dhammer53

The Westin is roughly a 7 minute walk to the strip.

I posted bid results for Oshkosh WI. Just an FYI. Back to the original posters question. You can also try Clifton Park. It's about 15 miles south of SS. You'll get mostly highway type of hotels for any PL/HW bid. Take a look at Expedia for a look/see at the various choices. Lake George is 30 miles north of SS. Not much going on, but the lake is beautiful when it's covered with snow.

Just wanted to say Happy Birthday also! :)

Please read my trip report of this hotel in the HOTEL REVIEWS forum.

Hotwire 2* $41 La Quinta Inn. O'Hare airport. This property is 19 years old. It was renovated 3 years ago. This was the best 2* I've ever stayed at. If it was a Sheraton or Hilton, you'd say 3*. Hallways looked beautiful. Given a room on the 4th (top) floor. Two double beds. A Nice pictures on the walls. A desk. A closet. Nicely decorated. Comfortable bed. My son wanted to take the pillows they were so good! A separate sink, and a shower/tub/toilet combo. Very nice. What made this even nicer was that the floor in the bathroom area was a white checkerboard linoleum floor. No dirty carpets. A nice buffet breakfast was included. You can make your own fresh waffles (with cherries and whipped cream), or have the usual asst of cereals, bagels, breads and pastry. They had a microwave if you wanted to heat up the hot dogs that were wrapped in a bagel like pastry. This was great value (with breakfast included) for $41 two star Hotwire hotel. It was so good that I'd even pay regular rates here in the future. Now if only all Hotwire/PL properties were like this.

We got the Park Plaza hotel in Oshkosh Wisconsin. It was a 2*. This hotel is in a smaller, older city. It's a 4 story property. It must have been something in it's day. Free parking, and breakfast certs for 2 on check-in. The breakfast certs were for $3.49 each. Several items were offered at that price in the restaurant; or, you can use that amount as a credit on your bill and eat off the entire menu. The room, while nice, was older and a bit worn. You could tell that there hasn't been a renovation here in a while. Two comfortable beds in a nice size room. Standard bathroom with very old, worn fixtures. Even the coffee maker was dirty. I'd stay here again at a $36 price. For a 2*, it was better than other 2 * properties that I've stayed at. It was old, but not dumpy. They had a nice indoor pool/jacuzzi. Since breakfast was included, we got a real deal.

See my trip report on this property.

FYI. I took an earlier flight and arrived 1 hour earlier. Since the time on my contract started 1 hour into the future, Hertz wanted to charge me an extra $11 for that hour. Just a note of caution for those arriving earlier than scheduled. I did manage to get the agent to release the car. I was nice. :) Was upgraded to a full size with GPS.

My confirmation printed out as a 2*.

PL wouldn't let me add a zone. They said no re-bid was possible. I didn't try closing the browser and submitting a new bid because I didn't want to be bothered with going through the entire process again.

Date of stay is Sunday Oct 3. Shuttle bus Pool Cont breakfast

Sorry, but I didn't print the page. PL wouldn't let me re-bid. My original post states some of the info PL told me. I wish I would have saved that page.

P/L wouldn't let me re-bid due to the circumstances detailed above. Most unusual.

I looked at the hotel website. Seems as if they offer a nice cont breakfast. Is airport shuttle an ammenity? :)

I accepted an offer from Hotwire when I inquired about a hotel room at Chicago O'Hare airport. I checked to see the price. Liked what I saw. Then, I continued on to accept what Hotwire was offering. I've never done that before; since I've always bid with Priceline. Did I do the right thing? 2* $41 La Quinta Inn. Comped breakfast. Of course that's always a questionable thing! FYI, Priceline refused a 2 1/2* at $38. Dan

I tried to Priceline a room at Chicago O'Hare airport. Sunday eve, Oct 3 for 1 night. 2 1/2 * for $38. I was refused. Usually you're allowed a re-bid. This time I was told no re-bid possible due to dates/stars etc. I thought that was unusual. And I couldn't re-bid!! So I went to Hotwire to check prices. They offered a 2* for $41. I clicked on 'continue' and purchased the room. I thought it was a good deal under the circumstances. My question, did I do the right thing? Should I have tried to bid on a 2* at a lower rate? I accepted Hotwire's offer since another couple of dollars lower woulnd't have mattered anyway; since I was originally willing to bid $38. Opinions are appreciated. Dan

If you search some of the hotel websites, such as Starwood and Hilton, you may find some cheap rates for properties on the Canadian side. Last year I stayed at a Sheraton for around $35 US dollars. If the rates are quoted in CAD$, just go to one of the currency exchanges on the web to figure out the conversion. I do believe that the Sheraton (Starwood) site has a conversion chart a 'click' away. You can also check sites like Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz for overall rates. I couldn't believe how cheap Canada was.

Originally tried 3 star Appleton for $33. Date 10/2/04. Next day is a Green Bay game, just up the road. Offer refused. P/L suggested I try Oshkosh. That's about 20 minutes south of my preferred location. Upped the bid to $36. Included 2* as acceptable. Bid accepted at the Park Plaza Oshkosh. Looks like a nice place on the website. Taxes $10.60 for a $46.60 total Expedia shows this as a 3*. :)

First bid $14 for a compact car at ORD on Oct 2/3 Sat/Sun rental. Refused. Second bid $15 for a midsize car. Accepted by Hertz. Online rates started as low as $19 a day for a compact car. Avis started at $26 (my preferred company). 2 days at $15 per day = $30.00 Taxes/fees 12.86 Total $42.86

Comments on my stay: This former Sheraton has had some money put into it. Overall, I felt as if I was staying at a good Four Points, or Hilton garden Inn. Good value for the money.

Started bidding at $38 for a 2* downtown Rochester NY. Re-bid at $42, then accepted at $45. Clarion Hotel Riverside. Website priced out at $119. Hotwire 'suggested' 2 * at $46. The Microtel was available mid-$40's on Expedia; but their rooms are very small.

I might add that a ride on the Staten Island Ferry is a delightful thing to do. It's FREE The trip departs from The Battery (the southern tip of Manhattan). It takes 25 minutes to get to Staten Island. On the way you pass the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. After you arrive, walk off the ferry and take the next ferry back to Manhattan. The city offers dramatic views as you return from SI. Brooklyn on the right. Jersey on the left. Financial district straight ahead. The Brooklyn Bridge in front off to the right. You can't beat the price! And you'll see 'the city' in a way that many don't.