mcremata

I figured the 4.5* was Montebello Splendid based on previous posts I read in this forum. It's on Expedia & Hotels.com for $380, so it's a $19 price break per night.

Priceline doesn't have a 5* option for Florence. Makes bidding really tough b/c there's such a huge difference b/w quality levels of 4* hotels and with only 2 zones, it's a broad reach.

Let me know if you have any luck narrowing down the 5* here. Thanks.

4.5-star hotel in Central Florence

$361

boutique

complimentary breakfast

tennis nearby

restaurant

casino

fitness

5-star hotel in Central Florence

$445

Airport Shuttle

Golf Nearby

Restaurant

Tennis Nearby

thanks for the strategy. i would never have come up w/ doing it that way ;-) tried as you instructed, but no luck this morning. i'll try again tomorrow. any reason why you think the chances of acceptance are greater tomorrow? should i keep the bid amounts the same?

Is there an ideal strategy for this bid? How can I get the max. # of re-bids if I wish to limit my area choices to these areas? Will bid upto $180. Thanks!

It didn't come cheap, but finally got a 5* in Rome for $340. Here's the info:

Grand Hotel De La Minerve Roma

Piazza Della Minerva 69

Rome, Italy

Check-In Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Check-Out Date: Saturday, June 17, 2007

Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$340.00

Started at $200 and added each free rebid zone. Increasing bid $25 each time. At $250 I received a counter offer at $376. I continued to increase and ran out of re-bids at $325. I went back (through savingsbarn.com) and changed my date by one day and rebid again. $$330 rejected. $335 rejected. $340 accepted.

I exercised the option and added a date after the bid was won.

Anyone stayed here?

Hi Friends ;-)

I have news... Last night my bid for a 4*+ room in Paris was accepted for a rate of $240.

Here's the info:

Check-In Date: Saturday, June 2, 2007

Check-Out Date: Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Hotel Name: Hotel Scribe

Your Offer Price: US$240.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 4

Subtotal: US$960.00

Taxes and Service Fees: US$85.49

Total Charges: US$1,045.49

Started bidding at $200 in Champs...(recalling that 2 days prior my bid of $255 had been rejected)

Bid $200, rejected & added re-bid zone 1 (top of list)

Bid $210, rejected & added re-bid zone 2 (2nd from top...)

Bid $220, rejected & added re-bid zone 3

Bid $230, rejected & added re-bid zone 4

Bid $240 accepted Hotel Scribe

Now onto Rome - keeping my fingers crossed and would love anyone's input. Thanks!

I'll stay in any area close my original target area. Somewhere in central Paris. Hotel quality is more important to me that specific location.

I'll stay in any area close my original target area. Somewhere in central Paris. Hotel quality is more important to me that specific location.

thanks thereuare for the notes. i would consider nearby zones. i'd prefer not to split the bids only b/c it is a pain and as it is we're moving around a lot from city to city.

this is depressing ;-( well, i suppose i'll have to pay more or reduce expectations. my travel dates are somewhat fixed. i've got the ticket reservations paid.

paris is frustrating. i just stayed for $200 at the westin paris. i was hoping to do something similar for $250 at this time of year.

rome, venice, florence. i'm at a loss. would love any hotel recommendations. i haven't been since i was a kid and have no idea where to stay. willing to pay upto $300 a night for a 5* in Rome, Paris, Venice, Florence.

thanks for all the feedback and suggestions. it's a huge help!

Bid today up to $255 and was rejected. Used detailed bidding strategy (adding all free re-bid zones - which are all zones except Champs) provided by Thereuare for a trip I made in the Spring. I stayed at the Westin Paris then for $200 per night. Struggling to find good hotels for this trip. I'm looking for:

London 5/30 - 6/2 (prefer 5* Mayfair-Soho) been rejected upto $225

Paris 6/2 - 6/6 (prefer 4*+ Champs) been rejected to $255

Venice 6/7 - 6/9 (prefer 5* or equivalent. haven't even tried yet)

Florence 6/9 - 6/13 (prefer 5* or equivalent. haven't even tried yet)

Rome 6/13 - 6/17 (prefer 5* Central. been rejected to $200)

London 6/17 - 6/18 (prefer 5* Mayfair-Soho. haven't tried yet)

this is becoming a full time job ;-) i'm exhausted and i haven't found a thing. any ideas would be appreciated.

Bid today upto $200. Looking to be in area Central. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the input. I'll focus on a 4*, but from what I can see there are no free bid zones in London in this category. Anything I'm missing? What's the best strategy for 4* in Mayfair - Soho? Up to $180.

thanks for the strategy help. unfortunatley i got nowhere, despite going up to $235. anyone had any luck w/ a 5* in the area for these dates? what's the conventional wisdom on how far i'll have to go in price to have an accepted offer? does anyone know if the 4* in the same area are more or less on par?

any advice? willing to pay upto $225. if i'm not successful, will downgrade to 4* which from what i read on this board can be found in the mid-low $100's.

Started bidding at $100 and increased $5 at a time adding each of the re-bid zones. Accepted without warning (no offers as I was getting close) at $200.

Quick update - I tried the above stragegy again this morning and my bid of $200 was accepted for a 6 night stay 3/29/07 - 4/4/07 at The Westin Paris. Thanks to all for the help!

Thank you for the more detailed strategy. That was a big help!

I tried yesterday, following this strategy up to $185, but had no success. Perhaps it is too early? Perhaps it is just an expensive time of year? I'll keep trying and will report any success.

Thank you again and please send me any recommendations regarding best 5* hotels / areas to stay in Paris. It's been a long time since I've visited and The Plaza Athenee is the only place I've stayed. Thanks!

$130 is not my max. The conventional rate at Le Grand Hotel Intercontinental is $365 per night (which seems like a good choice of hotel although I have no personal experience) or at Sofitel Paris-Arc De Triomphe for $285, another 5* which seems less attractive, but still a possibility. Keeping those rates in mind, I'd likely bid up to a max of $200 and if I was unsuccessful, I'd buy the conventional way.

Am I going about this the right way, but opening up Priceline (via SavingsBarn.com) and bidding 1st on a 4*+ in the only zone that has this hotel category and then adding each free re-bid zone, one at a time? Should I be closing down and re-opening or is it that simple?

I've only ever stayed at The Plaza Athenee in Paris. Any thoughts on the best area or places to stay for a luxury hotel experience in a central area would be appreciated. Thank you!

From what I can see, there is only one section with 4*+, Champs Elysees - Opera Quarter West, which means there are 6 free re-bid zones.

I bid starting at $100 and went up $5 at a time adding each zone each time and finished at $130 with no luck.

Any thoughts on my strategy? Should I be closing and going back in? Is it too early?

Thank You. My bid for $108 was accepted at The Grand Hyatt (just as someone else on this board had posted for a 1 night stay on Jan 1). I'm very pleased with the price. Thanks so much for the help!

Thanks for the help. Which are the 2 re-bid zones? My max bid is $175.

Hello everyone. This board helped me in the Spring get a great deal at the Intercontinental Barclay. I need to brush up on strategy before I begin to bid for this trip. I'm confused about my re-bid zones - looking at the NYC area now, 4* appears in all areas. What should my strategy be assuming I prefer MTW, MTE, Upper Midtown - Central Park South.

Thanks for the help!

yes, it is for:

2 rooms

5 nights

tuesday 4/18 - sunday 4/23

$180 per night. per room

intercontinental barclay

i bid $170 and was rejected and then bid $180 and was accepted. thanks again. this is a wonderful resource and i'm very grateful to have found you. fyi, i accessed priceline using savingsbarn.com.

thank you so much. i just tried the priceline strategy you suggested and finally after what seems like forever got an acceptance. i would not have been able to do it without your help and i appreciate it very, very much. see below:

Your Price Has Been Accepted

Congratulations, you got your price of $180 for a 4-star hotel room.

Intercontinental The Barclay