rmunson1

I am ready to start bidding and, in fact, already did some trial balloons using the strategy Better Bidding provided in January for February rooms (no luck so far for May). I have several problems - I don't have a good backup. I would like to pay in the $125 - $175 range for a 3*. But, if I could get a 4* for something in that range, that would be great. My first problem is dates. I need 5 nights and have been bidding on 5 nights (May 4-9), but I could get 2 nights via the Hilton timeshare promotion and only buy 3 via Priceline. If I go that route (only get 3 nights), is there any likely difference between May 4-7 or May 6-9 (that is, I could make 2 nights at the Hilton at the start or the end, but don't know which (Sun-Wed or Tue-Fri) might be better for Priceline). I looked at Bidding Help NYC-Midtown, 4*, May 4-7, 2 rooms and can use that strategy for awhile. Location is quite flexible. It looks like UES and UWS are both free rebidding zones whether I try 3* or 4*. Looking for recommended bidding strategy to get a room at a reasonable price.

Got it (using Savings Barn). Thanks! Sorry it took so long to get to the heart of the issue and get the info you needed for the strategy. FYI, I did UM/CPS prior to doing Times Square.

I guess $150 for a 3 star and 175 for the 4*.

I guess the priority is 'cheap' - so 3* up to some amount (in any of the 3 zones, MTW, Central Park and Times Square), and then, if we have to pay more, try to get a 4* for 'that amount' and if we still can't get it, drop back to a 3* at some number under $169. Does that help?

The Pod won't work for us, but I will consider the Wellington our backup - good location, OK price. So, now to find something good on Priceline for under $169. First choice 4*, MTW, and branch out from there if that fails.

Good comments/questions, but hard to answer. Normally getting around NY is very easy (we have done it a lot), but my wife is in a wheelchair and unlikely to be much better by then (but hobbling with a cane vs. hauling a wheelchair to NY). So, having said that, yes, I am willing to go to other zones (Times Square and upper midtown/central park). Additionally, I am willing to try 3*. So, given all of that, it complicates things. Top prize is Hilton at a reasonable price. But, a bargain that iisn't too far away would be great too (3 or 4* in MTW, Times Square or UM Central Park). I should have added that splitting is not an option - for 4 nights, I don't want to try to stay two different places. Does that help?

Trip is 2/8 - 2/12, 4 nights I have been trying for 2-3 weeks, almost every day, for MTW 4*, trying my own strategy (via SavingsBarn), hoping to get the deal that macomb586810 got - that is, the ideal 'win' is the Hilton (4* NYC (MTW) Hilton New York). From what I can tell, my free rebids are UES and UWS. At this point, I have no real viable backup plan (promotion at the Mahattan Club for $1000 w/tax for the 4 nights). I have been trying $105, $115 and $125 with no success. Today, when I saw the deal that macomb586810 got, I tried $125, $130 and $135 with no success. I decided to revert to an advice request, getting help from the experts, since time is running out. In short, I want the Hilton most (friends we are traveling with are staying there on a timeshare promotion that wasn't available to us), I would like 4*, I want to be near the Hilton, and trying to pay as little as possible but willing to pay what it takes. I can go straight to the Hilton website for $269 a night, but hoping for much less than that.

I finally got back home and can confirm that Safari/Mac was the source of my earlier difficulties (using Safari I was unable to check boxes and see which star levels are included for free rebids). Using Vista/PC the Priceline page works as you describe. So, I finally got around to trying again tonight (via Savings Barn). I started with Coastal and $90. It immediately countered me for a $22 increase. I declined, added a zone and bid $95 - rejected. I added another free zone and bid $101 and was accepted. The price is fine. The location is (barely) acceptable. Your hotel list is current and accurate, but I didn't realize, when I saw Hilton San Diego Resort on the list, that that is the Hilton on Mission Bay at 1775 East Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, California 92109. I have been here and don't consider it a 4*. We shall see. It has been 10 years and perhaps it has been upgraded. I was hoping for the Hyatt or Hilton in La Jolla. Oh well. Thanks for your help. For those who missed the previous thread, a month ago I tried $70 with $2 increments on free bids up to $90 - all rejected.

Thanks for the input/advice. RE: Hotwire - sorry I never provided that info before - no wonder others have been confused. I actually entered La Jolla, CA, not San Diego, even though the zones for La Jolla are going to be similar to the zones for San Diego, A thru H obviously end up changing around some.

Yes, Coastal zone in Hotwire - 'D' - I merely unchecked every zone (A,B,C,E,F,G,H) but coastal and was left with two choices in Hotwire in San Diego Coastal - $139 per night (4*) and $79 per night (2.5*). Today, using the advice that Downtown and Coronado were the only Priceline properties with 4*, I used my free bids to bid (via SavingsBarn) on Priceline for a San Diego Coastal 4*, $70-72-74-76-78-80-82-84-86-88-90) all unsuccessful. I would say I wanted one of those, but as for my limit, I will go to $100. So, what should my strategy be for Coastal 4*. Should that fail, I would like a suggestion, if I drop to 3*, how high should I go? I won't attempt that until I get home on a Windows machine and determine which areas provide free bids for 3*. I might delay getting going the 3* route until Oct/Nov?

RE: Hotwire - it is still there as of 10:00 a.m. 8/20. San Diego Coastal (the only area that 'works' - this is 'too many in 1 house Christmas overflow' housing), 2.5*, $79. The only amenities listed are 'pool(s)' and 'fitness center'. RE: 'MAC' - thanks for your comments. I spent some time trying to get it to work and was losing my mind until it occurred to me it might be MAC/Safari. Thanks. RE: 'out of date' - sorry, I apologize, I wrote that part before I realized it might be a MAC/Safari issue. RE: downloading - I will probably not (he is gone on vacation), we leave (Manhattan) tomorrow, but won't be home (California) until 8/28. Given the info from Colfax about where 4* are located is current as of this morning, I may try some this morning (using SavingsBarn) and if that fails, wait until I get home and go through the process (check 1 at a time). Any comments about this question (am I too early)? Is there any rule of thumb about lead time? I suspect that Christmas may have different 'rules' than other times of year.

To get educated, I am currently focusing on 3 posts in Better Bidding: Priceline Hotel List - California - this has extensive disclaimers which clearly say 'DO NOT USE THIS LIST to determine what areas to add when attempting to bid again.' Bidding Again before 72 hours, -it can often be done! - this clearly says how to find out which zones have hotels at which * ratings. However, it is out of date. Priceline star ratings format changed?? - this tells how it works now - simple, just click the (only) zone you want to check and it will remove (or gray out) * levels which are not in that zone. This would be perfect, except it doesn't work for me - I suspect because I am using my son-in-law's MAC with Safari and it just works different. Or else Priceline changed their interface? Bottom line, I want to bid. I want to rebid as much as possible. But I don't want to get burned and get a surprise 'fill' of my order with a hotel from another zone that I thought wouldn't happen. I want a 4*, San Diego Coastal, 12/22/07 - 12/26/07. I want to pay $75-95. My backup plan is Hotwire 2.5* at $79 for, presumably, the Holiday Inn Express? Am I bidding too early (hotels haven't released rooms yet)? Is there a way to learn (since Safari will not gray out any * levels for any San Diego zone) which zones have no 4* and are thus available for free rebids? Or, has Priceline changed such there is no way to find (for sure) free rebids?

Date 12/22/07 - 12/26/07 Prefer 4* (but may drop down to a 3* at some point) Location must be San Diego Coastal - looking for San Diego areas to add that contain no 4*. Would like to pay $75-85 as some successful bidders have indicated on your web site (one was over Labor Day), but might go as high as $90-$100 for a 4*. If I drop down to 3*, hoping to be paying $65-75. Hotwire has a 2.5* for $79 and a 4* for $139. Your bidding help says 'use the Hotel list at your own risk, may not be accurate' - so is this (posting, waiting for a reply) the only way to find out which areas contain no 4* properties?