Agoust

Thanks for your help. This isn't much of a savings over the conference hotel to warrant staying this far away. Still, over the next few months I might try to low-ball a few bids. If I'm successful I'll report it to the board.

Thank you for the replies! Thanks too for the nudge towards BiddingHelper.com. A five-star property there is $104. At HOTWIRE (with the amenities I listed earlier) a five-star property is $102--90% recommended. Indeed, there are many more amenities revealed through Bidding Helper. They are: Resort, fitness center, business center, tennis nearby, accessible to the blind, in-room accessible, roll-in shower, free internet, pool(s), internet access, spa services, accessible to the deaf, accessible bathroom, pet friendly, restaurant, golf nearby, children's activities, accessible path of travel, handicapped parking. Based on the board's Hotwire list, I'm guessing the Montelucia. The Camelback hasn't been reported to the board, but that seems a possibility too. Or, is it the Fairmont? (My conference is there.) Thanks for any help!

May I have some help identifying a five-star hotel in North Scottsdale, AZ. My dates of stay are 23-27 July 2014. I see $102 with the following amenities: free internet, pools, golf nearby, resort, restaurants, pet friendly, business center, fitness center, and internet access. 90% recommended. Thank you!

Indeed, this was the Magnolia. I just booked using the board's HOTWIRE link at $97/night. I believe you'll want to update the board's hotwire list when you have a chance; this is a now listed as a four-star hotel. Thank you!

Thanks for your response. Yes, when using the board's Hotwire Easy View those are the amenities I'm seeing. For some weeks, I've been trying to under-bid on this property using the board's PRICELINE link. I've gone as high as $92. Any sense if this will come down? HOTWIRE's $97 rate is a bit higher than I'd hoped to pay, but with free breakfast and internet this seems like a pretty good deal.

Please help me ID the following property: 4-star hotel in downtown Dallas. 85% recommended. My dates of stay are 6-10 November. Hotwire shows a price of $97. Amenities: Free Breakfast, Free Internet, Boutique Hotel, Smoke Free Rooms, Fitness Center, Self service laundry, Internet access Accessibility: Accessible for the blind, Accessible for the deaf I'm guessing the Magnolia.

Accepted on my first bid. I used the board's PRICELINE link. At $75/night and taxes/fees the total is $350.68.

Clicking through HOTWIRE, I saw a 3.5 star at $85. Using the board's hotel list I figured this was the Sheraton St. Louis City Center. I closed my browser and entered PRICELINE using the board's link. I started by bidding at $60 and using rebid zones hit at $70/night. With taxes and fees the total came to $335.96. Many thanks!

Weird, that property wasn't coming up yesterday and over the weekend when I was hunting. Using rebid zones (there are lots!), I bid up to $108 but wasn't successful. I used the board's PRICELINE link. The Doubletree is some distance from where I'll be working. Since I'll be on foot, I'm going to let this one percolate for a time. Thank you!

May I please have some bidding advice for St. Louis - Downtown. I must be in town March 6-10. I'd like to stay at a four star or above, ideally under $140. There seems like there's absolutely nothing available that weekend. Is there a convention or athletic tournament happening? Thank you!

Thanks to the board! I nudged my dates to August 2-5, bid $80 on a four-star, and won the George, a Kimpton Hotel. This was my first attempt--maybe I should have started lower? With taxes and fees that came to $283.32. I used the board's PRICELINE link.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. Anywhere in Priceline's Convention Center/Capitol Hill area looks fine. I'm afraid other zones will pull me too far away.

I have a conference at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill August 1-5. The conference rate for attendees is $189, not including taxes. I'm looking for a 3* or higher within walking distance--if not at the hotel itself. I'm willing to spend $75-150. Am I in Fantasyland? Too early to bid? Thanks for your help!

I hit on the first bid--$75. With taxes and fees the total came to $99.72. I used the board's PRICELINE link.

Marathon weekend--always packed in Pittsburgh! Nothing's available except the airport and the distant 'burbs. Holiday Inn, Airport - $54, with taxes/fees that came to $67.54. Amenities shown: Shuttle, pool, work-out room, internet, restaurant I used the site's link to HOTWIRE. Many thanks!

Thanks for the tips, AaronJB! Aren't there a number of interesting Greek restaurants just across the river on West Harrison? And yes, I did use the Board's PRICELINE link.

Thanks to the board! At $120/night I hit the Blackstone Renaissance--four star. As suggested, I bid NMA up to $90 and closed my browser, then bid the Loop up to $90 and closed my browser. My next bid at $95 combined both NMA and the Loop, but I was immediately asked to raise by $25. I tried to low-ball, but was unsuccessful. My dates are 8/9/11 - 8/14/11 at $120 per night. With taxes and fees that came to $706.45.

Hi again.... And I guess I'm willing to go up to $150/night, a bit higher than what I initially stated.

Thanks to AaronJB and Thereuare for your replies. I'm willing to stay either in the Millennium Park/Loop/Grant Park area or NMA/River North area.

May I have some bidding advice please for a downtown Chicago hotel, August 9 - 14. I'll be at the Palmer House for much of that period. If not AT the Palmer House, I'd like to be within a mile or two. A four star would be nice. I'm looking to spend no more than $125/night. Too early to get started? Thanks in advance for the board's help.

Duh--sorry! Hyatt Regency, with the same features as those on the board's HOTWIRE list--restaurant, pool, workout room, wifi, and business. Thanks again!

I used the Board's HOTWIRE link. Many thanks! The amenities were the same as those listed on the board's Hotwire Hotel Page.

I used BetterBidding's PRICELINE link. The kiddies are coming along so I was hoping for a pool--several 3.5 star properties in downtown have that amenity. (Unless they're outdoors and in resort locations, I hate hotel pools.) I bid $75 and received an instruction that if I raised by $20 I could rebid without changing my zones. I closed the windows and attempted to start over, using rebid zones. No dice until I hit at $95. Marriott Pittsburgh City Center - $95 bid, with tax and fees that came to $116.67. It's got a pool. A bit higher than I'd intended to pay, but it's Thanksgiving weekend and the Penguins have a home game that day. Thanks to the board!

I bid $45 on my first try--should have begun lower I guess?! Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel. With taxes and fees the total came to $59.23. The hotel's site has the same room for $79. I used Better Bidding's PRICELINE link.

Using the board's HOTWIRE link I purchased the Intercontinental Los Angeles. As a hotel guest at the Intercontinental I understand there's no fee to use the workout facilities which tipped me. $139/night for five nights, 8/1 - 8/6. With taxes and fees of $123.14 that came to $818.14. (The hotel's website currently shows $229/night.) $139 was the cheapest I'd seen in some weeks. The icons I saw matched those on BetterBidding's Hotwire list: Fitness Center, Pool, Restaurant, Business Center, Internet, Golf, Tennis. I initially used PRICELINE and bid up to $125 on this property with rebid zones. Didn't hit, then switched to HOTWIRE. Thanks to the Board and Colfax in particular. Would a moderator please move this thread.