I am not experienced with exchanging amex points but I planned a trip a few years ago using my husbands points and so can relate. I wasn't thrilled but it's hard to argue with free. He (my husband) had some old Best Western points so that was one of the chain's I chose. What I found as I researched is that Best Western's in Europe are independantly owned and can be quite charming. They are worth investigating.

I believe AmX miles are related to the Hilton HHonor program -- there is a Hilton Arc de Triomphe Hotel which will cost you 20,000 points per night. You need to confirm this, but the hotel looks lovely! If you have the points, why not use them and spend your money on other things in Paris?

I believe Amex points can be converted to points in most hotel chain's programs.

You should check with the Membership Rewards program to find out how to do this. Also, cpd is exactly right about many chain hotels in central Paris having plenty of character. Best Westerns in particular have many unique properties that would fit into your vision of a small French-owned boutique hotel. In many cases, that's exactly what they are. Holiday Inns include some interesting historic properties, too. Don't dismiss them out of hand; research them instead.

Amarena suggests you check out the Hilton Arc de Triomphe. That is a very nice, new hotel that is sensitively designed to fit into its Paris neighborhood about 10 minutes walk from the Arc de Triomphe near Parc Monceau. It could never be confused with a boutique hotel, but I do agree that it is a wonderful property. Still, the 6th is a more active neighborhood.

I'll call AMX. Thanks for the advice...

i'd use the 200k for two first class tickets instead of rooms, just my opinion.

Would it cost that much to upgrade on a European round trip? $200 K? WOW. Would if we could. This is an award trip and I think they don't upgrade with milage. Last I checked, anyhow. Will check again...

If you can, redeposit your economy class award tickets and then issue them in business or first class. Business class usually costs 90K-100K roundtrip, First class (if available) about 120K each.

I agree with richardsonsmn that business/first class international travel is the best use of your miles. While they cost double the miles of your ticket, they're often worth 4-5 times as much, at least until recently.

OK...my advice...hold onto your miles...I don't think you get a very good trade when using mileage for hotels...and I would use the 200,000 for another trip or two! I would rather extend the pleasure on more possibilities, than use it all up on one vacation!!!

I can't advise you on how you do this, but I think you have misinformation regarding hotels. Best Western does not OWN those hotels, it is simply a marketing consortium for member hotels. I think the same is true of Holiday Inns, but I know that is the case for BW. In either case, a a BW hotel is very likely French-owned in Paris (or some other owner, not necessarily American). Both these type of hotels are generally French managed, if not owned. I think the HI Republique is a registered historic building, although the interior is certainly geared to international business travelers, I suppose. That may be the distinction you are making, rather than whether a hotel bears the name of BW or HI, and then you need to examine the actual size and style of a particular hotel. BW tends to have just regular small local hotels, at least in Paris (they have some larger ones in other European capitals). YOu can get the same type of hotel without those names if you don't rule them out. Lots of French chains are as bad or worse than HI in terms of the things I imagine you don't want. So it really doesn't have anything to do with being French-owned.

Well, basically what I am talking about is going over to Paris and having a "Paris" hotel experience. I don't want a hotel that has the feel of a US hotel stuck somewhere off of a highway in anytown USA. Know what I mean?

A French feel with French hospitality that makes me feel from the moment I walk through the door that I am in Paris and no where else. That is what I am looking for...It is kind of hard to describe, but I am thinking that I would not get this feeling from a hotel that would accept FF miles as much as I would from a small, 40 room boutique hotel with a small clientel off of some small quaint street in the 6th.