding on a 2-star in Paris -- you really could get ANYTHING. At more than 50 bucks, I think I'd be more comfortable picking my own hotel. As you know, Paris isn't a bad town for decent, small hotels (although with the value of the Euro, it will probably be hard to get anything "good" for below $80 or $90. Also, by "locking in" a non-refundable hotel, you forclose the possibility of picking up a good deal somewhere. I myself am contemplating a Paris trip with the family in April. As you know, the family aspect complicates the matter, as you can very easily get a hotel room that only sleeps 2 or 3. I'm trying to keep my antenna open for "deals." If you see anything, please give me a shout. I'll report anything I find. I have made some lowball bids on priceline, too, but judging from what I read on these message boards, I'm unlikely to get what I want at the price I want to pay.

Hmmm -- I was out of town a few days and missed this one! Hadn't seen those instant sales by Holiday Inn before -- looks like it was aimed at the European market. Fortunately, my next European travel dates aren't until April, though. I appreciate your excellent posts, Will. BTW, do you know of any other website that keeps track of "crazy" European travel sales?

I received this hotel for last Friday, 2/6, for $50. Was rejected at $48. A very nice hotel for that price, a couple of blocks from the central Strip area. I personally liked the fact that it was a non-gaming property, as check-in and other aspects of the hotel were low-key and "humane." Very friendly staff and the rooms are quite nice (typical suite hotel layout). Only real downside is parking. Unlike most Vegas properties, they charge $6/day, and the lot can get crowded and annoying. Surprisingly, not any real street parking available. I did park right across the street in this giant convention center parking lot for free, but you'd want to double check to make sure there wasn't a paid event going on at the time.