Priceline Hotel: Paris, looking for 2*-4*

[idb]

Hi! I'm not sure if I am posting correctly, but I need help with bidding on Priceline.

I have to make a last-minute trip to Paris, staying 2 nights from 5/15 to 5/17/2008.

I realize since I am looking so close to my departure date, it will be hard to find a good hotel at a good price.

I don't have too many "requirements", only something close to the metro, so I can move to the places I want to get to with ease, since I see that everything is quite sparse in Paris.

Does anybody have any tips on which area I should choose to bid for in Priceline? And what I should expect to see in terms of winning bids? I don't know how low I should start bidding.

By the way, it will be two people, so I need just one room.

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Sorry for the long post, here is a summary:

Need hotel for 5/15-5/17

2 people, 1 room

close to metro

:)

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Thanks for all the awesome help on this board!!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Your PRICELINE hotel can be anywhere within the shaded region of the boundary you select, so unfortnately you can't chosoe "close to metro" as an option. You may want to review hotels which have been reported in each zone in the Priceline Hotel List to see if there is anything already reported which would not be acceptable in a given zone (realizing that you could receive a hotel in the zone not yet reported) or try to stick with zones which are small geographically and/or have good subway access throughout the area.

You may also want to consider HOTWIRE. It may cost a little more than PRICELINE, but you can often take an edcuated guess as to the property you'll be receiving before you make your purchase, and thereby have an educated guess as to how close you'll be to public transportation.

Lastly, i'll add that there is a HUGE difference between 2* and 4* hotels, especially in Europe... if you're looking for comfort id' suggest trying for the highest star level your budget will allow. What is your maximum budget (per nite before taxes and fees) for this stay?

Let us know the above and how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

[WillTravel]

If you choose Opera Quarter East only, any hotel would have to be close to the metro in that very central area. So that one is a good zone choice.

I agree with thereuare, and if you do want a 2* hotel, it's probably safest to book it directly after looking at the reviews, because otherwise you are taking a risk of getting something not that good at all.

What are you willing to spend? What's the best backup you have been able to find?

[idb]

Hi. Thanks to both of you for your replies. I have no backup right now, since I just found out I would need to go on this trip (it's part business). I have to pay for these two nights in the hotel myself, so I am trying to get it as cheap as possible, but still decent hotel services, so after more searching I'd say I wouldn't mind a 2.5 star choice. I am open to either HOTWIRE or PRICELINE.

I don't know if it is realistic, but I was trying to limit my budget at $100 a night. Is that even possible with the options offered in Priceline or Hotwire? As of now, I see a 2.5* in Hotwire for $135 in Montmartre-Moulin Rouge.

Thanks again.

[WillTravel]

4* in St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse seems like a safe choice too, so far as getting an acceptable hotel and location and near a metro. So I'd probably lean to trying that before going for the 2.5* Hotwire option in Montmartre.

Also check out www.Accorhotels.com - Mercure will generally be an acceptable 3*, Ibis are generally pretty good 2* hotels. Some of these have air conditioning. Although even if a hotel does have A/C, many refuse to turn it on before June 1.

For our last stay in Paris, I booked a 3* hotel with www.hrs.de - it was the Marciano, and basically Holiday-Inn-style quality (quite acceptable, particularly for the price). (No chance to try the A/C, though, as it snowed some days we were there!)

[thereuare]

so after more searching I'd say I wouldn't mind a 2.5 star choice

I'd recommennd not going below 3 stars in europe... but it's up to you how you'd like to proceed.

Have you determined which zone(s) you're willing to accept?

[idb]

Hi, I ended up booking the Berkeley hotel for a little under $100 per night. Reviews seem OK on Tripadvisor and others, and it just complies with what I need. Plus it's right next to the metro and a shopping center (?).

Anyway, thanks very much for your help, and I do bid on PRICELINE for other reservations quite frequently, so I'll look forward to going through the PRICELINE links on BB and reading through the threads.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Glad you found something which satisified your needs.

We looking foward to hearing about, and helpig with, your future travel purchases.