swag

It's not happened to me, but I assume if you told them that your ID is up in your locked room, then they would be happy to have a staff member walk up with you, open the room, and verify when you get there.

One of the best Jazzfests ever.

Anyway, I happened to look at my bill for this stay, and see that my folio shows the breakdown that PL customers are not supposed to get.

Nightly rate $72 (I missed by a buck, I guess), plus $9.36 tax, plus $2 occupancy fee. Also shows $416.80 as "deposit transferred at checkin", I assume what PL payed the hotel. So about $16 profit for PL on this one.

Also of note is the fact that the occupancy fee was included. Last time I PL'ed in New Orleans, this was not included, and was charged by the hotel at checkout.

My experience in New Orleans from 1-2 years ago is that Hotwire does include the occupancy tax in your pre-billed rate.

FYI, Priceline does not, so rooms booked thru them will have the fee charged by the hotel at checkout time.

Yes, the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, in Hotwire's Downtown zone, has been downgraded by HW to the 3.5 star level.

There's an "off the record" hotel in New Orleans, that when you click for the rate details, the room type shows as "Fairmont room". :)

2nd weekend of Fest still looks extremely tight right now. There's no guarantee that there will be enough cancellations for the hotels to release whatever inventory is freed to PL & HW. I wouldn't expect $100 to be accepted for those dates (assume you are looking CBD/CC/FQ).

But that said, if you bid and it's rejected, nothing is lost. In other words, there's no harm in trying.

Saw the IC had appeared on Hotwire - in the $80's for stays 4+ nights, $120's for shorter stays.

I figure what HW has, PL can often beat.

Bid $68 4* CC & CBD (also would have been happy with the Sheraton or Hilton). Got rejected with an offer to rebid at $17 more. Passed on that, added a free rebid zone and upped to $73.

Accepted, at the InterCOntinental, as expected.

Subtotal $365.00

Taxes/fees $67.78

Total $432.78

As of this morning, there's a 4.5* downtown available on HOTWIRE for your dates, for $89. Amenities match those listed on this site for the InterContinental.

I've noticed that listing (for dates including the 1st weekend of Jazzfest) disappear and reappear several times over the last week or two.

Location: Downtown New Orleans (French Quarter and Downtown)

- tennis nearby

It's not FQ, it's downtown - that's how HW lists that zone.

It's very likely the Hilton Riverside. The "tennis nearby" is the giveaway here.

The CBD zone abuts the corner of Bourbon & Canal, 1 block from where the party starts. The CC zone starts a two blocks away. But both stretch, so your hotel may be farther...

In the CC zone, the nicer hotels (4* Sheraton, Hilton) tend to be right on Canal St, while the 2.5* hotels (Courtyard, Res. Inn) are up to a half mile away.

First weekenders bidding CBD are mostly getting the Hyatt (for $60 - $80), which is also a bit of a hike. Be careful of going below 3* in the CBD, as there are some hotels that are very poorly reviewed there.

In any case, don't hesitate to spend some of your hotel savings on a $5-$10 cab ride back to the hotel if you are tired, or it's late at night and the streets are deserted. And, please, try to see some of the nightlife besides Bourbon Street. Try Frenchmen St, just past the French Quarter, for a street party with lots of live music too.

During Fest, Friday and Saturday nights are the premium ones, so I'd believe that your shorter dates might cause a higher (not lower) average daily rate. Do aim for that $56 and even try to beat it if you want, but leave yourself a bid or two above $56 in case that fails.

One twist about On Request rates:

Even once EasyClick's inventory is gone and the hotel isn't releasing any more, the lucky few can still get in. When EC gets a cancellation (and EC rates are cancellable up until a few days before), they do not return the room to the hotel. They keep the room in inventory and will sell it at the On Request rate to someone whose dates match.

Unfortunately, they do not have a waiting list.

I've seen successes for 1st weekend over the past two weeks, but 2nd weekend really seems to have dried up. Your short stay isn't helping any, either, I'm sure.

One hint about EasyClick - while I too have found emails about On Request bookings are intermittent, you can go to the site, log in, click to My Account, and check the status that way.

Try looking for a vacation package (hotel plus flights). That will show some (but not all) properties plus star levels.

No, these will be in the FQ, so not the Raddisson (now called the Park Plaza, BTW).

Downtown hotels will show as Downtown (French Quarter and Downtown).

Tried PL 2* @ $35 for Dillon-Silverthorne, rejected.

Added Vail zone, went up to $40, and hit.

Holiday Inn Summit County

Dillon - Silverthorne

1129 North Summit Boulevard

Po Box 4310

Frisco, Colorado 80443

970-668-5000

Hotel website rates for this stay shows as $79.

Hotwire had a 3* for $49, which I probably would have taken if this had not been accepted.

I must say, their opaque product is the strangest thing I've ever seen. I did a search for Chicago and the identities all of the "Off the Record" properties that I checked out were blatantly obvious. Some of the listings contained names of hotel restaurants, which is a giveaway.

...

Now, being able to easily identify the properties is good for the consumer, of course, but from what I understand, hotels that participate in these opaque services at least like for it to be remotely challenging for people to be able to identify their listings or target their property. So I wonder if any changes will be made...

I've got a theory on this. Some of these hotels are part of chains that have their own lowest-rate guarantees for booking online at the chain website. By making ECT rates technically opaque, they avoid having to make good on guarantees for folks booking the higher rate thru the normal channel.

The New Orleans Marriott, at 555 Canal St, is in the FQ. I haven't stayed there in years, but it's supposed to be nice, comparable to the Sheraton across the street.

FYI - I couldn't find any terms on their website, so I called their customer service number listed on their home page, and after less than 1 minute on hold, here's what I was told.

All rates are pre-pay. For Available hotels, your card is charged when you book. For On Request, your card is charged once the hotel confirms.

All rates, including at Off The Record hotels (!), are fully refundable up to 72 hours prior to check-in. From 72 to 24 hours prior, there is a one night penalty, and within 24 hours, there is no refund.

You have to wonder about a company that offers a fully-refundable opaque product, but it's sure a good deal (unless the agent gave me bad info, of course).

BTW, your new search page is pretty sweet.

I have seen hotels which charge more (on direct bookings) for rooms with 2 beds. If that is the case, then I would expect to pay to upgrade a one-bed Priceline room. But IMO there should never be a charge to switch to an available non-smoking room that is otherwise the same. Could it be that the one-bed non-smoking rooms were sold out?

Does it show "Customer Favorite"?

Start here: I'VE NEVER USED PRICELINE or HOTWIRE.

THIS COMPANY is also making a big push into the opaque and non-opaque market... some of their deals are quite noteworthy (and beat Priceline/Hotwire) while others are not attractive at all. Their 'off the record' properties (the name for their opaque selections) can often be figured out and we can help with those as well.

Thereuare, what am I missing? Used your link to easyclicktravel, but I don't see any opaque offers, just regular lists of hotels.

From what I have heard, the LaSalle has closed.

Hotwire says a one star is a motel. And with a HW rate that low during Fest, I'd be careful. It might be someplace like the Empress.

Edited to add:

As I think about this, I don't think the Empress would have a restaurant. My new guess (and it's just a guess) is that it might be the Days Inn on Canal, which does. I've stayed there, and it's not awful. A bit dingy, a bit out of the way, but safer then the Empress, and for a cheap place to sleep and shower, probably is okay.

There's no way of knowing if you could have done better or not.

But rule of thumb, when adding a 2nd zone that you want to win (as opposed to a no chance free rebid), it's best tostart a whole new bid back down at the low level, then start upping by adding the free rebids. That way, if you can get in cheaper, you will.