When, and how, to book hotels?

A guestion for veteran travelers...When I decide on the hotel (so many choices, I may have to draw straws or ro-cham-beau to make a decision) when should I book for a 1st week of August trip? Also, should I use a service like Venere.com which seems to have low rates..or maybe pay a little more and book directly with the hotel?

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Hotels.com is always the best way to go. They will find the lowest priced hotel. Also, don%26#39;t expect much from the hotels. If you choose to stay in a hotel that%26#39;s built by an American company such as Holiday Inn or Sheraton or something to that nature, those rooms may be bigger. We chose to stay in a 6 story building. There were only about 30 rooms. The rooms were small and so where the elevators but you really only use the rooms to sleep. Also, most hotel rooms come with two twin beds separated. Be sure that your room has it%26#39;s own bathroom if you book a local hotel. Our hotel was located across the street from the Oprah house. It was known as the Rome District. It was a very pleasant trip. Also, be very aware of the long lines. We went in November when tourist season was over so it wasn%26#39;t too bad. August is one of the busiest months in Paris. The lines will be unbelievable. You%26#39;ll love the Louvre.

Rod

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all these dallas ppl all of a sudden =O

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I have never used Hotels.com, because I find their rating system too confusing. If I look up a 4 star hotel from their list it is only a 2 star on this site, and I find the ratings for these hotels really low.

I prefer going through the recommendations on TripAdvisor and finding the best places w/in my budget, then pricing it out online, v. calling on my own. They will often meet the online prices if I call and then I don%26#39;t have to worry about being commited for the entire stay if I don%26#39;t like the place.

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Does month of september would be quite a long line trying to book a place to stay? tnx

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I disagree that Hotels.com or any one option is the best. Travel experts recommend using all the resources at hand. I often start with Hotels.com or Expedia to get an idea of rates, but I never book until I have checked directly with the hotel.

Not all European hotels reservation policies are alike, but if you can find one where you can cancel without penalty there is no harm in booking a room now. You can always continue to search and if prices go down, or you find a better alternative, you can book your new find and cancel your original reservation.

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Some placed won%26#39;t take reservations more than 4 months in advance, especially the very popular mid-range hotels, but if you have your heart set on a hotel, keep trying until they take the reservation!!

Good Luck!