Sarah

I usually find better deals on my own elsewhere, but I never looked in Paris in November. It may be a different story.

Which district/arrondisement is Marais in?

Anyone want to suggest a reasonably priced hotel? Looking for Clean, safe, central, 2 beds and shower in room.

Sarah

anybody?

suze

I believe the Marais is the 4th.

Personally I am afraid of that kind of booking service, usually have not found such great prices, most important am picky about my hotels (they don't have to be fancy but i like a small & charming 3-star in a very central, walkable neighborhood). Also I travel solo and most deals seem only for two people sharing one hotel room.

francophile03

I have heard success and failure stories about using Expedia. The worse I've read is that the hotels sometimes give Expedia clients the worse rooms.

Sarah

That is usually my take too. Just thought I would check see if I was overlooking this option.

sheila

I've used Expedia, mostly for flights, but the trip we made to paris last spring we booked on Expedia. We got precisely what we paid for. Nothing wrong with the hotel. It wasn't as well located as I thought it was, but that was my fault, not theirs.

Gretchen

The "problem" with the packages is that you pay double for the room because the price is based on per person. However, if air fares are high, and you have a very set time to travel, sometimes the packages are a good deal. I helped friends one time and the package was for the Hotel Grande des Ecoles, much loved by many. But you are effectively paying double for the room. Break it all out, using an example air fare and you can tell if it is a good enough deal.

Christina

I think there are some cities where you can do better on Expedia than others, or so I've heard. I don't see any harm in checking them out if you want, but your criteria doesn't make it sound like the best source for you. I don't use places like that because I refuse to prepay hotels and would rather deal directly.

Packages are priced per person, but you do not pay double for the room if Gretchen is implying you are paying twice the normal room rate. That's just not so. The room prices in packages is set at half the rate to make it a per person price. Those usually don't work so well if you aren't a couple, though, it makes more sense to figure out the price based on price per room, not per person.

Sarah

Christina do you know if Paris is one of those cities that you do better in on Expedia?

Suzanne2

I booked with them 2 years ago and I think we got a good deal . In the past though I had booked with vacationinparis.com and the breakfast was always included in the price. This was not the case with Expedia. When we were asked for our room number upon entering the dining room it occurered to me to ask and sure enough they were chareging $15.00 each for a continental breakfast. I did notice that a few of the hotels offered on Expedia said braekfast was included. Don't let that be you deciding factor though. You can get breakfast anywhere in Paris.

Gretchen

If you are a couple, paying together, then the room rate is double. For example, if the package is $2000 each. Air fare is $450 each=$900. Hotel (say for 5 days) is $3100/5= $620/day. That is a pretty good hotel. Adjust the air fare upwards any way you want. If you are a couple, you are paying double for the room.

Gretchen

AND if you are a single, you will probably pay a single supplement. But that is certainly worth a look.