Ralliart

Bid $43 for 2.5 stars and better for Denver Tech Center South.

Awarded 3* Staybridge Suites.

$86 for 2 nights, $105.60 after taxes.

Park Inn DFW South, $40 + taxes, $53 total.

Radisson Edmonton, $87 + tax.

42 Pounds = about $63 USD + taxes / per night.

Quality Inn - Salt Lake City Airport

Bid $35 while checking 3* and 1* boxes. Was hoping to avoid any 2* places since I thought there were no 1* at the airport. Turns out my 1* bid was upgraded to a 2* and the Quality Inn was the winner.

$46 after taxes.

Dates january 4-5 2010.

2.5* downtown Omaha, across from Creighton Medical Center, not quite in the downtown core but fairly close.

Best Western Seville Plaza Hotel

Bid $48, plus tax was $63.71

Courtyard By Marriott Omaha Lavista

I believe this is a new entry to the hotel list, because I didn't see any 3* in this area when I bid.

$45 + taxes = $60 total

Nice hotel, newly built, next to PayPal, Cabellas, LaVista Convention Center.

Just got back, the hotel was pretty nice. I think it was recently renovated and the rooms were clean and comfortable. Great location right downtown a block or two from the entertainment district. We would return again.

You can avoid the parking garage fee by parking around the corner on the sidewalk, there's quite a few available free parking meters for evenings and weekends, less than 5 minute walk to the hotel.

First bid $40 was rejected.

Rather than wait 24 hours, or increase bid by $12, I changed the bidding zone to include Kansas City (North) which I knew had NO 3* options, and was able to re-bid right away.

Second bid $45 was accepted.

$99 + taxes was about $120 USD total.

I was originally going to use the PRICELINE bidding option and likely would have gotten a slightly lower rate, but because we have 4 adults, I didn't want to take a chance that we would only get 1 bed.

So I used HOTWIRE to be able to specify 4 people, and figured I'd either be getting the Sheraton or Westin based on the amenities (fitness, business, internet, restaurant).

Interestingly, over the course of 3 hours that I checked HOTWIRE, the price fluctuated between $99, $105, $102 and back to $99.