manypims

You guys are the experts. And this has piqued my interest. Can you tell me (and us) what systems Priceline uses for 1) Retail 2) Express Deals and 3) Bidding? I never assume Priceline and Hotwire star ratings to be the same, but I actually have assumed (before now) that the star ratings are consistent on the different Priceline platforms. Are you saying this is a false assumption or maybe the Priceline assumption is 99% accurate but (as this case shows) not 100%? I guess the moral of story is that when you try to decipher a property and you cannot find any corresponding star level and amenities in that zone (which happened in this case) be very skeptical before purchasing.

Pittsburgh may have the record for the most free re-bids that I've ever had at my disposal -- 18 for a 4* (and 4.5*) property. With the Express Deal for the easily-decipherable Westin at $91 (56% discount), I decided to start at $40 and use $5 increments. (Looking back, I probably should have started at $50 with $2 increments.) Anyway, it went to $75 before the price was accepted. With a Priceline list price of $209 (and the Express Deal listed at $91), $75 (with a 64% discount) is a helluva good deal.

When I called Priceline to complain, they basically told me I was wrong and that it was a 2* in their system. However, to their defense, when I e-mailed their Executive Office about the problem, they called me back within 24 hours, apologized, cancelled the order and referred it to their hotel group to investigate. Looking at the Knights Inn Web site, it is one property. I'm wondering if the hotel figured out a way to do a bait-and-switch on Priceline?

Over the years, I've successfully bid on Priceline more than 50 times using free re-bids, etc. I've also used Express Deals about a dozen times (when they make sense). I've never once had an issue getting the zone or star level that I actually bid for. Until today. When bidding Express Deals, it is usually pretty easy to decipher the hotel (or handful of hotels) that you will receive by using regular Priceline. With a car show in town and prices very high, today, I used a PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal on a two-star hotel in Monterey, CA for 9/24 to 9/26 with a breakfast and pool as the amenities. I received the Knights Inn Carmel Hill, a two-star at 1374 Munras Ave. with breakfast and a pool. I didn't remember seeing that property on Priceline's regular Web site so I did a search and here is the property I found: Carmel Hill Lodge/Knights Inn, a one-star at 1374-A Munras Ave. with amenities listed as internet, parking and a pool. I've never once had the bait-and-switch happen to me before. But I guess there's always a first time. I called customer service to complain and they were absolutely useless. I know the rules better than they do and I simply asked them to give me the two-star property that I had purchased. They transferred me a couple of times and basically called me a liar and said that their system showed the property as a two-star. They refused to do a simple Priceline search that would have confirmed what I was telling them. My only recourse was to send an e-mail to customer service, although I did bash them on Twitter. And I do have screen shots from their own "regular" Web site documenting this fiasco. We'll see what happens.

Express Deal was $94 and I deciphered it to be the Palomar. With 10 bids available, I made $90 my final bid and started at $45. I worked my way up in $5 increments until I won at $85 (52% savings).

PRICELINE EXPRESS Deals are definitely wacky. And for those of us on this site who like to play games, there is a chance you can get burned if you get greedy. For example, last summer I saw real good Express Deal at a beach location. I tried to undercut that price by bidding. The bids failed and when I went back to buy the Express Deal, it was gone. That happened a second time in a different location. Express deals are pretty easy to decipher and I've had a similar experience -- prices fluctuate (often daily) and properties tend to appear and disappear. There's no rhyme or reason. I stay in DC fairly often and I'll check several times before taking a deal or bidding. I usually use the Express Deal rate as my last rebid minus $5. (If the Express deal is $100, my final free re-bid will be $95). For the winning bid I am about to post, the Express Deal was $94 and I got the same property bidding for $85. I've found several Express deals about $10 more than a winning bid, but this too can fluctuate.

I'm going to Baltimore for a convention and the prices are a bit higher than usual. I'm actually staying for two nights and I got greedy and paid the price. Word of caution: If you see a price on the Express Deals and you decide to try and bid and get something lower, there is a chance that the Express Deal will go up 10 to 20%. It has happened to me twice in the past month and maybe I'll learn my lesson. Here's how this one unfolded: I searched on Express Deals from 9/18 to 9/20, and a 3 1/2 star, which I deciphered to be the Sheraton, showed up for $110 per night (list price $235). However, when I searched on 9/18 to 9/19, it was $87 (list price $240); and 9/19 to 9/20 was also $87 (list price $230). Now the greedy part, I bid on 9/18 to 9/19 starting at $50 and with free re-bids, worked my way up to $85. When $85 was denied, I decided to go back to Express Deals and buy the room for $87. Except for one small problem, the price was now $110. I then went to the 9/19 to 9/20 Express Deals and saw the price was still $87. I bought the room and then tried to add one earlier day. It gave me the option of $110. Which brings me to this bid. I waited a day, came back to 9/18 to 9/19, and saw the Express Deal was still $110. Would the price go up again if I tried bidding? One way to find out. I started at $85 and then using free re-bids won the room for $95. At the end of the day, I got the first night for $95 (list $240) by bidding and the second night for $87 (list $230) by using Express Deals. Moral of the story -- it may not make sense to the veteran Priceline bidder, but if you see a PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal for 60% off, don't get greedy because it might cheaper than bidding.

Incredible property with rooftop bar. Winning price of $145 was savings of 55% according to win notice.

As a long-time Priceline bidder, I have to admit, the Express Deals are very helpful in the bidding process. I wanted to stay in the White House Downtown zone, but the Four Star properties are a bit sketchy. I've been burned on the The Westin Washington, which is not a Four Star, and doing a little digging, the 4 star property on Express Deal for $127 was the Mayflower Renaissance, another old, tired and overpriced dog. So I avoided the Four Stars and looked at the 3 1/2 star properties. The Express Deal was $86 and one of the amenities was pets, which doesn't scare me, but allows one to decipher properties much easier. The only two 3 1/2 star properties allowing pets in this zone were the Rouge and the Helix. The amenities did not show Internet so it was the Helix for $86. I knew I could likely bid and get it lower, so with four re-bids available, I started at $60 and won at $75 for a 62% savings according to the win notice. Nice hip property, I can walk to my morning meeting and best of all, I avoided the disappointment and waste of money which likely would have resulted from the Mayflower.

Awesome deal on an awesome hotel. Since DC has a ton of Four Star re-bids, I started at $75 and won at $90. Hotel was listed for ~$200 and according to the details, I saved 57%. Great location, on M Street between Georgetown and Downtown.

****This property has been downgraded to 3 1/2 stars by Priceline and rightly so**** Having stayed at other hotels in this zone (Liaison and George) for similar prices, I was disappointed when I won this dog. And rightly so. I had some work to do, so I chose the upgraded wireless internet ($19.95 for 3 MB symmetrical) instead of the regular wireless internet ($9.95 for 1 MB symmetrical). Even with the upgrade, I had very slow speeds, slow enough that I could not work. Sure, I could have gone to the lobby or the business center, but that's an inconvenience I should not have to endure at a Four Star. When I left the hotel, I asked the front desk for change. They had none. Again, another minor inconvenience that should not happen at a Four Star. Room was decent, not great, and hotel had the feel of an old Hyatt. On a positive note, the bartenders are great. When I was sent a survey by Priceline, I realized that the property was now a 3 1/2 star. Looks like other Priceline users beat me to the punch. This ain't a Four Star, and it may be closer to a Three Star. But at least I can now bid this Four Star zone without fear.

For the past couple of days, I've been checking the 4* properties in the Dupont Circle-National Zoo area on Hotwire. Today, there was a property in that zone for $99. Using that information, I started my Priceline bidding cheat sheet for 4* in DC at $60 (Dupont Circle-Woodley Park). Using $5 increments, this would make my seventh and final free re-bid $95, although I doubted I would go that high. With my matrix complete, I started to bid. My first bid at $60 immediately asked me if would raise my bid to $84 and re-bid. I declined. I added Alexandra West and raised to $65. Denied (and no offer to raise). Added Bethesda and went to $70. Denied (and no offer to raise). Added Crystal City went to $75. Success. I'm pretty happy -- I'm going to a show at the Black Cat and the Hilton is about a mile way. I've stayed at this property before and its pretty good -- and definitely worth $75.

Using betterbidding.com, I determined that 3* Hyatt Place had twice gone for $45. Three zones did not have 3* properties so I knew had several "free" re-bids opportunities. I started at $40 and was given option to immediately re-bid for another $12 to $17 ($52 to $57). I declined. I added Central Suffolk and re-bid at $44. Again, I was given the option to re-bid for a minimum of $52. Again, I declined. I added Chesapeake-Bowers Hill and re-bid at $47. Price was accepted. Moral of the story: You can get a better price than offered by the immediate re-bid so don't take the bait unless you have to, i.e., you need the room today and you don't have any "free" re-bids left.

Sweety: I just got a 3* priceline room on the beach at Virginia Beach for $75. Granted, it was during the week and not during the busy Memorial Day weekend. Still, you might be able to get something near the beach for about $100. Using your dates, I just pulled up the Priceline map and focused on the Virginia Beach (area) zone. I think 4* and 3 1/2* would be out of your price range, but you may be able to snag a 3* for around $100. The Wyndham Oceanfront is listed at $170 and the Doubletree is $161. Unfortunately, the Doubletree is near the convention center about a mile from the beach and the chances of getting that vs. the Wyndham are a little higher. But, you never know. Using the "Virginia Beach Area" zone for 3*, you get one bid plus three free re-bids. I'd start at $85 and work my way up to $100 in $5 increments and see what happens. Surprisingly, the 2 1/2* properties showing up in that zone are all more expensive than the two hotels above. But you could always give that a shot since you have one bid plus two free re-bids. Looking at Hotwire, the lowest price for the "Virginia Beach Seaside" zone is a 2* for $118. However, if you add in "Virginia Beach Area" zone hotels, you can get a 3 1/2* for $110. From looking at the Hotwire hotel list, this is more than likely the Founders Inn and Spa, which is the exact same price on Hotels.com The bad news is that it is 15 miles from the beach. It sounds like you are going to have to decide on price vs. proximity to the beach. Good luck.

Need to follow government per diem rate of $89 and trying for decent room on the beach. Started out at 3 1/2 stars. Went from $60 to $89 and no luck. Dropped down to three stars and started at $60. Got the message that said if I up the rate by $15 to $75, I would be successful. Normally, I would have quit, started over and added $10 to my last bid. This time, went with the $75 bid and was successful. Note: The folks at the Wyndham know about this government convention and are playing games. Saw a listing on Hotwire for $89.10. Using Better Bidding, I determined that it was the Wyndham. Pretty weak considering government employees cannot go over the $89 limit without very good reason. Even more weak considering most of those that attend this show in Virginia Beach serve our country in the military.

Pretty happy with this result since it is Opening Day for the Red Sox and rooms are pricey and somewhat limited via the conventional Web sites. Also happy to get this deal two days in advance on my last-minute trip. For the 4 stars, I started at $75 and using $5 increments, worked my way up to $100, which was my limit. I then switched to 3 1/2 stars and went in $5 increments from $65 to $90, which was my limit. I then tried the 3 stars went from $55 to $70, which was my limit. After no success in all three star zones, started doing some digging. Saw a 4 star in the Waterfront-Convention Center zone on Hotwire for $133. Using Better Bidding, I determined it was the Westin Waterfront. So I went back to Priceline and concentrated on the Boston (Waterfront-Convention Center) zone. Since my last $100 bid, which included that zone, was not accepted, I started at $105. Success. Moral of the story: Keep your discipline when using Priceline, even if your stay is quickly approaching. Also, try to use all of the tools available on Better Bidding to help your search. I didn't originally, but was successful once I did.

This is the third time I've gotten this hotel at this price in the past couple of months. I pretty much knew I would get it again. Since I'll be taking the train the next afternoon, I considered bidding the 3 1/2 star zone because of the Hyatt down the street from Union Station, but doubt I could have gotten it for this price on a weekday and didn't want to take the risk of getting another hotel.

By waiting to the last minute I may not be able to find a room? C'mon, be real. The only time I have ever run into this issue even remotely was the Super Bowl in Fort Lauderdale. And I still was able to find something the week of the game. That's a very special exception. I've book at least 100 rooms on Priceline for work and pleasure and I've never been burned by waiting until the last week or last couple of days. Unless you count the handful of times I booked a week in advance and didn't like the place. Then on the day of the trip I did some lowball bidding in other zones and found something better. With that being said, I do like your idea of booking a refundable place in advance. If only for the fact that it will make your Priceline bidding less desperate and help you stick to your maximum price. And finally, after reading your take on last minute bidding, I decided to bid two days in advance for another room in DC in stead of waiting until the day of. Got the exact same deal as the last two times -- Renaissance for $60 -- so I'm not really sure what that proves.

For future reference, you broke two of the cardinal rules of Priceline: 1) you started your bidding way too soon and 2) you lowered your star rating and increased your price. The board moderators will give you the link, but I'd suggest studying the tricks of the trade. I stay in DC fairly often and routinely pay around $60 for four star properties. And that's during the week. On weekends, you can find even better deals. The key is to start low and wait until the last month or better yet, last week. If that's too bold for you, you can always reserve your room now, and then cancel it once you win via Priceline.

Eleven days ago, I got the exact same priceline result. If you want the bidding strategy, which is nearly identical, see my previous post on this hotel. This post contains a warning: the hotel is undergoing renovations so bidder beware. I have an early meeting so when the construction begins at 6:30 or 7, I'll already be up.

I have an early morning meeting in D.C. and doesn't really matter where I'm staying since I'll be cabbing it, so I let Priceline determine the area. It said the best deals were the Convention Center-Capitol Hill zone and the 4-Star Deluxe category. Using Better Bidding, I determined that previous wins in this zone and star category were priced at $75 (Renaissance, Hotel George). A couple of months ago, I had won Liaison for $65 in the same zone so I knew the price range and the likely hotels I would received. I started at Convention Center-Capitol Hill at $45 and then added free rebids of $50 (Alexandria West) and $55 (Bethesda) before hitting on $60 by adding (DC Suburbs-Northeast Area). I actually had two additional free rebids (Mount Vernon and Silver Spring) to spare. Word of advice: If you want to get the best Priceline deals, do not attempt to book your room months or even weeks in advance. If you have the courage, wait until a day or two before you need the room. Or if you have massive courage, book your room the same morning of your stay. By booking the day before, I got the Renaissance for $60 ($75.79 including tax) instead of the Priceline list price of $329.

In the Convention Center-Capitol Hill zone, I knew I had one bid and five free re-bids for a total of six bids. Since my maximum bid would be $75, I started out with the Convention Center at $50, then added Alexandria West ($55) and Bethesda ($60), all with no success. I then added DC Suburbs ($65) for the win, with two free re-bids to spare. I haven't stayed at Liaison before, but I've eaten at Art & Soul on its premises, which is a very good and very hip restaurant. I've read mixed reviews about the property, but for $65 my expectations aren't very high and I'm sure I'll be satisfied. If I am not, you'll hear about it in a resulting post.

I saw that the Marriott had gone for $60, $65 and & $66, so I knew the price range and likely hotel I would receive in the 3 1/2 star range. However, I decided to give the 4 star hotels a shot first. Using the Convention Center zone, I had one bid and five free re-bids so I started at $40 and worked my way up to $65 unsuccessfully. I then switched to the 3 1/2 star properties in the Convention Center zone, where I had one bid and two free re-bids. I started at $50 and increased to $55 and both bids were unsuccessful. I then upped the bid to $60 on my last free re-bid and was successful.

For this date, Georgetown-Foggy Bottom and Four Star were listed as the best deals. I started there with $60. I knew I was close as they offered me another free bid right off the bat for $17 more. I declined. I added Dupont-Circle Woodley park for $65. No dice. I then added White House-Downtown for $70 and that was the successful bid.

I've Pricelined the Renaissance for $90 and $100 in November and May, respectively. With the cost of hotels near the harbor in the summertime, you did a great job with $102. I've stayed in 4* Hyatt's in other cities that don't compare to the Renaissance. The Hyatt in Baltimore, of course, has the glass elevators with the great views. But don't worry. The Renaissance is very nice and very convenient and you may even luck out and get a room with a partial harbor view. It happened once to me; the other time, I got the standard Priceline fare -- room overlooking the roof/inside courtyard.