The Radisson Hotel Blu, where Charles Starmer-Smith is hoping to stay

In the past few years I have bought a guitar, tickets to gigs and even a birthday present for my wife on eBay, with varying degrees of satisfaction. This week, in the ultimate test of this online marketplace, I set about trying to bid for a Valentine’s Day hotel break for two. Call me an old romantic.

eBay has linked up with Octopus Travel, the accommodation website, to put more than 50,000 hotel rooms under the hammer, with auction prices starting from as little as 99p. On Thursday, opening day, the selection was understandably limited, but I managed to find a four-star Radisson Hotel Blu in Paris, on offer for February 14-16. It is actually nearer EuroDisney, but a bit of Mickey Mouse and a few scary rides before a trip into the capital might be just the ticket. OK, it was the 99p starting price for a four-star that really attracted me.

I knew that with more than four days to go I should not play my hand too early. I was ready to go to £120, but to test the waters I bid £35. I was almost immediately outbid.

Octopus, you will be glad to hear, is not following the example of no-frills airlines, which lure you in with £1 fares and then add so many extras that you have spent £100 before you know it. It is insisting that all bids will start at 99p, with no reserve.

“We might have to take a bit of a hit on some of the prices people end up paying, but we think it will generate great interest,” a spokesman said.

I logged back on and added £10 to my bid. I was outbid again – the price rising to £47. There were now four bidders, but I resisted the urge to up my maximum.

Britons have taken rapidly to booking online, with disastrous consequences for travel agents selling city breaks. Some might be wary about buying a holiday at auction, given that you forgo any right to change your mind and cancel your stay. The terms and conditions of purchase, however, are really no different from those on many accommodation websites.

The whole process can be fun, although I did find myself wondering whether I would really spend this long choosing a hotel room when I could get an instant price from any number of late-deal websites.

The novelty factor won out. I couldn’t resist another look. There were now nine bids. I upped my offer, feeling a little smug as eBay confirmed that I led the bidding again. Four days to go…

• See www.ebay.co.uk