pirate

Started at $141 and went up in $5 increments till I hit at $166. Total with taxes etc $409.10.

Great hotel, right on Park Lane, sweet deal for me and brownie points earned with Mrs Pirate!

Pretty straightforward this one. Opened at $96, got a counter to add 25, went up in $1 increments and hit at $99.

Best price on the Hyatt web was $228.65 + tax per night.

A useful saving and this was the property I was hoping for in this zone, so I'm happy.

That's my entire trip booked now, and I calculate I'm just shy of $2,000 in front of retail for the 28 days. So its job done and down to the pub for a couple or three pre-weekend pints.

Theruare I still can't ever get the PRICELINE link to work on my computer. No matter, I have sent you a thank you donation via your Pay Pal A/c.

Thanks to all posters for their invaluable help,

:) Pirate

After suddenly winning Loews in Tucson (see my winning priceline bid) it occurred to me that maybe Loews had just released a batch of rooms to Priceline so I decided to have a try for the San Diego leg of my trip.

Opened at $95 and at 99 got a counter to add $25.

Jumped to 107 and then used multiple rebids to go up in increments of $1, each time getting a counter to add $25. Last rejection was 114 so 115 is right on the money at the moment.

Best retail on Loews web was $229 plus tax so I'm more than pleased, especially so far in advance. Just Los Angeles to sort now and thats my whole trip sorted.

:) Pirate

Bid this up to $89 a couple of weeks ago without so much as a counter offer. Slow morning in the office so decided to give it a run. Opened at $75 and struck straight away.

4 nights at 75 plus 58.96 taxes etc = $358.96. Best rate available from Loews was 192 + tax, pre paid an uncancelable, = $868.24. Beats working for a living!

:) Pirate

Another tricky small town market with no re-bids.

Started at $51 and got a counter to add 10.

Waited 24hrs and bid $63, counter is now, add 15! Continued to wait and bid, going through $66 and then by $1 increments. Each time the counter was "add 15".

Finally struck at $60. I'm happy, property looks OK, newish and quite well reviewed. Best available price was $85 pre-paid, so saved 30%.

Just a heads up to anyone using Hotwire in Yuma. I am almost sure I was offered this hotel on Hotwire @ $68. Now listed as 2.5* and ameneties: Smoke Free, Shuttle, Laundry, Breakfast, Pool, Fitness, Business, Internet.

:) Pirate

Hi Yellowdog,

There were no ameneties listed, that is what I meant by "Hotwire did their we are still gathering information thing". I went in totally blind, but the deal looked kosher, I'm certainly OK with it, no complaints!

For what its worth Ramada had a little summary box on their own website for the property which listed the following:

Shuttle, Business, Free Breakfast, Internet, Pool, Fitness, Meetings/Banquet, Pets.

I'm not sure if those last two are relevant to Hotwire anyway, you may want to edit this if they are not.

Hope that is some help,

Pirate

No information at all for Alpine and its an expensive town in the spring! Options at retail were Hampton at 119 or holland Hotel at 109 plus breakfast.

Nothing on PRICELINE so I had a look at HOTWIRE; they offered 2.5* at $79, but did their "we are still gathering information on this property" thing. I figured that this was to preserve opacity, there's only one 2.5* in town, The Hampton.

WRONG! they rate the Ramada as 2.5* somehow. I'm not too bothered really, I've only saved about $5 net on their retail, but the reviews are very positive.

Went through the link on this site.

:) Pirate

Started bidding for 3.5* at $49, went up by $1 increments to $56, nothing.

Then 3* at $41 to $48, nothing.

Finally tried 2.5*, no rebid so just went in at $44 and got it first time.

I'm very pleased with this one as the H I Express was one of my prefered hotels downtown anyway and was almost certainly offered on Hotwire at $56! (3* Breakfast, Pool, Golf)

Best available retail was $74 plus tax, so a useful saving as well.

:) Pirate

Won this first bid, which always make me think I could have got it cheaper, and the reviews aren't too special either, but hey its only one night.

Best retail was $76.50 plus tax, so at least I've saved a few bucks.

:) Pirate

Another town without much history.

Over two days I bid 2.5* $51, $56. Then 2* $56 countered $71, rebid $61. Next day 2.5* $62 countered $77, $63. 2* $64 countered $79, Finally $65 Bingo.

Fairfield looks OK and the best retail I could find was $100 plus tax, so a useful saving!

:) Pirate

Nothing much to go on here.

Tried $52 for 2.5*, added 2* and rebid $53, won the Best Western.

Best retail I could find was $67.50 plus tax, so only a modest saving. Tripadvisor rates it OK so I'm happy enough.

:) Pirate

I don't often use Hotwire, prefering Priceline most of the time, but $79 for 5* is NOT going to be beaten anywhere! Total for 2 nights including taxes etc $191.40

Ameneties were: Spa, Resort, Studio, Smoke Free, Fitbess, Pool, Restaurant, Internet, Kitchenette, and Condo.

So as expected.

Thanks, as always,

Pirate

Opened at $123 (see bid below) and hit first time.

4 nights at $123 plus $68.97 taxes etc = $560.97.

Again best rate available from Marriott direct was $269, tax paid, so happy bunny!

:) Pirate

Opened at $115 and was countered to add the usual $22.

Waited 24hrs and bid $123, rejected.

Waited 24hrs and bid $128, accepted.

2 nights at $128 plus fees etc $37.94 = $293.94 total.

More a 4 1/2* than a true 5* but the best rate I could get was $269 per night, tax paid, so I'm very happy!

:) Pirate

Had bid up to $128 for a 5* with no joy at all. Not prepared to go any higher because I could get the Stamford retail for $168, tax paid.

Tried 4* at $100 and got a counter to add $22.

Waited 24hrs and bid $105, rejected and countered at $127!

Waited 24hrs and bid $111, accepted.

3 nights at $111 plus fees etc $48.33 = $381.33

This is the Mercure on Spring Street, not the Grand Mercure. A new 4* for the list and not one I would have chosen, great location, but possibly closer to 3 1/2* than 4*. Will post a report in due course.

:) Pirate

Started at $145 and got an immediate counter for $199.

Tried $154, $163 and $172, getting counters of $199, $189! and $198.

Figured I was getting close at $172 so I went up in $1 increments and hit at $180, so that is currently the exact striking point.

Your bid $180 x 2 nights plus taxes etc $75.09 = total $435.09

Best price on the Intercontinental website was $245 plus tax, prepaid and non-cancellable = $575.75, so saved $140, that will buy Mrs P's theatre tickets!

:) Pirate

Have sent $10 via Pay Pal.

:) Pirate

Hi Pindy,

I

1) Delivered a sailing boat from Antigua to St Vincent with my wife and daughter for crew. 12 Caribean Islands in 17 days, beautiful trip.

2) Would love to pilot a glider over O'ahu.

I had previously bid this at up to $161 without any joy. Today I opened at $161 and edged up to $174 where I got a counter of $199.

I still had five re-bids left so I took it up in increments of $5. At $179 and $184 I again got counters to add $25 each time; i.e. to $204 and $209. Nothing at $189, then bingo at $194.

Your offer $194 x five nights = 970 + taxes and fees 151.08 = Total $1,121.08

Best price I could find was direct with Marriott @ $397 plus taxes per night. Total $2,243.05.

So that is over 1,100 dollars saved, and a great property for our stay in HKG. So I'm delighted, Mrs P is happy and everything in the garden is blooming!

Naturally I bid through the SavingsBarn link.

Just for information I had bid Central Kowloon 5* up to $135 and Tsim Sha Tsui 5* up to $139 without any response at all.

:) Pirate

Hi Jason,

No particular chain, it seems pretty well across the board and its not just on Priceline stays, stays paid at retail just as often.

Pirate

A great stay, we loved The Renaissance. Our room, while maybe not challenging The Venetian, was spacious and attractively furnished. Housekeeping was good and everything was clean. Best of all we didn

A massive re-modelling has transformed this property into a very attractive hotel. We stayed in late August and the construction team was just finishing up.

In fact I won this as a 2*, bidding in January 2007 when the work was in full swing and it wouldn't surprise me to see it coming up at a higher rating soon.

Our room was spacious, light and airy, with attractive furnishings. Naturally everything was sparkling clean.

The lobby was nicely presented and the front desk manned by a most helpful young man in the evening and a charming young woman next morning. Complimentary continental breakfast was excellent. A great find.

Tip: The hotel can only be accessed heading East on University Parkway, which is fine if arriving from I-15; if coming FROM the East it is necessary to drive past, pass over the Interstate and do a U turn to come back on the eastbound side.

:) Pirate

An older, low rise, courtyard style, place that looked as if it had gradually moved down the market over the years.

Corridors were dark and tired; our room was clean enough, but again felt dated and a little tired. Overall OK for a one night shower and sleep stop, if the price is right. Probably not bad enough to put me off bidding this zone in the future.

In fairness there are a whole string of similar hotels along Bus-15 into town and none of them look any better. Helena looks like a city that is trying to reinvent itself, but hasn

The Good

As far as I could tell the construction work is now over and they have certainly made a great job of the reception and lobby area.

Despite the constant throng of arrivals and departures the team out front do a great job marshalling the press of traffic, parking and retrieving cars, getting cabs and keeping everything moving smoothly.

The location for enjoying Seattle