Priceline Hotel: Request for advice: Paris over New Year's

[cakobau]

Greetings,

My first time asking for advice! My "advanced member" status in question! :)

In all seriousness:

My wife and I just booked cheap tickets to Paris over New Year's. (ORD-CDG for $334 all in; booked on US Airways but flying United metal nonstop -- purchase by tonight if you're in the market for Paris, the $334 fare is not just limited to the New Year's dates...)

We have seen some reasonable rates for 2 star hotels, but haven't seen much under $100/night for hotels in Paris on Priceline (on this board or TOBB). So, my question:

Looking for a clean room with a private bathroom, 2* and up is in play, it seems. Any zone would probably be okay, except for La Defense/Neuilly. Would prefer not to be near the Moulin Rouge (Batignolles

[WillTravel]

I'd suggest looking at Fodors.com . You will get a ton of advice about 2* hotels and otherwise and there are some very comprehensive lists there. Since you won't need air conditioning most likely, you have a lot of options.

[Chris26WI]

I've tried some bids for Paris for christmas (2 nights only), but only up to around 75$ bid, and mostly for La Defense (wanted the Renaissance there).. but rejected... but got a counteroffer, but can't remember how high it was ... to high for sure...

I can imagine getting a 7-nights-priceline stay in Paris over New Year will be verrrrry difficult if you don't go high in your bids... I'd recommend to split the bid... you might still book conventionally for at least the New Year's night and around - if you're up to hotelhopping. Good luck - or: "bonne chance"

[WillTravel]

Here are some of the booking services I would use to compare with Priceline:

http://www.ryanairhotels.com

http://www.octopus4easyjet.com

http://www.hrs.de

http://www.hotels.de

http://www.venere.it

http://www.bancotel.com

http://www.hotelclub.net

http://www.ratestogo.com

http://www.bookings.nl

http://www.accorhotels.com

Check the TimHotel and Comfort Hotel chains directly as well.

If you are getting less than a 4* hotel, I'd probably suggest not using Priceline.

[thereuare]

For non-Priceline i would also suggest GTA TRAVELS, which specializes in non-US hotels.

Have you found rates higher for 12/31 than the other nites? If so, i also suggest splitting the bid, or else you'll end up overpaying for the non-holiday nites. I think you should consider if you're willing to split the bid first and then proceed with a strategy (of course first trying for a complete stay, but i'd be prepared otherwise, especially if you are price sensitive).

[lwitchel]

I've been to Paris 3 times in the past year and haven't yet decided on the best approach to accomodations. Bidding 4* is a quantum leap in quality over 3* - in my opinion well worth the extra $40 or whatever nightly. The 3* I got on Priceline (the Hotel des Victoires) was the barest tourist class. However, a hotel like the Meridien Etoile is at the edge of the city, and if you want to feel like you're in Paris, is a bit unsatisfactory even though the hotel itself is pleasant.

I've also booked at www.lastminute.com (very inexpensive, but I got what I paid for; a cheap and spartan place to sleep.) and there are decent rates to be had as well at www.goldentulip.com and www.0800Paris-Hotels.com . If I were going again, I would probably concentrate my bidding on 4* Opera Quarter East and hope the Novotel Les Halles came up. I've never stayed there, but it seems like it might be a good mix of price, quality and location.

[WillTravel]

The rates for the Le Meridien hotels are shockingly high for your dates, not only for NYE but for the first week of January. I think it does look like you haven't much chance of a successful bid for those. If the rates are high across the board, which I haven't checked, I would try to book at least a backup reservation as quickly as possible.

[cakobau]

Have you found rates higher for 12/31 than the other nites? If so, i also suggest splitting the bid, or else you'll end up overpaying for the non-holiday nites. I think you should consider if you're willing to split the bid first and then proceed with a strategy (of course first trying for a complete stay, but i'd be prepared otherwise, especially if you are price sensitive).

Indeed, prices tend to be higher the nights of Dec 30 and 31 in MOST (but not all) places. Jan 1 checkins drop in price. As I said in the OP, I'm willing to split bids.

I truly appreciate all the links -- thanks WillTravel, lwitchel, and thereuare in particular!

Will keep folks posted.

[cakobau]

Quick followup:

I've booked cancellable backups at well-reviewed 2-star hotels, splitting my time between two places (Hotel Camelia-Prestige near Place de la Nation for 60 euros/night and Hotel de la Sorbonne for 50 euros a night).

My Priceline adventures have focused on the first 3 nights -- Dec 30, 31, Jan 1 -- and I have gone as high as $100 for a 4 star and $90 for a 3 star. I have included all zones except a) Batignolle-Montmartre-Republique (except for 4-star free rebidding purposes) since the only 3 star that I have seen listed on TOBB is in the heart of the sex shop district, and b ) La Defense-Neuilly, since we'd rather stay in Paris proper and not the business district.

A week ago, I was given counteroffers at the 4-star level for just about every district. (I was bidding individual districts separately to start my bids.) Counteroffers ranged from $118 to $122 when my bids were in the $70 range. I thought I'd be close with my $100 bid, but apparently not.

I don't think I'll go much above $100, unless my wife twists my arm. Or unless you folks do. :)

[WillTravel]

If you have a counteroffer of $118-$122 with a low bid, you'll probably be successful at $110. That's my experience FWIW.

I'd prefer the Sorbonne location over the rather far-out Place de la Nation location.

I would guess at those prices you will likely get a tiny room and a cramped bathroom. No problem if you don't mind that. If you have a double room, the double bed is likely to be quite narrow, or you will have two single beds pushed together as one. Of course if you have gotten information from the hotels that this is not the case, then it will be fine. But I'm just mentioning it because Paris hotel rooms often have much more cramped sleeping conditions than many couples like. Of course if you bid on Priceline, a twin-bed room is very likely, unless you pay for an upgrade.

[cakobau]

Of course if you bid on Priceline, a twin-bed room is very likely, unless you pay for an upgrade.

Just curious if you were referring to both the 3 star and the 4 star levels, or just the 3 star level with the above comment? It would annoy me to have a $110 4 star winning bid, and then have to pay an upgrade so my wife and I could be in the same bed.

Narrow double beds are no problem. Having lived in Europe for 2 years (10 years ago), I know that things aren't as super-sized as they are here. And we're not looking for America in Europe. But we want to be in the same bed!

Thanks for the note.

[WillTravel]

I was referring to 4* hotel rooms - I've read several such reports, although I guess they were all about the Le Meridien Montparnasse. (Which I was very happy with, and I wanted a twin-bed room so that did not matter to me.) My experience in Europe is that it's easier to get a twin-bed room than a true double bed, so if that's important I would definitely book directly.

[thereuare]

I see the Mercure Paris Montparnasse for $129 and the review i read seems very good, but i don't know if that's a location or price you're looking for.

I also see a 2.5* Hotel Allegro at $79/nite (net, as it takes into account a "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" Promo) which seems modern as there is satellite tv and internet access, but that rate is 'on request' so you'd have to make a request to see if it is available.

If either of the above are of interest let me know and i'll suppy the details.

[WillTravel]

Mercure Paris Montparnasse would be pretty convenient. The Hotel Allegro less so.

[cakobau]

Following up my earlier posts with more recent bids and inquiries.

All reference a 3 night stay: Dec 30-Jan 2. I have a cancellable backup for Hotel Camelia Prestige near Place de la Nation. Not central, but close to the metro station. 60 euros/night. After booking, I saw it recommended in LonelyPlanet, fwiw. (I believe their review said something like, "Clean, pleasant rooms, though staff could be friendlier. :) ) I have a reservation for 50 euros Jan 2-6 at Hotel de la Sorbonne but I am quite happy with that.

I checked out the Hotel Allegro which Easyclicktravel.com was showing at $79/night "on request." It took two separate requests (first one timed out, no reply from hotel) but the $79 rate was not available (a ~$180 rate WAS...gee, great.)

I have bid individual zones periodically, sometimes at 4 stars, sometimes again at 3 stars. My most recent results were for 3 stars at $80. Rejected on all of them. Two separate zones breed counteroffers:

Eiffel/Grenelle/Montparnasse counteroffer is $109

Champs-Elysees/Opera West counteroffer is $135

I suspect that both of these would be for the LeMeridien properties in each zone (given their internet special DealSeeker rates) which would be an upgrade from 3 to 4 stars.

Thanks again for all the search tools and suggestions on this thread. Very helpful.

[thereuare]

I checked out the Hotel Allegro which Easyclicktravel.com was showing at $79/night "on request."  It took two separate requests (first one timed out, no reply from hotel) but the $79 rate was not available (a ~$180 rate WAS...gee, great.)

I agree! I actually spoke with ECT and suggested not showing the 'on request' selections if they were known not to be available. To my surprise (but delight) they no longer show the 'on request' properties and only show what is actually available.

It's going to be interesting how this thread ultimately plays out.

[WillTravel]

Two separate zones breed counteroffers:

Eiffel/Grenelle/Montparnasse counteroffer is $109

Champs-Elysees/Opera West counteroffer is $135

I suspect that both of these would be for the LeMeridien properties in each zone (given their internet special DealSeeker rates) which would be an upgrade from 3 to 4 stars.

The Champs Elysees zone counteroffer might be the Le Meridien Etoile.

The Eiffel/Grenelle/Montparnasse counteroffer could not be a Le Meridien property. The Le Meridien Montparnasse is in the St. Germain - Latin Quarter- Montparnasse zone.

[WillTravel]

I got an email from Le Meridien Moments today offering special rates of 149 Euros per night for the Le Meridien Etoile (zone Champs-Elysees) and Le Meridien Montparnasse (zone St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse) for the period Dec. 21 - Jan. 4. I'm not sure if all dates are available. It's possible these lower rates might be reflected in Priceline bids.