Priceline Hotel: Could use help with hotels in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Ve

My wife and I are planning a trip to Eastern Europe at the end of August, with our adult son joining us for part of the trip. We need hotels in Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Venice, with doubles in Berlin and Venice and triples in the other three cities.

Do Priceline or Hotwire (or other services) service these cities?

Thanks

Huntley

How old is your son? In any event, I'd be very leery of using Priceline, because many or most hotel rooms in Europe that you would get would not accommodate 3 people. I'd use Hotwire perhaps.

But I'd start by seeing what the prices are for good accommodation outside those services:

http://www.accorhotels.com

http://www.bookings.org

http://www.venere.com

http://www.hrs.de

As I posted on another thread, I was able to get what looks like a very nice, centrally located 3* hotel for an average of 57 Euros per night including tax in Berlin from Accor. I've gotten a very good deal in the past with Bookings. And Venere has an excellent selection.

This Hotel Comparision site saves lots of searches and can save you money.

If you use Venere then use code: BK5HX8W for 4% off.

Is Berlin now Eastern Europe???

OK back to business: note that the priceline bids in your countries will only allow you to buy rooms mainly for US-chains like Marriott, Intercontinetal etc.

The above links are exactly the rights ones for Europe, hrs.de also gives you lastminutes best deals (hotels sell their overcapacity lowering prices shortly before arrival, sometimes it works the other way around (longer term bookings are cheaper). Bookings.com has sometimes the real hidden gems, so don't forget to check that site!

Most of the above links are pay-at-the hotel and usually are incl. taxes (in Germany)

However: check this carefully before booking: in Eastern Europe (e.g. Budapest) tourists are cheated wherever possible: some "upscale" hotels charge you kind "tax" of 25% which they call "V.A.T. and city tax" Defact the VAT for hotels is only 12% and the city tax is a fix rate of ca. 1 USD/person/night. so watch out!!

Also check your restaurant receipts carefully: as many visitors from Skandinavia and Asia never tip in restaurants, some clever restaurant owners have introduced a new system: the just add 15-20% to your bill!! this position is somewhere in between the stuff you had so you can't see it immediately - only when checking positions in detail. They expect that you anyway give addional tip which could end-up in a tip of 30%. I hate these f....rs... especially because this "system applies only for foreigners, they'd never do this to locals. If you start to complain they get very angry and refund the "tip". I wouldn't have a problem with this if it would apply for all guests and it would be mentioned on the menu ("prices are subjuct to 15% service charge") like e.g. in Hongkong.

Pricelevel in Budapest: depending on the season: downtown hotels (recommended to take a hotel in Pest side!!!) doubles start around 50 EUR incl. breakfast (2* US-level), the 3-4* with "western style facilities" start - depending on view and location at 80-100 EUR sometimes with breakfast. Exorbitant prices at F1-race in August, lowest prices in Winter Nov-Mar!

Have fun