schparrow

Still on the hunt. There's a 2.5 star in Downtown Toronto West area on Hotwire for $183/night that I am trying to identify. There's no 2.5 star in the Better Bidding Hotwire Canada list in this region. Amenities include free internet, condo, kitchenette, smoke free with options of 2 double beds or 2 queen beds. There's a similarly priced 2* on Priceline which is Toronto Urban Suites - I have a suspicion this might be the same place but don't know if it's common for Priceline to have something as a 2* that Hotwire has as a 2.5*. **Edit - I'm ready to up my bidding to $175.

ahh - you are absolutely right, that's partially why I am going (Toronto Urban Roots Festival) I've been looking through the MAPS and HOTELS.com link to get an idea of prices - so far anything I'd want is out of budget. I'm going to start looking outward from downtown and consider other zones and may come back for some pointers after some thought. Thank you for taking the time to reply!

Hey Better Bidding! I'm interested in bidding for a room in Toronto (using your link of course) with the following details and am hoping for some bidding strategy help. - 3* and up (would consider the 2* Super 8 Toronto but I checked their website and phoned and there's no availability there anyway for these dates) - Downtown Southwest - Entertainment and Financial Districts - Check Sept 16 - Check out Sept 18 - $75USD/nite target/wishful price (could be flexible up to $100USD/nite as a 'stretching my budget' upper limit) - free wifi I've noticed the most recent posts in this area seem to be 3* or 3.5* for close to $100USD - just hoping to shave a little off of this if possible. I've also noticed a lot of hotels in the area are sold out so I am keeping my expectations in check. Thank you!

Just booked the Comfort Inn Midtown West via PRICELINE EXPRESS for $185 for 5 nights (June 4-9) using the Better Bidding link. Amenities listed: Free Internet Free Breakfast Business Center This was more than I had hoped but I realized after bidding up to $170 throughout most of Manhattan today, including this same zone, with no wins that I needed to accept paying a higher amount for these dates. The reviews on this hotel are pretty great though and is in a great location so I'm happy, and more importantly, my girlfriend is happy! Thanks for the strategy advice in my other thread!

You sir (or madame), were correct. We started at $120 and ran through the strategy increasing usually $5 per section until we maxed out at $170 on the final bid where we threw in all of the zones that I mentioned we would bid for. We are now thinking we will need to expand north as far as UWS and UES and south down to include the Financial District, SoHo and LES. Are there any red flags that you have to share regarding any of those particular zones for 3* and up? Thank you!

Would like to start bidding at 3* for the zones/details above with the exception of CPS and would be very grateful for a strategy.

Great tip. I will rather exclude Central Park South in that case. Also just a small clarification as I was actually interested in starting at 3*, not 3.5. Maybe that gives me a little more wiggle room to be optimistic? If I opened the range further to 2.5*, would you have any words of caution as you did with the Hudson example? Thank you kindly.

Hi there, I’m looking for advice on a bidding strategy for 3* and up for 5 nights beginning on June 4. I'm hopefully optimistic for a deal around $100/nt before taxes/fees (is that a reasonable starting point for 3* bidding?). Currently prepared to bid as high as $130. Zones of interest: Central Park South Chelsea Empire State Building Greenwich Village Hell's Kitchen Madison Square Garden-Convetion Area Midtown East Midtown West Times Square-Theatre District Union Square-East Village Will be using Better Bidding links to bid. Thanks for any help and please advise if I need to provide any other detail.

Used the Better Bidding link for PRICELINE and made the following attempts which failed: 4* Halifax $60 4* Halifax + Bedford $70 4* Halifax + Bedford + Dartmouth $75 4* Halifax + Bedford + Dartmouth $80 3.5* Halifax $60 3.5* Halifax + Bedford $65 3.5* Halifax + Bedford + Dartmouth $70 3.5* Halifax + Bedford + Dartmouth $75 Waited a day and tried: 4* Halifax $85 4* Halifax + Bedford $90 Successful Bid - 4* Halifax + Bedford + Dartmouth $95 I've gotten The Westin Nova Scotia in the past as low as $55, but there is a major conference in Halifax during these days (Atlantic Dream Fest) with big name guest speakers so I am happy with $95 given that the cheapest (pre-purchase non-refundable) rate on the website is $170 per night plus tax.

Yesterday I tried 4* in Halifax from $50-$65 and exhausted my additional areas (Bedford, Dartmouth, Airport), booking through your PRICELINE link of course. Started again today at $65 and was offered to secure a deal if I agreed to pay $84. I declined tried again at $70 adding Bedford, not accepted. Tried again adding Dartmouth at $75 and got the deal in the bag. I've stayed at this hotel in the past and it is a great deal, 52% off the retail price. Thanks BB!

Just go the Marriott Halifax Harbourfront for $67 plus taxes and fees. I tried 4* in Halifax first at $55 (the cheapest I have gotten in the past which was at The Westin) but was denied. I then got the notice from Priceline that a hotel would accept for $67 if I wanted to rebid right away. I could have possibly gotten The Westin for $60 as I see somebody else has posted they were successful, but I am traveling for work and will be reimbursed so I thought for the sake of locking it in I would take the $67 win. I'm very happy with it.

I have booked already but now I am helping a friend. I noticed there is a 2* in Union Square West - Nob Hill on Hotwire for $98 for Oct. 10 - 14th. Would anyone be able to make a suggestion as to what hotel that might be? Thanks again, and will book through Better Bidding HOTWIRE links of course.

Because I felt nothing was ever going to happen within my budget, I started to bid up to $135 (my absolute max after discussing with my girlfriend), and searched 3*'s and up in Civic Centre South - Hayes Valley, Financial District Embarcadero, Fishermans Wharf, Marina Lombard, SOMA Moscone Centre, USE, and USW. No luck. I dropped the star level down to 2.5 and searched the same zones and got the Best Western Carriage Inn in Civic Centre South - Hayes Valley for $120. Apparently not the best area, but close to transit, has a jacuzzi, access to the Best Western pool across the street, free wifi...so that will work for us. Overall I am happy with it given how expensive SF is, but I think someone could probably get this somewhere closer to the $100 mark than the $120, I was getting a bit frustrated when I decided to bid the $120 on the 2.5*'s but it took it right away. Should I post another thread about the win? Thank you for all your help!

I'm up to $100 now unsuccessful for USE 2* and Civic Centre South 2.5*. Priceline offered for me to rebid again right away for $124 but that's really edging beyond my budget. The Whitcomb reviews on tripadvisor sound perfect, but rates are in the $300 range on their site.

Great advice, thanks! A good hostel with a private room and ensuite bath, breakfast, and wifi, is in the $100 ball park from what I can tell from the little bit of searching I have done.

I've expanded my areas, and my limit. I'm now up to $90 for 2* bids in the following areas with nothing accepting yet: Fisherman's Wharf SOMA - Moscone Center Financial District - Embarcadero Union Square East Union Square West - Nob Hill And I'm up to $100 for 3* bids in the following areas with nothing accepted yet: Marina - Lombard Street South San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf SOMA - Moscone Cente Civic Center South - Hayes Valley Union Square East Union Square West - Nob Hill SFO North - San Bruno Japan Town - Civic Center North Financial District - Embarcadero At this rate I will soon be booking a hostel :/

Thank you! Getting started today, will post results.

My max I wish to spend is $75, so I guess basically I want the best hotel for no more than $75, in those areas. Are there any *really bad* 2 stars in the area that anyone knows of? I would avoid REALLY BAD, as in beat down, sketchy, old, decrepit discusting hotels, but I'm perfectly fine with a clean 2* in a good location.

Hi folks, First time poster here. I will be using the betterbidding link to book through PRICELINE. I'm looking for a strategy for USE/USW for a 2* or 2.5*, hoping to max at $75. Checking in October 6th 2011, checking out October 10th 2011. I'm not terribly picky but I am looking for a good location. Free wi-fi would of course be a big bonus. Any tips/strategies would be much appreciated. Cheers to the mods for all that you do here!