Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel?

Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel? I am looking to book a hotel in
Paris and found some nice rates 30% lower than my travel agent's.
However, this is the first time I will be using an online service to
do that. Is there a catch I should be careful of? For example, on the
reservation form there is one subtotal "Taxes: unknown" which doesn't
count towards the total. What does that mean?

thanks

In article ,
(Eugene) wrote:

Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel? I am looking to book a hotel in
Paris and found some nice rates 30% lower than my travel agent's.
However, this is the first time I will be using an online service to
do that. Is there a catch I should be careful of? For example, on the
reservation form there is one subtotal "Taxes: unknown" which doesn't
count towards the total. What does that mean?

That you'll be expected to pay any taxes directly. Taxes are generally a
significant part (often 10-20%) of any hotel room's cost.

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"Dogs may have kept us company on the hunt, but it was the cats who
insisted we invent houses and discover fire." -- Khiem Tran

"Deirdre Saoirse Moen" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Eugene) wrote:

Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel? I am looking to book a hotel in
Paris and found some nice rates 30% lower than my travel agent's.
However, this is the first time I will be using an online service to
do that. Is there a catch I should be careful of? For example, on
the
reservation form there is one subtotal "Taxes: unknown" which
doesn't
count towards the total. What does that mean?

That you'll be expected to pay any taxes directly. Taxes are generally
a
significant part (often 10-20%) of any hotel room's cost.

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"Dogs may have kept us company on the hunt, but it was the cats who
insisted we invent houses and discover fire." -- Khiem Tran

.....but in Europe they should be INCLUDED in the quoted price. Expedia
certainly isn't usually the most economical way of booking hotel rooms.

JohnT

In article , "JohnT"
wrote:

"Deirdre Saoirse Moen" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Eugene) wrote:

Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel? I am looking to book a hotel in
Paris and found some nice rates 30% lower than my travel agent's.
However, this is the first time I will be using an online service to
do that. Is there a catch I should be careful of? For example, on
the
reservation form there is one subtotal "Taxes: unknown" which
doesn't
count towards the total. What does that mean?

That you'll be expected to pay any taxes directly. Taxes are generally
a
significant part (often 10-20%) of any hotel room's cost.
....but in Europe they should be INCLUDED in the quoted price. Expedia
certainly isn't usually the most economical way of booking hotel rooms.

Well, if it said "unknown," I'd expect that it may not include all taxes.
Right now, I can't look at what typical rates are in Europe and whether
all taxes are included.

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"Dogs may have kept us company on the hunt, but it was the cats who
insisted we invent houses and discover fire." -- Khiem Tran

I use Expedia extensively and have always been very satisfied with the
results. Expedia is probably best for booking a 3-4 star or above
hotel at very competitive rates. Sometimes Hotels.Com or
Travelocity.com or Orbitz.com can get you better rates and even
availability of 2-3 star hotels.

IMHO, Expedia is the most usable and accurate of these sites.

Rates quoted on Expedia for Paris will generally be inclusive of VAT
which runs 16-20% but will not include the new city hotel tax which
runs about .9 Euro / night or so.

Dave

(Deirdre Saoirse Moen) wrote:

In article ,
(Eugene) wrote:

Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel? I am looking to book a hotel in
Paris and found some nice rates 30% lower than my travel agent's.
However, this is the first time I will be using an online service to
do that. Is there a catch I should be careful of? For example, on the
reservation form there is one subtotal "Taxes: unknown" which doesn't
count towards the total. What does that mean?

That you'll be expected to pay any taxes directly. Taxes are generally a
significant part (often 10-20%) of any hotel room's cost.

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"Dogs may have kept us company on the hunt, but it was the cats who
insisted we invent houses and discover fire." -- Khiem Tran

What a superb quote! Nice one!
---
DFM

Eugene wrote:

Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel? I am looking to book a hotel in
Paris and found some nice rates 30% lower than my travel agent's.
However, this is the first time I will be using an online service to
do that. Is there a catch I should be careful of? For example, on the
reservation form there is one subtotal "Taxes: unknown" which doesn't
count towards the total. What does that mean?

I'd be cautious - especially about Expedia's "deals". My first trip to
Paris I booked my room at the Home Plazza Bastille through Expedia, and
would never, never, NEVER stay there again! In looking for a Brussels
hotel (less expensive than the Amigo has become, since my last stay
there) they recommended one that was suppposed "near the opera".
Fortunately, I inquired here, first. A nice woman responded privately
to tell me that "near" was a gross exageration, but that the hotel named
WAS on the fringes of the Brussels red-light district! You can usually
get just as good deals e-mailing the hotel directly. (For trustworthy
recommendations, try JACK'S web-pages - he has no financial interest in
getting you to book at a particular place.)

JohnT wrote:

"Deirdre Saoirse Moen" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Eugene) wrote:

Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel? I am looking to book a hotel in
Paris and found some nice rates 30% lower than my travel agent's.
However, this is the first time I will be using an online service to
do that. Is there a catch I should be careful of? For example, on
the
reservation form there is one subtotal "Taxes: unknown" which
doesn't
count towards the total. What does that mean?

That you'll be expected to pay any taxes directly. Taxes are generally
a
significant part (often 10-20%) of any hotel room's cost.

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"Dogs may have kept us company on the hunt, but it was the cats who
insisted we invent houses and discover fire." -- Khiem Tran

....but in Europe they should be INCLUDED in the quoted price. Expedia
certainly isn't usually the most economical way of booking hotel rooms.

And their "special" deals require prepayment and often have serious
hidden drawbacks they fail to mention.



JohnT

Deep Freud Moors wrote:

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"Dogs may have kept us company on the hunt, but it was the cats who
insisted we invent houses and discover fire." -- Khiem Tran

What a superb quote! Nice one!

And quite beleivable, if one has ever lived with a cat!

In article , wrote:

Deep Freud Moors wrote:

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"Dogs may have kept us company on the hunt, but it was the cats who
insisted we invent houses and discover fire." -- Khiem Tran

What a superb quote! Nice one!

And quite beleivable, if one has ever lived with a cat!

Thanks. It was said as a eulogy to someone who had recently lost their cat.

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"Dogs may have kept us company on the hunt, but it was the cats who
insisted we invent houses and discover fire." -- Khiem Tran