dangr

Re-bid once from $65, got it at $70/night, a grand total of $166.00. used Better Bidding's Priceline link. Thank you!

Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa, in Napa Downtown North zone. Re-bid for 4* up from $75 in $10 increments. We wanted zone 4 or 5 (Napa Downtown South and North), and only 4*, and fortunately there are seven additional re-bids at 4* in addition to these two zones. Got it on the last available rebid for $155 + tax, so $364.60 grand total for two nights. Marriott has this for $279/night + tax on their website, so a decent win. Used the Better Bidding Priceline link, as always. Thanks!

Re-bid starting from $75 in $5 increments; $90 was accepted. Even with the ridiculous 16% resort fees (which largely only cover what is often complimentary at non-resort hotels, like in-room coffee, newspaper, etc., and stuff I don't need, like local phone calls) this is still a great win, for one of the two properties I was hoping for. Through the Hilton website this place is $217/night. I used BetterBidding's PRICELINE link for all of this searching. Thanks!

$59.14 total with taxes. Guess it pays to look last minute! Used the BetterBidding PRICELINE link for this. Thanks!

Re-bid up from a start of $70, using 4*, $5 extra each time, including zones 16, 1, and 14. Unsuccessful. Then included 3* at $85, then included zone 6 (Downtown / Harbor Island, my least preferred of central San Diego) and got The Sofia for $95/night at 3*. Grant total is $223.72 with all taxes and fees for two nights. Possibly could have gotten it cheaper if I'd included zone 6 earlier, but whatever. I'm happy with it: according to the hotel's website, the least expensive they have for these nights is $159 for Thursday night, and $229 for Friday night. It'll be easy walking distance to Petco for the Padres game, and apparently they loan out free bicycles. The valet parking (only option) is $30/day, which will make me re-think my plan to rent a car, and possibly take Amtrak from LA to San Diego. I knew this was a risk by including the "Downtown San Diego & Harbor Island" zone in my re-bid, but I'm happy all the same. I've lived in San Diego, and know places I could stash a car for a day or two, but it's probably easiest to just take public transit (limited as it is in SD.) Did use BetterBidding's Priceline link for this. Thank you!

Already have a confirmed rental reserved (Budget, economy, $133.14 total) so I first bid $16/day for an economy (total of around $101) and then $18/day for a compact (total of around $111.) Both rejected. Have plenty of time on this one, but I doubt I'll go up much higher than $20/day, and I don't want any larger of a car, so I'm not going to re-bid today. Hotwire is currently showing $26.52/day for an economy, total of $142.21. Used BetterBidding's Priceline and Hotwire links for both searches and bids. Thanks!

Grand total with all fees and taxes is $190.14 for a 6 day+ rental (but without yet trying to add an airline frequent flyer number, so that might be another $1/day or so.) Hotwire was showing $21.95/day, and I already had a Hertz economy reserved using a Delta "discount" for a total of $231.59. Since I had an affordable backup in place, I initially big $17/day for an economy car, which was rejected. I then bid $19/day for a compact, and it was accepted. I used BetterBidding's Priceline and Hotwire links for all searches and bookings. Thanks!

I knew it was a longshot, but tried to win a 4* in Downtown Nashville. Plenty of re-bid options, so I started at $50 (plus taxes and fees) and went up in $5 increments to $70. Didn't win. Could have re-bid up to $100 or so $5 at a time, but this time around, with a late arriving flight at BNA, I wanted a little more assurance of free parking or a complimentary airport shuttle. Then tried to select the $58+fees Hotwire option for a 3.5* in Nashville (Airport / BNA) but by that time it was no longer available. Ended up using points (10k) for a Marriott Towne Place Suites near the airport, which is also fine. Did use BetterBidding's Priceline and Hotwire links for both attempts. Thanks!

Initially did $55, rejected but given offer to re-bid at $66 (which was, predictably, accepted.) Total with taxes and fees is $81.90. Used the Better Bidding PRICELINE link -- thank you!

I should preface this by saying that I've never left a truly negative review of a hotel before this. I'm only writing this to caution BB folks about bidding 3* hotels in Salem. I didn't hate the Red Lion, but I wouldn't bid 3* for Salem again, and I definitely wouldn't pay anything more for it. The single queen room was tiny: one of the smallest rooms I've been in in a real hotel outside of the developing world. The view was terrible: of the roof and mechanical units. The walls were thin enough that I could clearly hear normal volume conversations next door (admittedly, through the deadbolt door you'd use to pass between the two rooms, but still.) While I certainly understand I'm not entitled to it, I politely asked front desk staff for a one hour late checkout. She looked at my room record on the computer (perhaps to see if I had some elite status?) and radioed the manager who was standing on the other side of the lobby, and specified the room number. Manager, without any comment, shook her head "no". No explanation. The otherwise very friendly front desk staff said "She says no." Ummm, okay. I hustled and made it work (I had to ride my bike downtown to rent a car, from the commercial strip mall stretch where the hotel is located, get my bike inside the car, drive back, and pack my stuff.) When I checked out, the very friendly front desk staff apologized, and said the manager had come over a few minutes later and said maybe she could do it, but I'd already left. I asked, and she denied that it was because I'd booked with Priceline. She was super friendly and apologetic about it, and asked me if I'd had my breakfast yet (it was noon), and when I said no offered me a comp breakfast, which I declined. She said "Okay, next time you stay with us. Promise me there will be a next time." There won't. Again, she was extremely friendly about it, but the manager's cursory denial without explanation of the late checkout request (notably the parking lot was largely empty throughout my stay), which the manager surely knows is one of the smallest rooms imaginable, and so where they'd have dumped the Priceline guest. I wouldn't book a 3* in Salem using Priceline again for concern I'd get the Red Lion again.

Thanks to Better Bidding, I knew that at 3* it would very likely be either the Red Lion or Residence Inn, and was fine with either at this price point. Notably no-rebidding available due to the single geographic area in Salem, so I put forward my best foot first, and bid $52/night (+tax and fee). Assume this is the $62.00/night 3* through Hotwire. Room Subtotal: $52.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $13.04 (USD) Total Room Cost: $65.04 (USD) As always, used the BetterBidding.com PRICELINE link: thanks!

Well, update: from the website, looks like the resort fee is $16/night, so still an okay deal, but definitely driving the price up. I'm still happy enough with it!

Started bidding up from $38, in $5 increments, using 4* and Colorado Springs (South). Only wanted to stay South (Priceline's notion of "Central" Colorado Springs is strange), so this was a good win. Estimated grand total is $71.53. There might be a resort fee, we'll see. If $10 or less, still a good price. Did use Better Bidding's PRICELINE link. Thanks!

Used betterbidding.com PRICELINE link, started bidding at $60/night, re-bid up to $75, no luck with Knoxville Downtown up to $75/night for these dates.

Not sure if it's appropriate to post bids I didn't win, so moderator, feel free to delete/reject if not. Just thought it might be useful information to folks bidding on Asheville. Looking for 4/1/11-4/3/11, I started at $40, and went as high as $52, using free re-bids (since Downtown-Biltmore Estate is the only of Asheville's Priceline zones with 3.5* or above.) None accepted. I'm hoping for the Renaissance downtown, but will be happy with any of the three 3.5*+ that seem to win on PL most of the time. I have plenty of time, so I'll wait a few days and try again. Not sure I'll go above about $60/night, so I'm aware I only have a limited chance of success. Wonder if I'm too far out? p.s. I did try these bids using Better Bidding's PRICELINE link!

Already have a reservation, but no harm in rolling the priceline dice to see if I can get a screaming bargain. Rejected bids for one night, Friday 5/14/10 - Saturday 5/15/10: 3.5* $50, Augusta (central) $52, Augusta (central), added Augusta West (safe re-bid, since no 3.5* in zone) $54, Augusta (central), Augusta West, Augusta North (safe re-bid) $56, Augusta (central), Augusta West, Augusta North, Fort Gordon (safe re-bid) As I mention in another failed priceline bid post about rejected bids in Myrtle Beach, SC, this got close enough to my threshold (about $30-$35 difference), where I'm not willing to risk getting a smoking room for the price difference. So I'm just going to use the reservation that I booked directly.

I just had two bids rejected; was trying to get the Sheraton Convention Center (Myrtle Beach Central) or the like. Rejected: one night, Saturday 5/15/10 to Sunday 5/16/10 $50, 3.5*, Myrtle Beach Central $55, 3.5*, Myrtle Beach Central, added Myrtle Beach South (safe re-bid, since no 3.5* in South) And this got to my threshold: we really prefer completely non-smoking properties, so PRICELINE has to be a pretty good buy to take a chance on getting a smoking room/floor (which I've had happen about 5-10% of the time, even when I call ahead and request a NS room.) I could re-bid at $60, but that would be about $75 all-in, plus paying for parking if we did get the Sheraton Convention Center. So I'll probably just go ahead and book a Marriott property directly to guarantee non-smoking and earn elite status credit. Also looked at HOTWIRE, but nothing cheap enough (in Myrtle Beach proper) to take a chance on. I did do the bidding and HOTWIRE searching through the betterbidding.com links. [Moderator: if rejected bid posts aren't useful, feel free to delete this.]

Was successful on my third bid attempt for Rochester Downtown (I really only want to stay downtown, due to where I need to get early the next morning): Radisson Hotel Riverside, 3*, one night, 6/13/10 to 6/14/10, $55 bid ($70.31 all in with taxes and PL fee.) Attempted bids that were rejected: 4*, $63 3.5*, $60 The Radisson is pretty ideally located, so I was happy to get it. I did use the betterbidding.com PRICELINE link. Thanks for an awesome and helpful site!

I bid down from 4* and then 3.5* downtown/Pike Place and Airport, so I might have been able to get it for less. Nevertheless, I'm happy with the result. I get in fairly late, so a quick and free airport shuttle is a nice perk.

This after re-bidding for downtown and the airport. This was my last re-bid before I was going to just pay ~$75 in the airport area to know where I was going. But I'm happy with this. Hotel staff tells me the hotel is entirely non-smoking, another plus!

OOPS! I mistakenly listed 10/4/05 to 10/4/06 in the subtitle to this post: should be 11/4/05 to 11/6/05! (I can't figure out how to edit the subtitle line.) This is a new winning bid (by my sister), for the same hotel as I earlier posted about. Her initial bid of $55 was unsuccessful, probably since this is for Friday and Saturday nights, where my $55 winning bid is for Sunday and Monday nights. Winning bid: $62/night + taxes & fees 4* Hotel: Hilton Costa Mesa, 3050 Bristol Street Costa Mesa, California 92626 Check-In Date: Friday, November 4, 2005 Check-Out Date: Sunday, November 6, 2005 (And today's ha-ha comparison: the Motel 6 Anaheim is $55.99 + tax for these nights.)

Over a couple of weeks of bidding, I had multiple 4* bids rejected up to $69/night for the same nights, searching only downtown Portland. Also had a few bids for 3* rejected up to $37, and now needed to get the thing booked, so I went up to $40, which others had consistently won, and which I won. This was today's first bid at 3* for Downtown PDX, after a 4* bid at $65 was rejected. Holiday Inn -- Downtown Portland 1441 NE Second Ave, Portland, OR 97232 Your Offer Price: $40.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $80.00 Taxes & Service $17.65 Total Charges: $97.65 Check-In Date: Thu, Oct 27, 2005 Check-In Time: After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sat, Oct 29, 2005 Check-Out Time: 12:00 PM As an aside, it's irritating that priceline doesn't differentiate between Downtown Portland (west of the river) and the Portland Convention Center area (east of the river). However, the Holiday Inn (east of the river) works out great for me, as it includes free parking, an extreme rarity west of the river, and I'm happy to just walk or take the light rail over the river to (actual) downtown Portland. Another betterbidding.com assisted priceline win! :)

Yes -- it was my first bid in the zone, based on previous poster's winning bids. I had that tiny moment when it was accepted where I thought "Doh! Should I have bid a little lower?" Of course, I'm VERY pleased to get the 4* Hilton for little more than walking up to a Motel 6 in Costa Mesa would have cost. (Actually, I just checked for fun, and the Motel 6 Costa Mesa is $47.99/night!) BTW, is there a way I can click to priceline from this board when I bid, to help out the board? I seem to recall something about this being posted, but couldn't find it when I was bidding.

4*, Hilton, Costa Mesa (Orange County -- area: Costa Mesa - Irvine) Your Offer Price: $55.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $110.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $20.88 Total Charges: $130.88 Check-In Date: Sun, Nov 6, 2005 Check-In Time: After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Tue, Nov 8, 2005 Check-Out Time: 12:00 PM As a note, I also included Newport - Huntington Beach, and Disneyland Area in my offer. I sure do love this board. I'm only sorry this is the first time I've contributed.