grizparker

Nice place to stay. Just like the Le Merdien, you'll have to pay for parking, so be prepared for that. Nice views of north Dallas area. If you are hungry for great food, try Kenny's on Beltline. My wife and I love that place. http://kennyswoodfiredgrill.com/

4 Star Hotel Galleria - Dallas North $53 Bid Le Meridien Dallas By The Galleria 13402 Noel Road Dallas, TX 75240 Got it on the first try. Stated there many times before. Nice hotel and we really enjoy the area. Parking always an extra cost, no big deal.

One of the first hotels I stayed at in NO with my wife. Great place and very classy. You got a steal of a deal with this one. Just be prepared to pay for vallet parking. Other options are to park on the street (a few streets over) IF you can find a spot or you can find an outdoor paid parking lot a few blocks away. Sometimes going too fancy can cost a little more... :)

Started my bid at $55 for Convention Center area. Should have known that I was going to get this hotel (by reading others posts). Have stayed there before. It's pretty nice hotel...very clean and GREAT location, but just wanted to try something new. Oh well, can't complain about a 4* at $55/night. Gotta love Priceline and BetterBidding! (Used links from betterbidding.com)

Holiday Inn Dallas North-Addison 3 Star Galleria - Dallas North 4960 Arapaho Road Addison, Texas 75001 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $33.00 Subtotal: $33.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $12.07 Total Charges*: $45.07

This was not for me, but rather my brother-in-law who bid. So, I'll just give you what I know for future knowledge... The bid: 4* - French Quarter - $55 --> Rejected 4* - add Downtown - $65 --> Rejected 3.5* - FQ and DT - $70 --> Wait...PL will respond in 15 minutes message....Accepted Marriott Convention Center 859 Convention Center Boulevard Right at $85 after fees. I don't think this hotel is on the "Priceline Hotel List - Lousiana," so we may want to look at adding it.

Colfax, Thanks for pointing that out. The winning bid was $22, not $45. That probably got accidentally left behind during a copy/paste. Also, I did use the Betterbidding.com PRICELINE link when booking the hotel. Also, a note worth mentioning... The hotel was not all that great. I guess I shouldn't have expected much for $22, but it was a little "eeky." The positive side of the hotel was that it was in a pretty good location (saftey and proximity to restaurants) and that it was very clean. For how "run down" the rooms were, they were very clean (almost suprising).

Studio Plus Dallas - Farmers Branch Galleria - Dallas North 4022 Parkside Center Blvd Farmers Branch, Texas 75244 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $22.00 Subtotal: $22.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $10.25 Total Charges*: $32.25

Searched 4* in Downtown area for $52. Offered Free Rebid for an increase of $15. It was late at night and I was tired, so I took the free rebid at $67. Hilton New Orleans Riverside Downtown - Convention Center Two Poydras Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70140 Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $67.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $67.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $18.61 (USD) Total Room Cost: $85.61 (USD) Used the PRICELINE link from Betterbidding (of course!). :)

Bid on 2.5* or higher. Started at $30, kept raising ($32, $35) using NorthEast Dallas hotels until got to $37. Accepted. Your Price Was Accepted Congratulations, we

It's been a week since I've booked (and stayed) at the hotel so I don't remember all the details of the bidding process. However, I know I started at the 3* level at $30 and worked my way up (using most areas in the NorthEast part of Dallas) to $40. Main reason for post is to note that this hotel is now a 3*. Used PRICELINE link from this site... Thanks Betterbidding!

We enjoyed our stay and it is definitely close to Belt Line Rd, which has MANY places to eat. Drawbacks: - Beds were "too soft." We sunk into the beds and woke up with back-aches. - No Elevators.

Started bidding at $50 and raised it to $55, $59, and $62. Used Galleria, then added Downtown....then added Northwest....then added Brookhollow. Only Downtown has another 4*. I was OK with getting a downtown hotel. Best rate elsewhere was through hotwire for a 4* at Galleria for $69. Hotel Derek Houston Houston Galleria 2525 West Loop South Houston, Texas 77027 713-961-3000 Check-In Date: Fri, Jul 18, 2008 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sun, Jul 20, 2008 / 12:00 PM Offer Price: $62.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $124.00 Taxes & Fees: $29.18 Total Charges: $153.18

I found a Hotwire deal for $59 for a 4* in the Galleria area. I tried to undercut it using Priceline but was unsuccessful. I've documented my attempt below for everyone elses benefit. This is just for the record: 1) 4* - "Dallas Galleria" --> $40 ~~ FAILED 2) Added "Airport DFW South" --> $43 ~~ FAILED 3) Added "Dallas Northwest" --> $46 ~~ FAILED 4) Added "Irving - Las Colinas" --> $49 ~~ FAILED 4) Added "East Dallas - Mesquite" --> $52 ~~ FAILED 5) Added "Bedford" --> $55 ~~ FAILED 6) Added "Arlington - Grand Prairie" --> $58 ~~ FAILED Therefore, I just booked the $59 hotel using Hotwire. The Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre. $76 and change after taxes and fees. Hope this helps!!

Thanks goes out to majorca and SinatraFan!!! You both passed on some valuable information! I'll go back and look at my options again and reply back when I get ready to start bidding.

***I'd like to start this off by saying that I think you guys rock (thereuare) and have been incredibly helpful in the past for me! Thanks in advance!*** Let's set it at 3.5* or 4* I had planned a trip to Chicago, but now it looks like we're having to change plans for Los Angeles instead. I'm more of an "East Coast" vacationer and don't know much about the west coast. We plan on staying roughly a week in LA. We must leave on either the afternoon of 6/8 or the morning of 6/9. The return dates are +-2 days flexible. I will have to rent a car for the week (I'm assuming) because there is too much to see and it's too spread out for cabs to be cheaper. I'll kinda have to figure in the cost of the car parking when looking for a hotel....some places charge an arm and a leg for parking! What I know: I know the closer to the water and the closer to the hills......the nicer. However, I also know that this also means $$$$. Obviously, I'm looking for the best for the buck. I've found the following hotels by looking around a little today (price after taxes): $98 - Wilshire Grand - Downtown $105 - Westin Bonadventure Downtown I also found a great package deal on hotwire for the Mariott Downtown but about 10 minutes I searched again and it was gone. :) What I don't know: Is Downtown a good place to stay in Los Angeles? Is it worth any extra money to stay out in the Santa Monica or Beverly Hills area? Or, is it worth the money you save to stay out by LAX airport? Is a car really needed or is there other forms of transportation that is more convienent? ---------------------------------- With all of this said...even if these are the best deals, I will definitely try bidding through Priceline to undercut these prices. What would be the best strategy for this? I've listed the areas below in the order of preference (although if someone suggests negatively about a certain area, then I'm fine changing it around).Currently, my budget after taxes is pretty close to $100. Mainly because I've got specific hotels that seem decent already available for that price. Santa Monica & Marina Del Rey Beverly Hills - West Hollywood Hollywood Brentwood - Westwood Culver City Downtown Los Angeles Los Angeles Airport (LAX) Redondo - Manhattan Beaches Thanks, :) grizparker

I still plan on keeping an eye out for better prices, but I went ahead and took the good advice and booked the Comfort Inn and Suites Downtown for $159 using the Quickbook link. Thanks guys!

Very well noted. I had no idea that the train ride was 40-60 minutes into town. That does pretty much make up my mind on where I would stay. Downtown it is. I like the idea of maybe staying the last night in the airport area. I could probably save a good $60-$80 or so and it would be an easy trip to the airport the next morning anyway. I look to do something soon and will post my results back here. Thanks.

Does anyone know the best hotels around the airports or which airport would be the better area to stay at? If I end up having to go that route due to $$$, which way should I go? A key factor would be access to the train so we can have a quick and easy ride into town every day.

Thanks! You guys are awesome! I'm certainly looking into this hotel (and will use your Quickbook link if I book), but if anyone else reads this post and would like to contribute any more information, please do. I will be booking in the next week or two. Anyone that knows of any less expensive yet great deal/location hotels, feel free to post!

It appears to be June 7th-10th. Estimated 750,000 people! :) No, I do not mind splitting my bid. I enjoy staying at multiple hotels, so if this were to end up happening, I'd be ok with it. I just would not want to switch hotels more than once. Thanks!

My wife and I are trying to plan a summer vacation for June 9th - June 15th. We're fairly flexible about the length of stay but have to leave on the 8th or 9th. I've been on the "vacation" trail now for several weeks...trying to hunt down the biggest bang for the buck. Although we've narrowed it down to Phoenix, Chicago, or Los Angeles....I think we've decided on Chicago. Unfortunately (but fortunately) the Chicago Blues Fest is going on during the weekend we arrive, so I'm not sure how much this will impact our room prices. We would LOVE to stay right around North Michigan Ave/ Magnificent Mile / Loop areas in a nice hotel. However, our budget puts us at spending no more than $125/night. I've looked at maybe resorting to staying out by Midway or OHare in one of the lesser expensive hotels, but would really enjoy something better. As long as we are in a "safe" part of town with easy access to the train, because we will not have a vehichle. So far, here's the best I've found...(after taxes and fees) $144 - Easy Click Travel - Tremont Downtown Chicago $85 - Hotwire - Four Points Sheraton Midway ------------- I've also been checking out the vacation packages. I'll be leaving out of Dallas, TX on the 9th. All vacation packages I've looked up are for 6 nights. $1360 - Hyatt Regency Chicago $1354 - Belden Stratford I've only been to Chicago once and it was 10 years ago. I don't remember the whole Chicago area all that well, so if anyone has any ideas of good places to stay where I can get cheaper prices OR knows of any other good deals, PLEASE let me know and I'll be grateful.

My target properties were the Richardson Hotel or the a Westin Hotel 01/05 - 01/06: First Bid (Frisco) at $55 ..... for the possibility of being awarded the Westin Stonebriar Rebid (Richardson) at $61 - Accepted Richardson Hotel Subtotal............$61.00 Taxes & Fees....$16.47 Total Charges....$77.47 Happy bidding! :)

All bids were for 4* hotels in Dallas, TX. I had to bid 9 different times before finally getting my price high enough to stay in the Galleria area. Started with Galleria - $52 + Frisco - Plano West - $55 (they have 4 stars, but I was OK with staying here) + Las Colinas - $58 + East Dallas - Mesquite - $61 + DFW - South - $64 + Arlington - Grand Praire - $67 + Arlington - South - $70 + Knox - Northpark - $73 + Fort Worth - Bedford - $79 Finally a winning bid with $79 for: Hotel Intercontinental Dallas 15201 Dallas Parkway Dallas, Texas 75001 972-386-6000 Room: $79.00 Taxes: $19.54 Total: $98.54 Oh, by the way... I didn't see Hotel Intercontinental Dallas on the list of Priceline Hotels. Might want to add it. :)

Sorry, I also appeared to accidentally post my Priceline post on this Hotwire forum. I'll go ahead and apologize for that. :)