NitaB

Actually, my message was a bit confusing. The week before I was rejected at $92, and finally won the bid at $90. Just wanted to clear it up! Sorry for the confusion! :)

Oooops! I had gone to bed when I realized I hadn't said! It was The Victorian, which is a Best Western that looks like a bed and breakfast, and includes a continental breakfast. And I had bid as high as $92 was rejected on my last try. I maybe should have started a bit lower on a 2 1/2*, but having been rejected at $92, just wanted to get something done. Anyway, checking out the hotel website, I like the location and looks of this hotel, and I'm satisfied! Thanks for the help from this website! Maybe someday I'll learn some patience, and get some really cheap deals! :)

Victory at last! :) I have tried about every 72 hours, bidding a bit more each time. I used the same strategy, with rejections. Mont/Pac Grove 3*, $68 Marina 78 Carmel 88 logged out, went to 2 1/2 * Mont/Pac Grove $90 accepted! It appears to be a savings of about $40 per night, for 2 nights. It'll do!

Bid the exact same way, when 72 hours were up. Rejected for up to $70. I may just bid low prices, as having a reservatiom for $71.99, I sure hate to bid more! I either want a bargain, or will be contect with this one! :)

Pirate, Thanks for reporting your small study! :) I was having trouble this week for 2 separate stays in Waikiki for Jan. After looking for a reasonable, cancellable reservation, finding some places already not available, I can see why I need to win a bid soon, or settle for what I have to pay for a regular reservation! I am new to Priceline, but think I have the bidding and rebidding nearly figured out. Unfortunately, after reading about wins for cheaper bids, I can see that that will never be figured out! :) And I was thinking I was bidding too soon. I will certainly get back to bidding as soon as I am allowed! I am finding that peak times in resort type areas are harder to bid on than other cities! I've had success in Ft. Lauderdale (not at the beach!), Vancouver, BC and in Cal., but Waikiki is proving to be a challenge! I appreciate the advice here!

I apologize for not reading that portion of your website. And I had never found a cheaper way to reserve the Choice Hotels, than the one I was using. But, I checked now, and see where I can use the 60+ rate (DH just turned 60!) for the same rate as I was getting. I will try to use your website from now on, beings the rate is the same! Thanks for pointing this out! It will be easier to do, on one site! (wow, now I have to see if I can find a hotel for another stay that I'm not having any luck bidding on PL, for a busy time!) :)

This may be way too early for Jan. bidding. But, many hotels have NO availability online already! I want Waikiki south, tried 4*, added all zones, changed dates, bid up to $125, rejected in all zones and for all dates. Tried 3*, all different zones, different days, up to $92, rejected. I had stayed at the Park Shore a few times, 7 to 10 years ago. It was small, but clean and decent, and the best location! Now I read it's a dump, and I may put up with the hotel, but not for more than the $90ish we paid, when it was decent! Their website says our dates are available for $190! :) I have since booked a AAA 2 1/2* online for $119 for 4 nights on 1/3, and the 3* Doubletree for $129 for 3 nights on 1/18. I was hoping to get the south zones, as we've stayed there before. I still have lots of time to keep trying! Anyone have any advice on booking for during a peak time, in a busy vacation spot???? :)

:) Monterey 2 nights 9/28 Bid 3* Mont/Pac Grove $50, rej. add Marina 3* $55, rej. add Carmel 3* $60, rej. started over, 2 1/2* Mont/Pac Grove $55, rej. add Marina 2 1/2* $66, rej. No other free bids, so I made a reservation for the Clarion, AAA 3 diamond for $71.99 per night. Will try again in a few days. I think I'm being a bit impatient, as the better deals seem to be somewhat closer to the date wanted. And I took your advice and made a cancellable reservation! :) I'll post again later, as I find that these rejections and wins have helped me a lot!

Thanks! BTW, I'm using SavingsBarn! :)

I went back to the Long Beach area, realizing I could add on the LB airport. Bid $75 for 4*, rejected $65 for 3*, rejected added San Pedro, bid $65 for 3* and accepted by Marina Hotel in San Pedro. It was rejected at $55 earlier, not sure if $60 would've been accepted, but I'm still pleased! My other choice was a Day's Inn near the LA Union Staion, for $75 a night. I like this option much better! This PL bidding takes some time and effort, but I think it'll be worth it in the end! :)

Bid $60 4* Long Beach on 9/27, one night, rejected added San Pedro, bid $65, rejected Bid $55 for 3*, rejected got off and went back in to bid on Long Beach only Bid $49 for 2 1/2*, rejected added San Pedro, $55 for 2 1/2*, rejected! Foiled for LA and Long Beach on this day! Will try again in 72 hours!

Bid $55 for 4* downtown LA, rejected, 9/27 one night $50 for 3*, rejected $38 for 2* rejected Decided we could stay in Long Beach and didn't win a bid there, either! Will try again in 72 hours

You can imagine my surprise when the win was with a hotel I hadn't heard of! :) Actually, the difficulty I encountered only helped me learn the ways of PL bidding! So, I feel more confident in trying again! Surprising to me, the whole bidding process all worked out, without waiting 72 hours, becasue of the changes I was willing to make. I think it paid off, as It's now settled and looks to be a good buy! :)

thereuare, thanks again for your tips. I spent about an hour, bid and rebid, but finally came up with a nice hotel in downtown Vancouver, BC, Coast Plaza Suites on Comox, for $85 a night. Started with 4*, going up to $81, for 9/19 3 nights, via zone and date change rebids, and rejected. Changed to 3*, trying $60 and adding Delta and Langley zones, changing the dates to 2 nights for 9/20, bidding up to $80, and rejected. Changed to 2 1/2*, as there weren't any listed on your website as 2 1/2*! First at $75, 3 nights, rejected. Added Delta zone, $80, rejected. Changed to 2 nights from 9/20 at $85 and accepted! I checked out the Coast website and I'm very pleased with the look of the hotel, and the location! It is a 3* on PL, but is a 4 Diamond AAA property, which I can relate to, as we use AAA often! Also on TripAdvisor, it is very well liked, ranked 24 of their over 100 hotels reviewed! Is this information clear enough, and posted in the correct area of the board?

Thanks! I don't have time until later today to check all of this out. I did go to Hotwire for those dates, and the only 4* for downtown west shows at $168! Way more! Am I doing something else wrong? I also did a price check and found a 2* on their own website, for $117, so I may have been bidding too low for then, anyway. I will try again, thanks to your advice, with a 3*. How much should I bid in downtown? I can't change zones, as only want downtown! Oh, I guess I can change once to Delta, as it only had 1 and 2*, if I remember correctly. Will finish later!

I am new to Priceline and BetterBidding. I think I'm bidding correctly, but obviously not high enough. How will I know if there's something going on to keep the prices up? I bid 4*, 3 nights, 9/19 - 9/22, downtown. I got up to $81, using all of the rebid zones that were below 4*. I see for June there are bids accepted for well under this. I also changed to 2 nights, the 20th and 21st, still with no luck. I now have to wait 72 hours, as if I went to a 3* for price, I may get the wrong zone! Is it too early to get a good bid? Too late??? Or, what price might I expect to pay mid-week, mid-Sept.? Thanks for any suggestions!