doconner

Prior bids on the previous 2 days were: $13 and $14 and both were rejected. winning bid at $15 for Alamo for an economy car. Your Offer Price: $15.00 (per day) Total Rental Days: 7 days(6 days and 8 hours) Subtotal: $105.00 Taxes and Fees: $50.98 Total Charges: $155.98 Same rental details on Alamo.com give total charges of $331 Cheapest rate for any car found on Kayak for this period were $250

Ths subject link was changed on this thread. I want to be sure it's clear that this was for the: Embassy Suites - Downtown Lakefront and not: Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown In the list of hotwire hotels, the following two are listed: 3.5* Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown REVIEW 3.5* Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Lakefront (previously 3*) REVIEW This winning bid was for the 2nd one.

I just booked the Embassy Suites - Downtown Lakefront (511 N Columbus) for 1 night on 10/24/09 for $108. The cheapest rate on the hotel's website is $179. The same rate was offered a few weeks ago on Hotwire for this hotel on this date, however it disappeared between the time I originally identified it and when I went to book it. I stayed in this hotel in about 2003, and prefer it to many other hotels that I've stayed at in Chicago, so was keen on seeing if it re-appeared, and was happy to see that it did after being absent for about 3 weeks. Listed amenities were: - Suite - Complimentary Breakfast - Fitness Center - Pool(s) - Restaurant(s) - Business Center - High-speed Internet Access In addition to the $108 there were an additional $22.85 in taxes, total winning bid was $130.85.

Bid on 4-star, and used the following zone for a free rebid Batignolles - Montmartre - Republique Opera Quarter East bid - $110 - rejected rebid - $120 - rejected St. Germain - Latin Quarter bid - $110 - rejected rebid - $120 - rejected Eiffel Tower - Grenelle bid - $110 - rejected rebid - $120 - rejected Opera Quarter East + St. Germain - Latin Quarter $130 - rejected rebid $140 - rejected Opera Quarter East + Eiffel Tower - Grenelle $130 - accepted Pullman Rive Gauche $260.00 ($130 per night x 2) $ 28.50 tax $288.50 total

A friend and I are looking to spend 4 nights in/around NYC from 11/7 -> 11/11. I see a listing on Hotwire for a 2.5* in Hoboken - Jersey City currently at $126 a night. It has listed as the amenities: Restaurant, Laundry, and Hi-Speed Internet Is this likely the same as: 2* Candlewood Suites (previously 2.5*) Amenities: Fitness, Kitchenette, Hi-Speed Internet, Laundry

Yeah, this was sort of a last minute trip decision. Chicago is just a 4 hour drive from where I live, so if I can't get a decent deal on a hotel, I'll just head up on another weekend. My expectations were that a I would be able to snag a last minute deal, for untaken rooms, but that isn't turning out to be the case. Today I bid up to $158 on boutiques and was rejected. I mistakenly tried boutiques first. Although I knew that Boutiques would not be upgraded to 4*, I didn't realize that bidding on boutiques first would prevent me from bidding on 4*. Live an learn, I guess... I do have a question trying to identify a HOTWIRE hotel though, if you don't mind. I'm seeing a hotel on Hotwire with the following info: 7/20/07 -> 7/22/07 $158 3-star hotel in North Michigan Avenue - Water Tower - Gold Coast Fitness Center - Restaurant(s) - Business Center - Laundry Facilities - Kitchenette However, I can't find anything that seems to match this on the Hotwire Hotel list. I have yet to go through some priceline bids at 3*, and will likely give that a shot first. However, depending if we can figure out what hotel this is, I may just book it. Thanks, Duane

I've tried several bids over the last few days with my most recent rejection ending at $115 for a 4* for NMA + Loop + Midway. (Actually, it may have been a boutique at that price) Seeking room for: 2 People, 1 bed Prefer 4* have yet to try 3* and would probably like to avoid. Upper limit on bidding is probably around $130 I just did a quick search for conventions and saw the following: Jul 19-25 The Chicago Market: Living and Giving The Merchandise Mart Delegates: 21,000 Jul 19-21 Women of Faith - Amazing Freedom Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro Delegates: 10,000 Jul 20-23 La Leche League International - 50th Anniversary Conference Hilton Chicago I suppose that could be the reason bids are being rejected. I've never had to bid so highly in Chicago before. Should I just drop my star rating to 3* and lower my bid, or am I likely to get a 4* with a slightly higher bid? I'm also curious the 3* Embassay Suites still shows up on the hotel listing, how often does that return as a winning bid. I got that once several years ago, and was quite happy with it. However, in my few visits back to the site since then, it seems quite rare that it shows up as a winning location. Thanks, Duane P.S. I've been doing my bids through the SavingsBarn link.

Thanks. I intend to give them a call. How long from now should I expect my reservation to show up in their system? Is it instantly? Also, I notice that you changed the subject line. Just to be clear, I changed my dates in the middle of the process. My winning bid for $110 was for the dates 11/3-11/7. Thanks again for your help. I'll post back a mini-review after the trip. And possibly post photos of me dancing around a fire. Duane-O

Well, I finally got around to bidding again. I only had to do the following bids 3 bids: $100 NMA $100 Loop $110 NMA + Loop I got accepted for the 4* Palmer House for $110. For 4 nights ($110 x 4 = $440) + Tax ($77.74) the total was $517.74. I'm actually fairly worried about this win, as I've mentioned higher up in the thread, this is for 3 adults. I was aware going into this that getting a hotel with small rooms was a possiblity, but in my several years of going to Chicago I've always been very happy with the room/hotels that we got. Many of these times were for a guys weekend over St Patricks day, and the rooms were big enough for 4 of us. Reading the reviews of this hotel, I'm fearing these may not be big enough for 2, let alone 3. Regardless, it's set now. I used the Savings Barn link. Thanks for your help. Duane

I've been exploring my options of splitting the dates on Hotwire, and they bring back all sorts of solutions. All much higher than I used to spending in Chicago. Although this is the first time I've tried to stay in Chicago in November. I think to my friends that I'm staying with (who will be traveling in from London, UK) it'd be preferrable to have a contiguous stay. So I should probably bid up to my max for both 4* and 3* and then explore options for rebidding. Being European, their acceptance of hotels is a bit more forgiving than mine. I think they'd prefer to have the 'luxary' of not moving mid-trip if we could avoid it. So assuming a max-bid at 3* that still fails, what would be a good suggestion for splitting the bid. The dates are Friday -> Tuesday, with the Chicago Bears playing on Sunday. Thanks for your help, Duane-O (dancing around the fire, but without a video camera)

I just booked the Whitehall for the dates mentioned a backup. (Clicked through from the Support Page My max 4* bid is $175. My max 3* bid is $130 I want to avoid the Club Quarters in the loop, I stayed in a Club Quarters last year in NYC, and while I enjoyed the hotel I don't think it'd be a good fit for 3 people. Splitting the bid is acceptable. Duane-O

yet another day, and yet more failed bids: --------- 4-star $90

More failed bids. I've cut a day off of the end of the trip so these are new date ranges: New Date Range - 11/3-11/7 4-star $60

More failed bids I read reviews of 3* hotels in the North Michigan Ave area and decided I'd be willing to try those out. $75 bid for NMA $82 free rebid for NMA + Skokie Both failed. oh well, i'll try again next week.

I tried another rounding of bidding for these dates, and this time I was rejected up until $104. Hotwire has the "Hotel Allegro" for these dates at $87. However, I've read reviews saying tbat this hotel has exceptional small rooms. The fact that this trip is going to be with me and 2 other guys, I'm not sure I'm ok with booking this. (Although, I realize that priceline is only going to gaurentee me a room with 1 queen size bed, as long as there is floor space to sleep on, we'll be fine). Anyone have any feedback on 3 people booking the Hotel Allegro through Hotwire? Here is my most recent unsuccessful bidding strategy on priceline for a 4-star hotel. $60

I know it's way early, but I was just trying my luck out. I started way low at $60, and used the following rebid strategy: $60

Thanks for your suggestion on the Paramount, I just need to confer with my travel mate, but that is likely what I will do. I did go ahead and try to split my bid up for those dates, using the same bidding strategy as above for a 4* hotel on the following dates 11/9-11/11 - rejected up to $225 11/10-11/12 - rejected up to $225 11/11-11/12 - rejected up to $225 I retried for a 3 star hotel for all three nights 11/9-11/12 using a modified strategy like above, in the end including the following zones MTW + MTE + MTS + UM/CPS + Downtown/Soho (with the rebid of Upper West Side) rejected up to $205. again, thanks for the paramount suggestion. Duane-O

----------------------------- On Wed and Thur there is a 2.5 star in Midtown Central, Looks like it is "Belvedere" this is $207 ----------------------------- on Fri there is a 3 star in Downtown-Soho looks like it is "Club Quarters Downtown" It is $202 for Friday night -----------------------------

Trying to get a hotel in NYC for the Wed-> Sat of November 9th -> November 12th. Started out bidding at for 4 star in MTW $165 add rebid $170 add rebid $175 repeated for MTE repeated for UM/CPS Bid MTW + MTE $180 add rebid $185 add rebid $190 repeat for MTW + UM/CPS Bid MTW + MTE + UM/CPS $195 add rebid $200 add rebid $210 (did jump $10 breaking the $5 increment) bid MTW + MTE + MTS + UM/CPS $215 add SoHo $218 add rebid $220 add rebid $225 All were rejected. After tax & fees the $225 comes to $798 for the 3 days. $800 is my limit at this point, I'm not sure if I should waste my time trying to split the bid to 2 days Wed-Fri, and Thu-Sat, or if that is unlikely to produce any different results. Or if I should just start the above bidding over with a 3-star level. I don't mind splitting my bid, because there are a few hotels on Hotwire for about $205 on either Wed or Fri, I just don't want to waste an hour if the same results are likely to be rejected up to $225 I'm not willing to stay outside of Manhatten. Any advice?