Reina

I started bidding for a 3.5* in the KC airport zone at $54 and PRICELINE countered with $68.  I kept going up by $1 with free rebid zones until I won at $59 - Four Points by Sheraton.  So a bit cheaper than the PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal price of $63.

I called the hotel and can leave my car there during a trip for $8/day.  I had also called the Hilton (3.5* also) and their parking price is $5/day and they don't charge for the day you arrive or the day you leave.   All are cheaper than the outdoor parking at The Spot for $11/day.

$59.00 bid

$16.53 taxes and fees

$75.53 total

Metcalf

Bid for Overland Park 3*, $40, $45 and $48 using free rebid zones.  At $40 PRICELINE countered with $53.  

We are taking a quick trip to check out the Prairie Fire area, so the Courtyard by Marriott will work great.  Sure beats the advertised $109!

Started from your site's PRICELINE link.  Thanks!

48.00 - 1 room

13.91 - taxes and fees

61.91 - total

I bid $40 on a 2.5* in the Bentonville-Rogers area.  Priceline countered with $50.  I added the Springdale-Lowell area and bid $45 and it was accepted.  Used your PRICELINE links!

45.00 - 1 room

11.46 - taxes and fees

56.46 - total

I bid $46 for a 2.5* in Blue Springs, Priceline countered with $56, I added a free rebid for $49 and won.  A bed and free breakfast before a conference - works for us!  Used your PRICELINE link to start.

$98.00 - 2 rooms at $49

$24.98 - taxes and fees

  $2.00 - hotel fee

$124.98 - total

Note to admin - Priceline has changed up the Kansas City zones and this one has gone from "Lees Summit - Blue Springs" to "Blue Springs - Independence".

I bid for a 3.5* hotel in Springfield, MO, adding zones and bumping my bid up by $2, from $56 until I won at $62.  (At $56 Priceline countered with $70). 

124.00 - 2 nights at 62.00

 26.00 - taxes and fees

150.00 - total

Just a note for anyone visiting the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN:

We liked both the Kahler Grand Hotel and the Comfort Inn & Suites - both 2.5* hotels in the Rochester zone.  For both of them, when we were downtown we chose to park in the Damon or Graham parking lots which were the most affordable for us at $25 for a 5 day pass.  Parked there 24/hrs a day while staying downtown and parked there for appointments when staying away.

The Kahler Grand had the following pros - immediately across the street from the Gonda/Mayo buildings, connected to the underground walking paths, right downtown in easy walking distance to restaurants, shopping, big Starbucks right in the hotel.  It has a "right in the heart of the downtown" feel.  

Cons - old hotel, smallish room and small bathroom, 3rd party bookings do not get the renovated rooms, a 2 block walk to the Damon parking or pay $17.22/day for the attached parking garage.  

The Comfort Inn & Suites opened in February 2015, large rooms and bathrooms, free parking lot, complimentary breakfast.  Cons - a 10 min drive to Mayo downtown (is in the very NW edge of the priceline Rochester zone), definitely need a car for shopping and eating.  If you have a car and like to drive, this has a more relaxed feel - although it might not be too relaxing in the winter with snow!

I can't remember what it showed but here are all the amenities for the hotel when I look at my priceline trip detail.  Hope that helps!

Brailed elevators
Bus parking
Business center
Coffee/Tea maker
Complimentary full american breakfast
Elevators
Exercise gym
Free parking
Hairdryer
Handicap rooms
Indoor pool
Iron
Meeting rooms
Non-smoking
Onsite laundry
Outdoor parking
Ramp access
Safe deposit box
Vending machines
Wireless internet connection

And here was my total:

71.00 room

17.83 taxes and fees

88.83 total

I have been staying at the Kahler Grand that I won previously with a $45 bid for a 2.5*.  I need to stay on another night and can tell things are much busier here, so started with your PRICELINE links and bid $50 for 2.5* in Rochester.  No luck.  I didn't want another area of town so took a PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal for a 2.5* in this area for $71.  Got the Comfort Inn & Suites West - Medical Center.  Reviews are good and it is new, so am thinking this will work fine. A new one to add to your list!

Bid 2.5* for Rochester at $42, Price.line countered with $52.  24 hours later I bid $45 and got the Kahler Grand.  It's on available on Price.line for $56, but $45 is even better!  Used your PRICELINE links.

Parking at Kahler Grand with a 3rd party booking is an additional $17.22/day.  I think we'll park a block away at Mayo Clinic parking which a max of $12/day, and a 5-day parking pass is $25. 

$90.00 - 2 nights at $45

$21.74 - taxes and fees

$111.74 total

I had a great experience at the Fairfield.

Parking was $7/day, so for the 7 days it was $49 - no taxes or extra fees.

The shuttle was very prompt going, and when I returned I called the Fairfield after I got my bag and the shuttle came very quickly and they always took car of my bag for me.  It had been frigid temps and snowed while I was away and my car battery was dead. The maintenance man from the Fairfield was very nice to jump my car. 

I would recommend them highly!

Tried for the 3.5* MCI Hilton but went up to $60 with no success.  Then bid $45 on 2.5* and got the Fairfield.  I'm flying out on a 7 day trip.  I know the Hilton charges $8/day with a max of $45.  It will be interesting to see what the Fairfield charges.   Always use the BetterBidding PRICELINE links!

45.00 - room

13.25 - taxes

58.25 - total

Hmmm.  Sorry - thought it was in there.

Columbia, Missouri  (University of Missouri) 

Bid $45 and got it on first try.  $58.03 with tax.  Shows $115 online.  Used your PRICELINE links!

Found a pl Express Deal for $60 for a 2.5* in La Junta, CO so bid $50, rejected, added a free rebid zone and bid $55 and won.

Used your PRICELINE links to check and bid.  Thanks!

Thank you for the other work around ideas.  I really hope the functionality can be restored to show the topic description line in the search results, though, as that’s still my favorite way to check things out.

With Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins I always have a problem finding a 14 day window with any listings.  And with Priceline Maps it’s a lot of clicking to see the individual entries in order to see people’s bidding strategies.  Don't get me wrong - they're both great tools, but I love the search the best!

Anyway, our plans have changed and it looks like we’ll not be stopping in Des Moines after all!

Has the search function changed?

I am wanting to search past Priceline wins for Des Moines, IA.  I entered the forum for Idaho/Indiana/Iowa and in the search box entered "moines."  The search results are returned but the second line showing the winning bid amount is not displayed.

Only had two chances to bid for tonight so used your PRICELINE links, bid for 3*, started at $44 and won immediately.

$44.00 - 1 room

$13.52 - taxes & fees

$57.52 - total

I had bid up to $62 yesterday for a 3.5* with no success, but this will work out well for us.

Thanks to Better Bidding I had an idea of where to start for my last minute stay! Thank you!

$126.00 - 2 rooms at $63

$27.38 - taxes and fees

$153.38 - total

Ok - got the first night, 2 rooms. Started cheap and increased by $1 with free re-bid zones until I won at $63. I was bidding for a 3.5*.

We are traveling with my mother who will go on to see friends while my husband & I stay on a couple nights. We decided it was more important to all be in the same hotel the first night (a Thursday) and it was ok to move hotels if we needed to for the weekend. I then bid on Priceline for a 3.5* in the DFW North for 11/15-11/17 and started at $56 and won the 4* Embassy Suites right off.

Thanks for your ideas and help!

4* Dallas (Airport DFW North) Embassy Suites Dallas - DFW Airport North at Outdoor World

I always use your links to search and bid. Love this site!

My travel dates are 11/14/13 - 11/17/13. I'm going to bid the DFW North area for a 3.5* and there are a lot of free re-bid zones. I feel confident bidding except have never bid for 2 rooms with different lengths of stay.

I'm going to bid for a hotel in the DFW area.

I want the same hotel for 2 rooms, but will need one room for only 1 night and the other room for 3 nights.

What should my strategy be? Bid for the 3 nights room and once I win that then bid the winning amount and stars and area for the 1 night? I should get the same hotel, right?

Thanks for any ideas!

Yay - got the hotel we were wanting!

Used your links to PRICELINE 3* in downtown Tulsa. Started at $45 and Priceline countered with $62. I kept adding a few dollars and free rebid zones and won at $57. My $54 bid was denied so the sweet spot is somewhere between $54 and $57!

$114.00 - 2 nights at $57

24.38 - taxes and fees

$138.38 - total

We wanted the Comfort Inn in the Carmel area for a week-long stay while attending a conference. Wanted the free breakfast and it had good reviews. I found a Priceline Express Deal for $44 which I thought had to be the Comfort Inn with the area and amenities. So bid 3 days in a row, 2 bids a night. At $36 and again at $38 Priceline countered with $46 but I kept going up by $1 and won at $40.

280.00 - 7 nights at $40

56.28 - taxes and fees

336.28 - total

Used your PRICELINE links - thanks!