Wanted to stay near Hershey, PA for two nights around New Years, minimum 3*. First bid: Harrisburg East, 3*, $40 Second bid: Added Harrisburg, 3*, $45 Success! Including taxes, $54.40 / night. Best rate online is $132.09, so a savings of nearly 60%! :) Started bidding with the PRICELINE link in the upper corner...
Was targeting downtown, so had my pick of 2 main bid zones. Allowed me the flexibility to take advantage of the numerous 4* free bids Boston offers on this one... Bid History: $75 $80 - offer to rebid at $100 $82 $84 $85 - Jackpot! Omni Boston Parker House Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $85.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal:$170.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $33.74 (USD) Total Room Cost: $203.74 (USD) Lowest rate available is just over $150 per room (tax included), so a savings of about 33%. Started with the PRICELINE link in the corner...
Seeing all the recent activity at this hotel, I was pretty sure I'd end up at the Doubletree (happily)! 1st bid $40, rejected - offer to re-bid with $10 increase in price (nah - won't be cheaper downtown, and okay if I end up there anyway...). 2nd bid: $41, rejected (added downtown) 3rd bid: $43, rejected (added Kirkland, no 3* hotels) 4th bid: $45, accepted Taxes & fees: $13.82 - so total of $58.32. Min prepaid price on the hotel's website is $97, so nearly 40% off... :) Started my search through the PRICELINE links at the top of the page.
I've been bidding on hotels in DT / Lake Union / University for the past 3 weeks for these dates. Always bid on 4* to $120 (starting at $85, in increments of $5) Always bid on 3* to $120 (starting at $85, in increments of $5) Always bid on 2.5* to 100 (starting at $85, in increments of $5). But, I guess persistance pays off... Finally won the 2.5* Springhill Suites, for 3 nights, 8/14-8/17 at $90. Lowest available rate online is $209, so significant savings! :) Used the PRICELINE link to begin bidding.
To catch a flight out of SFO before dawn, wanted to stay near the airport rather than downtown... Started bidding at $60. Was offered a 're-bid now' for $75. With a ton of free re-bids at 4*, I called BS & successfully re-bid at $63. Lowest rate at the hotel's website was $229... :) Started with the PRICELINE Link.
Needed to stay near the Financial District for 2 nights, 8/18-8/20. Bid 4* to $120, no luck. Bid Boutique from $85 - $100 in $5 increments. Got a hit at the Galleria Park Hotel at $100. Lowest rate online is currently $259. Used the PRICELINE Link.
PRICELINE doesn't show any 4* hotels in the SEA area (as of July 31) [i.e. you can use the SEA area as a free re-bid for 4*] - but everything from 3* & below...
I've been bidding similar dates (8/14-8/17) for the past few days, and have yet to get an offer for bids up to $110 (including 2.5*). I think it's just an expensive (and relatively full) time of year for DT Seattle...
After reading many $60 wins for the SEA area on the board, I started bidding at $50. Rebid at $55 before a successful bid at $60. Used the PRICELINE link. Now if only a bid would be successful for something closer to downtown for 8/14-8/17...
