CheapZone

Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $50.00 Subtotal: $50.00 Taxes & Fees: $14.94 Total Charges*: $64.94 Started at $45 and got a message back from PRICELINE that if I raised my bid to $55 my bid would be accepted, so I knew I was close. Instead of taking their offer I added North Spokane (free rebid) and raised my bid to $50. Accepted! Used the PRICELINE link here - thanks as always for a great site!

The Empire Hotel - 4* Upper West Side Monday October 4

Hi, I’ve also been bidding for a few weeks for October dates (October 4-9) without success. My target zones are Times Square and Midtown West and so far I’ve bid up to $202 for a 4 star, $160 for a 3.5 star, and $110 for a 3 star. I know it isn’t exactly the same profile as what you are looking for but hopefully this little bit of extra info helps you. I am coming to terms with paying more/accepting less stars myself. I know I have a lot of time but I want to get this part of the trip firmed up in the next month or so. If I happen across any other insights for October I’ll post them here and, of course, when (if) I finally do come up with a win I’ll post it as well. *PS – Don’t worry thereuare I always start my bid from the PRICELINE link at this site. That Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins feature alone is worth its weight in gold. :)

Bidding history: Started at $60, and added free rebids at $65, $68, $70, and then winning bid at $75. Marriott San Francisco Downtown Check-In Date: Sunday, July 18, 2004 Check-Out Date: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 Union Square East - Embarcadero 55 Fourth Street San Francisco, California 94103 415-896-1600 Your Offer Price: $75.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $150.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $27.61 Total Charges: $177.61

Started at $33, denied. Added Beaverton as a free rebid and raised to $39 and got it. Holiday Inn Portland Airport Portland Airport (PDX) 8439 Northeast Columbia Boulevard Portland, Oregon 97220 Check-In Date: Tue, Jun 22, 2004 Check-Out Date: Wed, Jun 23, 2004 Your Offer Price: $39.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $39.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $11.11 Total Charges: $50.11

Started at $60 and kept on adding free rebids. I wanted Embarcadero East (not West). Ran out of free rebids and tried 3 days later again. Started at $60 and added my free rebids. Hit at $85. This is more than I have paid in a long time for a San Francisco 4*. Wonder if I could have gotten cheaper if I had been willing to do Embarcadero West. Oh well. Looks like a nice hotel. Check-In Date: Wed, Jun 23, 2004 Check-Out Date: Thu, Jun 24, 2004 Your Offer Price: $85.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $85.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $18.06 Total Charges: $103.06

For a 4* in New York City From 6/16 to 6/20 (4 nights, Wednesday-Sunday) On 5/3 bid $95 Midtown East - rejected Added Upper East Side (free rebid) and raised to $100 - rejected Added Upper West side (free rebid) and raised to $105 - rejected Added Midtown South (2nd location choice) and raised to $110 - rejected and stopped On 5/11 bid $100 Midtown East - rejected Added Upper East Side (free rebid) and raised to $105 - rejected Added Upper West side (free rebid) and raised to $110 - rejected Added Midtown South (2nd location choice) and raised to $115 - rejected and stopped Found a good deal on Hotwire and went with that instead.

I am usually a Priceline user but after no luck several times bidding for a 4 star up to $110 I was faced with either waiting it out or lowering to a 3*. However several 3* in MTE do not have favorable reviews and I didn't want to take the chance. I decided to go with Hotwire and with what I was pretty sure was the faborably reviewed Roosevelt hotel (thanks to this board). Their website is advertising $185 for these dates so I definately got a good deal. Hotwire $111.00 x 4 nights = $444 $75.95 in taxes in fees $520.95 Grand total 06/16/04 to 06/20/04 3.5* Roosevelt Amenities: Restaurant/Fitness/High Speed Internet/Business Ctr

Tried a lowball $35 offer last week with same parameters, but was not accepted. Couldn't find any free rebids so I waited the 72 hours before I rebid $45 today and was accepted. Friday, April 23, 2004 Check-Out Date: Saturday, April 24, 2004 Hotel Name: Oakland Airport Hilton 1 Hegenberger Road Oakland, California 94621 510-635-5000 Your Offer Price: $45.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $45.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $10.97 Total Charges: $55.97

I've stayed here once in March

I've stayed here twice now. Priceline rating is a 2*, not sure how Hotwire rates it. The first time I paid full price and the second time I used Priceline and paid $28. There is nothing fancy about this hotel but it is adequate and clean. Rooms are standard size with smaller bathrooms and sinks outside the bathroom. Both of my rooms had a coffeemaker, iron and ironing board. I am not sure if they identified my rooms as a

I've stayed here 4 times. All on Priceline bids. I believe I have always paid $65. This is a huge hotel located 2 blocks from Union Square. Very impressive lobby, and three different towers of rooms. 3 out of the 4 stays I have been put in tower 3, which I think is the oldest and seems to have smaller rooms. The other time I stayed in tower 2 which had a bigger and newer room. I believe tower 1 is where all the suites and upgraded rooms are so I've never stayed there. Although I liked tower 2 better, tower 3 rooms are totally fine. But if you are one to care about these types of things I would ask if you could have a tower 1 or 2 room. All of the rooms I've stayed in had coffeemakers, hairdryers, iron and ironing board, and Neutrogena products. 3 out of 4 had a minibar. The one that didn't have a minibar had a safe instead. I've always found the staff to be courteous and helpful. One time they happily granted an early check-in even though it was 11 am and check in wasn't until 3. The staff was also very helpful and nice when on one trip I brought along my 18 month old daughter. I know that not every hotel would be happy to have a curious toddler staying with them, so I really appreciated that they seemed to welcome her. On one of my trips I was into running and used the fitness center each night. It was $8 per day or $18 for three days which is what I paid for. The fitness center is located in "Spa Fusion" which seemed to be very luxurious and nice although I didn't get any spa treatments. It was a brand new fitness center with great machines and hardly anyone else there. (Perhaps because I was staying mid-week?) Each of the treadmills and I think most of the other machines has a TV in it. Remember to bring your own headphones. You can buy them there for $5 but they hurt my ears. Tower 3 has an outdoor heated pool and a jacuzzi. The pool area has a nice lounge area and has big beach towels for use but it is situated so that it is in the shade of the other nearby big buildings a lot of the day. Too bad. I usually order room service when I stay there. Has always been fast and friendly. I love the Napa green salad. Yummm. But can't say much for the omelet - were those canned mushrooms? Oh, and a little tip. Even though each of the towers have their own set of elevators in the lobby they are all connected so you don't have to go all the way downstairs and walk through the lobby in your workout gear or swimsuit if you are trying to get to another tower to use the pool or healthclub. It only took me 4 trips to figure this out. Duh. Overall, I think this is a great hotel and I have always been happy with my stays.

Started at $50 with no luck. Added Civic Center and went up to $55, no luck. Added Fisherman's Warf and went up to $60 accepted! Grand Hyatt San Francisco 345 Stockton Street San Francisco, CA Check in Date: Sunday, April 25, 2004 Check out Date: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 Offer Price: $60 Number of rooms: 1 Number of nights: 2 Subtotal: $120 Taxes and Fees $23.37 Total Charges $143.37

Started at $25 for a 2*. Was not accepted but I got a counter offer that said I could raise my bid without changing anything by $6 and it would be accepted. Because I am cheap and enjoy the thrill of getting the lowest possible price I did not accept and went back and added a 1* (I was pretty sure there weren't any 1* in that zone) and raised my bid to $28. Accepted, and I was "upgraded" to a 2*! Hotel: Red Lion Inn and Suites Portland Airport, 5019 NE 102nd Ave. Date: March 30, 2004 (Tuesday) Bid amount:$28.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $9.61 Total charges $37.61 Number of rooms: 1 Number of nights 1