Got it (using Savings Barn). Thanks! Sorry it took so long to get to the heart of the issue and get the info you needed for the strategy. FYI, I did UM/CPS prior to doing Times Square.
Do you have dollar figures in mind for the "bolded amounts"?
I guess $150 for a 3 star and 175 for the 4*.
I guess the priority is 'cheap' - so 3* up to some amount (in any of the 3 zones, MTW, Central Park and Times Square), and then, if we have to pay more, try to get a 4* for 'that amount' and if we still can't get it, drop back to a 3* at some number under $169.
Does that help?
The Pod won't work for us, but I will consider the Wellington our backup - good location, OK price. So, now to find something good on Priceline for under $169. First choice 4*, MTW, and branch out from there if that fails.
Good comments/questions, but hard to answer. Normally getting around NY is very easy (we have done it a lot), but my wife is in a wheelchair and unlikely to be much better by then (but hobbling with a cane vs. hauling a wheelchair to NY).
So, having said that, yes, I am willing to go to other zones (Times Square and upper midtown/central park). Additionally, I am willing to try 3*. So, given all of that, it complicates things. Top prize is Hilton at a reasonable price. But, a bargain that iisn't too far away would be great too (3 or 4* in MTW, Times Square or UM Central Park).
I should have added that splitting is not an option - for 4 nights, I don't want to try to stay two different places.
Does that help?
Trip is 2/8 - 2/12, 4 nights
I have been trying for 2-3 weeks, almost every day, for MTW 4*, trying my own strategy (via SavingsBarn), hoping to get the deal that macomb586810 got - that is, the ideal 'win' is the Hilton (4* NYC (MTW) Hilton New York). From what I can tell, my free rebids are UES and UWS. At this point, I have no real viable backup plan (promotion at the Mahattan Club for $1000 w/tax for the 4 nights).
I have been trying $105, $115 and $125 with no success. Today, when I saw the deal that macomb586810 got, I tried $125, $130 and $135 with no success. I decided to revert to an advice request, getting help from the experts, since time is running out.
In short, I want the Hilton most (friends we are traveling with are staying there on a timeshare promotion that wasn't available to us), I would like 4*, I want to be near the Hilton, and trying to pay as little as possible but willing to pay what it takes. I can go straight to the Hilton website for $269 a night, but hoping for much less than that.
I finally got back home and can confirm that Safari/Mac was the source of my earlier difficulties (using Safari I was unable to check boxes and see which star levels are included for free rebids). Using Vista/PC the Priceline page works as you describe.
So, I finally got around to trying again tonight (via Savings Barn). I started with Coastal and $90. It immediately countered me for a $22 increase. I declined, added a zone and bid $95 - rejected. I added another free zone and bid $101 and was accepted. The price is fine. The location is (barely) acceptable. Your hotel list is current and accurate, but I didn't realize, when I saw Hilton San Diego Resort on the list, that that is the Hilton on Mission Bay at 1775 East Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, California 92109. I have been here and don't consider it a 4*. We shall see. It has been 10 years and perhaps it has been upgraded. I was hoping for the Hyatt or Hilton in La Jolla. Oh well.
Thanks for your help.
For those who missed the previous thread, a month ago I tried $70 with $2 increments on free bids up to $90 - all rejected.
Thanks for the input/advice.
RE: Hotwire - sorry I never provided that info before - no wonder others have been confused. I actually entered La Jolla, CA, not San Diego, even though the zones for La Jolla are going to be similar to the zones for San Diego, A thru H obviously end up changing around some.
Yes, Coastal zone in Hotwire - 'D' - I merely unchecked every zone (A,B,C,E,F,G,H) but coastal and was left with two choices in Hotwire in San Diego Coastal - $139 per night (4*) and $79 per night (2.5*).
Today, using the advice that Downtown and Coronado were the only Priceline properties with 4*, I used my free bids to bid (via SavingsBarn) on Priceline for a San Diego Coastal 4*, $70-72-74-76-78-80-82-84-86-88-90) all unsuccessful. I would say I wanted one of those, but as for my limit, I will go to $100.
So, what should my strategy be for Coastal 4*.
Should that fail, I would like a suggestion, if I drop to 3*, how high should I go? I won't attempt that until I get home on a Windows machine and determine which areas provide free bids for 3*. I might delay getting going the 3* route until Oct/Nov?
RE: Hotwire - it is still there as of 10:00 a.m. 8/20. San Diego Coastal (the only area that 'works' - this is 'too many in 1 house Christmas overflow' housing), 2.5*, $79. The only amenities listed are 'pool(s)' and 'fitness center'.
RE: 'MAC' - thanks for your comments. I spent some time trying to get it to work and was losing my mind until it occurred to me it might be MAC/Safari.
Thanks.
RE: 'out of date' - sorry, I apologize, I wrote that part before I realized it might be a MAC/Safari issue.
RE: downloading - I will probably not (he is gone on vacation), we leave (Manhattan) tomorrow, but won't be home (California) until 8/28. Given the info from Colfax about where 4* are located is current as of this morning, I may try some this morning (using SavingsBarn) and if that fails, wait until I get home and go through the process (check 1 at a time).
Am I bidding too early (hotels haven't released rooms yet)?
Any comments about this question (am I too early)? Is there any rule of thumb about lead time? I suspect that Christmas may have different 'rules' than other times of year.
To get educated, I am currently focusing on 3 posts in Better Bidding:
Priceline Hotel List - California - this has extensive disclaimers which clearly say 'DO NOT USE THIS LIST to determine what areas to add when attempting to bid again.'
Bidding Again before 72 hours, -it can often be done! - this clearly says how to find out which zones have hotels at which * ratings. However, it is out of date.
Priceline star ratings format changed?? - this tells how it works now - simple, just click the (only) zone you want to check and it will remove (or gray out) * levels which are not in that zone. This would be perfect, except it doesn't work for me - I suspect because I am using my son-in-law's MAC with Safari and it just works different. Or else Priceline changed their interface?
Bottom line, I want to bid. I want to rebid as much as possible. But I don't want to get burned and get a surprise 'fill' of my order with a hotel from another zone that I thought wouldn't happen.
I want a 4*, San Diego Coastal, 12/22/07 - 12/26/07. I want to pay $75-95. My backup plan is Hotwire 2.5* at $79 for, presumably, the Holiday Inn Express?
Am I bidding too early (hotels haven't released rooms yet)?
Is there a way to learn (since Safari will not gray out any * levels for any San Diego zone) which zones have no 4* and are thus available for free rebids? Or, has Priceline changed such there is no way to find (for sure) free rebids?
Date 12/22/07 - 12/26/07
Prefer 4* (but may drop down to a 3* at some point)
Location must be San Diego Coastal - looking for San Diego areas to add that contain no 4*.
Would like to pay $75-85 as some successful bidders have indicated on your web site (one was over Labor Day), but might go as high as $90-$100 for a 4*.
If I drop down to 3*, hoping to be paying $65-75.
Hotwire has a 2.5* for $79 and a 4* for $139.
Your bidding help says 'use the Hotel list at your own risk, may not be accurate' - so is this (posting, waiting for a reply) the only way to find out which areas contain no 4* properties?
Bidding Help NYC-Midtown, 3*, May 4-9, 1 room
in Priceline Hotels - New York
Posted
I am ready to start bidding and, in fact, already did some trial balloons using the strategy Better Bidding provided in January for February rooms (no luck so far for May).
I have several problems - I don't have a good backup. I would like to pay in the $125 - $175 range for a 3*. But, if I could get a 4* for something in that range, that would be great. My first problem is dates. I need 5 nights and have been bidding on 5 nights (May 4-9), but I could get 2 nights via the Hilton timeshare promotion and only buy 3 via Priceline. If I go that route (only get 3 nights), is there any likely difference between May 4-7 or May 6-9 (that is, I could make 2 nights at the Hilton at the start or the end, but don't know which (Sun-Wed or Tue-Fri) might be better for Priceline).
I looked at Bidding Help NYC-Midtown, 4*, May 4-7, 2 rooms and can use that strategy for awhile. Location is quite flexible. It looks like UES and UWS are both free rebidding zones whether I try 3* or 4*.
Looking for recommended bidding strategy to get a room at a reasonable price.