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sinned

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Everything posted by sinned

  1. I used the PRICELINE link of Better Bidding of course. Saw a $73 offer at Priceline Express for Convention Center and $77 for Downtown, then started bidding via NYOP from $50 upwards using Convention Center, Downtown, and French Quarter. Went all the way up to $70 with no bites, the only offer I got was a re-bid at $79. So I just went ahead and did the Priceline Express deal for $73 and got the New Orleans Downtown Marriott at the Convention Center. I also used the board's promo code link to get an extra 5% off making it $69.35 per night. Amenities listed are: Business Center, Restaurant, Free Internet, Indoor or Outdoor Pool, Fitness Center, No Smoking Rooms/Facilities
  2. Well, I figured out that the week that I had initially booked, 10/11 - 10/15, was going to be super expensive no matter if I go to further areas. Thankfully, Southwest allows changing your flights with no fees. I figured that the October dates were expensive due to the probability of Red Sox playoff games. After doing much research, I found a week in late November that had cheap rates (probably because its Thanksgiving week). My new dates are now 11/20 to 11/25. PRICELINE EXPRESS had a 4 star hotel in Copley Square/Back Bay for $85. Hotwire had a 4 star hotel in the same area for $88 (though the taxes and fees were much higher). As a backup plan, I knew I could get the Omni Parker Hotel for $98 direct from their website. I preferred a newer hotel though, preferably in the Copley Square/Back Bay area, and close to the subway. Did some research, I was fully expecting (and hoping) that the 4 star hotel in PRICELINE EXPRESS and HOTWIRE was the Westin Copley Square Hotel. Here's the listing forPRICELINE EXPRESS: Pets Allowed, Business Center, Indoor or Outdoor Pool, Fitness Center, No Smoking Room/Facilities Here's the listing for HOTWIRE: (Favorite!), Airport Shuttle, Business Center, Fitness center, Indoor Pool(s), Internet Access, Pet Friendly, Pool(s), Restaurants, Smoke-free Rooms I have no proof of course that the above listings were for the same hotel, but in each instance (Priceline Express and Hotwire) there was only 1 hotel whose rates were in the $80's, and both were in the Copley Square/Back Bay area. So I started bidding at PRICELINE (using the Better Bidding links of course) at $50 at $3 increments using multiple re-bid zones. Found out that I no longer had to wait 24 hours once I exhausted my re-bid zones, so it only took me 3 days to finish the process. I was expecting to get a discount from the Priceline Express price (which has been my previous experience) but surprisingly I didn't get a bite in the $70's range and not even a counter offer! (did they do away with those?). Finally, this morning I put in a last bid of $82, if it was not going to be accepted I was going to buy it via Priceline Express. It finally got accepted at $82 and I got the Sheraton Boston Hotel! Was hoping for the Westin due to the proximity to the Subway line, but apparently the Sheraton is near a Subway stop too as its inside the Prudential Center. So to summarize, Sheraton Boston Hotel from 11/20 to 11/25 at $82/night (plus approx 18.4% taxes and fees) using the Better Bidding PRICELINE link. And I just noticed this now.... In Priceline Express it will say the original price (which is crossed out) and the discounted P.E. price. If you click on 'What Hotels?', it will show sample hotels in the area and you just have to match the original crossed out price to the hotels listed in the area. In my case, Sheraton Boston matched the original crossed out price. So while vague, you can still get an idea what hotel you'll be getting via Priceline Express.
  3. I have followed-up on my San Diego thread, must have forgotten to do it then due to the excitement of Comic Con.
  4. Now looking at Hotels on the South End. There is a 3-star Courtyard by Marriott South Boston that would be perfect as it is very near the subway stop, but I'm afraid I might get another hotel if I bid in this zone. The Courtyard seems to be the most active in terms of winning in this zone though.
  5. Forgot to mention, I'm also willing to split the days up and stay at different hotels, say one hotel on 10/11 to 10/13 and a different hotel on 10/13 to 10/15. Do you think it would be advantageous price wise to split up the trip?
  6. Looking for help on a bidding strategy for Boston (my first time to be there) from 10/11 - 10/15. I'm looking to stay in a centrally placed area where I can just walk to destinations so I am looking at either Boston Common, Copley Square Back End, Waterfront District, Downtown Boston, or Fanueil Hall North End. I'm open to staying in other areas if it is only a quick subway ride away. I've looked through the past threads, and looked at the MAPS AND HOTELS page, and it looks like my best bet is the Omni Parker House. Currently it is showing a rate of $220/night as per Maps and Hotels. What should my beginning bid be and what should be my target price (I am familiar with the Priceline bidding process and using multiple areas to generate multiple bids per day). Should I start at $140 at 3.5 stars and use Boston Common, Copley Square, Downtown and Fanueil Hall with $5 increments? What's also weird is that Hotwire is showing the lone 4 star hotel in Boston Common as $261 and Priceline Express as $258 (higher price than Maps and Hotels). Going straight to the Omni Parker House website does show the $220 rate. I'm also open to staying in more affordable hotels outside the areas I mentioned if they are close to the subway station and I can take a quick ride to my tourist destinations, Ideally I would like to spend less than $140/day but am willing to go up a bit to be in a central location. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. As I mentioned, it's my first time to be there so I am not familiar at all with the city.
  7. Thanks Yellowdog. I will be sure to update this thread when I book my hotel. I do go through the Better Bidding Priceline link every time I bid. Finally got a counter offer today so the end game is near.
  8. Ah, I thought that I had posted the Hotwire info on its own thread in the Hotwire forum. Dates are from 7/5 to 7/8. Thanks!
  9. Hotwire 4.5 star hotel 95% recommended Gaslamp Quarter - Convention Center Area Hotel Amenities: Free Internet Pet Friendly Spa Services Business Center Pool Tennis Nearby Golf Nearby Restaurant(s) Any ideas?
  10. Priceline Express 4 Star Hotel in Gaslamp Quarter South - Convention Center Area for $114/night Guest Score: 9.0 (out of 10) (Guest Favorite) Amenities include: Indoor or outdoor pool Pets Allowed Restaurant Business center Fitness center I think this is the same hotel that is 4.5 stars in Hotwire (95% rating) for roughly the same price ($2 cheaper) Thanks!
  11. I could not get the same $69 offer again on Hotwire over the past few days..... kept getting a rate around $82. My bids on Priceline went all the way up to $69 without a counter offer. Was also bidding on 3.5* hotels in the same area and my bid was accepted today. 11/13/14 - 11/16/14 (3 nights) $64 per night Flamingo Las Vegas Purchase made through Better Bidding Support Page - Priceline link. Thanks again to Better Bidding for all the info that allowed me to set a price strategy for my trip.
  12. Hmm... it seems to have disappeared, lowest I can see now is $81 per night (different list of amenities too). I don't think its the Luxor as it is listed in Hotwire as a 3.5* hotel. In addition, Luxor resort fees are $20 I think, and the original listing mentioned a $25 resort fee. I will update this thread as I continue to monitor for prices for these dates.
  13. We'll be taking a bus or van tour on the 14th (leaves at 7am and returns in the evening) so it would be really difficult to do everything necessary between 5-6 in the morning of the 14th. Thanks again for all the help!
  14. Here are the amenities: FULL AMENITIES: Free Parking, Resort, Casino, Fitness Center, Pool(s), Restaurant(s), Business Center, Internet access, Golf Nearby, Tennis Nearby, Spa Services, Accessible for the deaf, Accessible path of travel, Accessible bathroom, Handicapped parking, Roll-in shower What would be your best guess?
  15. Update: Bid $31 got a counter offer at $37 Added North Strip, bid $33, offer accepted! Got Tropicana Las Vegas (Doubletree by Hilton) Admin - please change thread title to reflect 11/10-11/13 dates. I will create a separate thread for my 11/13-11/16 leg. Purchase made via Better Bidding Support Page - Priceline link. Thanks again to Better Bidding for all the helpful advice in this site.
  16. $69 per night for a 4* Hotel Free Parking Casino Fitness Center Pool Restaurant Business Center Internet Access Golf Nearby Tennis Nearby Tried to search through past threads but nothing matched. One user came out with the Luxor, but that is a 3.5* hotel according to priceline (would it be possible for hotwire and priceline to not match?). BTW, this hotel also charges a resort fee of $25 per night so that rules out The Tropicana I think the Golf nearby and tennis Nearby amenities would be good clues as to what this property is. Any help/educated guesses for this property would be appreciated!
  17. Thanks for the responses. Below are my answers: 1. OK, I will use this thread for the first portion of my trip 11/10-11/13. Will create a separate thread for the 2nd portion. 2. I could not split it 11/10-11/14, then 11/15-11/16 because we will be away from Vegas on 11/14 (Grand Canyon) for the whole day. 3. Yes, familiar with free re-bidding, however for the 2nd leg of my trip I have to stay in the South Strip to be near family. The first leg can be either South or North strip (there does not seem to be a center strip in Priceline). I'm still curious on how much of a discount Priceline can give us relative to Hotwire prices, and how much of a discount I should bid accordingly.
  18. I'll be going to Vegas on 11/10 - 11/16. I'm very familiar with bidding through Priceline. I do use the Better Bidding links in the Support page whenever I make a new bid. I'll be splitting my stay to 11/10-11/13 (4 star) and 11/13-11/16 (3.5 or 4 star). Hotwire has rates of $40 for the first leg and $73 for the 2nd leg (both 4 star). My question is how much do you usually start bidding relative to the Hotwire rate? Should a 25% discount to the Hotwire rate be a good starting point or should I be more realistic? FWIW, I bid $27 on the first leg and $55 on the second leg & both were rejected with no counter offers.
  19. 7/22 - 7/28 (1 week) Standard SUV Bid of $25/day accepted by Avis I used the Better Bidding PRICELINE link of course :)
  20. I just wanted to update this post. Wound up staying at the Hilton Glendale at $88/night (after failed bids of $80, $84, and $86; Priceline countered with $100). The dates were 9/22 thru 9/27. I called the next day after the priceline bid was accepted to request double beds. They said that they would note the request but they cannot guarantee it (possibly after they found out it was booked thru Priceline) and immediately offered an upgrade to an Executive suite room for an additional $30/night to guarantee the double beds. I declined. When we arrived on the 22nd, upon check-in I mentioned that I requested double beds. They confirmed that that was the room they reserved for me. My feeling is that Priceline booked rooms get the "least-preferred" status, i.e. if the hotel was booked full then they would just give me what was available. Everything worked out fine for me in the end though. The most important tip I can give for anyone who reads this and has booked/will book in this hotel: Parking costs $18/day (they have a 5-story structure that mostly sits empty) but you can do street parking. Once you have checked-in and unloaded your luggage, exit off the front of the hotel at Glenoaks Blvd. Make a left at Brand, then another left on Dryden after the 1st or 2nd intersection. You can find parking at Dryden (in front of the fenced off basketball courts). We did 4 out of the 5 nights. For that other night we didn't, just go across the intersection (still on Dryden) and it becomes a residential neighborhood where you can luck into an empty parking space. The walk back to the hotel was probably 8 minutes & was no big deal. All in all, thanks to Better Bidding for saving us some money and getting a hotel in a great location which really worked out well for us!
  21. Thanks for your reply! Will be in Los Angeles San Fernando Valley (Burbank - Glendale) from 9/22 thru 9/27. There is only 1 4-star hotel there (Hilton Glendale) and there is a 3.5 star hotel (Sheraton Universal). What are the chances that they will accomodate a request for 2 beds? Incidentally, after researching on the California forum, I tried to do an $80 bid that was rejected, then made a second bid of $84 which was also rejected. No counter offers. Both $80/$84 bids had a history of being accepted the previous months but I understand that the occupancy rates are always changing. Will try again tomorrow.
  22. So based on my research on this forum I know that Priceline guarantees double occupancy per room - but that there is a risk that you will get just 1 King bed. Since I am traveling with a friend (both male) I was wondering what the chances are that we will get 2 beds or just 1 King bed (we need 2 beds). Should We take the chance? If the offer gets accepted, can we call the hotel and ask specifically for 2 beds or can this be not accommodated since it is a Priceline booking? Haven't used Priceline before, will be first time user (assuming my bid gets accepted). Any advice would be welcome!
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