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Good Call!!! I don't know why my brain often stops working when i see the different "select a city screen" as is the case here. The way to check is to only select Alachua from the list and "NEXT". If you do so, as i just did, you'll see there are only 1* and 2* hotels in this area, so it should be safe as a re-bid zone when trying for the 3* level in Gainesville. (double check it on your own) For the record, Expedia and Travelocity use different star rating systems, so that's not the right way to check, you should check by selecting THAT city only and seeing what star levels Priceine shows

Well, given that your back-up is about $70, i would probably bid $42, and if rejected, try again in 72 hours at $47 (if you're really not too happy with the Holiday Inn, maybe use $45 and then $50 in 72 hours... all depends just how happy/unhappy "he" will be at the Holiday Inn) If you get a reasonable "counter-offer" on any of these bids you may just want to take it since you're cutting it close time-wise and don't have any re-bid options available. Let us know what gameplan you decided to take and how it works out!

The strategy will be different if you only want to spend $x.xx amount via Priceline, or if you'd sooner take the 2* hotel mentioned above at $31, or if you don't want to stay at a 2* hotel at any cost and would spend the extra money to get 3*, etc, etc.

I do not know what the 2* property on Hotwire is, but i would guess that it is a Holiday Inn / Day Inn type of hotel. The 2* offers free breakfast and a pool, so doing a quick search shows possibilities as being La Quinta, Villager, Knights Inn, Cabot Lodge, as well as some others that may not be shown (when i saw that there would be multiple possibilities i didn't continue to narrow them down).

Welcome to BetterBidding and thank you for sharing your winning bid with the rest of us. This hotel is in downtown DENVER, correct? Thanks again!

I would guess that it is indeed somewhat of a "draw" since the rates for this weekend are $149 while the rates for the weekend before and weekend after are $119/$109. I see Hotwire has a 2* for $31 that weekend. What is your alternative if you don't get this hotel thru Priceline (then i'll be able to suggest a strategy)? -not go -stay with friends/family -buy at conventional rates -stay at the 2* (or 3* @$73) via Hotwire You actually have 2 (possibly 3 shots at it, since you can try today, and 72 hours until 6pm the day of check-in)

I'm assuming you stopped after your first $27 bid... or were you rejected up to $40?

Scorp, Well said! Too often we make things MUCH more complicated than they need to be. I think that Re-bidding is the most difficult part of the process, and even that isn't too difficut once you "get it." We can overanalyze any of this until we're blue in the face (and have no more definitive answers than when we started), but what it all boils down to is "how much should my bid be and what should be my next step if rejected."

Your Seattle hotel tax rate is a perfect example of why checking the hotel's website is the best source and less likely to contain errors.(i don't have any answers for you regarding how your Seattle stay was accepted, excpept to say that maybe there are a few properties that actually pay Priceline a booking fee (which Priceline is willing to subsidize your bid with) or something else along those lines). I'm certain the hotels know their competition in the area, which includes knowing their rack rates, discounted rates, Priceline rates, Hotwire rates, etc. and adjust set their own rates accordi

.... but also prone to errors as hotel tax rates in a given city change (which are harder to keep track of then city tax changes). I will admit that it may be a personal gripe, as the author of that page is not BetterBidding friendly :)

I never understood why the above website makes things so complicated. To find out the tax rate, i find the best source to be the hotel's website, as that will have the most up to date information and not be subject to any errors, updates, or omissions. For the newbies that are reading and want to keep it simple: Bottom Line: Tax Rate= 14% Nitely Tax= $5.21 $5.21 / .14 = $37.21 I understand the potential differences in nightly rates, but there is no way to know this for certain. It is quite possible that hotels charge Priceline rates that are not whole dollar amounts.

Never be embarrassed about posting, it's how we all learn!! I thought i was going to read about some horrific overbid, but nothing so terrible here. This is actually a very interesting post, because it's a second Holiday Inn property in the same zone! Thanks again for posting and realizing the benefits of sharing your info with others.

Thanks for supplying all that info, but we're not that formal here :) This whole process should be fun so we try to keep it a little more "free form". I assume you know about RE-BIDS of which you have two when bidding 3 star in the Miami Downtown area. This is how i would proceed: Miami Downtown 3* bid $27, if rejected add re-bid zone and bid $34, if rejected add re-bid zone and bid $40 If you really want the Hyatt i think you're best shot is with the first $27 bid... the next two bids are more likely to land you the Sheraton (both are fine hotels). If you'd really like the Hyatt, you could

It seems like the popular cities are filling in quite nicely (we've only been 'live' for 3 months!) , but the less frequent areas will take a little time. With posts such as yours, we'll be there soon!! Thanks again for sharing, contributing, and getting us one step closer to filling out the hotel lists!

Glef, You're correct in your assessment in that only bidding $75 doesn't make you 'eligible' for the other hotels in the area (based upon prior winning accepted bid amounts). However, using your example, simply bidding $95 could easily result in a $20 overbid, with you still receiving the Grand Hyatt. I would handle the above situation by bidding $75 first, and then if rejected, raise my bid to $95 when using a re-bid zone. This way if $75 is rejected, i know there is no availability at that rate and by then bidding $95 it won't result in an over-bid (at least not by as much). If the Hya

Welcome to BetterBidding. A FANTASTIC deal you got there!! Let the bragging begin.. i always say it's hard to keep deals like this to yourself. Thanks for posting and sharing your results with the rest of us, now if March '04 could only get here sooner :)

Welcome to BetterBidding! Nice score! Thanks for sharing your results with the rest of us, and enjoy your stay.

I'd like to point out that i DON"T think the location is a discrepancy. Hotwire (and Priceline) clearly state that you can receive a hotel anywhere in the shaded region which (i assume) this hotel is. I admit sometimes the zone descriptions can be a little "fuzzy", but i don't think that it would be grounds for a partial refund. On the other hand, you could claim that you insist on a fitness center in your hotel for health reasons (and IN the hotel for convenience) and therefore this property was misrepresented. There is a thread on the net bashing Hotwire, and IMO it's ridiculous. It start

I haven't seen Caesar's come up, so i don't know if you'll be successful in getting it. But to answer in more general terms, i have stayed at hotels with consecutive reservations booked thru multiple sources. I give them all the info at check-in and tell them i'd like the same room. I haven't had a problem yet, although one hotel did make me come downstairs on "switch" day in order to check-out of and then check-in to the same room (i didn't need to move, i just needed to go thru the 'front desk check-in/check-out procedure).

I have never heard of Caesar's participating in either program.

There are a few issues here. First, Priceline's Terms of Service are for non-commercial use only, so i think somebody bidding for you and charging for that would be a violation. I don't know what is involved in becoming a travel agent, but i believe they are licensed and regulated, so there might be some sort of issue with "only doing something in the customer's interest" and then buying a hotel room without knowing which one it is. As a thread here also indicates, mistakes DO happen to all of us, and since getting them corrected is the exception rather than the rule, one mistake could be quit

Thanks for reporting. I bet if you weren't happy with this you could probably "get ot of it" due to the lack of a fitness center, but it sounds like you're happy with the results (and it see the rooms have a refrigerator and microwave). Seems like somebody may have messed up by swapping the fitness center and pool icons when they inputted the amenities into the computer.

Looks like Toronto is trying to get their tourism back with some special package deals: For $125 (Canadian) per person, based on double occupancy, you will receive: A ticket to one of two spectacular musical productions, Disney's The Lion King or Mamma Mia! (best available seating for date chosen) A premium, baseline ticket to a Blue Jays game A delicious 3-course meal in a top restaurant A one-night stay at a luxurious downtown hotel Link to the deals: FULL DETAILS HERE

I too figured getting the Double the Difference Guarantee would be a hassle, but i've heard it's pretty easy of a process (although i've never done it personally). In fact, read the first post in this thread regarding a Hotwire Hotel Story This isn't the first story in which i've heard of the user buying the Hotwire hotel just to take advantage of the Double the Difference. A bit risky to say the least, but interesting none-the-less.

Well, at least if it turns out to be the BW you can take advantage of their "Double the Difference Guarantee" and get $34 back! :)