thesilb

I think you are smart to hold out and stay in Amsterdam itself. By the way, the proper code is really "XXX" - that's not a placeholder for what the actual code is. If your company does any business with IBM or has any connection with or to, you're allowed to use the rate as far as I've read in the FlyerTalk ethics type discussions. I can tell you, they don't check your ID or anything. Its a great rate for a confirmed spot in the Leidseplein, although just bidding 100 or 102 for the CC/MQ four star lands you a 50/50 chance of getting this hotel, anyway (but not the free breakfast).

I can't offer any comments on that Hilton, but congrats on getting closure on a long bidding saga and thanks for posting the info! Just the other day in a similar situation I got the $151 counter same as you. I took them up on it, and got the Sheraton Park Lane...that's probably the hotel you would have received if you had accepted the counter, FYI.

Check PL-V and if showing Marriott or Renaissance, try 100 or 102 for the four stars in CC/MQ. You'll probably get one of those. I like the Marriott better for location sake. The Leidseplein is an area you might want to target if you decide to stay downtown. It close to all the good museums and the dining & nighttime options are superb. I don't know if you have any connections with your work to IBM, but if you do there's a 130 euro refundable rate for a deluxe room with breakfast at the Marriott on most nights, use code XXX at MARRIOTT.com

WT - Having been to AMS maybe 20 times, my two cents would be do not stay at Schipol. It would not nearly be as nice as staying downtown. The area around the airport is drab, and while there is good transport, do you really want to deal with trains each way every day? Similar to above poster, I would add that one of the joys for me as an American is being in (almost any) European city center - they just organize and do things so much differently, its a joy to soak it up. Staying at an airport takes away from that, in my view.

You're correctly identified that 4* rebids are as crummy in London as 5* rebids are great - there's just Southbank as a rebid zone. So just wait 72 hours and try again. As far as your price, you're just bidding too low still. There's no science to rebids but if you get a "you can add $X to your bid and bid again" type of response screen, generally speaking I would first do thorough research to see if there is a price point that makes sense in your spread zone and then bid it (i.e., you bid 90, PL says add +22, and your research shows (x) that Hotel XX is available through PL vacations and (y) that Hotel XX regularly comes up as of late for $95). In that case, I would bid 95. In the absence of such information, bid into the spread with the quantity of possible rebids in mind. If you have three rebids, and absolutely cannot wait 72 hours, bid 97, 103, 110 - etc. It has been my experience that there is not too much science to where in the spread the acceptable price must be for PL's computer to issue a +X notice, however, I have found that if you are in one or two dollars it generally will not issue one, and will tend to issue a flat reject. That is my experience, YMMV.

Allen074, just as general PL advice, never accept PL's offer to let you add a zone but instead ALWAYS start a NEW BID completely from scratch, for two reasons. First, you will never get a counteroffer off a bid initiated from Priceline's "change your parameters" screen. So by starting new bids on each bid you have a chance to get a counter and to know you are close to hitting. Second is a little more technical. Say there are four zones, A has five stars and B, C, D do not. If you take Priceline's offer you get FOUR total bids: you would bid A, then check off B (bidding A+:), then check off C (bidding A+B+C) then check off D (bidding A+B+C+D). The important nuance to now note is, you could not thereafter go back and bid A+C as a unique combination since it is a "subset" of A+B+C in Priceline's compter's logic. If you initiate new bids, check this out: A AB AC AD ABC ABD ACD ABCD You now have 8 bids instead of four. The more free rebid zones, you get exponentially more free rebid chances. SInce London has so many 5* rebid zones, you can bid something like 100 times for a 5* every 72 hours, if need be. Hope you understand & this helps.

Don't ask what the heck I'm doing here, but here it is. Lethbridge, Alberta, which has about 3 hotels total. $40 was not accepted but $46 was. Did not test the middle of that.

As I stated above, I don't think you'll get a 5* room for those dates right now (this view tends to be supported by the fact that you have not even received a counter offer). Priceline simply doesn't have any 5* availability for your dates right now, and they can't sell you a room they don't have. You can either [A] wait to see if something opens up (check PL vacations once every few days using the method above to see if Priceline now has 5* for your dates - if not, don't waste your time bidding again) or bid for 4* now, which you'll surely get right away.

You have many more free rebid zones than you listed. Also applicable as rebid zones are: hammermsith, the city, southbank, westminster, london bridge. All told if you play your cards right for 5* in london you can place as many as 30+ bids per 72 hours if need be. Although the biggest thing working against you is that PL vacations is showing NO five stars right now for those dates (remember to search 6/20 to 6/26 using a west coast departure airport - you would therefore by necessity get an overnight flight and arrive 6/21 to europe, east coast airports are not good options to search using PL vacations for europe hotels). And I can tell you from personal experience, all the london 5 stars except perhaps the Conrad *DO* participate in PL vacations. So the absence means to me PL does not have access to five star inventory for your dates, sorry to say. No hurt in trying anyway to bid though.

I know, and all for a mediocre room more likely than not. Isn't London crazy?!?! Anyway, great location for going out.

Probably could have got this for a tad lower but ran out of rebids and needed to lock and load. Soho $105 = counter $152. Soho + Southbank $135 = counter $157 (+25). Went back and accepted it at $152. This followed on quite a few 5* bids,a ll unsuccessful, all for Soho and targeting the Le Mer Picadilly, showing as available on PL vacations and pricing at the Le Mer website at 180GBP. Bid up to US$190 with not even a counter.

Hi, yes it is - I ran out of space in the title line, "CC" was meant to say city centre/museum which wouldn't fit.

Actually got this by splitting my nights and bidding separately, but the net result was a three night stay. $200 was receiving a +25 counter, and $205 was accepted. I believe this is the first time on any board that this property has been listed in a winning bid. Lowest rate on these dates 325 Euros (about $400). So about 50% off.

Well, its for 4 rooms so I really need to get this right. I need them April 14 checking out April 17, three nights total. I have been perusing Priceline and Hotwire. I am not adverse to paying some cash, I would like a nice hotel and prefer the Leidseplein, but anywhere within the canals area would be fine. I see that on PL vacations, there is the Marriott and Renaissance as four stars (plus a few others, but these seem to be the ones which come up at 100 or 102). I also see there is only ONE five star listed - the Intercontinental (I would be thrilled to get this hotel). However there is also the Hilton in that 5* zone and I would be VERY DISAPPOINTED to get that as its WAY outside the canals zone. Hence why i started looking at Hotwire. I did do some PL bidding already, all rejected: CC 4* 100 = counter 122, then CC + free rebid zone 1 5* 100 (just to establish a counter value), counter 219 CC + free rebid zone 2 5* 145, counter 222 CC + free rebid zones 1 and 2 5* 165, counter 222 The good news is, I do not think the 5* Hilton is available my dates. I also confirmed by entering some dates for later this week that the Hilton did appear at vacations, which leads me to believe it IS a hotel which WILL appear on vacations when it is available. So I may rebid the 5* on Saturday when 72 is up, I could start at 170 and work up to 200 and see if I hit. I expect this would probably be the Interconti? I could also bid the 4*, but I bet I'm going to get the Renaissance. I say this b/c the Ren will come up at 102 whereas the Marriott always seems to come up at 100. I've never had a successful bid at Marriott at a 100+ level. Since the Marriot is preferred and in the Leidseplein area I desire, I would perhaps bend toward going the 5* route. But gosh, if the Hilton came in at a higher price level than 165 I would just be devaststed. So I turned to Hotwire. There's a 4.5* for 226. Could it be the Interconti?

Has anybody ever gotten a 4or 4.5 or 5 star in city centre or museum in Amsterdam?

No real rebidding opportunities (no zones here to speak of, just one area). Bid over several weeks creeping up and hit at $105. $129.80 all-in. At time of bid, hotel was 225 GBP per night. During arts festival, and Mark Knopfler concert in town this night. Busy time there.

No real rebidding here, wanted "city center", in town for Mark Knopfler concert. Welsh Rugby night before was making things difficult, but after creeping up my bids over a three week period, I hit it at $75 USD. Lowest rate at Thistle when this was booked was 119 GBP (about $220 USD). Quite happy. $95.61 all-in.

One night stay 9/22/05. Lowest price at spg.com, 113 GBP (about $215 USD). Just have a quick overnight transit stay between Mauritius and San Francisco. Got this for $55, $72.14 all-in, first bid. Heck of a good percentage off retail! Thanks Priceline!!

Yes, USW for 70 :) Renaissance Stanford Court completely rocks, and is about 200 yards from some of the USE properties like Grand Hyatt, Westin St. Francis. Whoever told you USW is not a "good location" doesn't seemingly realize you're talking about a stone's throw from several of the USE properties, with the Regency and Park being exceptions as they are down in the financial district. Only the Hilton in USW is not that superb, the other are all excellent. If it were me I wouldn't hesitate with grabbing a room for your dates at $70, especially since you are struggling with finding a room in USE. without question, the quality of hotels in USW is better than FW. Ritz to Days Inn better. The FW three stars are highly marginal. The Hyatt is my least favorite in the Bay Area, even behind the SF Airport location. Nothing terribly wrong, but the rooms are definitely "Days Inn-ish".

First bid, $70 per night $210 three nights $246.35 all-in.

I just personally did a bid for a friend for 9/3 to 9/6 USW, which was accepted at the Renaissance Stanford Court for $70, if you would consider this area.

Are you not interested in USW?

Saturday check-ins much less Saturday one night stays are very difficult in FW, and USE too. If you're looking for a quality room for a one night Saturday stay, your best value would probably be USW, where I suspect you could get a bid accepted at a 4* for as low as 70 and probably not more than 80. Just my two cents. I think you will need to bid circa 85-95 for a one night Saturday stay 3* in FW to get accepted.

You will almost for sure be accepted at the Hyatt Regency for 68 for these nights if you want it (a buddy just got 9/3 to 9/6 for 69 Hyatt Regency about 15 minutes ago). You're just right down the Embarcadero - a 20 minute walk or a $1.25 - 5 minute trolley ride to FW. I'm very surprised your bid for FW was rejected. Try FW 3* 75, but I think you're way, way better off at USE. Better accomodations, cheaper, and just plain better location than FW.

It was not. But I honestly believe the golf icon is thrown in and out randomly for the hotels. I have had Hyatt bids win with the golf icon, and win without the golf icon. It seems to me to be totally random.