Priceline Hotel: 4* Boston (Copley Square - Back Bay) Sheraton Boston Hotel

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Looking for help on a bidding strategy for Boston (my first time to be there) from 10/11 - 10/15. I'm looking to stay in a centrally placed area where I can just walk to destinations so I am looking at either Boston Common, Copley Square Back End, Waterfront District, Downtown Boston, or Fanueil Hall North End. I'm open to staying in other areas if it is only a quick subway ride away. 

 

I've looked through the past threads, and looked at the MAPS AND HOTELS page, and it looks like my best bet is the Omni Parker House. Currently it is showing a rate of $220/night as per Maps and Hotels. What should my beginning bid be and what should be my target price (I am familiar with the Priceline bidding process and using multiple areas to generate multiple bids per day). Should I start at $140 at 3.5 stars and use Boston Common, Copley Square, Downtown and Fanueil Hall with $5 increments? 

 

What's also weird is that Hotwire is showing the lone 4 star hotel in Boston Common as $261 and Priceline Express as $258 (higher price than Maps and Hotels). Going straight to the Omni Parker House website does show the $220 rate.

 

I'm also open to staying in more affordable hotels outside the areas I mentioned if they are close to the subway station and I can take a quick ride to my tourist destinations, Ideally I would like to spend less than $140/day but am willing to go up a bit to be in a central location.

 

Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. As I mentioned, it's my first time to be there so I am not familiar at all with the city.

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Forgot to mention, I'm also willing to split the days up and stay at different hotels, say one hotel on 10/11 to 10/13 and a different hotel on 10/13 to 10/15. Do you think it would be advantageous price wise to split up the trip?

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Now looking at Hotels on the South End. There is a 3-star Courtyard by Marriott South Boston that would be perfect as it is very near the subway stop, but I'm afraid I might get another hotel if I bid in this zone. The Courtyard seems to be the most active in terms of winning in this zone though.

[AaronJB]

Please provide a follow-up for your prior San Diego Priceline thread (post what you decided for that stay within that thread, then reply to this thread and we would be happy to take a look at the above stay.)

 

A few thoughts on this Boston stay to start:

 

1. When bidding you have to be willing to accept any hotel at the star rating chosen in the zone/s picked (as well as the possibility of being upgraded to the next highest star rating.)

 

2.  "What's also weird is that Hotwire is showing the lone 4 star hotel in Boston Common as $261 and Priceline Express as $258 (higher price than Maps and Hotels). Going straight to the Omni Parker House website does show the $220 rate."

>>>  A hotel does not have to offer discounted inventory on a given night. If the Omni Parker is the cheapest 4* regular rate in the particular zone for your dates does not necessarily mean that HOTWIRE or PRICELINE EXPRESS have to offer something cheaper (and again, the Omni may not be offering discounted inventory for this period.) There's no way to increase the odds of a particular property and because a property is the cheapest does not mean it's what will be the result when bidding.

 

3. "I'm open to staying in other areas if it is only a quick subway ride away. "
>>> You have to be willing to stay anywhere within a particular zone when using the discount services. Is there a zone outside the city where transit is easily accessible from potentially anywhere in the zone? 

 

Also:
 

" Ideally I would like to spend less than $140/day but am willing to go up a bit to be in a central location."

 

What would be your desired budget for a central location?

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

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I have followed-up on my San Diego thread, must have forgotten to do it then due to the excitement of Comic Con.

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Well, I figured out that the week that I had initially booked, 10/11 - 10/15, was going to be super expensive no matter if I go to further areas. Thankfully, Southwest allows changing your flights with no fees. I figured that the October dates were expensive due to the probability of Red Sox playoff games. After doing much research, I found a week in late November that had cheap rates (probably because its Thanksgiving week). My new dates are now 11/20 to 11/25.

 

PRICELINE EXPRESS had a 4 star hotel in Copley Square/Back Bay for $85. Hotwire had a 4 star hotel in the same area for $88 (though the taxes and fees were much higher). As a backup plan, I knew I could get the Omni Parker Hotel for $98 direct from their website. I preferred a newer hotel though, preferably in the Copley Square/Back Bay area, and close to the subway. Did some research, I was fully expecting (and hoping) that the 4 star hotel in PRICELINE EXPRESS and HOTWIRE was the Westin Copley Square Hotel.

 

Here's the listing forPRICELINE EXPRESS:

Pets Allowed, Business Center, Indoor or Outdoor Pool, Fitness Center, No Smoking Room/Facilities

 

Here's the listing for HOTWIRE:

(Favorite!), Airport Shuttle, Business Center, Fitness center, Indoor Pool(s), Internet Access, Pet Friendly, Pool(s), Restaurants, Smoke-free Rooms

 

I have no proof of course that the above listings were for the same hotel, but in each instance (Priceline Express and Hotwire) there was only 1 hotel whose rates were in the $80's, and both were in the Copley Square/Back Bay area.

 

So I started bidding at PRICELINE (using the Better Bidding links of course) at $50 at $3 increments using multiple re-bid zones. Found out that I no longer had to wait 24 hours once I exhausted my re-bid zones, so it only took me 3 days to finish the process. I was expecting to get a discount from the Priceline Express price (which has been my previous experience) but surprisingly I didn't get a bite in the $70's range and not even a counter offer! (did they do away with those?). Finally, this morning I put in a last bid of $82, if it was not going to be accepted I was going to buy it via Priceline Express. It finally got accepted at $82 and I got the Sheraton Boston Hotel! Was hoping for the Westin due to the proximity to the Subway line, but apparently the Sheraton is near a Subway stop too as its inside the Prudential Center.

 

So to summarize, Sheraton Boston Hotel from 11/20 to 11/25 at $82/night (plus approx 18.4% taxes and fees) using the Better Bidding PRICELINE link.  

 

And I just noticed this now.... In Priceline Express it will say the original price (which is crossed out) and the discounted P.E. price. If you click on 'What Hotels?', it will show sample hotels in the area and you just have to match the original crossed out price to the hotels listed in the area. In my case, Sheraton Boston matched the original crossed out price. So while vague, you can still get an idea what hotel you'll be getting via Priceline Express.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you received the hotel you were expecting that you're happy with the outcome.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your purchase.

Enjoy your stay.