Tat

Please, recommend best website to use when you booking hotel in Paris.

Also if anybody knows whether 17 District is OK.

Thanks

Christina

I think there are several decent web sites for Paris hotels. Some of the better ones I know are : www.parishotels.com, digital.france.com/Hotels and www.france-hotel-guide.com and www.123france.com

Of course, Expedia and hotels.com web sites are reputable businesses and you could check their rates if they have the hotel you want, but I would avoid any web site that requires prepayment.

17th is okay but not that exciting or as convenient as some other areas. IN particular, it is a very large arrondisement and a hotel in the closest-in area near the Arc may be logistically okay, but definitely not in the outer edges of the arrondisement. I would probably avoid that area if you don't know Paris well as there are too many other better places to check.

Tat

Thanks, Christina.
Unfortunatelly for 6 people on Easter break - there was only 1 Hotel available (where 2 rooms available in the same hotel). We haven't received confirmation yet, but I am pretty sure this is waht we are getting.
I've asked for sites hoping there are some I haven't searched yet. Two sites you listed I never checked, so ... I am off to check it now.
Thanks

craisin

I used parishotels.com and was happy with it. People advise to just call the hotel directly--this is good advice (coz why use a middle man if you don't have to?).

But, I should note that I wasn't charged any extra fees when I used parishotels. You pretty much enter the dates/room you want on the parishotels website, then the hotel itself responds with an email and asks for your cc# for reservation, you respond to the hotel with a yes (or no) with cc#, then the hotel responds with confirmation. You pay the hotel directly at the hotel when you check out. So, I don't understand how this website makes their money, or whether they get a cut from the hotel, but the important thing is, YOU don't get charged extra when you book through the website or through the hotel.

SalB

We've used the French Hotel Reservation Center at http://digital.france.com/hotels at least five times and have never had a problem.

The web site gives you photos of rooms, the rates and reviews written by real people who have stayed there. They put the good reviews in with the bad ones so you get a good idea of what the place is like. If there is a bad review, you can decided if it's something that would bother you or if it's something you could overlook. There is also a map so you know where the hotel is located in the city.

You plug in your dates and they immediately e-mail you with rates and availability. You can confirm and print out your reservation and take it with you for checkin. You don't pay until your stay is over.

Have a great trip.

Maira

The best website is this one-- Fodor's Travel Talk recommendation. Narrow down your choices and then call the hotel directly or e-mail. Follow with a fax and take a copy of the confirmation with you.

I have used a website (priceline, france-hotel-guide.com, HotelsCentral.com, hotels.com, etc...) , but if at all possible and economically advantageous, do it yourself.

Patrick

I have only booked my Paris Hotels directly on websites of the specific hotels. I like dealing with the source rather than a middle man. Also it presents fewer problems if you need to cancel or change. I guess I don't see the value of using a general booking website.

Sue4

I love the digital.france.com/hotels website for researching hotels. They have very good hotels (many of which I have used) and I particularly enjoy the comments on hotels by people who have actually stayed there. However, I always call the hotel myself to make the reservation, and get their confirm back by fax after I fax them my cc information, etc. I prefer to deal with the hotel myself re my room preferences, etc.

ecat

Hi Tat,

Here's a site with lots of listings to browse: http://myhotelinparis.com/

I do agree with both Patrick and Sue4 about booking directly with the hotel.

I have mainly used this site to first see what is of interest then to research and compare. I found it very handy to have a good selection on hand to begin that process.

Christina

I think people usually recommend to deal with the hotel directly because there are fewer chances of mistakes and they know the reservation will really be made. In Paris, for example, hotel prices are fairly regulated and you don't usually get any price deals by another web site, so convenience is the only reason to use them.

I have seen mention of one discounted Parisian hotel web site on here, a while ago, and the rates really were lower as far as I could tell, but that is unusual.

I know a lot of people recommend you double-check with the hotels to verify the reservation, and I do that myself, in which case you aren't saving any time. I have used digital.france.com/hotels also for booking outside Paris because the hotel itself was not answering email or very responsive. They were pretty efficient and good, as far as that one experience went.

I think those web sites make money simply because the hotel pays them -- it's a marketing/advertising expense, I imagine. After all, if you want to increase your exposure to tourists anywhere, that seems like a reasonable way to do it. Some of the sites give good details, photos and information, so it's a nice way to find a lot of hotels in one spot. I mainly use them for info and then book directly. I don't use Expedia or non-French web sites for French hotels, though. From what I've read on Fodors, I wouldn't trust Expedia and I think they often require prepayment.

francophile03

I am sure you can check hotels directly and will find many with two rooms available for the six of you, I guess two triple rooms are what you want. Easter is still a bit far away. Right now you can find hotels available with two rooms for February so Easter is very probable.

There are alot of suggestions right here.

Seamus

Christina - while Parisian hotel prices may be regulated, I believe that means the maximum price is enforced but hotels may (and do) charge less. I have certainly found variation on different sites.
After my last trip I think I'll use hotels.com again - they consistently had lower prices, their service was great and they have toll free customer service in Europe just in case there is any problem. I asked the hotel clerks how they like working with them and they said they never had a problem. You do have to pay at the time of reservation, but with the way the euro exchange rate is going, that ain't necessarily a bad thing!

CLOUCLOU

Hello,
I know several websites to book hotel in Paris because I have to book hotels for my friends who are coming from other countries or cities and the only one I found which doesn't cost more than the real price of the room is www.hotelsearch-in-paris.com
They just help you to make a research but they don't ask you to pay any fee.
There are others like 123france.com or parishotels.com but I noticed that you had to pay more.
I hope I've helped you !!!

Randy

I have booked a hotel in Paris via the Internet and directly. I prefer the direct method. By direct I mean calling the hotel and making the reservations on the phone. It is not that expensive to call France from the US (Using 10-10-987 you can call for 3 cents a minute and a 39 cent connect charge and there are many other plans available). The reason I call direct is that I can ask other questions and get answers immediately and I can also explain my particular situation (like yours with a number of people) and see if the hotel can accomadate me or if they can recommend another hotel that could. I do recommend that you do a search the web for various hotels, check there services, their locations and prices, but when you decide on a hotel - call them directly.

CalgirlSusan

There is a difference between finding a hotel on a web site and booking one on that website. There are many great websites for helping you find the details of a hotel, but I feel ever so much more confident when I have booked directly with a hotel and have their fax or email firmly in my hand when I check in.