WillTravel

Yes, it was definitely Sixth Avenue Inn. I know where 8th Avenue Inn is, and while I once looked in the lobby, I never stayed there. I don't recall a Mission-style lobby, so maybe it has been improved.

I wouldn't say the room was uncomfortable, just very, very plain (probably dingy). I last stayed there in 2006, when I got a free night at the Days Inn, but was moved across the street to the Sixth Avenue Inn. I had stayed there a few years before, and it was about the same. I'd be fine staying there for free or a low rate, but if someone also has 4* hotels in her sights, this hotel would be a big letdown, I fear (but it might have improved in the last two years).

I'm glad you got a hotel that you can get to by free bus. What hotel did you get, though?

I'd think twice about a 2* bid in downtown Seattle. If you got the Best Western Loyal Inn for a reasonable price, you'd probably think it a good deal (which we have done once). But the most likely outcome is the 6th Avenue Inn. This is an OK hotel, but I think it would be disappointing for many people, particularly if for just a little more, you could get a nicer 2.5* place. The 6th Avenue Inn used to be a 1* hotel, and that's what it should be, IMO.

It hasn't happened yet on Priceline, so far as I know, but the relatively new Pan Pacific could theoretically be won as a 4* hotel, and it's quite far from Pike Street - it's more in the Space Needle area. Of course, if I got the Pan Pacific I'd be quite happy with it, but I know someone might see it differently if you want to hang around Pike Street with a baby. On Hotwire, if you choose less than a 4* hotel, you can still get a relatively far-out hotel even in the Pike Street zone, because of how the zone is drawn (you can get a hotel that is in Capitol Hill or out by the stadium). If you follow the lists here, you have an excellent chance of getting a central hotel, but it can't be guaranteed. The Pike Street Suites are really good for traveling with children, as they include a kitchenette and free breakfast. Although it's at the "top" of Pike Street, I think this is pretty convenient, particularly considering you can walk about 1.5 blocks to a free downtown bus.

Hi, what are the dates of your Victoria stay? Is it for two adults? What are the amenities you see for the 4* Hotwire hotel?

Because of the pool and spa, I think Riverbank Park Plaza (which is on the South Bank) might be the hotel.

That is very cool. Thanks for posting the patent link.

PRICELINE has several different versions of their counteroffer language. This one below tends to be used when the suggested price is much, much higher. I've also only seen this sort of response for a European hotel bid. Were you bidding for a European hotel room?

If it's the Travellers Inn City Centre, it's an OK hotel and you'd be fine (assuming it hasn't gotten worse since I was there a few years ago), but it's probably not as good as you hope a 3* hotel will be.

If you would consider bidding for two rooms at 3* in Downtown Seattle, I'd just bid for 2.5*. I can't see any downside in respect to including 2.5*, and you might get cheaper parking and free breakfast and suites. The frustrating thing which you can't know is that it's quite possible that bidding for 2.5* in Downtown Seattle would give you a room large enough for five, but there's no way of being certain of that prior to bidding. For your dates, the Springhill Suites has a conventional rate of $179 per night for its suite with two double beds and a sofabed, and free breakfast is included.

I still plan to get to NYC sometime, but for the time being, I can't plan any vacations.

I agree with all of thereuare's advice. In respect to Lake Union, I've never seen any hotels offered cheaply on HOTWIRE in that zone. But people do get good deals on PRICELINE in Lake Union from time to time, although typically at the last minute and most often for single-night stays. Two hotels that would really suit your needs well would be either the Springhill Suites or the Pike Street Suites, although I can't give you any advice on how to be sure of getting them through PRICELINE.

The 4* in Westminster could be the Riverbank Plaza, because this hotel has a spa and a pool, which are not as common as the other amenities for hotels in London. This is not as central as some people prefer, as it's south of the river and about 10 minutes from a tube stop. It would not be a big deal, but it depends on your preferences. The only zone where you can be assured of a perfectly central location is with the Mayfair-Soho zone, which is typically quite expensive.

How high are you willing to bid for a 3*? Note that on HOTWIRE, in the Kensington zone, there is a 3.5* for $159 for your dates, which you may be able to identify from the lists (but not with 100% certainty). The taxes and fees on Hotwire are often a little less than Priceline. So I'd consider that option too, if a 3* bid does not work out.

Yes, before you start bidding, find the best deal you can that you can cancel. That way, you know you'll have something if you strike out at bidding, and you'll know whether the bid you are doing is actually a good deal or not. With Prague, it's also possible you might prefer a non-PRICELINE choice if location is a paramount concern.

My concern, then, is that you likely will not get a central location by bidding for 4* (or less) for Prague, due to how the zones are set up. So far, all reported 5* hotels are very central (although this could change). But the problem then is that a 5* bid might be over your budget. After looking at the zones and hotel lists, would you want to take the risk of a 4* bid? I would start by booking a backup, so that you know what you are "competing" against with your Priceline bid.

Just as for Cesky Krumlov, Brno does not have "Name Your Own Price".

For this one, and your Vienna stay, how important are the variables of price, star level rating, and location? It's quite possible you can succeed for $100 at something, but not necessarily for a convenient 4* or 5* hotel.

Cesky Krumlov does not offer "Name Your Own Price", so you won't be able to bid for a room here.

Bratislava does not have a zone map. Thus, you may get a hotel anywhere that includes Bratislava in the address, so you may not get a central hotel at all. I'd recommend booking conventionally for this reason.

How about the Intercontinental Frankfurt? It's considered a 5* (by itself and other sites), and it has 42 reviews and is 4/5 on TA, but it's true that TA says it's a 4* hotel. But I think this could be it.

Is this Holiday Inn Express East or Holiday Inn Express San Giovanni?

I would try a 3* bid before trying Travelodge.

I'd definitely book a backup hotel, because this is a relatively long stay and you might not succeed at your desired price. A $180 bid + taxes and fees would equate to about a 115-120 Euro per night hotel, which is even below the price of some 2* hotels. I checked the website of the 3* hotel I stayed at in Paris in March, to recommend as a backup, but it has no availability. That indicates to me that you are going during a high-demand period. For a backup, two sites where you can book cancellable hotels are Accorhotels.com (available through a Betterbidding link) and www.hrs.de, but of course check the specific terms in each case.