mbstone

Tried Crystal City & Alexandria zones up to $55 and down to 2*, no luck.

I forget how much the taxes and fees were.

This is the Homestead property 1 mi E of Eisenhower Metro station on Eisenhower Av.

Bid $45 in the Fairfax zone, hoping for the HGI, yes! Out she popped.

Total was about $153 (about $18 in taxes/fees).

The Dept of Transportation is considering a substantial increase in the IDB voucher amounts and is soliciting public comments, search for the thread in Flyertalk or search Google.

Relatively new rooms (at least the one I got). 2 mi N of IAD. Hard to find, not visible from main road (SR 28). After taking the exit from SR 28 take two immediate right turns (there is a very tiny sign that says, Hotels). Airport shuttle. Gift shop. Free wired & wireless internet, RJ45 cable provided. Indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, 7A-10P, 9A-10P weekends. Exercise room 24H. Guest laundry. Restaurant 630A-1030A, 5P-1030P. Breakfast buffet. Room service, 630A-12M (limited menu after 1030P), can order from hotel internet home page. Bar/lounge, 1130A-1A. Rooms have desks, lounge chairs, iron/board, coffeemaker. 25" TV, local+basic cable+HBO. Business center. Free parking. Banquet/meeting facilities. Pillow concierge. Near local restaurants incl Chinese/Italian/Indian/Pho. Take a lap around the airport on your way to town thereby avoiding the toll road.

As a PL guest I was told only smoking rooms are available (this seems to be a nationwide policy of HI) but I kept asking nicely and was accommodated in a NS room.

Being REALLY banned from a Las Vegas hotel involves them reading you the Trespass Act (you can then be arrested for trespassing). Otherwise you have been "86ed" which might or might not be enforced on a future trip. Normally the ban or trespass is only for that property (Excalibur/Luxor/Manadalay are now MGM Mirage properties). You should read a BBS catering to gamblers to learn more about the fine points of being 86ed/Trespassed.

Bid $40 IAD 2.5*, same day bid, counteroffer at $52

Added East Falls Church free rebid zone, bid $44, accepted, "upgraded to 3*"

A few other points:

-- The pool is open 24H, unique to Vegas (and unheard of in Las Vegas since the demise of the notorious Tam O'Shanter Motel). Ditto for exercise room.

-- Free wireless internet.

-- Room service 10A-10P, very reasonable prices+$2+15%. Heck, the prices are unbelievably reasonable compared to other Las Vegas properties.

-- Property is located smack dab at the south end of the airport tunnel. It's a no-brainer to get on the northbound tunnel and boom, you're at UNLV, just east of the Strip. Equally easy return via I-15 S/I-215 E or southbound through the tunnel to I-215 E. It's very near the new central rent-a-car facility.

Same day res, busy weekend (Fri-Sat). Probably overbid by $10 or so. Started Strip 3* $59, then added UNLV + 2 1/2* + $10, then added Airport + $10. Oh well. I like this place, see hotel review.

The ultimate win on PL: a Hyatt Resort. We had previously stayed at the Hyatt Tamaya in Albuquerque and liked it, this property was no exception. We chose to stay here rather than in Las Vegas proper because we had kids with us, the kids had liked the Tamaya, and we felt there would be more for them here. Our successful (weekday) bid was $89, the web site rate was $189. Although the hotel charges an additional $15/rm/night resort fee to cover services that are either unwanted or are normally provided free by other hotels, we knew about it upfront from reading the website.

Our request for connecting rooms, like all other requests, was met with gracious professionalism and enthusiasm. Hyatt now provides an email address and toll-free number, displayed on the PL acceptance page, for bed type and other special requests from PL customers.

Hyatt Lake Las Vegas is located 5 mi E of Henderson, NV on the manmade lake, 25 mi SE of McCarran Airport and the Las Vegas Strip. Public transportation (bus, taxi) NOT recommended. Awesome facilities and grounds. There are restaurants; room service (24H); convention and meeting facilities (This place would be absolutely perfect for a wedding reception) and a small quiet uncrowded casino (until 2A) with low ($50-100 max) table limits (slots, craps/2x odds, BJ). You do NOT have to walk through the casino to get to your room and you would not know the casino was there unless you sought it out. (Of course, if you are a serious casino player you would be loath to prepay for any room with PL since this would preclude the possibility of your getting it comped.) Two large shallow swimming pools, one for kids with a water slide, 8A-8P. Poolside food and beverage service. Jacuzzi, wading pool. Fitness center, spa, guest laundry; electric pontoon boat/kayak/paddle boat rentals, car rentals, fishing, bird watching, bicycle rentals. Bird sanctuary; desert tortoise habitat. Lake (swimming, boating, fishing), 8A-7P; beach. Golf, tennis. Valet and self parking; gift shop. Computer rental, $48/hr+$1/page. During our August visit the outside air temp was 105

I apologize if this has been posted before, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that, upon winning a Hyatt via PL, the "accepted" page displayed a Hyatt email address and toll-free number for bed type and other special requests. Way to go, Hyatt!

3* Marriott (13111 Sycamore Drive), adjacent to Norwalk courthouse and LA County Registrar-Recorder. Encountered PL attitude at check-in (unusual for Marriott properties). For example one clerk claimed there did not exist any connecting rooms at the property. Came back and dealt with another clerk who gave us connecting rooms. Other than that, had overall pleasant stay. Restaurant, bar, gift shop (closed). Banquet/meeting facilities. Small heated pool. Jacuzzi (closed w/yellow tape). Fitness center. Usual variety of Marriott TV channels, PPV, pay video games, wired pay internet. Room service, 6A-11P, surprisingly robust menu, reasonable w/18% svc chg. Coffeemaker, iron in rm. Shopping adjacent incl Outback steakhouse, movieplex, Office Depot, other shops/restaurants. Nearby IHOP (24H), family fun center/arcade. Adj to I-5, convenient to Anaheim/Buena Park resorts i.e. Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm. Free parking. Paid $55.

Web site rate $189 (or $169 if prepaid).

Bid $79 (Resort, Henderson), counteroffer at $101, ignored

Added Airport, $89, accepted

Web site says there is a $15 resort fee

This is for a Mon-Wed.

$14 tax, total 69/night. A Marriott 3* that doesn't charge for parking !!

Started bidding $45/2.5* Monrovia/Duarte looking to get the Hilton Garden Inn.

Added Commerce - Norwalk - Rosemead at $55/2.5*, upgraded.

AS OF 3/06 ALL FREEWAY EXITS FROM I-25 LEADING TO THIS 2* PROPERTY ARE CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION FOR SEVERAL MILES IN EACH DIRECTION. You will go nuts attempting to find or exit the place. It's not worth it. Suggest you avoid bidding 2* in the Colo Spgs North zone.

Your Offer Price: $65.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 1

Subtotal: $65.00

Taxes & Service Fees:

$16.83

Total Charges: $81.83

This rate nearly always available Fri-Mon but almost never other days.

Your Offer Price: $40.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 3

Subtotal: $120.00

Taxes & Service Fees:

$25.42

Total Charges: $145.42

OOPS - topic line should read 2.5*

Another PL stay here. This time everything went wrong. Bedbugs, no hot water, it rained and the roof leaked. Surly desk clerks (apparently they have a very high rate of staff turnover). I wonder if they have any other youth hostels around here....

Knock me over with a feather. PL has always sent cryptic "Important Information About Your PL Request" emails containing no information (important or otherwise) one way or the other about whether or not a bid was accepted. This must mean they are actually looking at ways to improve their service!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

From: Priceline Rental Cars <[email protected]>

To: mbstone

Subject: Mb...Important Information about your rental car reservation!

Dear mbstone,

We are writing to confirm your priceline.com rental car purchase for request

number xxxxxxxxxx. This e-mail contains important information for your upcoming

rental:

1. Itinerary Retrieval

2. What you will need to pick up the car

3. Optional Items

4. Cancelled or Delayed Flights

Finally banned there (for grousing on FT about their new policy discouraging hotel reviews). Frankly I have no idea how I lasted there so long. Certainly TOBB does not appreciate or thank people who post bids/reviews there, or consider posters as adding value to that site.

It was fun while it lasted. Now entering 2* $30 LAX produces a "small chance" message. Time to eat the stuff in the refrigertor.

This is the first PL car rental in my experience where the taxes and fees were actually more than the "offer price" for the car.

Your Offer Price: $12.00

Total Rental Days: 2

Subtotal: $24.00

Taxes & Fees: $25.16

Total Charges: $49.16

Hard to know what floats your boat. But one of the best PL destination resort values in my experience (have you tried PL's Resort category properties?) is the Hyatt Tamaya Resort in north Albuquerque, NM.

Homestead Studio Suites is part of Extended Stay America and offers the standard Homestead non-amenities: Free local calls, $4/stay wi-fi internet, kitchenette with range top, microwave, refrigerator and utensils for 2; ice only from ice trays; biweekly maid service, guest laundry, front desk hours 7A-11P. Free parking.

This property has often been available for $30 on PL (2* LAX) and $39 on HW. It is a good value for the area, compare the frumpy 2.5* Holiday Inn LAX for $45+$11 pay parking. The Homestead is adjacent to a 24H supermarket/drugstore (Ralph's); also adjacent to Quizno's Subs, El Pollo Loco, Sizzler, FedexKinko's (8A-11P), other restaurants and shops.

Bid price includes "regular" small room with queen bed; "deluxe" larger room with king bed, sofa available for $10 extra. Outside corridors, 2 stories, no elevator. Clean rooms, ample TV channels. Thin walls. No PPV. Internet works sporadically and is slower than that of other Homesteads.

Property is 3/4 mi S of LAX Airport in El Segundo, no airport shuttle. LA Green Line rail transit 1/4 mi to E.

2.5* LAX is quirky. $45 will generally get you the frumpy, $11-pay-parking Holiday Inn (but sometimes you can get the Courtyard LAX for $40). I prefer the Homestead.

Yes, this is the amenity-free but kitchened Homestead El Segundo. I am there now. You can often get it on PL for $30 (2* LAX). To my knowledge there is no airport shuttle, free or otherwise, but there is free parking and the property is next door to a 24H grocery store, Kinko's and restaurants. Get a $15 rent-a-car and come on over. The internet is $4/stay but it's slow as hell.