lawdawg076

Have been bidding for a while for ABA Annual Meeting. Wanted something reasonable for the first night as I'll be getting in late, booked conference hotel next 2 nights as a cancellable backup, crossing my fingers for a great PRICELINE win for my other 3 nights!

Used BB PRICELINE link for the nearly-daily bidding I've been doing. Don't remember the precise bidding strategy, but have been using free rebids and permutations; success at $95. $117.74 with taxes/fees; I'm pretty happy. Now here's hoping I can be so successful for the other nights! Thanks BB.com for the info.

That's a nice rate for the Sheraton! It's the American Bar Association Midyear Meeting, so there will be over 3,000 lawyers in town that weekend. That Sheraton is the headquarters hotel so expect it to be swamped. I am staying next door thru a priceline win at the JW Marriott for those same dates.

Used BetterBidding.com PRICELINE link. Started at $60 or $61, increased by $1 adding free rebid zones, success at $65! $234.21 including taxes and fees -- lowest rate on Marriott.com is $209/night. This is even way better than the conference hotel "discounted" rates! Thank you BetterBidding.com!

Used BB.com PRICELINE link, accepted on first bid. $136.16 with taxes and fees. I've stayed at a number of other hotels in the YVR area but not this one; looking forward to it especially at this rate.

I've been bidding a variety of combos for this trip for the last 2-3 weeks, even dropping down to 2* and 3* bids. Always using betterbidding.com PRICELINE link, of course. Today I tried 4* bidding up to $120, no luck using all rebid zones. Started a new bid, dropped to 3.5*, bids up to $113, no luck.

New bid, 3*, opened at $85, increased by $5 adding rebid zones. Got the counteroffer screen at some point. Success at $95!

Total $227.66 including taxes and fees. I'm SUPER thrilled with this win since I'm attending a conference just a few blocks away -- the "official" conference hotel was the Sax with a $199/night room rate! Holiday Inn website currently shows the lowest rate for these dates at $236/night.

Used BB.com PRICELINE link, started at $39 with O'Hare North

Added ORD South, increased to $40

Added Franklin Park, increased to $41

Added Hyde Park, increased to $42 -- success. $55.61 with taxes and fees. Perfect for a late-night arrival before 2 days of meetings in the city!

For 6/9-6/10, 1 night.

Used betterbidding.com PRICELINE link. Started around $50, raised by $1 or $2 on re-bid, success upon adding Convention Center - Lloyd Center.

$55, 2 nights, $132.56 tax-inclusive.

Used BB PRICELINE link, as always. Needed a hotel room for the night before a conference at the Hyatt...Started low and used free rebids just going down the list. Added Jonesboro, success at $59!

$75.11 with taxes and fees -- MUCH better than the conference rate of $159 + tax! I was thoroughly expecting to come up dry and to end up staying out near Hartsfield.

Used BB.com PRICELINE link. Success at $91.

Used BB.com PRICELINE link. Started bid for 4* only at $65, added rebid zones (avoiding airport zone, of course) and upped by $5. Increased by $10 on last rebid, successful at $110. Total $135.77 including taxes and fees -- score, on what is expected to be a busy busy weekend in YVR!

Using BB.com PRICELINE link, increased bid by $1 each time and added free rebid zones. Successful on LAST free rebid, hooray!

$81.07 with taxes and fees.

Used BB.com PRICELINE link, started bid at $45, rejected.

Added a free rebid zone, increased by $3, rejected.

Kept adding zones increasing by $1, accepted at $52. Total with taxes/fees, $66.18.

Used betterbidding.com PRICELINE link, accepted on first bid. $58.98 including taxes and fees.

Sadly I didn't get to use this one as I was absolutely certain I would have an overnight layover at DFW, but got on the last flight back to Seattle that day. Bummer, as it looks like a nice hotel. But I've saved so much money using this board, it was a risk I was willing to take.

Used BetterBidding.com PRICELINE link. Started at $40, increased bid successively using free rebids ($43, $46, $49, $52, $54). Accepted on last free rebid at $55. Taxes and fees are $25.50 for a grand total of $135.50. Amazing deal, especially considering that lowest rates on InterContinental site start at $149 before taxes & fees.

Accepted on 1st bid. Used Betterbidding.com link. $48.92 including taxes and fees.

I like this hotel -- it's been very quiet each time I've stayed there, and the location is convenient. Some of the rooms are a little older, but for the price -- can't beat it!

Bid $45 on first bid, rejected. Added 2.5* and bumped bid to $55, successful! A great deal since the lowest available rate through redlion.com is $101.15/night.

Total with taxes/fees: $132.26

Used Savingsbarn.com link. Started at $41, used GEG, North and Valley as rebids and upped to $43, $44...successful on 4th bid at $46.

With taxes and fees, total is $59.83. Great deal, as lowest published rate on website is $106.25 before taxes & fees! (There's a $97 government rate but I'm not a government employee.)

Used savingsbarn.com link. Started with $61 in downtown Portland. Bid accepted at $65 when I added Convention Center - Lloyd Center. Very pleased with this win, especially as it's a few weeks ahead of time, and this property comes up only rarely! Thank you, BB.com. Total with taxes and fees is $80.95. Lowest rate on Marriott.com is $109/night.

Note that the former downtown Portland has been divided into 3 zones:

-Downtown Portland

-Convention Center - Lloyd Center

-South Waterfront (this zone was unavailable when I bid)

Don't recall the bidding strategy...was hoping for something in the West End but there didn't seem to be anything available for 4* in the CBD/West End.

$359.16 w/taxes, actually doesn't seem too bad for a holiday weekend. The hotel gets better reviews than I thought it would.

Used savingsbarn.com link...

Used Savingsbarn.com. Started at $70 and used free rebids, rejected at $73/75/80/85/87/90, accepted at $100. With taxes, $120.70.

Failed using free rebids, up to max of $75. Used savingsbarn.com to get bid started.

Thank goodness we only have a 24hr lockout now!

Accepted on first bid.

Would have used savingsbarn link, but couldn't access their website.

Accepted on 1st bid through savingsbarn.com link. The price is amazing -- $141.55 is lowest AAA rate on hilton.com and $149 is the regular rate!

This is one of the nicer hotels I've stayed in, just generally. It is brand new so even though it is only a 3*, the look and feel is much like a 4*.

In sum: Great hotel, and I can't believe I got to stay there for a winning bid of $39 (about $50 with taxes)! As nice or nicer in terms of the facility than many 4-star properties I have stayed at (Hyatt, Sheraton, Westin).

The entire hotel is done in muted, soft colors and generally has a relaxing feel about it. The lobby is beautiful in a modern, convention-center sort of way, and appropriately it's attached to the new convention center. It is right across from the new Esther Short Park, which is beautiful. I just wished it were warmer so I could sit outside.

The room was extremely nice, with all the amenities a business traveler could want. A large TV was a nice touch, as was the large mirror in the bathroom and the marble counter in the bathroom. Lots of lamps, well-lit.

There is a 24-hour fitness room and a pool/spa, which I used both. They were clean and neat as was the rest of the hotel.

Wonderful stay and I wouldn't hesitate to pay rack rates here!

Used Savingsbarn.com link, accepted on 1st bid.

Thanks BB! I don't even post on "TOBB" anymore; I was tired of nasty messages whenever I didn't follow "protocol" (I'm a lawyer and I have enough technical nuances to learn without having to do it just for a bulletin board...).

Am especially excited to stay at this property as it is nearly new and has great reviews on TripAdvisor.