theory12

Being stuck at airport at 10pm due to missed connection (and airline out of hotel rooms, they said), I unsuccessfully got priceline booking for any airport hotel from 5* down to 3* but my max was only $150 there. So I checked Hotwire and booked this for $240, with taxes and fees it was $260. Other people drove around and paid $300 at Marriott airport, so I don't feel so bad about overpaying for this. Apparently 3 trade shows in town in addition to this being valentines/pres day holiday weekend. Best Value with these amenities: Airport Shuttle Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Business Center Laundry Facilities High-speed Internet Access Children's Activity Program Nice hotel and 4* worthy, but no way would I pay this price near an aiport in Miami, if I wasn't desperate. I also saw the printout of prepayment from from the hotel...Hotwire paid $170 for it. Funny also...the hotel would not let me book direct and said no rooms left...so I called backed about 2 minutes after I booked Hotwire online from airport and they had the reservation :)

I selected 5* then 4* for this zone only, and started bidding at $95. Never received counteroffers. Once I got to $118, I started over at $100, and got this at $113. It's a great hotel and not too out of the way, plus you can take 25/26 tram right by the hotel. Stayed here before so I know exactly what to expect. :) Take the Connexion shuttle over for 12 Euros (howver they do not offer return trip). A taxi back to airport will cost you a staggering 60 euros average because the cabs in this city are unregulated and will rip you off. Consider taking the train back for 4 euros from centraal station if you don't have much luggage and don't mind the extra time, as the hotel offers free shuttle to centraal.

I tried for a few weeks starting at $90, then got to as high as $98. I decided to restart at $93 and bid was accepted. Throughout this period, I always received a $125 counteroffer. The only zone I selected was this one for 4* (with the one free bid zone), as I targeted this specific hotel so I can just buy the club level upgrade of $65 per night when I get there. :)

After my Cancun bids failed for JW Marriott resort up to $130 (bids won at $110 but many months ago; so now sold out as this is President's day/Valentine's weekend after all)....I decided to shift to Bahamas. First targeted Paradise Island (Nassau), and had Resort/4* up to $125 and 3* up to $100 without any counters. Decided then I could deal with flying to Freeport instead. Tried resort up to $125, then 3* starting at $70, then $75, then $80, then $86. Oh, all of these with the bonus offer of $5/night to up my bid....not sure if this helped at all, as I am only counting what I was being charged if I won. I think the whole promotion seems fishy. Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya Resort Grand Bahama Island Royal Palm Way Fri, Feb 15, 2008 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Mon, Feb 18, 2008 / 11:00 AM Offer Price Summary Bonus Cash Per Room, Per Night: US$5.00 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$86.00 Total Offer Price Per Room, Per Night with Bonus: US$91.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Charges to your Credit Card Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$86.00 Subtotal: US$258.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$33.89 Total Charges: US$291.89

Would have preferred Renaissance, but this should be fine, as any of the major resorts in Aruba are great. Started at $100, then $105, then got at $109. Direct rate on non-opaque site was $178. Westin Aruba Resort Palm Beach, Aruba Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$109.00 Subtotal: US$436.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$90.05 Total Charges: US$526.05 Used Savingsbarn link as always (in case I forget to mention each time). :)

I so overpaid for this zone!!!! :) My biggest mistake was not being able to get 4* in preferred areas first and bidding to $125 (Bridge-City, Soho mayfair, etc) then selecting this one AFTER those other 4* zones. So remember that Kensington should be cheaper and for this time of year in winter, I THINK I could have gotten it for under $100 , maybe even $80 and saved myself a total of >$100 -$150 for the stay. Direct booking at $165. Apparently this is the hotel you always get for Kensington and has questionable reviews of this being 4* quality. Oh well, London is fun and known to be expensive, with small hotel rooms. Copthorne Tara Kensington Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$130.00 Subtotal: US$390.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$80.45 Total Charges: US$470.45

Couldn't seem to get 5* hotel and didn't want to pay more than $100.....so I went down a level, tried 4* and got this on the first try at $68 so I may have overpaid, but prob only by $5-10 per night. Booking direct was about $130. Another out of city centre location....but the money I saved will cover my airport taxi fares : ) Renaissance Brussels Hotel Rue Du Parnasse 19 Brussels, Belgium Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$68.00 Subtotal: US$204.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$51.75 Total Charges: US$255.75

Tried for a few days beginning at $110 in increments of $5 and knew I would pay higher for "New Year's Eve" in the stay. Best price booking online without opaqueness was $275! :) Good reviews in general, & again, a bit out of city centre as I seem to be getting for Europe on priceline, but supposedly near tram stop and takes 10euros taxi to get to city centre. Moevenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre City Centre And Museum Quarter Piet Heinkade 11 Amsterdam, The Netherlands Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$135.00 Subtotal: US$405.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$40.04 Total Charges: US$445.04 Used SavingsBarn link of course.

I had an 11pm flight to Madrid this day and decided to get a hotel to sleep the afternoon/evening away, vs. hanging out in the lobby of the Sheraton Lisboa after my checkout or doing more sightseeing in the old town (Sheraton is the BEST btw, now that it's renovated like a W). :) I got this on the first try, at $65, a week before I arrived in Portugal.....now why couldn't I get this when I tried months ago? I think I bid up to $120 for 10/1/-10/3 this past summer and when I could not get a 4* under $120, I had to look at using Starwood points to book my stay in Lisbon. Don't worry too much about hotels' location in this city being away from old town, as cabs are cheap and metros are near. Lisbon Marriott Hotel Av Dos Combatentes 45 Lisbon, Portugal Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$65.00 Subtotal: US$65.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$11.71 Total Charges: US$76.71

Started 4* bidding at $90 with rebid airport zone in increments of $5. I did get counter of $127 at $100. But just waited a few days again and got this at $110. Direct Marriott booking or through Expedia was $529! :) Again, away from the heart of the downtown but close enough near metro and near a few key sights on the waterfront. Marriott Copenhagen Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$110.00 Subtotal: US$330.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$91.26 Total Charges: US$421.26 Now if only priceline could offer Oslo or Stockholm, my summer hotel costs will be cheap. Otherwise Scandinavia seems to be soooo expensive, esp with a low USdollar. Used the SavingsBarn link as always.

:) No one has posted Finland anywhere on this board or the other one so I thought I would take a chance. It's just all of Helsinki 2* or 3* so very risky if you are set on being in city centre. I selected 3*, started at $75 and then every few days $78...then got it at $81. Direct booking was $108 so I guess I saved 25%-ish and it will be peak summer season. Hedging my bets that the Euro will keep rising : ) Looks to be in the business area/swedish ferry and near a metro but not in the heart of town. Which is ok, I think, as I will be glad to be in a hotel which is not a dump, as 3* usually can be. Nice tripadvisor reviews about how good of shape it's in. I can deal with taking metros and 10-min taxis to get to town. Holiday Inn Helsinki City-West (not to be confused with the several other Holiday Inns!) Sulhasenkuja 3 Helsinki, Finland 358 9 4152 1000 Amenities: 24 Hour Front Desk Bar/Lounge Breakfast Room Remote Control Television Direct Dial Telephone Private Bath Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$81.00 Subtotal: US$324.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$40.42 Total Charges: US$364.42

:) i forgot to mention...that I used the Savingsbarn.com affiliation link to get to Priceline website. This site helped me obtain my target of the Club Quarters. Thanks

Stayed here a few months ago--when DFW was one zone. I started at $42 and won....I hate it when I don't get to re-bid and potentially could have gotten a bit lower. Oh well, just a few bucks. Used SavingsBarn link :) I always use the link and am addicted to travel. Your Offer Price: $42.00 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $42.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $13.45 Total Charges: $55.45

Thanks...I think I feel better about it now that I studied the streetcar line again. Summerfield is far up in North direction but closer to the other hotels/downtown. Homewood is on the west side under Queen Anne/Denny but closer to Seattle Center and along waterfront (albeit far from cenetr Pike). Also, I got my Chicago target so I am happy for the summer plans : )

Ok, got it for $80 first try today... $286.10 with fees. Thank god it is the one I expected. Check-In Date: Friday, September 1, 2006 Check-Out Date: Monday, September 4, 2006 Club Quarters, Central Loop 111 West Adams Street Chicago, Illinois 60603 312-214-6400

:) I messed up. Could have gotten Hotwire's $78 but thought I would try to save here...and ended up with Homewood Suites. Though both have free breakfast, internet wireless--The difference would be lack of shuttle van and the obviously outlier location--this is not downtown!!! It is closer to Elliott Bay and 1-2 miles out and apparently you don't walk too much around here at night. Also, I thought I would start under the recent $70 wins for 2.5* and I may have been able to get lower--first bid at $69 accepted. Rack is $169/ used the savingsbarn link of course. :)

Quick getaway needed. No problem with a direct flight from Aus to ORD for Fri night or Sat monrning. Saw HOtwire with what I think is Club Qtrs for $110 or so. I am thinking I can get it for less here. Bid $72 rejected, which I got the additional $22 counter. I changed dates to start 9/2-9/4 and went to $76. Rejected. So I will try again tomorrow, and prob go around $80. :)

Hey, JW has a long way to go in terms of recovery. They pushed openeing date yet again to July 1, and that is with limited services (no suites, no spa, etc). I think the restaurants are back. Plus, I think they set that block for PL in March over spring break...at least that was what I observed in past few years/

Sorry I did not post the bid details! Lately with the 24 hour cycle refresh, I just wait next day to try again. I stop trying so hard to think about all my rebid zones (though I did use them)--the started at $80 and gradually incremeted by $4-5. Highest previous was $110.

Won $66 on hotwire months ago---needed to add two nights to align with free airfare. Hotiwre no longer had the deals so I tried Priceline and got this same hotel. $114 x 2 nights plus tax=$276.86 Wish I had booked more nights with Hotwire when I did it early--made the same mistake as with previous Toronto trip. Would not have minded a different hotel just to try it out. But this will be easy. And I used savingsbarn link :)

I am crazy to book again and spending too much on traveling, but since my JW was cancelled last year, I thought I would try early again. I knew to target $105 and after a few days' attempts up to $100, I got this for $105. Cheap rate--since rack rate is $439 lowest. I think the key is March--spring breakers stay at other hotels. Maybe CasaMagna is Feb like the other post. $105 x 4 nights plus $60.36 tax= $480.36

Stayed here a few weeks ago; due to a tour mishap, Grayline did not pick me up for Niagara so I decided to go back later this summer. Checked Hotwire and got this same hotel today : ) Also used Savingsbarn link. Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel 123 Queen Street West Toronto, Ontario M5H 2M9 Amenities: Restaurant(s) Pool(s) Fitness Center Spa Services Business Center Customer Favorite 1 room(s) @ $74.00 per night x 4 night(s) $296.00 Hotel Taxes and fees: $52.93 Hotel Subtotal $348.93

:) I am curious if they added a $19 per day resort fee? Read that in Trip Advisor recently. But only one person mentioned it.

:) I did get a good deal...but could not get them to remove the additional $13 per day "service" fee for beaches, gardens, etc....some trip advisors have gotten it done, and some didn't/ So just be aware that you need to tack on this per day fee when making your final decision to buy.

hey, Intercontinental is now just $116 for my dates, with Hotwire. I still think I did well though with Caribe and don't mind staying away from action unless I see Intercontinental even lower!!!