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Thanks! Odd though because I started my PRICELINE session from the links on this site but had some login issues so maybe that caused the track to be lost.

Not on the list but looks like a very good result as it's not a cheap city and this hotel is terrifically located on the water and next to the main station. I bid $167 unsuccessfully before this bid.

I was prepared for some rebidding but got this on the first try - a good win as I've stayed there several times before and it's a good hotel in a great location! Started from Better Bidding PRICELINE link :)

Amenities matched those listed: Smoke-free Restaurant Fitness Business Pool While not a bad price, I'm not overly impressed with this being in the Downtown - Pike Place zone since it's not the most walkable area and I suspect a bit deserted when there isn't a game on, and the opposite when there is. A key attribute of any downtown zone should be that you can have a good stay without feeling the need to have a car. Guess I should have looked at the area map and read the list more carefully.

Was bidding at the 3.5* level, for which there are nine(!) rebid zones in Portland, and went up in small increments from $75, winning the 4* Westin at $100. Last unsuccessful bid was $97. I've stayed at the nearby Marriott City Center several times and won it last time around but it will be the Westin this time. Started bidding using the Better Bidding PRICELINE links. The Westin Portland Downtown Portland 750 Sw Alder Street Portland, Oregon 97205 503-294-9000 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $100.00 Subtotal: $300.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $49.49 Total Charges*: $349.49

Bid up from $75 over the course of about a week - prices on non-opaque sites seem to be pretty high for this period so no big surprise that I had to bid this high. Started bids with the Better Bidding PRICELINE link. After bidding $135 I received an offer to rebid same neighbourhoods and star level +$22, but opted to use a rebid at $135, adding another neighbourhood (East). Ramada Plaza Berlin Tiergarten - Kufuerstendamm Prager Strasse 12 Berlin, Germany 49-30-2362500 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$142.00 Subtotal: US$568.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$116.55 Total Charges: US$684.55 Rate on the Ramada site averages about USD 195 for this stay. The location looks good, the neighbourhood attractive and the TripAdvisor reviews are pretty decent so it should be a good stay!

Started bids (with the Better Bidding PRICELINE link) at $85 and got the Westin on the fourth rebid. Previous rebid was $119. The Westin Seattle 1900 Fifth Ave Seattle, Washington 98101 206-728-1000 Check-In Date: Fri, Jun 27, 2008 Check-Out Date: Mon, Jun 30, 2008 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $125.00 Subtotal: $375.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $65.90 Total Charges*: $440.90 I would have bid 3* but there are 3* hotels in the Priceline Downtown Seattle zone (such as the Holiday Inn on Dexter) that are not within comfortable walking distance of the main retail area. This will be my first time at the Westin but it looks good and they always seem to have great beds!

Thanks, the stay is May 30 - June 5.

Started bidding at $75 and used rebids (plus USE) to get to $95 and success with the Stanford Court (best rate on Marriott website of $224 prepaid, non-refundable and $249 std). Looks like the hotel lobby will be under renovation during the stay so we'll see how that goes. Renaissance Stanford Court Union Square West California Street At Powell Street San Francisco, California 94108 415-989-3500 Started the booking from the PRICELINE link on the betterbidding page.

Bid up to $77 on 4-star using all rebid zones with no success. Tried 3* at $50 ($40 failed on March 12) and success! Delta Montreal Montreal 475 President Kennedy Avenue Montreal, Quebec H3A 1J7 514-286-1986 Check-In Date: Sat, Apr 5, 2008 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Mon, Apr 7, 2008 / 12:00 PM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$50.00 Subtotal: US$100.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$24.47 Total Charges: US$124.47 Direct booking rate is CAN $150/night so 2/3 off!

Yes, I imagine the Holiday Inn will work out quite well. It's also not far from the brand new streetcar line for a more novel way to get downtown. Still might see if there are any last-minute 4-star steals.

First bid 4* downtown Seattle from $60 to $94 without success then decided to try what I thought would be a too low 3* bid at $55 and got the Holiday Inn. Unfortunately this is about the only 3* hotel I didn't want to get as it is less than central, being just over 1 km north of the main downtown area, and not a great walk given the proliferation of surface parking and the area being in transition (I'd rather avoid urban driving when on vacation!) Hotwire would put the Holiday Inn in another zone (Seattle Center - Space Needle) but Priceline includes much of this area in their "Seattle Downtown" zone. Still it looks like $55 is a pretty good rate, judging by posts here and Hotwire quotes for the same dates. I might try Priceline (4* only!) or Hotwire again closer to the trip to see about getting a better location for the last two nights of the stay, and writing off two nights at the Holiday Inn. This is my first less than good result with the opaque services, but not too bad. Hotel Name: Holiday Inn Seattle 211 Dexter Avenue North Seattle, Washington 98109 206-728-8123 Check-In Date: Friday, February 15, 2008 Check-Out Date: Monday, February 18, 2008 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $55.00 Subtotal: $165.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $33.03 Total Charges*: $198.03

Bid up to $99 on September 12, no luck. September 14 bidding 3* $105 Downtown Portland - rejected, passed on the raise your bid by $22 option 3* $116 Downtown Portland + Beaverton-Hillsboro Won Portland Marriott City Center Downtown Portland 520 Sw Broadway Portland, Oregon 27205 503-226-6300 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $116.00 Subtotal: $348.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $55.59 Total Charges*: $403.59 Pretty cool since this was the hotel I was hoping for and I already had a standard reservation for it through Marriott at $139/night.

I've bid without success from $70 to $136/night for 4* in downtown Portland October 5 through 8. The Portland Marathon, with some 9,000 participants, takes place on October 7 and is likely putting a squeeze on hotel rooms. I have a standard booking at the Marriott City Centre, which is just fine and well located, and not a bad rate at $139/night.

Bid (using all the rebid zones possible) for Downtown LA 4* up to $73, on June 17. Bid as follows on June 18: Downtown LA - $70 - rejected added Brentwood - Westwood - $75 - rejected added Culver City - $79 - accepted Congratulations, you got your price of $79 for a 4-star hotel room. Westin Bonaventure Hotel 4-star Downtown Los Angeles 404 S Figueroa St Los Angeles, California 90071 213-624-1000 Check-In Date: Tue, Aug 28, 2007 / After 01:00 PM Check-Out Date: Fri, Aug 31, 2007 / 01:00 PM Total price is $237 + $43.15 taxes and service fees = $280.15, average $93.38/night. Direct through Westin the non-refundable rate (inc taxes and fees) is $190.74/night ($238.43 for cancellable) so I'm happy with my result! Also it's good peace of mind that it's a smoke-free property as we'll arrive later in the evening.

Bid from $60 to $93 on 4* with no success so started 3* bidding at $55. No luck on the first bid but got the Crowne Plaza on my second bid at $60. This will be my third time there, first two stays were via Hotwire reservations. The valet parking rate is rather stiff but the location is good and the rooms were comfortable and the service friendly on the previous stays. Booked via savingsbarn.com link on April 1. Your Offer Price: $60.00 Extend Your Stay (link appeared but clicking on it revealed the option isn't available!) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 3 Subtotal: $180.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $36.75 Total Charges*: $216.75 The best direct rates from the Crowne Plaza website were $151.67 (Entertainment Card) or $168.67 (best featured rate).

Whoops, I had included the dates in the subject but guess they were chopped off. Serves me right for being in a hurry. :) Check-in May 2, 2007 Check-out May 6, 2007

A day after some unsuccessful 4* bidding (up to $100) and noting generally high rates on the non-opaque sites, I decided to bid 3*, though should have used a better strategy to avoid the pontential of an overbid. All bidding was on March 21. Bid $75 Greater Chicago 3* Bid $85 Greater Chicago + MPL & GPA 3* Biid $92 Greater Chicago + MPL & GPA + NMA & RNA 3* Received: Chicago City Centre Hotel And Sports Club North Michigan Ave - River North Area 300 East Ohio Street Chicago, Illinois 60611 312-787-6100 Your Offer Price: $92.00 Extend Your Stay Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 4 Subtotal: $368.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $67.09 Total Charges*: $435.09

Bid date Feb 5/2007 Bid $79 USE-E rejected, offered rebid +$22 Bid $85 USE-E & USW, accepted Prescott Hotel, A Kimpton Hotel Union Square West 545 Post Street San Francisco, California 94102 415-563-0303 Check-In Date: Sun, Mar 25, 2007 Check-In Time: After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Wed, Mar 28, 2007 Check-Out Time: 12:00 PM Your Offer Price: $85.00 Extend Your Stay option provided Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 3 Subtotal: $255.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $47.13 Total Charges*: $302.13 I succeeded with the Hilton Financial District for $81/night in January but the extra $ for the more central Prescott are fine! Started search via Savings Barn link

1st bid $70 / 4* / USE - rejected 2nd bid $75 / 4* / USE + USW - rejected 3rd bid $81 / 4* / USE + USW + Civic Center accepted at Hilton Financial District I didn't expect such early success, anticipating having to spend a few more days bidding.

Got the Westin on my first bid. I should have started a bit lower but after many fruitless NYC bids at just below half-price and an apparent general lack of availability in downtown Phildadelphia during these dates accroding to the standard reservation services, I started a bit high. Still, it's half the best rate on the Starwood site, a great location and a non-smoking property.