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Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Buffalo - Niagara Falls (Buffalo - Amherst) Buffalo Niagara Marriott


bigredsfan
By bigredsfan,
in

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We are looking at trying to get a successful bid for the Marriott for November 24th and have had no luck with bids starting at $60, and now up to $78. This Marriott is the only 3.5 star in the Buffalo-Amherst Zone, but I am not crazy about having to wait 24 hrs to bid again. I have read up a bit on successful rebidding, but confused on how I can rebid for this hotel successfully without risking getting another.

It looks like this Hotel is the only 3.5 in Buffalo so can I just try again by using another zone and retry, without the risk?

Cheers

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To clarify, while this hotel may be the only 3.5* hotel reported to the board in this zone, there could always be others, so you're not bidding for this specific hotel, but rather a 3.5* hotel in this zone.

If you're read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and are still confused, give this a try:

1) Use the PRICELINE search box on the upper right of this page, enter 'Buffalo, NY' and your dates, and click "GO".

2) List each zone that is offered in this region.

3) Next to each zone list the highest star rating offered in the zone. The way to determine the highest star rating offered in the zone is by selecting the first zone i the list, then scrolling down to see the highest star rating selectable (ie- not greyed out). NEXT UNcheck the selected zone, place a checkmark in the next zone, and repeat the process for each zone in the region. Each time you take note of the highest star rating in the zone, make sure that only ONE zone is selected above.

4) post your findings and we'll take it from there

If you don't follow the above just post back and we'll break it down further.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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not sure of how to placed a check mark but here are the zones and highest rating I can find for 10 pages over 2 years of bids:

Note that I can also look at 3* Airport Hotels potentially and it looks like the Millenium or Holiday Inn Airport are the only 2 reported wins:

Buffalo-Amhest: 3.5*

Niagara Falls: 3*

Airport: 3*

Downtown: 3*

Grand Island: 3*

Thanks for the help again...

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Let's break this down further and take it one (or two) steps at a time...

1) Use the PRICELINE search box on the upper right of this page, enter 'Buffalo, NY' and your dates, and click "GO".
After filling out the form and submitting, do you see a map of the region, and to the left of the map is a list of zones, with the ability to add a checkmark in a box next to each one?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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yes I do...and all I have been doing is checking the Buffalo-Amherst area...

You are very close here. Stay in Priceline to finish the job of finding your free-rebid zones.

Now uncheck the Buffalo-Amherst area by clicking on it again. When it is OFF, click on one other zone and see what happens. You should see several of the star levels below turn to white (the biddable ones) and the rest stay grey (the unbiddable ones). If all of the biddable ones are 3* or lower, you've just found a free-rebid zone for the 3.5* level!

Now uncheck the new zone by clicking on it again. And then check the remaining zones with the same process, one at a time.

The reason for making sure you personally know this process is that the free rebid zones change regularly, and one must do the check just before bidding. You can't rely on the historical reporting in betterbidding for this.

Romelle

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I got you to the right place, but missed a bit describing it. Sorry. The BUTTONS turn white when a zone is biddable. You are right, the ZONE NAMES turn blue. I'd LOL also, but I'm embarrassed.

Now that you are clicking the right things on the right site, the fact that all zones other than Buffalo-Amherst only show 3* or lower biddability means right now they are all free rebids!!

cont. ....

Now see what happens when you first click Buffalo-Amherst and leave it on. You can then merrily click any of those other zones and the buttons stay white for the 3.5* as well as all the lower levels. (Well yeah, you can't click 7 South B. right now since Priceline has got it blocked, but all the others.)

So, you've proved to yourself that only Buffalo-Amherst has 3.5* offerings. Now when bidding, you can first bid Buffalo-Amherst at (making up # here) $20. Priceline says NO. You can then add one of those other zones, increase your bid to $30, and submit again. All in the same 24 hours period. Knowing that the only thing you could get is a Buffalo-Amherst hotel, since you just proved to yourself that there aren't any in that other zone. Priceline says NO.

You can continue adding one of those other free rebid zones each time you raise your bid a bit. The new zone is what makes it "changed" in the eyes of Priceline.

So - in one bidding session, you can have your original Buffalo-A bid, and then 6 more, for a total of 7 bids. Always knowing that the only zone you can possible "win" in is Buffalo-A.

Looking forward to you reporting success here!!!

Romelle

PS - If you've done your 7 bids and haven't gotten high enough yet, you have wait a full 24 hours from the last thing you did. An easy way to get around having to pay too much attention to the clock is to just bid every other day.

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I will LOL so no worries....think I have it now! By White Buttons turn white do you mean the area maps for each zone on the right side? When I click on those other Zones they are White in the background bt highlight Green? No type of button turns White so not sure I follow....you are saying that I can still add another Zone for each bid....I am coming pretty close to booking something outside of PRICELINE as the price is up over $82 already...

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The buttons to which I'm referring are on the left side. Just under the blue "Step 3: Choose the star level for your hotel"

Yes, you can still add another zone for each bid. One can keep bidding on Priceline as long as one changes something. Adding a new zone is a change.

Romelle

Sometimes Priceline is not the solution. I just booked via Hotwire for an upcoming Istanbul trip after trying Priceline for a long time. I've tried Priceline in other cities where I also ended up doing something else. The trick is to research first and know what your best option would be outside of Priceline. Then bid until you either are successful with Priceline or get too close to that option. Have you found all the links to other sites under the Support/Travel Links tab (center of this page)? One of them might link to your outside option.

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The buttons to which I'm referring are on the left side. Just under the blue "Step 3: Choose the star level for your hotel"

Yes, you can still add another zone for each bid. One can keep bidding on Priceline as long as one changes something. Adding a new zone is a change.

Romelle

Sometimes Priceline is not the solution. I just booked via Hotwire for an upcoming Istanbul trip after trying Priceline for a long time. I've tried Priceline in other cities where I also ended up doing something else. The trick is to research first and know what your best option would be outside of Priceline. Then bid until you either are successful with Priceline or get too close to that option. Have you found all the links to other sites under the Support/Travel Links tab (center of this page)? One of them might link to your outside option.

k, gotcha makes sense. Thanks for the tips and I will try and see what I come up with. We hit a bit of a snag because we are travelling Turkey Day, so it is probably more of a premium on the hotels in Buffalo due to Canucks like I shopping Black Friday, etc.

I will let you guys know how I make out in the end!

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I see what you are saying yes...but the star levels turn blue LOL.

The star levels which are blue are selectable (meaning they can be chosen)... the others are "greyed-out" which is universal on the internet for non-selectable.

If after observing the Buffalo-Amherst star ratings available, you then scroll up (on PRICELINE's website), UNCHECK the Amherst city and SELECT THE NEXT ZONE in the list (so that only one zone is showing), do you see the highest selectable zone as being 3*? (and how 3.5* is greyed out, and even if you try clicking it, nothing happens?)

Please confirm up to this point and we'll then proceed.

As Romelle points out, you're just about there to "get it", and this will be information you'll be able to take with your for all your future PRICELINE bidding.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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2) List each zone that is offered in this region.

3) Next to each zone list the highest star rating offered in the zone. The way to determine the highest star rating offered in the zone is by selecting the first zone i the list, then scrolling down to see the highest star rating selectable (ie- not greyed out). NEXT UNcheck the selected zone, place a checkmark in the next zone, and repeat the process for each zone in the region. Each time you take note of the highest star rating in the zone, make sure that only ONE zone is selected above.

4) post your findings and we'll take it from there

Take the next step of listing each zone and the highest star rating available in each zone, and post your findings in a reply to this thread (yes, you'll have re-bid zones)

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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YES, if you keep your minimum star level set at 3.5* you can continue to add each of the other zones and still 'really' only be bidding on the Buffalo-Amherst zone. HOWEVER, you need to check your re-bid zones, using the 'single check box method' each time before you start a bidding cycle to make sure that nothing has changed since you last checked (ie- new hotels can be added and others upgraded at any time). Also, a reminder that while the Marriott is the only 3.5* hotel reported to the board in this zone, there could be others not yet known, recently added, upgraded, etc.

If you're ready to move forward, let us know your maximum bid for this stay and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow, using your SIX re-bid zones.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Using your SIX re-bid zones at the 3.5* level i'd bid as follows:

Select 3.5* Buffalo-Amherst...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $78, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $83, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $88, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $90

Any questions feel free to ask.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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thanks will let you guys know...just to clarify that when I rebid following a failed attempt all I can do is add a Zone, not change the Star Level, right? ie, there are two options to rebid:

1. Can you select additional areas where you can stay. This is where I add the Zones

2. Can you select additional star levels. I leave this alone

Cheers and thanks!

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thanks will let you guys know...just to clarify that when I rebid following a failed attempt all I can do is add a Zone, not change the Star Level, right?
Correct
2. Can you select additional star levels. I leave this alone
IF you did lower your star rating to 3* (you don't want to do this), you could then win a hotel in the zone(s) you're adding (but don't want) since some of these hotels offer 3* bidding.

Hope that makes it clearer.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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