Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel?

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message
...


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.)

I have no particular love for Expedia, but ...

There is a difference between using X (Expedia, whomever) to BOOK a room and
using X to FIND a room. It would never occur to me to book a room directly
or through X without knowing exactly where it is. There are plenty of
resources (on the web, in travel guides, libraries, this newsgroup) to make
this fairly simple even if you are unfamiliar with the city in question.

Paul

In article , wrote:

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.)

I honestly don't remember who I booked this hotel through, but it was
probably one of the big sites (travel.yahoo.com, travelocity, expedia) for
a hotel room in NYC in July of 2001. It was prepaid.

When I arrived, there was a 2-hour line to check in. The first room I was
given, there was a guy in the shower!

Then it became clear that there was a 2-hour line because they had NO IDEA
who was checked into what room -- they just kept trying different rooms
until you stopped coming down to complain. Really!

Furthermore, all the locks were electronic and there were NO INTERIOR
LOCKS, meaning there was no way to leave your room and not have someone
else barge in on your stuff, so I felt afraid to go anywhere. I didn't
have a doorjamb (which is one reason I won't travel without one now), so I
couldn't soak in the tub without having someone barge in on me either. I
moved the chair in front of the door, but even that wasn't real security.

So, since that experience, I refuse to pre-pay a room on a web site
without knowing more about the place or having some person to yell at at
least.

So, sorry about this digression from Europe, but research IS your friend.

--
_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:
Furthermore, all the locks were electronic and there were NO INTERIOR
LOCKS, meaning there was no way to leave your room and not have someone
else barge in on your stuff, so I felt afraid to go anywhere. I didn't
have a doorjamb (which is one reason I won't travel without one now)

You travel with a doorjamb? That's 6 feet of wood. Has this word taken on
some new meaning that I'm not aware of?

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Site remodeled 10-Sept-2003: Hundreds of new photos, easier navigation.

In article ,
(Miguel Cruz) wrote:

Deirdre Saoirse Moen wrote:
Furthermore, all the locks were electronic and there were NO INTERIOR
LOCKS, meaning there was no way to leave your room and not have someone
else barge in on your stuff, so I felt afraid to go anywhere. I didn't
have a doorjamb (which is one reason I won't travel without one now)

You travel with a doorjamb? That's 6 feet of wood. Has this word taken on
some new meaning that I'm not aware of?

Sorry, I meant a doorstop.

Brain is a bit fried tonight as I'm in the final thesis crunch (due in two
weeks, and a long way to go). Thanks for reminding me that I need sleep
too.

--
_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

EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote in message
...


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!

Alas, I live with a massive furball. He does not have a bad life...
---
DFM

" wrote:

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message
...


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.)

I have no particular love for Expedia, but ...

There is a difference between using X (Expedia, whomever) to BOOK a room and
using X to FIND a room. It would never occur to me to book a room directly
or through X without knowing exactly where it is. There are plenty of
resources (on the web, in travel guides, libraries, this newsgroup) to make
this fairly simple even if you are unfamiliar with the city in question.

True, but since the OP says (above) "Anyone used Expedia to book a
hotel?", that was what I replied to.

Miguel Cruz wrote:

Deirdre Saoirse Moen wrote:
Furthermore, all the locks were electronic and there were NO INTERIOR
LOCKS, meaning there was no way to leave your room and not have someone
else barge in on your stuff, so I felt afraid to go anywhere. I didn't
have a doorjamb (which is one reason I won't travel without one now)

You travel with a doorjamb? That's 6 feet of wood. Has this word taken on
some new meaning that I'm not aware of?

I think she means a small electronic doorstop I've seen in catalogs.
When placed against the bottom of the door inside the room, not only
does it make the door hard to open from the outside, but it also sets
off an alarm if anyone tries.

pls try

www.hotels.com

I found it to be much cheaper than Expedia.
and you can talk to an operator for help.
pls try and let me know

I booked a 4stars hotel in rome for as low as
eur 68.00 B&B.
"Eugene" ha scritto nel messaggio
om...
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

(Eugene) staggered to the nearest keyboard and
wrote:

Anyone used Expedia to book a hotel?

Rumor has it that a few people have.

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?

The policy regarding VAT is inconsistent on Travelocity and I suspect
on Expedia as well. Sometimes VAT is included, sometimes not. When
there is ambiguity it is safest to assume that the outcome will not be
in your favor until you can find out conclusively otherwise.

--

Like what sorts of hidden costs?

(I was thinking of doing the Expedia package myself. Any info or
insight will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.)


Lil

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message ...
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