earlthepearlferrell

I may have only saved 20% or so on this after the fees, but hey, that'll pay for a meal. With no availability for Friday (summers are tough, summer weekends are tougher), I decided to indulge a bit on this father-son overnight. I used the Betterbidding PRICELINE link. There is really only BW Ruby's Inn and BW Lodge 2* at 2* or above in this zone. Bid $70...rejected...added 2* Bid $75...rejected Waited One Day Bid $80...Counter, Add $25... Bid $85...rejected Waited another day Bid $90...Counter, add $25 Bid $92...rejected Waited a day...bid 95, counter add $25 waited a day Bid $96...counter, add $25 Bid $98...ACCEPTED and upgraded back to 2.5 star Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $98.00 Subtotal: $98.00 Taxes & Fees: $20.68 Total Charges*: $118.68 Probably saved about $22 after taxes and priceline fees compared to regular taxes. Still, it's something in a llimited hotel zone. Hope there's no backlash. Regular rate $134, AAA $125

MGM is now $20/night, at least during the spring. All it covers is internet, a newspaper, and a drink or two. They also charge $20 to rent a crib per night. This hotel is beautiful, and extremely unfriendly financially to families with young children. $19.95 will get a 4 year old dinner at the Grand Buffet (Mandalay, Monte Carlo, and Mirage are free until age 5). They also charge $16/day to rent an inner tube for their lazy river. Shouldn't the resort fee be illegal? It seems like a bait and switch tactic if the fees are now all mentioned up front. Why not just charge people an extra $10-$20/night for the room so the price is actually the price, or make it worth the customer's while (as the Pointe Hilton--$5 optional fee) does in Phoenix by making the resort fee a deal versus their own prices on the same thing?

There are now 2 bidding zones for Disneyland. There is Disneyland/Anaheim, and a second zone with Garden Grove and Orange. The Hyatt has been upgraded to a 4*, so anyone wanting that over the Crowne Plaza now can start safely bidding.

I've won the Loews a few times and never the Marriott. Although you could win the Marriott, the Loews historically goes for less on the bid history. I've won the Loews in the past for 119 and this year 100 (Memorial Day weekend). The Marriott has come in, but I have not seen a posting for that little. Take the risk and bid $100. If you stay below $120, it's unlikely that you would win the Marriott.

40 rejected--PL countered 52 41 ACCEPTED Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $41.00 Subtotal: $41.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $13.46 Total Charges*: $54.46 Used the Betterbidding PRICELINE link

So the retail fare skyrocketed to 447, causing the Priceline fare to go to 281. I bid 280 and was rejected. I declined their off peak hours, then they gave me my flight for that same 281 with no red-eye. United, 2 seats, nonstop 4:50 departure Friday 7/10 8:05 departure Thursday 7/16 on the return When I tried the link, it said Midway was the best deal and wanted 37.75 in taxes even to O'Hare, so I'll have to just use the PRICELINE link for the hotel.

I just used the PRICELINE link and bid 140/ticket and had the same $28.65 in taxes. Priceline offered me the same counter (off peak hours) at $198 + the $28 and change in taxes. When I declined it and said that I would be willing to fly during off peak hours, the taxes suddenly went up to $37.75/ticket. This has connection written all over it compared to the earlier taxes. I would prefer to avoid the flight back at 5:15am from ORD to PHX which connects to LAX on Useless errr US Airways. I think I'll actually consider the 198 + tax counter and hope for the nonstop that gets in at 12:47am to ORD. The return would be during regular hours. I just have to be 100% willing to accept a red-eye that could land Saturday at 4:44am on United.

I won a compact for $16/day + tax from June 28th to July 1. I won about 10 cars a couple of years back from LAX. When you put in a bid of $5, Priceline kind of laughs at you and tells you what would give you a "good chance" and a "great chance" if you're at select airports. I still try and go a buck or two under the "good chance" just to be sure if I have time to rebid. Normally the "good chance" gets it done. Occasionally less for me, but rarely...

I may creep up my bid a bit. If I got a $198 + tax counter, I can only hope that it's like hotel bidding where I can undercut that a bit. The fact that United and American both have hubs in Chicago should increase the likelihood of a non-stop flight, though off-peak could mean it lands at 12:47am (after 12:30am) or takes off at around 11pm (after 10pm) and landing around 4:30am Chicago time. I would love the 12:47am landing, though the 4:30am landing would have to be a good price for it to be worthwhile. Even if I could check my 32 pound 2 1/3 year old, I think United would still charge me extra! I will use the PRICELINE link and post any upcoming result.

Bid 100 per ticket to try and get a counter... PL countered $226/ticket including taxes and fees if I was willing to add off-peak hours from LAX-ORD Airline Ticket Offer Price: $198.09

I know that Priceline can give me one connection if it chooses to, but do the taxes give you any indication whether the flight would stop or not? On Orbitz, non-stop with no fees, the taxes are about $21. For a priceline bid, the taxes would be about $28. Would this be the $21 + Priceline fees, and does this mean I would get a non-stop flight? From Burbank (where there has to be a connection to O'Hare), the taxes are about $37 (extra $9 or $10). How reliable is the tax test? July 10th to July 15th, retail about $340 (I would have booked this a month ago when retail was $219 if I knew I definitely wanted to go).

I figured I'd get either this or the Westin St. Francis based on betterbidding research. USW would have probably been a couple of bucks cheaper, but not worth the gamble of all of those 4 stars. Clicked Your PRICELINE Link... Started USE $60...Priceline countered $77 Added Civic Center 61...rejected Added Lombard 62...rejected Added Fisherman's Wharf 63...rejected Started over and reclicked the PRICELINE link USE + South SF 64...rejected Added Civic 65...rejected Added Wharf 66...rejected Started over and reclicked the PRICELINE link USE + South SF + Lombard 67...ACCEPTED Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $67.00 Subtotal: $134.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $28.76 Total Charges*: $162.76 Retail $179/night + tax I'm paying about 38 cents on the dollar as the summer begins in San Francisco.

Saturday June 20th

I was thinking about going to Big Bear for a weekend in June. For about $62 before taxes, HOTWIRE is showing a 3.5* hotel. Amenities: Resort Smoke Free Rooms Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) High-speed Internet Access "Resort fee about 5 percent of room rate..." Any ideas???

I've bid in the San Diego Coastal Area many times. Although I have won the Hyatt in Jolla a few times, there is no guarantee you wouldn't end up on Mission Bay with the Hilton or Hyatt Mission Bay (formerly Hyatt Islandia). If you really need to be IN La Jolla and not just near it, try Hotwire.

You could just as easily win the Marriott La Jolla for 3.5 stars on the Coastal zone.

There are never any guarantees with PRICELINE. But based on past history and posted wins, I have seen (and won) the Loews anywhere from $100-$120 on the low end (including this upcoming Memorial Day weekend). People have won the Marriott, but usually for more. Again, no guarantees, but I'd start bidding at $95 and go up in $1 increments. I would also check HOTWIRE for the same dates and see if something that looked like the Loews was available before bidding on PRICELINE.

Saw what I thought was this for $119 on Hotwire...this was one of those times when I could target a hotel on Priceline (not guaranteed, but close) Started low at $75...rejected there and at 85, 90, 95, 98, and 99 Left the site and re-clicked the PRICELINE link Started over at $100 with just Dana Point and Seal Beach...Priceline countered $122...I rejected it Added Anaheim Hills and bid just one dollar more...ACCEPTED Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $101.00 Subtotal: $101.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $20.25 Total Charges*: $121.25 Not excited to pay $24 to park a car, but neither is the person who paid $239 for the same room...

$55 on HOTWIRE Bid $41...PL countered $53 Added Laguna...Bid $42...rejected... Added Anaheim Hills...Bid $43...rejected Started over...bid Seal Beach and Disneyland, as Seal only goes up to 3* Bid $44...ACCEPTED Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $44.00 Subtotal: $88.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $18.43 Total Charges*: $106.43 USED THE PRICELINE LINK Does the $12 resort fee include parking?

Started at $51 and received a counter for $65...I declined. Went up dollar for dollar using free rebid zones (San Diego has a bunch) and won at $55. I was targeting this property to walk to Sea World. I saw it on Hotwire for $73, check the boards, and felt I could get it for between $51-55. Used the link.

I'm headed to a conference and wanted this hotel for it's free parking/internet and shuttle access to the Santa Clara Convention Center. I probably could have saved a couple of bucks by using Priceline, but this rate was good enough that I didn't want to risk a Beverly Heritage win. Hotel Rate per night $49 Nights: 4 Rooms: 1 Subtotal: $196 Tax/fees $26.86 TOTAL $222.86 I used the betterbidding HOTWIRE link. Hotwire Listed: Airport Shuttle Fitness Center Pool Restaurant Business Center Laundry High Speed Internet Customer Favorite Lowest Price Guaranteed Best Value Lowest Rates ichotels.com $84/night with Entertainment Card Orbitz 154/night (nonrefundable) for total of $723.28 including tax/fees

First bid...I started at $45, expecting to work my way up into the 50s... This was the lowest accepted recent bid that I had seen. I paid $54 for it last summer. I used your PRICELINE link. Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $45.00 Subtotal: $45.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $12.62 Total Charges*: $57.62 Although I'd rather not shell out the $15 for parking, $60 still puts it at 50% off retail. Not too bad.

Saw a 3.5 star on Hotwire today in Central Anchorage for $139...figured I could undercut that by about 10%. Only 1 free rebid, so I didn't want to mess with it too much. 1st bid...$126 for a 3 star in Anchorage...ACCEPTED! Hotel retails at about $269/night 2 rooms, 1 night 6/30 Sheraton Anchorage Hotel Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $126.00 Subtotal: $252.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $41.66 Total Charges*: $293.66 I'll pay the $7 to upgrade from the ESA to the Sheraton anytime. Will my 1 year old qualify for a Sweet Sleeper Crib???

Bid 55...PL countered 70...declined Added Marina Del Rey (they have 3* hotels I would stay at, those I found it to be an unlikely acceptance) $57...rejected Started over...LAX + Lawndale 59...rejected Added Marina Del Rey $60...ACCEPTED Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $60.00 Subtotal: $60.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $15.90 Total Charges*: $75.90 Used the link originally...do I need to hit it each time I bid something, or using it and then clicking "hotels" once already at Priceline keep it on your inventory?

Looking for an overnight stop between Ventura County and South Tahoe--with Fresno having a deal and a zoo (reciprocity membership), it seems like a decent stopover. Hit the BetterBidding PRICELINE link Started at $49...Priceline countered $63...I rejected Added Fresno West at $50...rejected Added Leemore at $51...rejected Added Pinedale at $52...rejected Hit the BB board link again Fresno and Visalia at $53...rejected Added Fresno West at $54...rejected Added Leemore at $55... Hit the BB board link again Fresno and Visalia and Pinedale at $56...Priceline countered $73...I rejected Added Fresno West at $57...ACCEPTED! Radisson Hotel and Conference Center Fresno 2233 Ventura Avenue Fresno, California 93721 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $57.00 Subtotal: $57.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $14.56 Total Charges*: $71.56 When Priceline counters with a higher counter than they originally offered, could this be a sign of a different hotel? For example, if I accepted the counter (which I wouldn't do), would I have received the Four Points Sheraton???