mtbscott

My first Priceline bidding since the new "resort fees" were added to some zones/star levels. I carefully scoured the lists here and also found that if you "might" get a hotel with resort fees in a given zone/star level, it will show it in your total. I would back off of any combos that charged it. On my first day of bidding I stuck to 3* and above in any Manhattan zone I would be okay with that didn't have extra fees. Struck out the first day. Started over the second day with Central Park South and Midtown West zones for $100 and immediately got Yotel. Very pleased, the rooms are said to be tiny ship's cabins but very efficient. Location is great, just one avenue over from the 9th Ave restaurant row, and two long blocks from the subway. And I keep my Priceline streak of $120 or less for Manhattan hotels alive! Thanks BB!

I'm more of a Priceline NYOP bidder, but have used Hotwire a few times when I wanted to be in a specific area and they had something in the right price range. Last Monday I looked for a room in Austin TX Arboretum zone for the coming Saturday (Oct 25) and found what looked like a real bargain, $38 for 2.5*. Booked it and it was an Extended Stay America. There are actually two of them in the Arboretum zone about a mile apart, this wasn't one I'd stayed at before (and preferred) but it was close enough to where I needed to be Sunday morning. ESA hotels aren't fancy, but both of these are pretty new and more than adequate for my one night solo business stay. I drove up to Austin from Houston early and went mountainbike riding in one of the lakeside parks. Then headed to the hotel only to be told, "sorry, we've overbooked and don't have a room for you." They told me they were going to send me to another of their facilities, but it was way across town and I told them that would not be acceptable. They told me it was then a Hotwire problem. I called Hotwire and explained the situation. The woman couldn't understand why I wouldn't just move to the other hotel but I told her I asked for that zone and wanted to stay there for my business reasons. She said she'd look to see what else was available but the only two she came up with were in bedroom communities of Austin some 30 miles out. I then asked for a refund but she told me she could only give me a Hotwire credit. I asked for a supervisor and he agreed to refund me. So now I'm online on my phone trying to find somewhere else to stay and finding only a handful of hotels period in Austin, and they're all 5*s in the $800 a night range. After trying multiple search engines, I resign myself to the fact that something in Austin is taking up all the hotel rooms. I decide to call the other Extended Stay location they tried to send me to only to be told they were fully booked too and had no idea how/why their sister hotel was planning on sending me there. I ended up booking literally the last room in Bastrop 25 miles out, a double room at a Quality Inn. Found out from some locals that although the Formula One race is not until next week, many of the teams and fans are already coming into town and that's most likely the reason for the congestion. Moral of story. I don't know what the hotel could have done different, they screwed up, but Hotwire not being able to remedy the problem and then attempting to charge me anyway is not acceptable. I can't see myself ever using Hotwire again.

HOTWIRE listings will let you know if there's a bed choice available. Priceline NYOP only guarantees a bed for two which in NYC is often a double sized bed only.

Making a last minute overnight trip to Tyler and decided to try NYOP. There's only two acceptable zones and only one shows past 3* wins so I put out $62 for my first bid (based on a regular rate for an area 2* I'd already found). I immediately got the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, not previously listed, depending on what kind of room I end up getting I got at least $30, maybe more off of their best available rate. I like the extra room of a suite hotel so it should be good for me. Add it to the list.

Please note that Price.line NYOP only guarantees double occupancy, i.e. one bed (often double size in NYC). They do not guarantee two beds, you'll need to use Hot.wire or PRICELINE EXPRESS with bed choice for that.

Just so you know, your stay includes the Marathon weekend which always jacks up the prices for around a four day period. Might have to up your budget for these dates.

Three nights at the Hyatt Place for $55, started area search with $50 for 3.5 at the last minute. Added 3* and $5 and got this on second bid. Nice king room with lounge are, I'm stoked!

FULL AMENITIES: Free Parking, Free Breakfast, Free Internet, Smoke Free Rooms, Pool(s), Business Center, Internet access, Accessible for the deaf, Wheelchair accessible, Accessible bathroom, Handicapped parking I just rebooked this hotel via Ho.twire for this coming Saturday night for $92. Closest hotel to where my weekend event will be, and very cheap coming on the end weekend of SXSW.

I do not have a Hotwire Account, just bought the room as a guest. The amenities I listed on my two previous replies were what I saw when I looked on Hotwire for new dates in the same area and see what I'm sure is the Mountain Star again.

Only things I didn't list before was Smoke Free Rooms, Wheelchair Accessible, and Accessible for the deaf.

I believe the amenities listed were Free Breakfast, Free Internet in room, and Free Parking.

You are correct, it was in the Bee Cave zone, I think I was mixing it up with Price.line. Amenities listed were: Free Parking, Free Breakfast, Free Internet, Pool, and Business Center

First time I've ever used Hotwire via these links after failing to win a Priceline NYOP hotel in this zone at the price I wanted. The Mountain Star Lodge was pretty dated, but a great location for an event I was attending west of Austin in the Hill Country. Not being sure exactly how Hotwire works, I asked for a room for 3 to assure I got two beds even though there was only two of us, might have paid slightly more than necessary, but still cheaper than anywhere else nearby.

I tried first NYOP bidding via the PRICELINE links here in the Southwest region of Austin for 2.5/3* up to $70, I took a gamble and did my first ever Priceline.Express for a 2* Arboretum area and got the Extended Stay for $36. Funny I see someone else bid for the same night and got it for $31. The facility is pretty new and the King room I got here with kitchenette (which I didn't use) was nicer than many higher rated hotels I've stayed at. I'll aim for this one again in the future. (BTW, wrong night in the title, it was Feb 28-Mar1.)

I kept plugging away almost every day at this. Using the links and scenarios above, I would first try for 4*s up to $120, then 3.5* and 3* scenarios up to $110. Finally got The Grafton on Sunset for $110 which is $20 a night cheaper than my previously booked room, and should be a bit more upscale. I hope this is a good choice, TA overall approval is only $61% yet almost all recent reviews are great. Looks like valet onsite parking will be $35 a day so may look at alternatives nearby or just bite the bullet.

I guess that sounds about right, though maybe not down to the minute. I kept track today, I was allowed to start my bidding right at 10:30 CST, finished my last one about 11:15 with no success. Yes, I'm still trying for the Hollywood Feb 12-15 dates. Using the rebid scenarios provided in the other thread for 4* up to $120. I'm then doing a 3.5* with 4 rebid zones in addition to my target areas up to $105. Then a 3* with 3 rebid zones plus my targets up to $105. So far nothing, I will keep trying. It is easier for me to do this earlier in the morning, so I might have to do it every other day with the knowledge of bid timeframes you have provided. Of course I'm using the links here and will report when I win something. Thanks.

I've been using the links here for since last week to bid on a PL hotel for Los Angeles. Following a rebid strategy that takes about an hour from start to finish depending on how long it takes to respond (and I'm not just sitting there staring at the screen.)So far I haven't succeeded but when I go back the next day to start over, I often get the "you've already tried for this trip" message. It seems kind of random, does their 24 hour rebid limit reset when you're finished? Or when you started? Or what?

Just an update. Two more days of doing the first two rebid scenarios, and I went ahead and did the third one as well with no success so far. I then tried two rebid scenarios not going above $100 first for 3.5*, then 3* in my target areas, still with no success yet. Your PRICELINE links are getting a workout.

Gracie. Using the links here I tried the first two rebid scenarios with no luck. I think I'll try those for a few more days before doing scenario 3 for more money. Will let you know if I succeed and what I get.

I think I would be willing to try those two zones but with a max of $120, but would like to try for less. I know February is a very cheap time for New York, I've gotten some smokin' NYOP deals in that time frame, but from what you've said LA is not as much of a bargain for this coming month? I'd like to start with 4*, but work down no lower than 3* and stick to those two zones.

Okay, here goes. I'm very used to using this forum and Priceline NYOP for my most frequent destination, New York, but I haven't been to LA in over 15 years. I have studied up a bit on the PL hotel list here, I know the Hollywood zone is my first choice, I might consider Beverly Hills-West Hollywood, or Downtown as a longshot. I've been told on TA that some of the hotels that pass themselves off as Beverly Hills-West Hollywood aren't really in that area proper. I currently have a cancellable reservation at a recently opened boutique hotel, the Le Bon Hollywood which is just a block or so away from Hollywood and Vine, and across the street from the W Hollywood Hotel. I got their introductory rate of $130 a night and they list themselves as a 3*. No parking at the hotel but there are apparently nearby lots ranging from $15-20 a day as I will likely have a car for at least part of my stay. My goal if I use PL NYOP is to get something at least as nice, or better, and for cheaper. Obviously, a $110 a night room with $45 a night parking would not be a net gain, although having onsite parking would be a plus. There doesn't seem to be that many wins posted on the PL sub-forum here for that zone, and none since the fall-holiday season. I'm looking to you experts to tell me what I could realistically expect to pay for 3/3.5/4* preferably in Hollywood, and if it seems doable a strategy would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Thanks Aaron, I took a pass on this, the low rating makes me squeamish. I'm not hard to please but 40% is below just nit-picky. I think I will start a new thread on the Priceline forum to see what my chances look like there.

It's gone up to $68 while I was at lunch: Amenities Free Parking Free Internet Accessible path of travel Accessible bathroom In-room accessibility Handicapped parking Wheelchair accessible Roll-in shower

I'm more of a PRICELINE user than HOTWIRE, but it's my first trip to the LA area and I'm not seeing as much traffic here as on some other cities. I have found via a clickthrough here to HOTWIRE a 3* Hollywood area hotel for just $66 a night. Amenities listed are Free Parking (a big one from what I've heard), Free Internet, and Accessibility features which I don't really need. Says it gets 3 of 5 guest rating but with only a 40% recommendation which isn't very assuring. Not finding anything on the HOTWIRE hotels list here that sounds like it, any ideas? Thanks.

I bid one time for 4*, 3 1/2*, then 3* for one night in just this zone and got the Courtyard By Marriott Austin Arboretum for $60, rack rate for that night is $129. Perfect location for me, I have a Sunday morning engagement that's less than a mile away.