Priceline.com Recommends Eastern And Central Europe For A Budget-Friendly International Vacation Experience

Business Wire, July 26, 2007

NORWALK, Conn. -- Think the closest you'll get to a European vacation this summer is "international land" at a mega-theme park? Consider this. Long-overlooked by tourists, former Socialist cities in Eastern and Central Europe have become some of the trendiest - and most affordable - international destinations.

Booking.com, the international business unit of priceline.com[R] (Nasdaq: PCLN), offers hotel reservation services in 54 countries, in 15 languages, with approximately 34,000 participating hotel partners. Priceline.com recently asked its on-the-ground staff in Europe to recommend cities where U.S. visitors can enjoy a truly international experience without breaking the bank. The European experts offered up their personal favorites that included five Eastern and Central European cities - Prague, Czech Republic; Budapest, Hungary; Krakow, Poland; Vilnius, Lithuania; and Tallinn, Estonia.

Priceline.com (www.priceline.com) offers a range of airline tickets, hotel rooms, air/hotel packages and rental cars for its customers travelling to Europe. In addition to Priceline.com, customers can find even more European hotels by visiting Priceline.com's sister web sites, www.booking.com and www.priceline.co.uk. All prices on Booking.com and priceline.co.uk are shown in euros or pound sterling. Hotel prices quoted below were available on July 24, 2007 and were converted into U.S. dollars based on that day's exchange rates.

Here are some tips, recommendations and personal comments from the Booking.com staff.

PRAGUE - The Czech Republic

Prague is the Czech Republic's capital and largest city, situated by the Vltava river. Prague has been the political, cultural and economical center of the Czech state for over 1,000 years. It is one of the most visited cities on the European continent and there are many reasons why the city is so popular.

The beautiful medieval city is truly picturesque and still relatively cheap by European standards. Stroll around the old town on cobblestone streets amid spectacular buildings, churches and castles. Enjoy fine meals at the pubs and restaurants accompanied with world famous Czech beer. Visit museums, listen to concerts or dance all night long at one of the many clubs and bars. After shopping and sightseeing, relax in the peaceful, leafy grounds of Vysehrad or Stromovka Park.

Getting There

Sample priceline.com airfares to Prague*. Sample fares were available as of July 13, 2007. To research or book flights to Prague, visit http://www.priceline.com/flights/

From New York (Aug. 6-13) $772
From Chicago (Aug. 13-21) $891
From Los Angeles (Aug. 6-13) $1,486

* Fares above are round-trip based on required round-trip purchase for
economy class travel. Tickets must be purchased no later than August
23, 2007 and advance purchase of up to 14 days may be required. Fares
shown above are valid for travel Monday through Thursday, from 7/23/07
through 9/6/07. Fares for other days of the week are higher. Fares
require a Saturday-night minimum stay, and a maximum stay of 30 days
is permitted. Seats are limited and may not be available on all
flights/dates. Fares do not include fees, taxes and airport charges up
to $125, including the September 11th Security Fee of a maximum of $10
per round-trip. Fares do include an airline-imposed fuel surcharge of
$ 120-$ 170 per round trip itinerary, varying by destination. Fares
are non-refundable, non-endorsable, non-transferable. Change fees
apply. Space is limited and subject to availability. Other
restrictions may apply.

Where to stay

Hotel Jalta ***** - from $136

Hotel Jalta is a luxury 5-star hotel in an exceptional central location on Wenceslas Square in Prague. The hotel is modern and trendy with a chic and elegant restaurant, which serves delicious meals and breakfasts. There's also a Cafe-Bar with summer terrace and a casino.

http://www.booking.com/hotel/cz/jalta.html?sid=33e19cf4051034d2e23 31c007f369d5e (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

987 Prague Hotel **** - from $136

The new stylish 4-star Prague Hotel opened in 2006 and combines the best in contemporary design and modern technology with a superb location in the heart of Prague. The hotel is a dramatic and daring reinvention of urban design that brings energy, vitality and magic to the atmosphere. The hotel is well-located for exploring the historic beauty of magnificent Prague.

http://www.booking.com/hotel/cz/987praguehotel.html?sid=33e19cf405 1034d2e2331c007f369d5e (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

Hotel Athena Palace *** - from $96

Three-star Hotel Athena Palace is located in the heart of Prague near the Charles Square in a 14th century gothic building. The hotel has friendly staff and a romantic and historic atmosphere with antique furniture.

The hotel is near all the sights of Prague such as the Old Town square, the National Museum and the city's many boutiques, restaurants, pubs, clubs and casinos.