CSquaredA

I got to Priceline via Savingsbarn.com. I just got a win (11/07/07) at the Omni Shoreham. I was only going for 4* hotels. 1st bid: Convention Center - Capitol Hill (area map) 4*, $80. Rejected 2nd bid: Added White House - Downtown (area map) 4*, $85. Rejected 3rd bid: Added Dupont Circle - Woodley Park (area map) 4*, $87. A win. :) Bid / Win Price: $87.00 Tax / fees: 19.96 Total: $106.96 Not bad. The Orbitz price for the same night is $161 + taxes and fees. I made the decision to go with the $87 price based on another 4* winning bid posted for a day earlier in DC.

Rates via Orbitz were running $60+ per day. Even using Costco Travel rates were still in the $48+ per day range. I really needed a car - and I'm not sure about the rebid rules so I went with $32 / day. I won a Hertz Compact. Total rental with fees, etc. $186.92 (a minimum of $100 less than the other best rates I could find). Worked out really well - I got upgraded to a brand new (8 miles) intermediate.

Another fantastic win. First bid - with taxes and fees comes in at $57.63 / night. I was a bit worried I might have to go a whole lot higher since the flower show is in town. Using SavingsBarn / PriceLine has saved me so much $$$ over the past 2 months. What a way to get a room.

This is my best price yet. I went in via Savingsbarn. Linked to PriceLine and checked out the prices they were offering (not via bid). I saw that this weeks prices were actually lower than I have recently seen. So, I made my first bid - 3* Center City at $46 for 3 nights. It worked. So my average cost / night is $55.33. The non-bid Priceline price was presented at $269 / night. You can't beat that for such a nice property. By the way, did I ever mention that their beds are super comfortable?

First Bid. I didn't even try for a 4*. I looked at the prices that Priceline was offering without a bid and I felt this was a good place to start. Bid via Savingsbarn link. My cost per night is: $58.75 which includes internet. A great value in my book. Price on Hiltonhhonors.com was $119.00 + tax per night.

I guess I got a little to confident. The past 2 weeks I got wins at $48. I started the bidding as 4* $48, 3* $47, 2.5* $48. All with no luck. I really needed to get a room so I entered 3* at $58 and got the win. Works out to $69.17 / night - still a bargin. I was at the Wyndham a few weeks ago and it was really nice. The location won't be the best this week with all of the snow on the ground - I have to walk about 15 blocks to the Independence Mall area. Fortunately, the Reading Terminal Market is 1/2 way there. Went through Savingbarn.com.

Ok - So I bid $48 for a 4* and PL came back with a "that would be a great price" page (1st time I've ever got that) and suggested that I up my bid. I pushed the 4* (Philly Downtown) at my original price anyway. It was rejected. I then went to 3* Philly Downtown - same price $48 (what I paid last week). I got the win. From a pure hotel perspective - the Marriott is a wonderful property. However, for the same price last week I got the Hilton Gardens and the internet is free. Even paying $10 / night for the internet I have a great value. The Marriott website shows rooms at $269 for these nights. This has been working out so well. My average cost is $58.75 / night. A real deal.

A couple of points: When I checked in to the Hilton Gardens today, the price on their paperwork said $46. Interesting - since my winning bid is $48 - another place that PL is taking some $$. It is interesting that the moderator says I should have lowered my bid when I added 3*. I can understand the point however, I think my original bid of $48 for 4* was to low. I have to admit that I have learned that 3* in Philly Center City includes Marriott Convention Center, Wyndham and now Hilton Garden. All are fine properties and my previous winning bids of $58 and this outstanding win at $48 all serve to do one thing: They solve my problem which is to keep my cost low while I work in Center City. PL is still way less expensive than using regular reservations. The only negative of PL is that I'm not collecting those nice hotel points and the perks they give me as a Hilton Diamond and Holiday Inn Platinum. Oh well. I'll take it to the bank. I can't wait to see how I do next week.

I'm getting the hang of this - My best price yet via SavingsBarn.com / Priceline. This was my 2nd bid. First was $48 for 4*. Then I added 3* - same price and I got the win. Avg cost per night with taxes / fees - about $59.75. Best price on Hilton.com with prepay - $110.46.

Oops - I forgot to mention the price. I went at $58.00. I understand some of the strategies that are presented in the website to get a lower price, but I don't have a car (when in Philly) and I was hoping that my bid of $58 would attract the Marriott again (great location for where I am working). All in all, my only real goal on my trips to Center City Philly is to keep my total nightly cost under $90 / night.

I just got a win at the Wyndham. I don't think I did as well as last week when I go the Marriott. The Wyndham website shows $119 / night prepay - so I still saved 50% - I guess I can't complain. I'm not thrilled about the location (it is 15 blocks from where I'm working) - but that is the risk of PL. I probably could have done better if I had a car - then location is less important.

I was a 1st timer on Priceline. I bid $58 for a 4*, no luck. Changed to 3* - got accepted at Philly Marriott Downtown. The best price on the Marriott website for the same period was $259 / night. This website really helped guide me; thanks to all of the previous logs. Total cost with tax & fees - about $71 / night.