IBDP

On Sunday, 1/16 Began bidding at $65.00 in this area, raised in $10.00 increments with free rebids and received this hotel. I like this hotel very much for it's location mostly, and for it's historical significance Regards, Donna

An Eternal Optimist, I began bidding 4* ESB at $75.00; free rebids until $105.00, which was accepted. Hotel prices are very low at this time of year. Regards, Donna

First bid got this hotel. Since I only had 2 free rebids, I thought I would start a little higher than usual. Also, I did not have much time to commit to this. Regards, Donna

There are no free rebids for Charlottesville; also I could not find a history of booked hotels in order to gear my price; so I bid $75.00 and "won" the Courtyard...seems like an okay hotel, but I could have booked direct for $95.00, so not a great win. I'm satisfied but not ecstatic :) Regards, Donna

I've been trying for a couple of days, up to $110 with free rebids. Today $115.00 was the magic number. Retail price is $260.00, so not a bad deal. Regards, Donna

Unfortunately, I am not the traveler for this one. You only have one chance for each * category, so I gave it my best shot at $95.00. It worked. Hotel rate for this period of time is $150.00 USD per night. Regards, Donna

New York hotels are ridiculously expensive for this period of time. I first bid for a 4* in the Chelsea area (I am bidding for am employee who likes that area very much). Used free rebids to bid up to $250.00 with no luck. Closed and opened browser, bid for a 3* hotel in Chelsea up to $215.00-no luck. Close and open browser and bid for 2.5* at $190.00; added the only free rebid for a 2.5* and bid $225.00. I was "upgraded" to this 3* hotel. Very expensive but I knew that going in. We had clients expecting us to be there; otherwise I would have postponed the trip. I am assuming it's the Christmas shopping that's raising the price so high, but not sure. Any guesses? Regards, Donna

Started the bid at $65.00, raising the price in $10.00 increments until I remembered one of our members had "won" the regency at $99.00; I bid that exact price and, guess what? Came up with the same hotel. This is why it is so important to list your wins (and losses) with the Board. You help others and, in turn, you are helped. Regards, Donna

Below are the Amenities for this hotel. Boutique Hotel Fitness Center Restaurant(s) Business Center High-speed Internet Access Spa Services Kind regards, Donna

Began bidding on PRICELINE and used all free rebids up to $115.00. Then got my hotel on HOTWIRE, a hotel I 'knew' to be the Monaco. Regards, Donna

First bid of $60.00 won this hotel. After bidding I decided to add a night; was told that I could add a night for $71.00, so I did that. Regards, Donna

It was not easy. After bidding up to $150.00 for SOMA area, I went up to $120.00 for Embarcadero, $105.00 USW. Then bid Embarcadero and USE together using 3 rebids. Finally, at $130.00, I got a hotel. I have a theory that bidding a week night with only one weekend night will not get a well priced bid. Hotels in San Francisco get alot of weekend leisure traffic, so may be holding out for that. Regards, Donna

I noticed that this hotel was being won for these dates and into September, so I bid earlier than I normally would. Though I have seen $45.00 wins, I bid 55.00 since there are no free rebids with a 3* and, sure enough, got this hotel, which is the one I was trying for. Thanks to the Board, I have learned how to bid wisely. Oh, I used the PRICELINE link on Better Bidding. Regards, Donna

Bid $75.00; then used 3 free rebids to win this hotel at $90.00. Was hoping to get a hotel in La Jolla which is where I will be at UCSD Medical The Coastal area covers too much ground. I wish that Priceline would define La Jolla separately. Some day maybe Regards, Donna

Again, the boundary lines for San Diego do not make any sense. I am working at UCSD Medical Center in La Jolla, but there is no way to ensure that I will receive a hotel in La Jolla, with Priceline's present areas..very frustrating. Began bidding of Coastal 4* at $70.00; used free rebids (there are many for a 4* hotel) up to $110.00, when I succeeded with the Hyatt Islandia. Not quite near UCSD La Jolla, but that's the way it goes with these boundaries. Will make do. Hotel has been recently renovated, so that is a plus. Regards, Donna

I'm surprised that PRICELINE has not redefined it's Boundaries in San Diego. For example, the Coastal area runs all the way from La Jolla on the North to Mission Beach on the South. It is far too large an area for those of us who want to stay in Mission Beach and those of us who would choose La Jolla. Another nonsensical area is "Downtown San Diego and Harbor Island". If we want downtown, for business or other reasons, we do not want to stay on Harbor Island, quite far from downtown, and vice versa. Also, how about "Point Loma, Shelter Island, and Old Town. Totally different atmospheres, once again. Perhaps we should email PRICELINE regarding our dissatisfaction with the Boundaries (I know we all are dissatisfied) and possibly they will change them, or maybe not. But let's try. BTW, I will be bidding on a hotel in San Diego and will share my results with the Forum, of course. But I may be bidding HOTWIRE, where I can define La Jolla, for instance. Regards, Donna

I bid Copley Square as it is close to where I need to be Monday morning. Began 4* up to $95.00. Then 3.5* at $80.00. Then used free rebids to win the Hilton at $90.00. I am pleased. Regards, Donna

Amenities: Boutique, Restaurant, Fitness, Business Center, High Speed Internet After spending many hours over two days trying to get a hotel on Priceline...bid as high as $185.00 for a 4* Downtown (what is going on with prices???) I spotted the Hotel Vintage on Hotwire for $162.00 for the two days, which seemed like a bargain after my Priceline bids. How often is it that Hotwire is less expensive than Priceline for the same (I think) available hotel? Regards, Donna

I always do use the links. Even when I have to change areas in a city I click back to Betterbidding, then click again through your link. :) I will now post my Portland "win" on the Hotw.ire area Regards, Donna

Needed a hotel for one night near Stony Brook University. I bid on this hotel. almost positive it was the Holiday Inn Express. I was right I only had one bid (no free rebids) so I bid more than I normally would and my bid was accepted. Rate on Holiday Inn web site is $149.00 so I did not save a bundle, but some. I am almost sure this is a new hotel and a new area for the list. Regards, Donna

I tried to get a hotel in Downtown Portland bidding up to $135.00 for a 4*; $135.00 for a 3.5* and 110.00 for a 3*. No wins. I have not as yet tried Convention Center, as I wanted this employee to be in downtown, but maybe I will have to do that. I will report my win or loss. Regards, Donna

Hi Bat, I am far from a Newbie and this type of thing has happened to more than I want to say during the last 4 weeks or so. My theory is that Priceline is telling you that you may as well give up because you are not going to win a hotel; maybe a case of no inventory or maybe hotel prices are much higher than they assume you will be bidding. It is really annoying! In my case, they do not even give me a response to my bid but just send me over to the full price screen. Since I always and we ALL should always go to Priceline by way of a link on the Better Bidding screen, when they send me to the full price screen, I simply click to go back to Better Bidding and right away use the link again to continue bidding. It's not ideal but it works. Anyone else have theories on this? Regards, Donna

Thanks dahammer for the info. Do you know the names of these dining options? Regards, Donna

Boy, it's tough out there in bidding land for 8/2-8/4 in New York City. Only one other time have I experienced this lack of inventory and ridiculously high prices. Luckily this trip is not for me; otherwise I would have spent multiple hours in New York trying to get hotels in New York. Since this is a business trip for a person in my company and he is spending time at NYU and Rockefeller University, I went with the east side burbs as opposed to the Jersey side. Regards, Donna PS Does anyone have any idea if these are just "summer prices" or if something else is going on?

Thanks for the info. I just checked GTA Hotels (which I just discovered through you, Thereuare...thanks. It seems the price has risen to $209 for the Pennsylvania. That cements my decision not to go there. I am going to give NYC one more try when my 24 hours is up; if no success, I will try Long Island City. I will report the progress (or not). BTW, I always go through your PRICELINE link. Regards, Donna