norwegianwife

Hi All! Needed a last minute hotel room in NYC for TONIGHT, so decided to try my luck. Started in MTE with $120 and used free rebids and added areas up to $170 and finally got accepted at the Tribeca Grand! I was actually surprised as you don't see this hotel turn up often on Priceline. Not sure my bidding strategy was the best, but I needed the room for tonight and got a bit sloppy, so I may have been able to get it for slightly less. Still happy as the lowest rate on their website for tonight was $275. Used the PRICELINE link to do my bidding!

It is the Sheraton Heathrow!

I always find myself a little disappointed when PRICELINE accepts my bid on the first go, cause then I know that I probably could have gotten it for less!! OH WELL! Needed one night on our return from the Maldives! Got the Sheraton! I have been unsucessful bidding for Gatwick July 6 for one night for over a week now. Hmmmm.... Anyway: Your Offer Price: US$85.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: US$85.00 Taxes and Service Fees: US$22.76 Total Charges: US$107.76 Used the PRICELINE linked provided!

just wanted to follow up and close out this thread. We tried bidding at least 10 times up to 300 dollars, splitting the bid, bidding it all together, and just never had any luck! They ended up keeping their room at the NewYorker and said it was really a GREAT hotel, especially if you had one of the refurbished rooms. NOt sure why we were never able to win a room through PRICELINE, but it certainly wasn't for lack of trying! Thanks!

That's ok! Based on your last response, I just figured I was supposed to try bidding for all the nights together! Anyway- They have a reservation at the New Yorker and with taxes, I believe they are paying right under $2,000. So, about $285 a night. They aren't displeased with the NewYorker, since they renovated they are getting pretty good reviews on TripAdvisor, I think my friends would just like to spend the same amount and be able to stay at a 4*! They are open to staying anywhere, I just bid in MTE cause that is where I have always had the best luck and LOWEST prices in NYC...guess i am a creature of habit!! I will ask her if she wants me to bid the first 2 nights and just go from there. IF she says ok, should I start at 180 for the last 2 nights in April? Thanks for your thoughts!

hello! Ok, just tried bidding for all nights together. Started in MTE at 222 a night and bid up to 260, all rejected with no counter offers. Closed the window and split the bid from April 29-may 2 and started again. Started in MTE at 222 and added rebid zones up to 260, all rejected, no counter offers. Closed the window and started again and bid May 2-May 6 Started in MTE at 222 and added rebid zones up to 260, all rejected no counter offers. So, is there anything else you would reccomend doing other than what I have done?? Just keep trying every few days? Used the PRICELINE links provided!!! Thanks for any input!

Hi Thereuare! Their backup is costing about 300 bucks a night INCLUDING taxes. So anything UNDER that is fine!! So, without taxes, a maximum bid would probably be around 260 a night? Thanks!!! I will rebid when the 24 hours are up and will try for the entire 7 nights. I usually bid for MTE, as that seems to be a good area for 4* hotels on Priceline. Thanks again and any info is appreciated!

Hi All! It's been awhile since I bid on NYC and it looks like there are now FOUR rebid zones with the addition of Brooklyn and Long Island! That is nice! I have a friend here in Norway going to NYC for a week! I tried bidding this morning and split the bid as I felt 7 nights in one bid was unlikely to be accepted. Tried first for April 29-May 1: MTE at 180 and added rebid zones up to 220 All rejected. Then started in a new window with the the second half of her trip from May 2-6, this time started in Soho/Financial District. Same strategy, started at 180 and bid up to 220 with no luck. I have seen some wins for the Benjamin and other 4*'s around 220 for around these dates and was hoping to get lucky. They have a cancellable back up at the New Yorker-- Any sugesstions for a strategy for this time of year for a 4*? Any help and thoughts are appreciated!

Hey guys! Well, I ended up cancelling my booking at the original hotel on Hotels.com, as I felt it was too expensive. Our friends we are going with found a great rate at Hotel 27! We got a buy 3 nights get the 4th night free, so that made the price average about 150 bucks a night! The rate also includes breakfast AND dinner!!! So, we are happy! As always, thanks for all of your help!!!

Hi Thereuare! Here is what I booked on Hotels.com: Bertrams Hotel Guldsmeden Vesterbrogade 107 COPENHAGEN 01620 Danmark Totalpris : 8 015.40 NOK So, it AINT cheap! May 1 is a holiday round here, so I wanted to book something before everything booked up!!! Now in hind sight, it's just too expensive for a place to eat...even if it is pretty and has an organic breakfast! I found out I can get a good rate through my company for the Copenhagen Strand hotel for 885 Danish Kroner a night, which is about 150 USD or so. And shockingly cheap for CPH...so may just go for that one! It's not a 4*, but thinking about it, we really don't NEED a 4*...3 is fine! It now has me wondering what kind of hotels come up on Priceline for 3* in Copenhagen??? any history of anything other than a 4*? Didn't know Hotels.com was an affiliate! Will do so in the future! Will keep you updated!

Hello. We are headed to Copenhagen and I tried our luck last night for the first time. Went through Savings Barn and bid up to 120 dollars, no luck, no counter offers. Seems as though the Priceline staple for Copenhagen is the Marriot. A look at their website showed little availability for our nights. Booked a cancellable backup via Hotels.com, but if anyone has any ideas or leads for some good deals for a 4* on our dates, would love to hear about them! Thanks!

hi smackie! Yes, they did offer me the extend your stay for the same price, so you could very well have the same luck. I didn't split my bid even though it included a Thrusday and had no problems! Good luck!

:) IF at first, you don't suceed...try, try, try again! W New York Hotel Midtown East 541 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10022 Thu, Jul 19, 2007 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sun, Jul 22, 2007 / 12:00 PM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $145.00 Subtotal: $435.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $84.10 Total Charges*: $519.10 Was actually surprised that we won this today! I was going through the motions of bidding and rebidding. Started with MTE at 125- rejected Added rebid zone 135- rejected Added rebid- 145- accepted! Lowest price on Starwood website was $323--significant savings! And $14 lower than my cancellable backup at the Parksouth. Tripadvisor has this W as a 3 star hotel and reviews are fairly mixed. People either LOVE it or HATE it...thus giving it an overall rating of 2.5 out of 5... Regardless, we have great memories of the W hotel and actually spent DH's birthday there a few years ago. Looking forward to returning. As always, bid through Savingsbarn!

yes, that is exactly what i was trying to do! If we can get a 4* for a lower price, then we will... Not unhappy with our grammercy hotel, just trying to better the situation if I can! That's why. will continue to update. :)

tried again tonight up to 145 in several different areas. Even tried splitting the bid and bid friday and saturday seperatly with no luck. i might just wait until july to try again, because obviously, not alot of inventory has been released by the hotels yet! Bid through Savingsbarn...

oh yes, the date!! check in July 8 check out July 9 We have an early flight to Orlando, :) and really need a good nights sleep before stepping into the madness that is DISNEYWORLD!!!!

Really pleased with this win! Chose DFW North and started the bid at $40- Got a message saying 'no, but if you are willing to increase your bid by $12 you can have it'--said no, and added DFW South and increased the bid to $46 and it was accepted!! We got 2 rooms! Rate on the Westin website was $209 a night for this night! Looking forward to the heavenly bed after flying in from Europe, and this particular Westin just underwent a 25 million dollar renovation!! A perfect beginning to our vacation! Started the process through Savingsbarn! Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $46.00 Subtotal: $92.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $21.38 Total Charges*: $113.38 Westin Dfw Airport

ok, just went to Quikbook and booked 3 nights at the Park South Hotel in Gramercy/Flatiron...so pretty much MTE. All three nights for 477 dollars!! 159 dollars a night! Went to tripadvisor and it has GREAT reviews! It is ranked number 82 out of 329 hotels in NYC. Not sure if we will continue to try and bid on Priceline, as this place seems pretty ideal!!! And the price is right! So, we will see!

ok--- tried again tonight using the same bidding patterns up to 170 with NOTHING! Not even a measly counter offer! I just don't get it. July is usually a great time for LOW rates in the city. What do you think about splitting the bid? Maybe the thursday is keeping prices up? Bid for the weekend and then thurs. seperatly? it's a thought. If I don't get a win this weekend, I will book a backup! Still early, but we have a lot going on and would like to care of it sooner than later. Thanks!

So, the bidding has begun for our 3 nights in NYC in July. Started tonight to see what the market was like...not so good right now for anything under 150! We are open to any area in Manhatten, and ususally stay in MTE, so I started with the following: Started in MTW- 110- rejected added UES- 120- rejected added Uws- 130- rejected closed window and started over (from SAvingsbarn everytime, by the way!) Central Park- 110 (yea right) UES- 125- (not a chance) UWS- 135- (umm, no) closed window and started over MTE- 115- rejected (i had high hopes for MTE as you see alot of the Barclay for these low prices!) UES- 125- rejected UWS- 135- rejected closed window, started over- Downtown-Soho- 120 rejected UES- 130- rejected UWS- 140- rejected then I do what I NEVER do--added MTE- 145- REJECTED Closed window, started yet again- MTS- 120 UWS- 130 UES- 140 MTE- 150- (again, no bites at the Barclay) So....No luck tonight. I know it's early, but wanted to get started and have a plan. I checked the event guide for NYC, but there is nothing major happening in July after the 4th... Does anyone have any sugesstions, or should I just keep on keeping on with the above strategy? I was hoping for around 130...hmmmm. Look forward to hearing from you kind folks!!

Well, after perusing Tripadvisor's Dublin pages yesterday, I found a highly ranked Bed and Breakfast (#3 out of 64 in Dublin) called ABC Guesthouse. I sent an email inquiry, and they had availibility for my dates. So for 90 Euros (121 US dollars) we get a double room plus full Irish breakfast :) . 5 minute bus ride from the city centre, and the bus stop is right out front of the bed and breakfast. BAsed on my first attempt, I figured that once I had gotten a win on Priceline, it most likely would have been at least 150 BEFORE taxes and that would not include breakfast!! So, it just made sense! It could be that bed and breakfasts and guesthouses are a more affordable way to travel to Dublin (versus Priceline).

HI everyone! It's been a long time!!! Taking DH on a surprise trip to Dublin in a few weeks, as Ryanair has some really low prices right now. STarted my bid through Savingsbarn. Bid 115 for south inner city. Rejected. Added north inner city and raised to 130- rejected. Any thoughts or strategy other than being persistent??? how high can I expect to have to go for this weekend? Hotwire has some 4*'s for this weekend for around 160-200 in South... As always, your expertise is greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

Had a friend in town and he needed a room in Copenhagen this weekend. I bid up to 120 dollars and was rejected. Last night, bid for a 4 star in Geneva, Switzerland for July 14. ONly one zone. Bid 100 and was rejected. Just wanted to let everyone know. Turned out my friend is an employee of Delta and didn't know about the airline employee discount!! I had to tell him about it!!! SHEESH. He got the Radisson for half price.

I only had one experience where I even SUSPECTED that a maid had stolen something. We were in the Bahama's for my sisters wedding. I had a diamond solitaire necklace that had been my little sisters who had died suddenly the year before. I knew I had left it on the dresser. I went to get dressed and it was gone. I absolutly FREAKED. Really just because of the emotional rawness of the situation and the fact that it had been my deceased sisters! We looked all over. Under the bed. Behind the curtains. Everywhere. No Necklace. It never would have crossed my mind that a maid would have stolen anything because I have always found them to be very honest and hard workers. I called the front desk and they sent up hotel security to file a report and the maid came up and was really upset insisting she had not taken it. I believed her, but i kept asking her if anyone had been with her. Again, I was really upset. They asked if I wanted to file a complaint. I said No because I did believe the poor woman, I was just flabbergassted and crushed that it was gone. Three days later, I went to put on my running shoes and felt a rock in my shoe. Took it off. Shook it out. and....YEP...the diamond necklace!!!! Sheesh. NO idea how it got there. I made a point of going to the security officer and telling them I found it and left an apologetic note to the maid with a really nice tip. Another incident happened in Buffalo, NY. I walked into my room and found the maid going through all of my prescription medicine. I was like 'excuse me!!' and she just non-chalantly looked at me and was like 'Oh, I always like to see what kind of medicines my guests are taking!' And then kept looking!!!!! I had to take them away from her! So...that's my 2 cents....

Hi and welcome! First, I would suggest doing a hotel search in the individual cities for your dates so you can get an idea of what the rates and availibility are for that time. That will give you a better idea of a starting bid on priceline. Second, you can get some really good deals direct from hotel websites for cities like Venice and Berlin. If you do a search for Berlin, you can see the room I won recently through Priceline that I could have gotten for 17 dollars cheaper had I booked direct from the Accor website! Hotels dot com seems to be a really good source for Venice hotels. We are traveling to Italy in 2 weeks, and I still have not won a room in Milan for under 110 dollars. Will you have a car? have you considered other places in the Veneto other than Venice, such as Verona, Padua or mestre? That would save some money as well and those cities have access to the train that goes to Venice at least every 20 minutes, back and forth until 11pm. Florence- Again, you might have better luck booking direct from hotel websites in florence. If you search this forum Prague, Budapest and Vienna seem to have some consistent wins with hotels and prices that will give you an idea what to expect from those cities. Hope this helps a little! Have a great vacation!