I did not post my entire bidding process for LAX as I was in a hurry so I will do so now in case it can help somone a bit.
LAX..4*..$45 rejected.
Added Bev H at $50..rejected. ( I was almost certain there would be NO response to this bid but tried it anyway) closed browser.
New bid:
LAX..3.5* $43..rejected. Added Sta Mon. at $46..rejected. Added Bev. H at $49 ..rejected. Closed browser
New bid:
LAX 3*..$43 accepted.
I started bidding in this zone at 4*.. $45, rejected.
Then dropped to 3.5* at $43...rejected.
Then 3* at $43..accepted.
I copied a low winning bid I saw. Can't imagine I could have gotten it lower, though, but when they take the first bid you often wonder, don't you!
Had been bidding all evening with free bids and numerous max combinations for Bev. Hills, Santa Monica and Brentwood up to $69 with no luck or counteroffers.
Then decided to just go for the inexpensive rooms at the airport. There was also a 3* on Hotwire at LAX for $59 which is most likely also the Radisson.
Parking was going to be an issue in almost every area, so at least there is self park nearby for $10 here, and valet with in and out services for $20.
Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $43.00
Subtotal: $86.00
Taxes & Service Fees: $20.09
Total Charges*: $106.09
I used your link, of course.
Researching a trip to SF soon, I have found that not all hotels have a 24 hr shuttle service. So calling the apparent numerous hotels in the star level and above you will be bidding on with Priceline is necessary if you will have a fairly late arrival and do not want the additional $20 taxi fee to many of the places.
Even hotels with a 24 hr shuttle can have a much longer wait period after 11 pm.
This is more true of the lower level acomodations, and especially true in South SF. Some stop at midnight, others in San Mateo (even the Marriot) at 9pm. So careful if you have a late arriving flight.
Most do start again at 4 am, though, so going back to the airport in most instances is no problem.
The BART also stops around midnight for getting into SF, and is replaced by a less frequent bus service.
Just a head's up as for use of this hotel for SFO. Their shuttle stops at 9pm.
I spent at least an hour with a number of bids ( 22 total I think!) of combinations looking for a 4* in Financial, Soma , or USE. I used free bids and combinations to a max, starting low at $57 copying someone's wining bid for an earlier month.
No success until I got up to $80 and received a counteroffer of $22 at zones Financial, and South SF, which I ignored.
Added USE at $82. Rejected.
Added Marina Lombard at $84. Rejected.
Added SOMA and dropped to $80 as this time I had kept notes of what the highest bid was with this zone .. so.. success.. accepted and very happy.
Hotel website total is $312 versus Priceline $192.90
Accepted on first bid. I didn't bother begining lower as others' comments and results made me hope to get this on first try.
Looks nice. Hyatt's webpage is a reasonable $126+tax for same dates.
Used your PRICELINE link, of course!
Just for anyone's information. Bid today for tomorrow, one night.
may 31-june 1. 4* Dublin airport $65. received counter offer fo $80.
Added Dublin North free re-bid at $70. Rejected.
Went to HOTWIRE then to purchase the $85 4* I had seen with 4.5 tripadvisor review and when I loaded the page it was gone.
So, just booked the 3* HI Express ( $69 includes tax) with free breakfast and shuttle through the support page link here.
After failed $65 DUB bid for 4*tonight for tomorrow, got $80 counter offer and added re-bid zone and raised $5 to $70.. no go.. so I Just made a HI Express reservation 3*, $69 incl. tax and breakfast and airport shuttle for a friend's mom at Dublin airport.
I was going to book an $85 4* HOTWIRE hotel if my bid failed, but it disappeared when I went to do so!!!
Great website.
Great hotel, great location, even convenient to Logan with bus around the corner that drops you at airport.(Silver Line). Lots more to do here than at an airport hotel.
Wonderful beds. Had a nice view of city.Free interent in lobby and business center. Starbucks on site. The staff were very helpful
Plenty of restaurants within walking distance.
Yankee Lobster down the street is an old fish place but serves great food or take out.
Pressed Sandwich around the corner from the hotel has a 4.95 breakfast plate that is decent.
Couldn't have been a nicer stay.
The silver line BUS stops next to the hotel to take you to and from the airport. No train involved. Direct service.
Just returned from this hotel and the location is fabulous. The breakfast place "Todd and Blake" across the street is less gourmet than "Dishes", but is a very reasonable, good fast deli with a grill. They have a 4.95 breakfast there.
Go to Happy Hour or at night up at the Mad46 ( 19th floor of hotel) lounge for a lovely outdoor drink experience. It is very popular with the local young business people.
Closest free internet is the NY Public library. You get 45 min/day. Kinko's is $18.00/hour.
We had two different rooms. Part of our group asked for two beds and were given them after asking "Who wanted the two beds?".
Our "cozy queen" was just that. Bathrooms are dated but face-lifted with a sometimes messy paint job and messy tub re-caulking, but our room was clean and the bed was fine. No in-room coffee maker, but I think I read somewhere that someone had been able to get one.
Bellman and doorman seem to have attitude sometimes.
But in general the staff was very congenial. I can only say praise for them as they quickly and professionally resolved a medical emergency for my mom while she was there.
I would not be unhappy getting this same hotel again on priceline. Our rooms were not luxurious, but it definitely was a positive experience all round.
Just returned from this hotel and the location is fabulous. The breakfast place "Todd and Blake" across the street is less gourmet than "Dishes", but is a very reasonable, good fast deli with a grill. They have a 4.95 breakfast there.
Go to Happy Hour or at night up at the Mad46 ( 19th floor of hotel)lounge for a lovely outdoor drink experience. It is very popular with the local young business people.
Closest free internet is the NY Public library. You get 45 min/day. Kinko's is $18.00/hour.
We had two different rooms. Part of our group asked for two beds and were given them after asking "Who wanted the two beds?".
Our "cozy queen" was just that. Bathrooms are dated but face-lifted with a sometimes messy paint job and messy tub re-caulking, but our room was clean and the bed was fine. No in room coffee maker, but I think I read somewhere that someone had been able to get one.
Bellman and doorman seem to have attitude sometimes.
But in general the staff was very congenial. I can only say praise for them as they quickly and professionally resolved a medical emergency for my mom while she was there.
I would not be unhappy getting this same hotel again on priceline. It is not luxurious, but definitely was a positive experience all round.
This hotel is an older property with the typical huge center open atrium. Rooms can be VERY far from the front desk area.
The room was in good condition.
However, I found the $10 self park fee a bit abusive.
Valet is $20.
Nearby is the acclaimed City Lights diner which served an excellent breakfast, and has been written up in several magazines.
I was happy with the hotel, as staff was nice and it was easy to find.
Access to NYC was effortless and we were lucky with the traffic at 9.30 am.
Fabulous hotel with nearby bus ( cross out side door through parking lot) for Logan.
Take the Silver line straight from Logan to this stop also. Very convenient.
Good restaurants nearby.
Yankee Lobster has great food.
An expensive grill breakfast around the corner at "Pressed Sandwich", I think it was called.
And unbelievable beds.
Great hotel. Worth every penny of what you paid.
Luck on our side again.
Bid $39 yesterday for 3.5* Stamford/Greenwich 3.5* . Received counter offer for additonal $11. Ignored, thus rejected.
Added Norwalk (free re-bid) for $42. Rejected
Today bid $45 for 3.5* S./G. Accepted
Got the Hyatt Regency. I couldn't be happier as this would be my first choice in this town.
I was unable to use your links again. None of your PRICELINE links opened operably on this computer I am using. So I had to open a window directly to th website. Sorry. I tried from all angles .
I am having trouble identifying any Greenwich hotel for May 18th, onenight, as this zone, Stamford-Old Greenwich is not on the list.
The 3.* $61 with the following amenities could be...?
complimentary breakfast, fitness, pool, business, laundry, internet
or the 3.5*...? $53
offering smoke free, fitness, pool,restaurant, business, internet
Thanks in advance
I was referring to the Ravel as of travel time and location. The NJ hotels mentioned will work out just as the moderator explained.
However, be patient and follow their strategy every few days and before you know it you will have a nice hotel at a decent price, I am sure.
You need to calculate transportation costs/ TIME factor when you stay far outside of manhattan. You have a lot of time to get this figured out and the moderators I am sure can suggest a back up hotel IN Manhattan that has a ZERO cancellation fee, and is more convenient.
In the end I would prefer to drop star level than stay far away.
This, only of course, after repeatedly trying their bidding strategy at a higher level.
Good luck.
Last night failed bids up to $125 in almost all downtown areas including Waterfront at 4* rejected and up to $115 yesterday for 3.5*.
Today I started at $115 for Quincy Market, then added Waterfront ( and don't know why I raised my bid probably unnecesssarily) but was accepted at $118.
Hard to play these games sometimes. It is late.. I am tired, and tired of this hotel ordeal .
There was a Hotwire at $159 in Quincy Market if I got nowhere up to that amount tonight.
The good news is no changing hotel rooms for my mom and friend and they wake up near the event next day! I am very happy with the end total for the three nights during such a busy weekend.
I used your PRICELINE link, of course.
Their website is $299/$269 depending on day. Not bad!
Thanks! I saw the 4 points but it seems so far in the opposite direction. Maybe something else will come up, or I will get lucky in the other zones, although dropping in stars on Priceline in Boston can get you into some not so good situations, as I assume in most places!
Luckily I won't have a car, and will not need internet daily, so it is a fabulous solution. The hotel's website does mention a caf
There are no amenities but the tripadvisor rating is 4 out of 5, which makes me think it is the Hampton Inn, last review in April 2009.
I will continue to bid on Priceline for other zones, but have gotten nowhere, and I will NOT bid such a low star rating anyway.
Thanks Wes. Just bid same zone because of your post and won the same hotel. Also after no go (must have bid 45 combinations in the past two days for Copley and Quincy market)) but had never tried this zone.
I might add that fortunately I had not arbitrarily added this zone to my previous downtown bidding as I certainly would have overbid as I had not seen any wins in Waterfront for my dates, so had not much to go on.
I do know that it is not as convenient as downtown, but we will be attending an event at Fan Pier Saturday, so it should work out really well. Silver line is across the street, they say.
Any breakfast place suggestions? Hotel seems a bit pricey. I have already seen lucky Lounge and Barking Crab for other nearby meals but have not chanced upon any breakfast place within walking distance.
One-way Name your own price rentals??
in Priceline Car Rental States A-M
Posted
While researching a trip, just FYI, SFO-LAS is one of the one-way destinations offered at "name your own price".
First you must go to priceline car rentals, (not name your own price) put in all the info, and THEN after it comes up, there may /or may not be an option of name your own price.
You will not see it before arriving at that last page with prices at the normal priceline site where one-way rentals are accpeted.
We could not get SFO-LAX nor SFO-SAN, but LAS did come up ..so.. hope this helps somebody..
I will post the results if we we are successful.