We will be taking a RS Best of Europe 21 day tour next Spring (just waiting for the dates to be released for exact date). We plan on staying two additional nights in Bayeux, France to do the WWII tours. I have been looking on line for different hotels (through booking agents, hotel websites, etc.) but everything says nothing available. I have placed dates that I think we will be there but everything comes up nothing available. Could everything be booked now or is it to early to try to make on-line reservations? I am trying to get an idea of the cost of different places. I plan on contacting the hotel(s) by e-mail when I have the dates directly to see if the prices might be lower. If it is to early when would be a good time to try making the reservations 6 months before, 5, 4, etc.? Thanks for any information anyone can provide.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
"is it to early to try to make on-line reservations?"
Yes. Hotels probably haven't set next year's prices, so they aren't taking reservations yet. Just remember that if you can't book, neither can anyone else, so there's no need to worry. Unless you have an unusual situation, it shouldn't be hard to get a 2 night stay in April by booking in January or February.
Assume prices won't go up by too much between this year and next, so you can get a rough idea by looking at the current prices. And you're right to contact them directly to actually do the booking. For my upcoming Switzerland trip, I was not only able to get better prices this way, but also to get rooms that weren't showing on either the hotels' own sites or on third party sites like booking.com or hotels.com. (I needed a single, and many websites were only showing triples and such; when I contacted them directly, they had singles).
Posted by
3 posts
I would suggest going online and visiting the individual hotel/BB website to get their email and phone numbers. Contact them directly. You may have a better response. This happened to my husband and I this past May/June at the time of the D day celebration. Everything was booked with the exception of the VERY expensive chateau's. We were able to get reservations at a very nice B and B in Bayeux, just a couple of blocks from the down town.
Posted by
OP
Tallahassee, FL
177 posts
Super beetle do you remember the name of the B&B that you stayed at? Still looking at all our options for Bayeux. I appreciate all the info I have received.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Rick's France book lists double rooms with bath in Bayeux for a wide range of prices, €50-250, and several around €90/night. I would not get too far into contacting the hotels until you are able to book the tour (online at the end of August).
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
I highly recommend Hotel d'Argouges in Bayeux when you do your search of places to stay. It's a RS recommended hotel and we love it. Have stayed there at least 6 times. The owner, Mme Ropartz, and her staff are wonderful. The hotel is like a manor house with lovely gardens and beautiful flowers. Large rooms, large bathrooms, good beds, very clean, free parking and a wonderful breakfast is included in the price.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
Keep in mind that spring 2014 was a HUGE celebration (D-day plus 70) but 2015 will probably be more normal.
Posted by
OP
Tallahassee, FL
177 posts
Well we made our reservations for our 2015 trip. Thank goodness the dates for the 2015 RS tours are out because we made our reservation for Bayeux at Le Manior Saint Victoire and got the last room. So excited. I appreciate everyone's responses on this forum. Have a good day.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
359 posts
Check out Hotel Le Bayeux. We loved it last June.