IBDP

First bid was $48.00-rejected. Added free zone-$51.00-rejected. Added free zone(there are approximately 7 for Portland area for a 4* hotel-$55.00-rejected...continued with free zones, additional $'s and rejection until the last free zone, at which time I bid $71.00 for the 4* Hotel - bid accepted. The Governor Hotel 1 room, 3 nights $71.00...subtotal= $213.00. Taxes and service fees $35.19. Total=$248.19 I previously posed a question on whether or not there were 4* hotels on the East side of the river, where I did not want to be, and I believe I have found the answer after all of my rebids, etc. Even though the Convention Center is East of the River, the 3* is the highest rated hotel, thus far, at least. I am looking forward to my stay at the Governor Hotel...have heard some really good things about it. Cheers, Donna

Thanks for the info, Willtravel. I will not hold you to it; I could not find any 4* hotels east of the river, but like you said, one cannot be positive. It's always a gamble with Priceline, but I enjoy the challenge...not to mention the prices. Speaking of prices, Thereyouare, at this time, Hotwire does not seems to be competitive. They have a hotel listed which I booked 4 months or so ago at approximately $70.00; it is listed, as of yesterday, at $134.00. The others seem pretty expensive as well. I will look again, but will more than likely take a chance on Priceline, through Savingsbarn. Thank you both for your help. I will post after I bid. Kind regards, Donna

I will be bidding on Downtown Portland Hotel on Priceline, but noticed that downtown is defind as being the the east bank of the river as well as the west side. We need a hotel on the west side (financial district) as opposed to the east side, and wonder what the odds are that we will get a hotel on the Westside. Are there even Priceline hotels on the east side of the river? Hotline separates these areas, but Priceline does not. Any info, comments, suggestions would be appreciated. I plan on biding tomorrow. Thanks in advance. Donna

My first offer on a hotel in Berkeley, CA was accepted. Doubletree Berkeley Marina- May 3rd and May 4th, 2004 My offer price: $50.00 # of rooms: 1 # of nights: 2 Subtotal: $100.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $19.74 Total Charges: $119.74

Hi Mac, I did read your bid post thoroughly I thin; maybe I am wrong, but I believe you did not state the hotel for which your bid was accepted. I'm exceptionally curious, as I bid up to $220.00 for a hotel in every part of the city other than lower manhattan for 4/22/04-4/24/04- was rejected. Finally had to go throught the hotel itself , at a rate of $259.00 per night!! That is quite alot when one is spoiled by Priceline prices, in general. Interested in the name of the hotel. Kind regards, Donna

I spent a good part of an afternoon trying to get a hotel in NYC; first, I was particular about area; then not so particular; then not so particular about price or area. Looking for 4/22-4/24/04..every bid rejected. I discovered, however, that one could start over a new bid by bidding first in a zone you hadn't bid the previous bid session. The way this helps is that you could bid quite low for that zone, hopefully not getting the bid, then add area and amounts that you had previously bid. A word of caution... this was an experiment. Do not know if it works every time (in the field, so to speak). After resorting to Expedia and Travelocity...outrageous prices, I wondered....does Priceline buy a block of room at a hotel, so that even if The other sites do not have availability, priceline may, due to a certain # of rooms purchased by priceline? Appreciate any and all comments, please. Regards, Donna

I decided I wanted to stay at the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront for another evening, so the morning of the 15thof April, I began the bid with $75.00 for a 4* hotel, knowing that the usual acceptance price was $95.00 and not wanting to go through as many rebids as I did the day before. To my surprise, my $75.00 bid was accepted for the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor, a nice hotel, but now I had to move my luggage, etc. :) Is there a lesson here, or is the lesson "you never know what you are going to get!" Regards, Donna

Began bid at $65.00, used three rebid zones to raise to $95.00. Bid was accepted ast $95.00. 4/14/04-4/15/04- Marriott Baltimore Waterfront, 4* hotel Regards, Donna

Bid #1- $50.00- 3*...rejected Bid #2- 55.00 & added a rebid zone...rejected Bid #3- 61.00, & a rebid zone- rejected Bid #4- $68.00 & a rebid zone- Accepted Lots of rebid zones for St. Louis area Radisson Hotel Clayton April 13, 2004 for April 13, 2004- 1 night Price $68.00; taxes and service fees $16.72 Total $84.72

I had always been led to believe that it was the hotel personnel who would determine the type of room one acquires if bidding through Priceline; as Priceline quotes, "you can request type of bedding and non or smoking, but the hotel does not have to honor that". On the other side of the coin, I had an interesting conversation with a reservationist at an Omni Hotel; he stated that the type of room was determined by Priceline and even by my calling the hotel I can not change that. What say you, Thereuare and all? Kind regards, Donna

Hello to all, Yes, that is my post above this one for the same days in the same month in the same year for another hotel, due to a mishap we'll chalk up to "Computer error".Is that okay, thereuare? Had to bid again because my "winning bid" was in Trevose, a30 minute drive from where my husband needs to be for Scientific Meetings. My first bid $55.00 for a 3*** in the University area; Priceline suggested this was too low and I should bid higher. I did. Should I have? Bid $65.00 April 3 through 8. Got my bid. Sheraton is actually a 31/2 star hotel. Would you call this an upgrade? :)

To All who are trying to be helpful by letting me know that they bid this hotel in Trevose and it was a 3***, I am sure you are correct about that. I have no questions but that the Radisson in Trevose is a 3*** hotel and is probably a very nice place. However, what you are neglecting to understand is that Zones change the # of *** according to availability of the particular 3***( or other) hotel. If there is one or two of these hotels in Trevose and they are not available when I begin my bid process, the 3*** hotel will not show up in the Trevose Zone. My contention is that when I began my bid, I checked every zone for under 3 ***, to determine how many free rebids I had and where. I wrote the zones down on paper and began my bidding. During the process of bidding, which took an hour, btw, I fully believe that there was a database addition to include the Radisson in Trevose, which is why I warn you all not to be so sure of yourselves in a free rebid. It happened to me; it could happen to you. I am sure it happens seldom, but now we know we are taking a chance in landing in the "burbs' or worse by using those lower stars for a free rebid. No, I do not believe that Priceline "did this to me", but again, Caveat Emptor. Kind regards, Donna

Hello Thereuare and others. I appreciate the feedback on this problem with Priceline. Deltapurser is correct in that everything surely is done by electronics and not touched by human hands. (as an aside, there seems to be no intelligent life in the "travel Specialist" area of Priceline; canned responses to all of my emails). Another possibly correct theory is that the database, indeed, was in flux while I waited 40 or more minutes for their decision. Thereuare, I had stated, I believe, or meant to state that I had used 2 rebid areas. There were indeed three when I went into the bidding process. You yourself have warned against not rechecking the zones each time you bid, as they do change. Well, unfortunately for me, mine changed in the process of a bid. If I implied that Pricelinewas "out to get me", forgive me. That was not my intent. My displeasure with Priceline is their lack of response, lack of caring, I certainly found out the hard way. One can never speak with a human being (Hotwire is responsive that way) and one can never expect anything but canned answers to their questions; for example, after telling them my tale of injustice, they responded by saying " Radisson is in fact a three star hotel. We think you will like it very much." Thereuare and all others: A Caveat Emptor re: re-bids...do not expect your re-bid free zones to remain that while you are in the midst of bidding. I certainly learned my lesson. We had to get another hotel. as my husband cannot commute 45 minutes to University Center, Philly, so the Radisson in Trevose will be empty and we will have paid an outrageous price for a three star hotel. Anyone need a hotel room in Trevose for April 3 through 8th, 2004??? Kind regards, Donna

Radisson Hotel Philadelphia Northeast Check-In Date: Saturday, April 3, 2004 Check-Out Date: Thursday, April 8, 2004 Trevose - Bensalem 2400 Old Lincoln Highway Trevose, Pennsylvania 19053 Your Offer Price: $65.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 5 Subtotal: $325.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $56.23 Above is the "winning bid" for a 3*** hotel in Travose. As I stated, when I went into the bid process, I checked all of the areas and their number of stars, as the board suggests that one does that EVERY time one bids, as the ***'s change. But when I went in, Travose area had a 2.5 star as the maximum, so I used it as a free rebid, and you all know the story, 45 minutes having to wait, not being able to cancel, and then this!! There is never anyone to talk to at priceline. The phone # brings only recordings and the email letter returns canned answers which allow me to believe they do not read what I write. If you need anymore info, let me know.

I have just had a rather very bad experience with Priceline using the "free" re-bid system. I bid $55.00 for a 3 *** hotel in University City area. April 3-8, 2004. Was rejected. There were two 2** area for rebids; I checked this thoroughly before adding those areas. I added one of them and bid 60.00, was rejected. I added the other 2 ** area, at which time Priceline had me on "hold" for 45 minutes, stating on the "check your bid " area, that they are searching and will be no longer than 15 minutes. I have never bid before when they did not return a verdict in one minute max. Well, during my 45 minute wait, I emailed once, as I do not have that kind of time to wait; no response; I tried to cancel my bid altogether, but was prevented from doing this...after 45 minutes, my bid was accepted at the former 2** area, which I assume they spent the time making into a 3*** area. First of all, is this in the rules that they can do this. Secondly, isn't this a bit underhanded? It certainly puts a "damper" on the free re-bid. Now my husband is stuck way out in East Podunk and has to travel 18 miles to where he needed to be and should have been in the first place-University City area of Philly. Please send your feedback on this travesty...what can I do?...Have you experienced the same?....anything in the rules about maximum time for customer to wait? I would appreciate hearing any and all comments and suggestions on what, if anything, can be done about this :) Thank you in advance IBDP- Donna

OOps! Sorry. Forgot to tell the name of the hotel Hyatt Regency La Jolla. Not bad, I guess :)

Used the free re-bid for twice to win a 4* hotel in the (hopefully) La Jolla area. According to the normal wins, the only known 4* outside of La Jolla is the Hyatt Regency Islandia in Mission Bay area; lost once on a $45.00 bid, free re-bid -added a 3* max area and bid $55.00-lost again. Next day I found an area with no 4*, one which had 4* the previous day (never hurts to look again, star levels change within zones. Bid $60.00 on Coastal zone plus added Carlsbad, Max 2,5 stars, and got the bid. Difficult dates, as it is Spring Break week. Now to find a car rental!smilie :) :)

have read a number of posts regarding bidding for Caribe Hilton, so did just that and did not get my bid. My dates: Arrive Jan. 22, 2005; Depart Jan. 23, 2005. I checked the "resort" button and bid my $65.00 and was rejected. I noticed that there were no 4* hotels listed. Could the Caribe Hilton also be listed under a 4*? One more question....which hotels, that you know of, are included in the "boutique" category and approx. how many *'s would they be? This category was intriguing to me, but I would like to know at least slightly what to expect. Any help I can get is appreciated. We are also going to book a hotel for post-cruise-Jan. 30, for two nights. Any ideas? Thanks, Donna