Santa Chiara

Is there a hotel booking service for Paris similar to venere.it for Italy? I am specifically interested in seeing what is available on line.

elaine

Hi <BR>www.hotelboulevard.com is just one. They also have comments from previous hotel guests, but they have a limited selection of hotels. <BR>Also try some of these, at least some of which have booking services or assistance. <BR>www.123france.com/ <BR>www.discoverfrance.com <BR>www.france.com:80/travel/hotels/phg.html <BR>www.france-hotel-guide.com <BR>www.frenchexperience.com/ <BR>www.globe-market.com <BR>www.franceway.com/hotels/ <BR>www.paris-hotel.com <BR>www.paris-touristoffice.com <BR> <BR>My personal opinion is to book directly with the hotel via email or fax. <BR>The booking services don't always offer the lowest or most current rates.

Patrick

I agree about booking services. Why not book direct? In addition to not usually getting as good a rate through the service, they have the habit of never relating requests. If you have faxed the hotel a request for front facing room, two beds, larger bath, tub not shower, whatever, and they have confirmed your reservation, you have a leg to stand on about getting what you requested. Not so with a booking service.

Santa Chiara

Thanks, Elaine and Patrick, for your advice. I wanted to see what was available. You see, these are hotels for next weekend. Silly me, never thought Paris would be so booked up this time of year.

Santa Chiara

The Fodor's message monster ate the rest of my posting; here it is. <BR> <BR>. . . And I see from my previous message that not only was I "ooking" instead of "booking," but I misplaced my modifer. I meant to say: "I want to see on line what is available." I will then email or send faxes to the hotels directly, which I always do. So far, no luck. Looking for a three or four star, preferably in the 7th, but at this point I can't be too picky.

elaine

have you looked at the Lutetia which is in the 6th near the 7th? <BR>It is a large hotel, part of the Concord chain, (they have a website) but quite a left bank landmark

Deena

Try the French Hotel Reservation service at France.com. You pick the area within Paris and plug in your desired dates and star rating. The site will retrieve the hotels that have rooms and will show you how many rooms are available. We used this service to book the hotels, as well, and had no problems.

Al

Hotel de Turenne in the 7th, almost next door to the Ecole Militaire metro stop, was our base for a week in September. Clean, quiet, safe, English spoken, they have a web site and respond quickly to e-mail. We paid about $75 a night for a double with TV, shower, breakfast. Like many Paris hotels, rooms are small but well kept.

Santa Chiara

Thank all of you kind people. I have tried of all your suggested sites and hotels and found some more on my own. Niente, nada, zero and zilch. Have a room for the weekend but not for the 22-25. Is there a service at the airport or perhaps at the metro (which one) that helps travelers find accommodations on the spot? <BR> <BR>Thanks again for all of your help. You have been wonderful. (And please don't ask me why I waited so late to make reservations in the first place; I just had no idea it would be this crowded in late October.)

Santa Chiara

Thank all of you kind people. I have tried of all your suggested sites and hotels and found some more on my own. Niente, nada, zero and zilch. Have a room for the weekend but not for the 22-25. Is there a service at the airport or perhaps at the metro (which one) that helps travelers find accommodations on the spot? <BR> <BR>Thanks again for all of your help. You have been wonderful. (And please don't ask me why I waited so late to make reservations in the first place; I just had no idea it would be this crowded in late October.)

Christina

There is an accommodations service for tourists,and information,at the main Paris Tourist Org office at 127, ave des Champs-Elysees (near the Arc de Triomphe), 9 am-8 pm. They have a web site also at www.paris-touristoffice.com. Given you are looking for 3 star+, you might try certain French chain hotel booking services as they have lots of rooms and hotels in Paris (eg, Libertel and Accor which handles Sofitel, Mercure and Novotel) at www.libertel-hotels.com and www.accorhotel.com. I would also try Best Western (www.bestwestern.com) as they have quite a few nice hotels in that range in Paris and international hotel booking agent Utell at www.hotelbook.com. There are also a couple large Holiday Inns in Paris (the Republique is 4-star, I think), see www.holiday-inn.com. Paris is always very busy in Sept and Oct, particularly in the range you are looking for, as it is full of business and conventions. In fact, I am amazed you got a room for the weekend,as ironically there is a large tourism convention going on there Oct 25-28th.