WzDancer

Hyatt Lisle 1400 Corporetum Drive Lisle, Illinois 60532 630-852-1234 Check-In Date: Saturday, September 20, 2008 Check-Out Date: Monday, September 22, 2008 Your Offer Price: $38.00 Subtotal: $76.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $16.96 Total Charges*: $92.96 This is my first PRICELINE play in the Chicago Land, and the $38 for 2.5* was accepted on the first try. It kinda took away the fun of bidding game. I think I am getting a good deal, since the Hyatt web site lists Best Available Rates of $99 for Saturday and $139 for Sunday. However, the AAA rate is $88 for either night. I started the bidding through the PRICELINE link. I took the $13/day Intermediate car in conjunction with this hotel stay. It turned out to be HERTZ at Midway Airport, but I am flying into ORD. I called the 800 number right away, and listed to several messages of PRICELINE reservations are not cancellable, and finally the customer agent cancelled my car rental reservation. WHOO!

Extended Stay America San Jose - South - Edenvale 6199 San Ignacio Avenue San Jose, California 95119 408-226-4499 Check-In Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2008 Check-Out Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Your Offer Price: $36.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $11.42 Total Charges*: $47.42 $46 for 2.5* did ot work in all zone in the Silicon Valley, $34 for 2* did not work either. I used the PRICELINE link.

Courtyard By Marriott Pleasanton 5059 Hopyard Rd Pleasanton, California 94588-3301 925-463-1414 Your Offer Price: $44.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $12.27 Total Charges*: $56.27 My offer of $44 for 2.5* was accepted on the first try. The Marriott web site lists senior rate of $152 for this night. :) I used the PRICELINE link to start the bidding.

Extended Stay America San Jose - Milpitas 1000 Hillview Court Milpitas, California 95035 408-941-9977 Check-In Date: Wednesday, August 24, 2008 Check-Out Date: Friday, August 29, 2008 I received an one-time permission from our BetterBidding buddy, Colfax, to stay at this ESA last week. I did not want to dish out $5 for 3-letter wi-fi password for only two nights. But I could justifiy it if I stay here more nights this month. Since I got it for $34 last week, I tried $33 first, but I had to increase to $34 before being accepted. I might have abused the one-time permission, but I paid $5 for 7 nights of Wi-Fi. This ESA is not as junky as others. I started the bidding through the PRICELINE link.

Extended Stay America San Jose - Milpitas 1000 Hillview Court Milpitas, California 95035 408-941-9977 Check-In Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Check-Out Date: Friday, August 22, 2008 Your Offer Price: $34.00 Subtotal: $68.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $15.56 Total Charges*: $83.56 My first offer of $32 for 2* was not accepted in Milpitas and San Jose zones. Then $34 for 2* was accepted when I added the Santa Clara-Sunnyvale zone. I am happy withthe results since the lowest I've accepted here was $32 for the past 2 years. I'll savor the inexpensive enthnic goodies in Milpitas, and I hope I'll have approval of Colfax for staying at this ESA. I started the bidding using the PRICELINE link.

Beverly Heritage Hotel 1820 Barber Lane Milpitas, California 95035 408-943-9080 Check-In Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 Check-Out Date: Monday, August 18, 2008 Your Offer Price: $40.00 Subtotal: $200.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $32.74 Total Charges*: $232.74 My $40 for 2.5* did not work in San Jose zone for these nights, but it worked when I expanded to Milpitas zone. It is heck of a deal since it includes week nights. I started the bidding through the PRICELINE link.

Extended Stay America Seattle - Tukwila 15451 53rd Ave. South Tukwila, Washington 98188 (206) 244-2537 HotPricePerNight:$36.00Nights: HotTaxesAndFees:$10.76 TotalPrice:$46.76 I have not been successful for the past several days in Priceline upto $49 for 2.5* for this night . So I grabbed this one. The sole listed ammenity is Laundromat. Oops! I did not enter through the HOTWIRE link. :) Our IT dept put a spyware warning on PRICELINE.com, so I tried to see if Hotwire.com got the same treatment. I got carried away and booked a night through Hotwire. I'll be more careful next time, but I use HOTWIRE for hotels only twice a year at most.

Courtyard By Marriott Seattle/Seatac 16038 West Valley Highway Tukwila, Washington 98188 425-255-0300 Check-In Date: Sunday, August 10, 2008 Check-Out Date: Monday, August 11, 2008 Your Offer Price: $47.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $14.05 Total Charges*: $61.05 My $47 for 2.5* bid was accepted on the first try. The senior rate listed in Marriott.com is $182 for this night. Even though the name indicate SeaTac, there is another Courtyard 1 mile closer to the airport. The car rental is not cheap in Seattle even in weekends during the summer. With this location, I can return the rental car Sunday evening and ride the hotel shuttle to catch Morning flight. The saving in rental will pay for the breakfast. I started the bidding using the PRICELINE link.

Country Inn And Suites Bothell 19333 North Creek Parkway Bothell, Washington 98011 425-485-5557 Your Offer Price: $50.00 Subtotal: $100.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $22.36 Total Charges*: $122.36 I was not successful at $57 for 2.5* in the Bellevue-Redmond zone. So I moved north, and the $50 for 2.5* was accepted at the first try. Therefore, I may not be at the rock bottom price. The lowest "enjoy your weekend" rate on the hotel web-site is $125. I started bidding using the PRICELINE link.

Courtyard By Marriott Raleigh Airport 2001 Hospitality Court Morrisville, North Carolina 27560 919-467-9444 Your Offer Price: $44.00 Subtotal: $88.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $19.58 Total Charges*: $107.58 My initial bid of $43 for 2.5* in the Cary zone was unssuccessful, then I added the RDU zone and increased to $44 for 2.5*. It is not a terrific deal, since the AAA rate on the Marriot.com is $80. I started bidding using the PRICELINE link.

Residence Inn Portland North Vancouver 8005 Northeast Parkway Drive Vancouver, Washington 98662-6460 360-253-4800 Check-In Date: Sunday, July 6, 2008 Check-Out Date: Monday, July 7, 2008 I submitted the bid at 4pm on the day of check-in. $40 for 2.5* at PDX did not work, $42 did not work either when I added Lake-Oswego+Tigard zone. It finally worked when I raised the bid to $43 for 2.5* by adding the Vancouver zone. The hotel web site lists $135 senior rate. I did the bidding in a hurry in the lobby of another hotel on the hiway, but I did not forget to use the PRICELINE link.

Red Lion Hotel Pendleton 304 S E Nye Avenue Pendleton, Oregon 97801 541-276-6111 Check-In Date: Friday, July 4, 2008 Check-Out Date: Saturday, July 5, 2008 Your Offer Price: $63.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $15.18 Total Charges*: $78.18 This is definitely the best deal I've ever cut on PRICELINE. I need a room tomorrow night, and it is on a long weekend in an unfamilair turf. I could not afford to low ball on the bidding in this small town without rebidding zones. Not even an opportunity for 2.5*. My $63 for 3* was accepted on the first and only try. The Red Lion web site lists $92 for a non-refundable rate, and highway coupon rate is $82. Therefore, I am still ahead a little bit. I started bidding through the PRICELINE link|

Country Inn And Suites Sunnyvale 1300 Chesapeake Terrace Sunnyvale, California 94089 408-747-0999 Check-In Date: Sunday, June 29, 2008 Check-Out Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Your Offer Price: $40.00 Subtotal: $80.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $17.00 Total Charges*: $97.00 This is one of my favorite 2.5*+ Priceline digs in the Silicon Valley. My first try of $38 for 2.5* was not accepted, but $40 was. This is the lowest I've been accepted by this hotel in the past 12 months. This is possible on weekdays because of the 4th of July. I was not successful up to $45 the previous week. As usual, I started the bidding through the PRICELINE link.

Homestead San Jose-Downtown 1560 North First Street San Jose, California 95112 408-573-0648 Check-In Date: Sunday, June 22, 2008 Check-Out Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 Your Offer Price: $38.00 Subtotal: $114.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $21.40 Total Charges*: $135.40 For these nights during the week, I was unsuccssful in the Silicon Valley up to $45 for 3* hotels. So I lowered to 2*, unsuccsful in Sunnyvale-Santa Clara fat $36, then I added San Jose zone and bidded at $38. In these zones, there are my favorite 2* hotels (Candlewood Suites and Extended Deluxe) I do not mind to bid $40, and there are 2* hotels (Homestead and ESA) I am kind reluctant to bid more than $38. The best part of this hotel is parking lot and location (near the light rail station, easy access to airport, downtown and Japan Town). However, the bedding and furniture are short of my expectation. Anyway, I am a spoiled Priceline bidder who is complainning about paying $38 for a 2* hotel in the Valley on weekdays. I should be happy because the senior rate on the ExtededStay web site is $104 and the Motel (eighty)6 nearby is leaving the lights on for me. I started the bidding through the PRICELINE link.

It turned out this stay was not spotless. On my weekly monitoring of my credit card account, I noticed a $62.01 charge from Hilton Garden. I called HG to report the erroneous charge. I was first told that this could be a temporary hold. Then they admitted the error after I asked if they make a temporary hold in an odd amount. With this snafu, I also learned that the PRICELINE made 81.22-62.01=$19.21 on m stay. As Bill Shatner said in the TV commerical, "It is not stealing, it is negotiating!"

It is interesting that you mentioned AC, it was set at 60F when I checked in. It took a while to return to a comfortable temp after I turned it off. I was over-dressed when I went out to take a walk in the stylish outdoor shopping center around the hotel. Should have been in T-shirt and shorts.

I'd like modifiy my quotable quote. I've never paid more than $45 for a hotel room through Priceline until last weekend, when I stayed at the 4* Hilton Hotel in Santa Clara, CA for $48. My experience at this 2.5* Hitlton Garden far exceeds that at the 4* Hilton. I was assigned a suite with separate sitting and sleeping areas, I do not know if this is the standard room here. Each area comes with a 37" LCD TV, and this is the first hotel I've stayed that provides digital cable signals. I did not have to endure streched fuzzy pictures as in many other hotels with LCD sets. As at many Hilton Gardens, the all you can order American Breakfast cost $10 including everything from the $6 continental tables. The free Wi-Fi access is fast. My $75 (65+10) is well spent at this Hilton Garden.

Hilton Garden Inn Wilmington Mayfaire Town Center 6745 Rock Spring Road Wilmington, North Carolina 28405 910-509-4046 Beyond my control, I was looking for a place for tonight in Wilmington. My first instinction was to use 'Extend My Stay' feature of Priceline to add to $77 Saturday night at Couryard that I've already paid for. But this cool guy decided to drive a better bargain and supported BetterBidding by using the PRICELINE link. My $65 for 2.5* was snapped by Hilton Garden on the first try. How sweet! I've always enjoyed HG better than CY, based my experience elsewhere in the US. Hilton.com lists a minimum of $179 for tonight. I've never paid more than $50 for a hotel room through PRICELINE before this weekend. But I am delighted to be accepted at a vacation destination during a Summer weekend.

Courtyard By Marriott Wilmington 151 Van Campen Drive Wilmington, North Carolina 28403 910-395-8224 Check-In Date: Saturday, June 7, 2008 Check-Out Date: Sunday, June 8, 2008 Your Offer Price: $77.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $17.98 Total Charges*: $94.98 I am on a business trip on expense account, I do not have to book thru Priceline. But I did just for the heck or it or, for a better reason, to support BetterBidding.com. I started the bidding using the PRICELINE link. My original offer of $60 for 2.5* was not accepted, and Priceline invited me to up the bid by $17. I accepted the invitation for the first time in my jounrney through Priceline, and it was accepted. I was surprised, since this is a resort area in the summer time and hotels are rarely vacant during weekends. The Marriot web site lists $152 AAA, or $144 senior.

Holiday Inn San Jose 1740 North First Street San Jose, California 95112 408-793-3300 Check-In Date: Sunday, June 1, 2008 Check-Out Date: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 Your Offer Price: $42.00 Subtotal: $84.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $17.46 Total Charges*: $101.46 I started with $40 for 2.5* in Milpitas, the $41 for 2.5* by adding Santa Clara-Sunnyvale, and finally accepted with $42 for 2.5* by adding the San Jose zone. Therefore, $42 may not be the rock bottom. I am very happy with this one. It is an attractive hotel and is very conveniently located. I started the bidding through the PRICELINE link.

Hilton Santa Clara 4949 Great America Parkway Santa Clara, California 95054 408-330-0001 Check-In Date: Friday, May 30, 2008 Check-Out Date: Saturday, May 31, 2008 Your Offer Price: $48.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $12.89 Total Charges*: $60.89 I need only one night, so I decided to explore the 4* space. The $48 bid was accepted on the very first try. I started bidding using the PRICELINE link.

Beverly Heritage Hotel 1820 Barber Lane Milpitas, California 95035 408-943-9080 Check-In Date: Monday, May 26, 2008 Check-Out Date: Friday, May 30, 2008 Your Offer Price: $40.00 Subtotal: $160.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $27.46 Total Charges*: $187.46 My $40 for 2.5* was accepted on the first try, these are weekdays. Memorial day in the week makes a big difference. I was not successful the prior week even for one night at $45. I started bidding through the PRICELINE link.

Beverly Heritage Hotel 1820 Barber Lane Milpitas, California 95035 408-943-9080 Your Offer Price: $41.00 Subtotal: $82.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $17.15 Total Charges*: $99.15 I am recycled into this place after a weekend. But the deal is getting better, my $41 for 2.5* was accepted on the first try. With a 3* hotelat this price, who needs Extended StayAmerica? I used the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding home page.

Beverly Heritage Hotel 1820 Barber Lane Milpitas, California 95035 408-943-9080 Your Offer Price: $42.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $12.07 Total Charges*: $54.07 My $42 for 2.5* was accepted on the first try. I used the PRICELINE link on the top of BetterBidding.

Yes, I did go to a Ranch 99 Market. There are 3 of them within the 8-mile radius. That all you can pack take-out box ($6.49) fed me for two meals. There are so many good, inexpensive and diversified eateries in Milpitas and the nearby communities, making a choice can be difficulty sometimes.