MusicBoy

Tomorrow night I needed an overnight hotel prior to a cruise departing the next day. I have had a cancelable backup reservation for more money at a lesser quality hotel for sometime. When I saw this PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal tonight, I was able to reasonably discern that it was the Spring Hill Suites in this area. Ordinarily, I like to bid to try and get the lowest price but in this case by looking at the properties website I discovered that the hotel provides free pickup from the airport AND free delivery to the cruise port (which most of the hotels don't) so I didn't want to take a chance and receive a hotel in which I would incur a $20 or more taxi/uber/lyft ride to the cruise port the next morning. Marriott's website had the hotel available for $174.00 plus tax of $19.14. Total of $194.14. The Priceline Express rate was $86.00. Taxes and fees of $16.33. Total of $102.73 The hotel had an 8+ review rating. Here are the amenities that were listed by Priceline Express: Free Parking Free Internet Free Breakfast Airport Shuttle Business Center Indoor or Outdoor Pool Fitness Center No Smoking Rooms/Facilities

I saw a PRICELINE EXPRESS deal for this star level and zone that I was pretty sure was the Courtyard by Marriott for $49 (with tax and fees was $66.30). I thought I'd try for a cheaper bid price. There are 5 rebid zones so I started low with $40. I was rejected but received an offer to rebid at $47. I ignored that and rebid at $41. Rejected. New bid at $42 was accepted. Total with $15.01 tax and fees is $57.01 So you can still get a little reduction from bidding.

I am at the hotel now and it is very nice. Well worth the money that I bid. I'm only here for the one night and will likely not be in the area anytime in the near future. The room I received is what I would call a suite-like as there is a sitting area with a TV that swivels between the sitting area (couch two leather ([maybe faux], a large desk) and a second room as the bedroom. It reminds me more of a Hyatt Place room. In any case it's nice. I did just want to comment further that although I received this room by bidding, I checked the Priceline Express deal immediately after booking and it had gone up from $59 to $63. So I now presume that the hotel/priceline room/revenue yield management systems are interconnected.

I needed a hotel on my way from Racine, WI to the Chicago area. A number of areas would have worked. I had a 2 star cancelable back up at $60.59 inc tax in Deerfield, IL. I had been watching the PRICELINE EXPRESS Deals and there was a 3.5 in Deerfield with Free Internet and Free Parking that I was pretty sure was the Hyatt for $59 ($71 inc tax and Fees. I just happened to have an offer for an extra 10% off Express Deals which would have made this deal $66.21 inc. tax and fees.) I decided to bid anyway. There are 3 Free Re-bid zones in Chicago North Shore area for a 3.5 giving me 8 bids. I had seen other winning bids reported around $51 and $52 for this property so I started at $47 and went up in $1 increments until I won at $53. Including tax and fees the total was $64.85 so I only saved $1.36 by bidding instead of accepting the PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal. However you can also look at it as upgrading from a 2 star to a 3.5 for $4.26. I always treat these bookings like a game anyway so I am happy with result.

There are 5 free rebid zones in Madison for 3 star hotels. So I started at $42 and went up a dollar each bid until it was accepted at $45. The retail price was $159. There was a PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal for that zone and star rating that I suspect was for the same property and it was for $54 so I saved a little bit more by bidding. Offer Price:$45.00/night Number of rooms:1 Room Number of nights:1 Night Room Subtotal: $45.00 Taxes & Fees: $11.60 Total Charged: $56.60

There was a PRICELINE EXPRESS deal in this zone for a 3 star property that my best guess would have been for this same hotel for $45. With tax and fees for two nights the total would have been $112.18. So by bidding I saved $14.26, but I'll take it. Started bidding at $35, received offer to rebid at $45. Declined and continued bidding in $1 increments until I won at $40. Offer price:$40.00/night Number of rooms:1 room Number of nights:2 nights Room subtotal:$80.00 Taxes & fees:$18.54 Total charged today:$98.54

Purchase date: Sunday Feb 22, 2015 Deal type: Name Your Own Price Offer price: $50.00 /night Room subtotal: $50.00 Taxes & fees: $13.48 Total charge: $63.48

I haven't had an opportunity to check this property out myself since it just reopened (with new owners and the new name) after a $750 million dollar renovation. The property is now a part of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide "Curio Collection" (http://www.curiocollection.com/). I think I would have taken the 20% discount. It sounded like a great deal at $49.00 since those rooms are going for over $100 (and will likely go higher in the future.)

Offer Price:$62.00 avg. per room, per night Rooms: 1 Nights: 6 Room Subtotal: $372.00 Taxes & Fees: $68.28 Priceline Coupon: -$18.60 Congratulations! Your 5% coupon (SUMMER) applied! Total Charged: $421.68 Bid for 3* - "Upgraded" (if you count losing Free WiFi and Breakfast as an upgrade) to a 3.5 Used PRICELINE QuickQuote for searches and bookings on this site.

Was the $38.00 acceptance $38 plus $7 Bonus Cash for a total bid of $45 or Was it $31 plus $7 Bonus Cash for a total bid of $38?

Last year on the same weekend Sunday that you want, I stayed at the 3 star Four Points by Sheraton - Midtown/Times Square on 40th street (actually in the MSG - Convention Center zone) for one night for $86 plus taxes through Priceline. See my Priceline NYC posting) YMMV

Check this link to compare parking rates in the city: http://nyc.bestparking.com/

Sunday Night Hotel Stay Summary of Charges Room Cost: $38 Used $7.00 in Priceline 24 hour Bonus Cash which made the bid $45.00 per night Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Guests Per Room: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $38.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $12.81 (USD) Total Room Cost: $50.81 (USD) PRICELINE quotes and bids place through PRICELINE box at the top of the page.

Summary of Charges Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $109.00 (USD) Used $36.00 in Priceline Bonus Cash which made the bid $116.20 per night Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Guests Per Room: 2 Number of Nights: 5 Room Subtotal: $545.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $129.75 (USD) Total Room Cost: $674.75 (USD) Average cost per night including taxes and fees: $134.95 Booked this on August 18, just getting a chance to post it. Although I am not attending, the Para-Olympics are beginning during this time period. Otherwise I believe I could have done better. Used the PRICELINE form here on the board for searches and many permutation bids (available in London) until I was successful.

Here's a link that displays the Philadelphia Garage parking rates: http://philadelphia.bestparking.com/index.php

Summary of Charges Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $51.00 (USD) 24hr Bonus Cash per room, per night): $ 5.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 4 Room Subtotal: $204.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $42.84 (USD) Total Room Cost: $246.84 (USD) Fourth of July Week (Sunday to Thursday) I used the PRICELINE link on the board.

I used the PRICELINE link for both this as well as the next night stay at this hotel.

Summary of Charges Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $37.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Guests Per Room: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $37.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $13.41 (USD) Total Room Cost: $50.41 (USD)

1 Free Rebid Zones Started at $85, I got free rebid screen to go to $98. I ignored this screen and added $1 by adding Coney Island Zone . Four Points By Sheraton Midtown - Times Square 326 West 40Th Street New York, NY 10018 212-967-8585 Check-In: Sunday, October 23, 2011-03:00 PM Check-Out: Monday, October 24, 2011-12:00 PM Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $86.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $86.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $25.28 (USD) Total Room Cost: $111.28 (USD)

3 Free Rebid Zones - 7 total bids, Used 5 Started at $31, Went up $1 each bid. Every other bid I got free rebid screen to go to $41. I ignored those screens and using permutation method rebid until $36.00 was accepted. Holiday Inn Denver East - Stapleton 3333 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80207 303-321-3500 Check-In: Sunday, September 11, 2011-04:00 PM Check-Out: Monday, September 12, 2011-12:00 PM Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $36.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $36.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $11.94 (USD) Total Room Cost: $47.94 (USD)

Hyatt Place Colorado Springs Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $42.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Guests Per Room: 2 Number of Nights: 3 Room Subtotal: $126.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $24.75 (USD) Total Room Cost: $150.75 (USD) Offered $40 rejected, (Priceline offered rebid at 57), Rebid $42 Won