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Thereuare, your nephew isn't on the Redmond team, is he? Small deleted played All-Stars in the 9-10 league (eliminated in districts, and his season ended 7/28), and we've been trying (unsuccessfully) to pay attention to the Redmond 11-12 yr old team, as they were on ESPN one night a week or so ago, they beat the Idaho team for PacNW I believe. We'll be in Williamsport Sunday Aug 22 and are wondering who we will watch while there. You accomplished a LOT on your trip! Fun!

I'll add another "best rate guarantee" program to the above thread, I have had three successful nights booked, which is triprewards.com (Cendant hotels, incl. Ramada, Howard Johnson, Super 8, Days Inn, Wingate, and a few others.) This is the next best thing to Hotwire's guarantee, as if you find a lower rate, you get your night free. FREE. I booked one night at Ramada on the ocean, Satellite Beach FL, found a rate 11 cents lower, and it was honored for a free stay (July 11). My bill really was zero at checkout, and there have been no charges to my credit card. So...I have booked the Howard Johnson in Greenwich CT for the end of the month, this stay will be free. I also had a free night guaranteed in Ramsey NJ, but I found a hotel I would rather pay for in Nanuet, NY, which is closer to where I need to be for a wedding, again at the end of this month. I'd rather stay at a Hampton Inn than a HoJo, but it just a place to crash before flying home the next day, it is free, and I can't imagine it will be that seedy in Greenwich. I am also 2 for 3 on Hilton's best rate guarantee for this trip (Hampton Inns), and have 3 nights thanks to e-rewards and mypoints converting to hiltonhhonors points (Hampton Inn opportunity hotels, 7500 points per night). 9 night trip through NY, NJ, PA and CT for $422 out of pocket, 4 nights being in NYC suburbs, 5 nights upstate NY, and two $50 AMEX cards from Hilton should await me at home --- $322 net or $36 per night average. We're staying at: Courtyard by Marriott (prepaid $59, but need to be in that particular city) 5 Hampton Inns (3 on points, 2 on best rate guarantee, lowered to $80.10 and $66.60, not counting the 2x $50 AMEX) Fairfield Inn ($99 booked on nwa.rewardsnetwork.com to get 5x NWA miles instead of 1x if booked on Marriott, night before the wedding and 2 miles from where the parents of the bride live, who we will be visiting) Comfort Inn/Suites Nanuet ($117 for a suite, this is the night of the wedding so willing to pay to sleep nearby) HoJo Greenwich CT (free) 7 days we have free breakfast (all but Courtyard and HoJo). That is worth (conservatively) $70 to me, even if it just saves us from stopping at McDonalds). I'm thrilled, and the (paid) hotels (incl the BRG hotels) also complete NWA's Fly Free Faster for Mr. and Small Deleted.

We were very pleased with this hotel. The top two reasons we wanted this hotel were the free parking, and the microwave and refrigerator in the room. The hotel was not difficult to find, it was off exit 2 on I-405 South, and there was a Summerfield Suites, Townplace Suites, and Larkspur Landing, basically all sharing the same parking lot. The staff was very friendly. They knew we were going to the baseball games, and asked upon our return if we had a good time. We were given driving directions (some spoken -- buyer beware on those -- and some printed out with a "concierge" heading on the printout). The hotel was relatively quiet. We heard the people in the neighboring room, but they didn't keep us up. Our room was on the 2nd floor, and NOT what I would designate as a Priceline room. Nope, those would be the rooms next to us. We had a view of the parking lot (as opposed to a view of the air conditioner, as the next room had), with an openable window. Actually we were pleased we could see our car from our window, and the ventilation was greatly appreciated. The business center was one computer, and it was not used frequently during my 2 day stay except for one surfer who stayed in there for over an hour while I lugged bags downstairs off and on prior to check out. The hotel offered a breakfast buffet for $8.95. I looked at it, and I didn't think it was worth it. We just fasted until lunch, and snacked on the food items we brought with us on our road trip, which we kept in the free refrigerator in our room. For Northwest Airlines or other I-Dine/diningformiles people, there is a chinese buffet within a couple of miles, on Grady Way, which is an I-Dine partner. We didn't go there, but I've never met a chinese buffet I couldn't find something at to fill me up, and the prices posted outside were reasonable. The downside: we got back to the hotel after the 1:05 pm baseball game, around 5 pm, and our room was still not made up. Finally after 6 pm housekeeping came by. At that point my husband and son were napping (fell asleep in front of the TV) so I just asked for towels, coffee, and extra pillows. I got the towels and pillows. There is free coffee in the lobby, so I didn't fret. However, the next morning when I went down, all three coffee pots were dry. So, be more proactive than me and call back to guest services if they miss anything. I spent $80 for two nights, tax included. I'd stay again for a similar rate, I heard from another guest in the elevator she paid $50 on Hotwire which would also be reasonable, but I can't say I'd spend the $99 they were quoting to new guests. It is a bit far from everything. (My pet peeve, the same coffee cup sat next to the front door all day Saturday morning and was still there Sunday when we checked out). it seems just fine for a business hotel with the high speed internet and all, but leisure, the price would have to be right, which for me would be the price I paid above.

Mucsea and thereuare, I didn't troll on the 100 level enough, and unfortunately nobody recognized me when I was there. I also missed thereuare's PM to me, as I had left for the 5 hr drive earlier in the day, and vowed I would not pack a laptop. I'm sorry we didn't meet, but I bet our paths crossed. However, there were record crowds for these sold-out games, so I am not too surprised. The Mariners crowd was great towards Olerud, and the Seattle Times wrote it up in a positive light in Sunday's paper, I was very pleased to see that. No hard feelings from Mariners fans, as it was (IMHO) Mariners management's error in letting him go, no fault of Olerud's. (I can understand that, as I still love Soriano, even though he's with Texas due to the A-Rod trade). Olerud still has game in him, so I am glad he is still playing. He's got years left. Edgar, of course, got the loudest cheers I heard, and deservedly so. Thanks gleff for mentioning cash & points, as our friends who stayed at that hotel called us to report that was the Yankee's hotel, and some players had been signing autographs in the lobby after Saturday's game. I was in Renton by then at our hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, so that didn't help us much, but small Deleted did get Ruben Sierra's autograph at batting practice Sunday. After the call from MrDeleted's friend, I did get questioned as to how we can stay at the Westin next time. Our luck, they rotate hotels.

Actually Mucsea, thinking back on Yankee highlights, the upper deck left field might not be such a bad spot for catching homers! (We're in the 300s for Sunday's game, sec 106 row 27 on Friday). I tend to run into people I know (weird but true since we live 300 miles from Seattle) near the "Ichirolls" stand on the 100 level between home and 1st or thereabouts. I will plan to wear my Yankees/Mets shirt on Friday ("This is your brain" - Yankees logo - "This is your brain on drugs: - Mets logo) so if you see a mid 30s female in that shirt, it is probably me. Saturday I'll wear my "Evil Empire" shirt, thereuare. Like you mentioned, we'll be cheering for Edgar as well. He's a class act. I may be a Yankee fan, but being homegrown from Washington, I've always liked Edgar and Bret Boone, and it will be strange to see Olerud in pinstripes. Also looking forward to watching the new Mariner Bucky Jacobson as well, who apparently played for Lewis Clark State College, in my neighboring town of Lewiston ID? You can't go to Sunday's game? That is when they let the kids run the bases. Small Moyer fan would love it. There's always next year, yes?

That seems pretty good to me too. I've paid $75 in the spring, and an Expedia flight/hotel package which averaged to $119/night in the summer. Your bidding history supports that if you overbid, it couldn't have been by more than a couple of bucks. Since you're only a week away, I think you did just fine.

deleted family will be there all 3 games, but unfortunately we have to leave directly after Sunday's game. We have to work Mon-Thurs before going to NY Aug 21-30 for a family wedding and summer vacation. On Saturday's game, we will be sitting in Section 108 row 33 (1st base line outfield, I believe). I'll have a white Yankees cap and some sort of Yankees t-shirt on, and I'll be wearing my Yankees "bling" as my son says, Yankees earrings and watch. (smalldeleted will be the obnoxious kid waving his "Yankees big puffy finger" and yelling "pull up your pants Ichiro" ?!? or "Jeter's got 4 rings", or "Bret Boone -- your brother has a poster of Derek Jeter over his bed". 10 yr old humor I guess). What can I say, he wants to go to college in the Bronx when he grows up.

We'll work together on the Park n Ride situation to Safeco, as we will be at Renton Hilton Garden Inn those dates. As to activities in that area, there is the Museum of Flight, Southcenter Mall (there is no mall in our small town), and we will only be staying a few miles away from the airport. I've never found a problem with weekend traffic in and out of downtown proper Except around game time. I think they'll be able to go to whatever kid activities they want with little problems, as they have their own car. Maybe his wife and I will just take turns driving all of us to the games, if we can fit 8 in her SUV. I'm glad to see the price isn't so bad. I would have given up much lower, but he is very happy with the price.

I had been trying to help a friend get ready to bid for a stay over the August Seattle-Yankees series, and had encouraged him to reserve a certain hotel as a backup (not the one mentioned below, but a Residence Inn 2 bdrm penthouse at $119, since he has 3 kids), then he went off and bid on his own. He got accepted on his first try. He is, however, thrilled at the price, so I didn't say too much to him other than I'm glad you saved half. I have now mentioned this site to him. Quote from his email to me: "Hey, I was just messing around for hotels tonight and

Courtyard By Marriott Rye Check-In Date: Friday, July 9, 2004 Check-Out Date: Saturday, July 10, 2004 Your Offer Price: $48.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $48.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $11.58 Total Charges: $59.58 I burned some frequent flyer miles for my husband's birthday, to go watch Yankees in NY. I have them flying into Westchester County airport (HPN) and since they fly in so late (10:30 pm), thought I'd bid hotel vs. crashing at a friend's, at least that first night. My cancellable was Residence Inn in White Plains for $89 pretax, so I saved about $30 give or take. :-) I had previously bid $53 for 3* which was rejected. 3* Rye Town Hilton was $139, 3* Renaissance sold out. 2.5* Courtyard 109 on Marriott website so I may have been accepted at a lower price, $48 was my first bid at 2.5*.

We stayed on a $75 Priceline bid on May 8 '04, our second stay there, and first Priceline stay. Epicureangirl's review is really quite thorough, and I don't particularly disagree with anything. However, I will give up the "style" for the location any day. As she said Pike Place Market is just a few blocks away, down Pike Street, which also happens to be a pretty flat street (Seattle is actually quite hilly). We walked to the Market for Mother's Day breakfast Sunday morning (as odd as it may sound for breakfast, there is some good asian Hom Bow, or as my east-coast husband calls it, Shu Pow (phonetic)). Going down Pike is also the way to get the free buses in the downtown area (walk down to 1st St), which we used for getting to and from the Yankees (I mean Mariners) game Saturday night. Couldn't be easier. There is a ton of shopping close by, and our favorite restaurant is around the corner from the Sheraton. It is a great location. There were several times I left Mr. and small Deleted to "run" back to the hotel to get something or drop something off, and it was so convenient for me just to walk a block or two and not mess with a car and traffic, I paid $26.11 tax included to self park the car that never moved. Our bedding was fine for May, not too light, not too heavy. Small deleted was delighted with the city and water view. We've stayed there before, and will probably stay there again.

We had a priceline win of the Coast Bellevue on 5/7/04. Getting to the hotel was interesting due to the construction on I-405 and being directionally challenged, but we made it after going around the block twice. Check in was very easy, I practically had to beg the guy to take my credit card for incidentals, which made me realize partway through that conversation, since there is free parking and I have a cooler full of snacks and food, what incidentals am I handing the card over for? I was cheerfully accomodated with my bed and smoking requests. I was a bit worried once I saw the location of my assigned room. Great view of the elevator, and hallways on 2 sides. However, it was really very quiet once in the room. We had an interior courtyard room on the top (3rd) floor. Every time I went to the ice machine, however, I heard clearly the conversations going on within the adjacent room, so I can only assume people could hear us talking, but we never heard any hallway noise. The photos on the Coast website are a bit deceiving. It looks as if rooms have balconies, and they do. However, there is no way to get out there. There are only small moving windows within the larger fixed windows, which you can open for fresh air. Motel style air conditioners, which have the noise but do put out the cool breeze. One of my favorite points about older motel/hotels is that the bathrooms often have exhaust fans, which the new hotels seem to skip. Being a closet (or bathroom) smoker, that is nice to have, but it is an overlooked feature even for removal of steam from the shower. The sink is located outside the bathroom, there was a coffee pot and ironing board as well. Decor was actually pretty decent. Two double beds with two pillows each, but acceptable for a $30 place to crash. Toiletries were pretty nice, including mouthwash. Parking was very easy, they had shuttles running (not sure where to) and SAS flight attendants and pilots all over the place. I'd be happy to win this hotel again. I've stayed at the Hyatt Bellevue for about the same price, but the Hyatt charges to park, so this is quite a bargain, particularly if it is just a crash zone, as it was for us. There is an am/pm (gas/quickie mart) across the street that takes cash and debit cards only, and a Dennys next door. Also of great interest to Mr. Deleted was the Hummer dealership across the street. :)

My mental map was slightly off. THe hotel is a bit north of the freeway from the Sullivan Road exit, as shown on the map here. It certainly isn't inconvenient though. Mapquest to hotel

If my mental map serves correctly, this should be near Spokane Valley Mall on the Sullivan Road exit of I-90. If it is where I think it is, notwithstanding traffic and or freeway construction (which has been happening) I would guess it is 15 minutes, 20 tops, to downtown, but an easy drive. Spokane traffic (not counting construction traffic) is not anywhere near Seattle or other big cities. I've only hit the Valley mall once, but it is huge and has many national chain restaurants and stores. Also, you are now halfway from downtown to visit Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, about 20-25 minutes further east on I-90, a small town I love, if for nothing else, than to walk the boardwalk at the Coeur d'Alene Hotel and to dip your toes in chilly Coeur d'Alene Lake.

We enjoyed this hotel in the past. I have seen on some boards complaints that rooms are far away and the hotel is huge. Actually parking a car is pretty convenient to the wings and even you don't have a car and schlep from the lobby (who doesn't have rollerbags these days) it isn't too bad. It was really quiet room considering our room viewed the airport across the street, and we watched jets land. There was a parking charge. That is a pretty good price, too.

I am 100% totally unfamiliar with Vancouver, but curious why are you checking all 3 zones at once? Why don't you try checking one of the non-Quay zones, see what happens, add the other non-Quay zone at a buck or two more, and see what happens. Just an idea. I bet the other two zones have higher minimum prices, or maybe the other zones don't have 3* at all, and when you check all 3 zones on the first bid that is why you win that Red Lion in that low price zone. Check just one zone at a time maybe? Ignore the warning messages particularly if you have extra rebid zones or extra time to rebid. Your $33 bids are definitely in the acceptable range, I have gone as low as $25 on a winning 3* bid in Tampa years ago (true 3*, not upgraded).

mucsea2003, For the May series, we WILL be there. First trip to Seattle in awhile for nothing BUT baseball (no graduations, weddings or golf tournaments...) so I can't wait. I hope BOTH our teams are doing a little better by then. :)

Well, thereuare, you will know where to find me, Saturday, Section 108, in full Yankee gear. Although I am not much of a microbrew fan, I anticipate hanging out in the Outback beer garden next to Safeco Field slightly prior to Saturday's game (as the other beer garden (Pyramid Ale?) doesn't allow kids, and smalldeleted will be with us), that is, unless, the boys want to get there early and try to shag balls at batting practice.

Have you decided what you want to bid on, Windjay? Looks like a Silver Cloud has come up on TOBB...That opens up the Lake Union options but at a hefty price.

Won this on the first bid for Grandma's visit to Portland (won on 4/15/04). She'll enjoy afternoon tea. This seems to be a popular Priceline assignment lately, and a good price for this quality hotel.

I'd forgotten about your Springhill Suites bid, willtravel. I'd been thinking about 3* or 4* prices downtown and figuring that was pretty high for a quick overnight.

While I think Lake Union / University Districts are the closest, Bellevue might be cheaper, but I don't know that I would want to hassle with the route over the 520 bridge in the morning especially if you are unfamiliar where you're going, unless the price was really right. We need a local to shed light on I-90/520 traffic at that time of morning. Most of the Bellevue hotels I have seen are near I-405, which is an easy drive from the airport to avoid most of I-5. I'd definitely avoid staying south of Seattle or too far north (Lynnwood) since you seem concerned about the traffic, particularly at that time of day. Downtown Seattle can be difficult to navigate if you aren't familiar, and parking charges can be really high, so unless there is a real compelling reason to stay downtown, if it was me I'd avoid it for your stay. Why don't you check prices at Lake Union / U-District and see what comes up that you can reserve and cancel if you get a better deal?

Mucsea2003 said "I just hope you are not on the Yankees side and help us boo A-Rod!!!" Don't worry so much mucsea, some of us Yankee fans love Jeter so much we can't wait to hear you boo A-Rod! And some will probably join in! However, Mr. Deleted, having grown up near the Bronx, keeps asking for an A-Rod shirt since he apparently must own every name/number tshirt of every Yankee ever printed, and there is no way I will be the one to buy that particular shirt for him! Since I won't buy it, I highly doubt he will have one by August. We're in Sec 106 Friday, 108 Saturday, 333 Sunday. (now printing monopoly money to throw at A-Rod)... Sincerely, A West coast Yankee fan.

We'll be at all 3 Yankee games. I hope you go look at flyertalk and find the thread on Restaurant.com. I picked up 6 restaurant coupons for Seattle for my two summer trips at an incredible savings. It is under S.P.A.M. "Not a coupon, but if you go to resaurant.com and enter code 48831, they'll give you 70% off any order over a buck." Thanks to Holland on FT, it worked for me but I think it does expire soon. I got Two Dagos from Texas and Vons, both of which should be relatively convenient to your hotel as well. (We are looking forward to baby back ribs at both places). You can view the menus of these and many others on Restaurant.com before you decide to purchase. One visit per month.

Is this a new one for your list? I had bid all my acceptable areas, twice, at 3* level and was rejected at higher prices than I expected for Bellevue and airport. Regular prices were normal for Bellevue Coast, Hyatt, and the airport 3*s, so maybe I just was bidding too soon. Anyway, just didn't want to spend a bundle, wanted to get the plans set, and was open to staying someplace new, so started a brand new bid and dropped to 2.5*, accepted after a few rebids in Kent/Renton at $35. This is an acceptable location near Southcenter Mall, and since we will have our own car, no problems on that end. It is a pretty decent alternative to the airport area if you are renting or driving your own car. My rejected bids were 3* DT up to $45 and Lake Union and Bellevue 2.5 up to $45 on two separate bids, and up to $35 in 3* Bellevue, Airport and free rebids. Hilton Garden Inn Renton I think this hotel will be fine, the amenities look great, with microwave and refrigerator in room, free local calls and free parking... Offer price $35 nights 2 subtotal $70 tax/fees: $16.88 Total $86.88 Free Parking! Go Yankees! (We'll be there for all 3 games!)