WillTravel

I'm not sure what to call this, because it's the first time I've seen a "Deal Rehab" page. That phrase was in the URL, not the page itself.

A few days ago, I did a bid for $75, through a BetterBidding PRICELINE link, because I could see the Silver Cloud Stadium was a PRICELINE EXPRESS deal. However, there was no bed choice offered. I really wanted the 2 Queens room.

When my $75 bid failed, PRICELINE unmasked several Seattle downtown options, including the Silver Cloud Stadium, and stated it was a 2 Queens room.

Certainty on this point was much appreciated, so although I perhaps could have gotten this for a lower bid, I accepted the offer. 

It's very convenient for what I am doing on this visit, but parking is expensive ($29 valet). I realize that for the location, that's an expected price, though. 

Urg.  Expedia now has rooms here for $93 per night. 

If you did not get to choose "Bed Type", complain to Hot.wire.

I was searching for my October Portland stay (I was trying various days, and I'm not sure what date this came up with), and I saw a Priceline Express for a 3* Downtown hotel with the text "Hint: You've stayed here before ;) ". That told me it was the Marriott Courtyard, as I think that's the only 3* Downtown hotel I've stayed at with Priceline. 

I've been trying searches since, and I have not seen the message again. Has anyone else seen that?

I ended up renting a condo. 

I did have an interesting counteroffer experience. I bid $75 (after trying lower bids) for 2.5* in the Downtown and German Village zones. Although there was a $92 2.5* in GV and an $89 3* in Downtown, on Priceline Express, Priceline NYOP counteroffered with $96.

Right now, the German Village zone is missing from Columbus, OH for NYOP.

There is a hotel that shows up on PRICELINE EXPRESS in the German Village zone that looks to me to be the Comfort Inn (but obviously a guess).

When I checked out, I got an itemized receipt that said the room rate was $92.50. So maybe I would have won at $93.

Very nice stay at a well-located property.

I chose the zone OR - Portland (Downtown) from the list, but note that it is now called Downtown Portland City Center / South Waterfront District.

I bid through the Priceline link.

I saw a 3* on Priceline Express that varied between $105 and $107. I deduced it was the Courtyard By Marriott Portland City Center, so I thought it was likely I would win it on a bid.

I worked upwards, and at $80 I got a counteroffer to bid $106. I used a rebid zone, and I waited 2 hours and then overnight and so on, but finally I went from $92 to $94, and won it at $94.

Note that this is not the same as the Courtyard by Marriott on the other side of the river, but it's clear from TripAdvisor that people do get them confused. 

I saved a lot over the website price. However, for me, this is still very expensive for Portland remembering how it was in the past, but so it goes. Also the fact that I wanted to be Downtown rather than in the Convention Center zone definitely raised the price. Hotwire was quite a bit more, so I wouldn't save that way, and no reasonable hotel downtown showed up on any direct site for a cheaper price. 

This is 4*.

The rate on the website is $89/night, so it's not an enormous savings. However, I had to be sure of getting a 24-hour shuttle. Thus, I didn't feel comfortable bidding on Priceline. 

Also note that with an AAA membership, the rate is $67/night, and as it can be canceled, that would be a pretty good deal. But I'm in Canada and don't have a car, so that was a no-go. 

Sorry about that - I tried to edit, and I couldn't change it. 

Also, I tried to paste the list, but it would not paste. Trying again (it worked). This is the same as the current 3rd set on the list, I think. The pet-friendly, in combination with everything else, made me quite confident.

Free parking

Pet friendly

Airport shuttle

Fitness center

Pool(s)

Restaurant(s)

Business center

Internet access

Accessibility

Accessible for visually impaired

Accessible for hearing impaired

Accessible path of travel

In-room accessibility

Accessible bathroom

Accessible parking

Roll-in shower

Used the HOTWIRE link!

Full list of amenities:

I've rented apartments on two different trips now for New Orleans, but I understand if a hotel room is more to your taste. Note that prices can really vary by weekend vs. weekday, and by whether there is a large event in town. What do you see on Priceline Express or Hotwire if you look at May 4-7, and May 7-9 separately? 

On LMTravelClub.com (join with a promo code - Google for the latest), I see Aster Crowne Plaza (on Canal Street) for $118/night.

What I ended up doing was using the IHG Friends and Family program with a specific friend's link to get a room with two double beds at Holiday Inn Golden Gateway for $98/night (+ tax). In this case, I needed certainty of getting two beds, and this hotel is nicer (I think) than the Opal.

The Serrano is 3.5* on some sites, and 4* on others. With LMTClub.com (current free join code is JOINCLUB2014), it is $218/night for your dates. Close to Market, but not south of it. 

It's not a thrilling choice, but it works. I booked the Opal with a CheapTickets 20% off code (FALLFUN), which allowed me to ensure I get a hotel with two beds. I chose a cancellable option that worked out to $95+taxes/night, so it's possible that I can find a better deal before January. I'm sure there are good 4* bargains with bidding, but the fact I can't be sure of two beds is stopping me. 

I discussed this stay with my daughter and we decided that to ensure harmony on this mother-daughter trip :), we`d go for a room that was guaranteed to have two beds. So I have booked a private room with two beds at the HI Hostel Downtown at 312 Mason (super-central location). I`ve stayed there before and it`s clean and pleasant. I think it was highly likely that we`d have been at least able to get a rollaway, if not two beds, with the Pickwick, but this way we are sure. Sometimes PRICELINE EXPRESS choices have a bed choice option, so I`ll take a look now and then, as I have a cancellable booking. 

By the way, I monitored the price and I saw prices ranging from $80 to $85 to $94 to $110 to $160! Some of these are in USD, and some in Canadian dollars, but I`m not sure which is which at this point. So all I can say is buyer beware.

Thanks thereuare. 

I am slightly curious what Priceline would do if it were the Pickwick at 6.9, and I bought it on the strength of it being 7+. However, I think I will postpone action on this one. This looks like it is a relatively cheap time for San Francisco (I've seen hotel prices that were 3x or even 4x what they are for this particular time period), and I have a backup plan, so I don't want to rush for anything that is not obviously a good deal. 

I will update when I make my decision. 

This is for a 3* hotel, with a 7+ rating, with these amenities:

Free Internet

Restaurant

Business Center

Fitness Center

This would be a great deal if it's the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown (rated 8.3), but not so good a deal if it's the Pickwick (however, that's rated 6.9 on Priceline's transparent side, but would they round up?). Any other options? What do you think it might be? (Clicked through the link at the top right to search.)

Ultimately I did not end up using Price.line or Hot.wire for this purchase. For our days in HK, we are staying at the YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel.

Although it is a hostel, some sites list it as a 3* hotel in terms of the private rooms. The twin rooms are relatively spacious, particularly for HK. We do lose out a bit on location, but are not that far from public transit (the MTR), and the rooms have various useful amenities (like free wi-fi and breakfast and a private bathroom and kitchen facilities). Ultimately, the risk when traveling with a friend, of getting a room that would not be suitable, was too high if we used Price.line or Hot.wire.

I wonder if it is Ovolo Hotel - 100 Shek Pai Wan Road, Aberdeen. If so, it's not a good deal, as you can get an equivalent or lesser rate with the code FBFAN on their website. 

For New York, I got a good deal with LMTClub.com (free membership with the code TRAVELTWEET) for the Cosmopolitan Hotel a couple years ago. They do have hotels that appear reasonable in good locations for under $150 during your stay. 

I ran the search with USD today, and it is $88 for the same parameters.

For CHI Residences 279, do they have free breakfast? Thanks for the suggestion. 

I think it's quite likely I will rent an apartment, but I want to make sure I am giving the hotels a fair try.

Hi thereuare and all!

Amenities:
Free Breakfast
Free Internet
Fitness Center
Self service laundry

I am wondering if this might be Eaton House Wanchai.

I used the BetterBidding [url=http://www.betterbidding.com/clicks/click.php?afsrc=1&id=40]PRICELINE[/url] link, and I used the code SPRING14 to knock a further 5% off.

Rated 8.0out of 10 (or higher) guest favorite

Guaranteed Amenities:

Free Internet in room

Indoor Swimming Pool

Pets Allowed

Restaurant

Airport Shuttle

Business Center

Fitness Center

I could have bid on this, but my research indicated this was most likely the Radisson, which is very much a preferred location compared to some other possibilities, plus free Internet. My research consisted of running a PRICELINE search on the non-opaque side, and then narrowing the hotel list down by amenities and area. Yes, it's possible it could have been some other hotel, but I thought it quite likely. In my experience (detailed on this board), I think it's rare to get a 3.5* hotel at that time of year for less than $52, so I doubt I would have saved much by bidding (but who knows!).

BTW, a very similar-looking hotel was $69 on HOTWIRE. PRICELINE non-opaque side gave a price of $81 for the Radisson.

One problem that I have with PRICELINE in Europe in many cities is that the zones are constructed in such a way as to make a mediocre hotel location fairly likely. Also, many chain hotels, which are the most likely to be on PRICELINE, are located at the edges of cities, rather than right in the center. There are lots of exceptions, but make sure to do a thorough investigation of the zones first. Also, I find that by researching across a wide spectrum of sites for Europe, I often find deals for well-located hotels (often including breakfast) that would be difficult or impossible to match on Priceline.

You are going in summer, so you'll probably want to ensure you have air-conditioning in all your hotels, and that might be the most important consideration overall. In that case, a Priceline 4* hotel can often be a good deal, even if it is on the periphery. Just consider all the factors.

I changed my itinerary around, and it no longer has Puerto Morelos in it.

I booked my last night, January 5, with Orbitz, and I tried to use the support link, but it's dead (as noted in another thread).

So I booked Flamingo Cancun Resort. I thought of using Priceline or Hotwire, but I looked into it, and I simply didn't have enough certainty about the hotel I would get, and the location maps are too expansive to say that any hotel in the zone is OK. I especially wanted to be sure of a great beach, and the reviews agree that is the case, although this is not the most luxurious hotel (marked as 3*). I had Orbucks from a flight booking, and I used the discount code CELEBRATE, so my one-night, all-inclusive stay is only $88.56 total with taxes (and it's cancellable too).

The rest of my itinerary is in more remote spots.