Free internet, pool, indoor pool, restaurant(s), business center, spa services, internet access
Doing my own research, with the spa services amenity I figured this is the hotel I would probably get.
So sorry. Maple Grove zone. Plus, as I said in a post here on this thread that disappeared, the dates were wrong. 1/12/16 to 1/13/16 (1 night). Address is 12970 63rd Ave. N, Maple Grove, MN
No surprises as to winning this hotel. Bid $32, not accepted, raised to $34 and added MSP Airport zone (which would also be acceptable but most likely not accepted). Amenities on PRICELINE EXPRESS were Free breakfast, free parking, free internet, pet friendly and $40 on PRICELINE EXPRESS (but I used NYOP, not PRICELINE EXPRESS). Accepted as follows:
Offer price:$34.00/night
Number of rooms:1 room
Number of nights:1 night
Room subtotal:$34.00
Taxes & fees:$9.85
Total charged today:$43.85
This hotel is now a 2*. Amenities were: Free Parking, Free Breakfast, Free internet, pet friendly, airport shuttle, fitness center, self-service laundry, internet access I expected to get this hotel so I am pleased. Rate dropped $1 from the day before. $65.35 including all taxes/fees/
Amenities are: Free breakfast Free internet Pool(s) Business center Self Service laundry internet access No surprise in getting this hotel. I have stayed here on multiple occasions in the past. No free parking, but parking is fairly plentiful on the street and no charge for parking on the street after 6pm in the evening. For info for anyone reading this, they also have an airport shuttle but it only operates from 7am until 11pm.
When I called Hotwire (after receiving their Email saying bookings are not changeable or cancellable), they refunded my money basically no questions asked. The woman I spoke with on the phone was surprised herself that it was a cot in a "pod."
Smoke-free room and "internet access" even though it mentioned "free internet" once. I am in the process of contesting this reservation with Hotwire. Not only is it not a private bathroom, but it is not even a hotel room. It is a Japanese style "pod" with a cot. Hotwire and the hotel were both very deceptive with regard to this.
Amenities: Free parking, free breakfast, free internet. I kind of guessed it would be this hotel before I purchased it. I am assuming I will get the standard single room with private bathroom. If not, Hotwire will hear from me :-).
Good catch. I bid on 2.5* but you are right, I was upgraded to a 3*. Airport shuttle was not associated with the hotel amenities, but they do offer an airport shuttle (just that it was not listed on priceline). Also, the waterpark that is attached to the hotel is normally "free" for hotel guests. But for prepaid rates like priceline, the waterpark entrance fee is not included.
$51 + $13.49 tax/fees = $64.49 Guaranteed amenities: Indoor or outdoor pool Fitness Center Free Parking Restaurant Free internet Business center Guest score 8/10 or higher
$29 + $11.69 taxes/fees = $40.69 Free internet was shown as an amenity. Not unexpected at all to get this property. No airport shuttle, but I don't need it. They do have a "grab and go" breakfast as well for no charge.
I was a little disappointed when I won and realized it was the Ramada, having stayed here a couple of years ago. But it will work. For this trip, a downtown location is key.
Amenities were: Free parking Free breakfast Pet friendly Airport shuttle Fitness center Business center High-speed internet access Total paid including all taxes/fees was $315.06.
$60 plus taxes/fees. Amenities: Free parking Free breakfast Pet friendly Indoor pool Airport shuttle Fitness center Laundry facilities (self-service) Business center
Sorry I didn't post this sooner but it was literally a last-minute bid. Bid about 3pm the day of check-in then went right to the hotel. Unfortunately I won on my first bid (had 1 free rebid and 1 other zone that would have been acceptable). Still, the price was very acceptable. Note that Extended Stay hotels (in ANC at least) now have free wifi (used to be about $5/stay). Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $45.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Guests Per Room: 2 Number of Nights: 3 Room Subtotal: $135.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $25.59 (USD) Total Room Cost: $160.59 (USD)
More hotel reviews = more hits = more advertising dollars. TA says they police reviews, have systems in place to detect frauds, etc. But I know people who have detected fraudulent reviews well after the fact. I use TA reviews for factual information ("2 blocks from a bus stop") but not much more.
Rate $55/room Taxes/fees $18.29 Total $128.29 Amenities: Airport shuttle Smoke free rooms Complimentary breakfast Fitness Center Pool Restaurant Business Center Laundry (self serve) High Speed internet access The HW hotel list shows this as a 2.5* but apparently HW has upgraded it to a 3*.
Total including taxes and fees is $89.13 Smoke-free, airport shuttle, fitness center, pool, restaurant, business center, high speed internet access were the amenities.
Tried bidding on PL up to $51 including all taxes and fees, no go. This hotel shows 3* with airport shuttle. Rate per night: $46.00 Nights: 1 Rooms: 1 Tax recovery charges & fees: $6.72 Subtotal: $52.72 Priceline has this hotel for $47.68 on their "normal" site including 10% VAT. I have requested a price difference refund from Hotwire. May take up to 3 days.
I think it is strange that you would even consider bidding up to $219 when you for sure would not know the hotel is the one you wanted and you knew it would probably not include breakfast. Priceline loves bidders like you, but fortunately they didn't get any NYOP inventory. You would have kicked yourself if your $219/night bid had been accepted. It would have cost a LOT more since you also have PL's fees on the NYOP bid that you don't have when booking directly.
Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $28.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $28.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $11.10 (USD) Total Room Cost: $39.10 (USD)
Today I bid $20 for a 2* hotel in the Burnsville zone and got the same hotel. Arrival Jan 5th for one night. Total including all taxes and fees was $29.62. The taxes and fees seem high to me. With 9.75% tax in Burnsville, that is only $1.95 so figure $7.67 for priceline's fee. The cheapest rate I could find for that hotel through conventional sources was $43 + tax or $47.19 total. So a $17.57 savings. Nice but I would not lock myself into Priceline months in advance for that relatively small amount of savings.
