lizzzys

So I've been renting cars and hotels via Priceline bids for years and years now with excellent success and scored some great deals. Lately though, I'm having difficulty getting any kind of deal, really. It seems like when Priceline came out with their Express Deals, something changed. Here is an example of my frustration: I need a rental car in Las Vegas for two upcoming trips. 1. May 13 - 16 (tomorrow!) I've been bidding up to $17 per day for everything between economy and mid-size for the past week with no success and I've always been able to get a car in Vegas for about $11 - $13 per day. I figured maybe they were holding out until the last day, but here I am within 24 hours of arrival and still no hits. I can rent one without bidding on Priceline for $19 per day so I can't understand why something as close as $17 isn't hitting. Are there no discounts at all?? Also, Priceline has introduced rentals through places like Payless and E-Z car rental but the "agreement" says that it's just a quote.... and many reviews on these companies are negative because they jack the price up after you arrive. I don't like the sounds of that. 2. July 16 - 24 -- I've been bidding and looking at this date since January. The lowest I've seen is $22/day and I've bid up to $18/day. I stopped bidding a few weeks ago thinking it would come down closer to my departure but now (after seeing what's happening with my other trip) I'm not so sure. I've noticed the same with hotels. Everything seems way out of whack from what I used to get (just a year ago) Priceline doesn't seem so great anymore. :/ Liz

I just realized this is a 3* hotel. I do not know how to ammend my post above. Sorry!

After my terrible experience with the 2* hotel I won in Missoula (see previous Priceline Post), I decided to try again for a 2.5* and go no lower in this area. I was bidding the day of the stay so did not have time to play games with numbers. I bid $80 and won. The rack rate for this hotel was $165.99 per night on their website so it was a good win. The hotel was beautiful. Quite a difference with this half a star!! The hotel was immaculate and the staff were friendly and also accommodated our 2 double beds. Liz

Initially bid $64 on a 2.5* hotel as I was noticing that others were getting hotels this time of year in Missoula at around this amount. There are no free re-bid zones in Missoula but I had read that someone else hit a 2.5* by re-bidding and adding a 2 star rating (they were upgraded to the 2.5*) Impatiently, I rebid $66 and added the 2* and held my breath.... it was accepted and I won the Broadway Inn Conference Center. There were no recent reviews to be found anywhere but I thought "how bad can it be if it's a conference center?" The following is my personal opinion and experience. Well... it was BAD!! Upon check in there was "something" going on. A group of guests were talking in hushed tones to a manager in the lobby and another staff member was speaking on the telephone to the police about something. Finally I just asked the clerk who was checking me in what was going on. He was reluctant to tell me but I demanded to know. Apparently one of the maids was caught going through one of the guests' purses in their room. Lovely. I finished checking in and went to our room on the second floor. The hotel does not have an elevator so we lugged our stuff up the stairs. The hallway carpets were stained and the whole place reeked of smoke. A few of the ceiling panels in the hallway upstairs were removed and a make-shift air conditioner was blowing through the hole. The room was equally as unattractive and definitely NOT in my opinion a 2* hotel. It was 1* at best. We were in Missoula on a shopping trip and I wondered how safe our goods would be while we were not in the room? I was also staying there alone with my 3 children. This combined with my feeling of complete unease about what had transpired at the hotel desk prompted my very first call to PRICELINE customer service and I'm happy to say that they did not let me down. I went back to my car, dialed Pricline and explained everything that had happened. Priceline said they would contact the hotel and get back to me. I went back up to my room to collect all of my things. There was no way I was staying there regardless of the outcome with PRICELINE. They called me back a few hours later and said that the hotel was refunding my two nights' stay and Priceline would be giving me a full refund. They were exceptional. Truly. And I understand this is a "one time thing". That left me without a hotel, which leads to my next post Priceline Missoula Holiday inn....

I bid $52 initially and did not win, did a free re-bid zone and added $5.00 per night and BINGO! Was very happy with my win and the stay was great. Very nice hotel. We arrived late and really only slept there so have no trip report to file, but the room was beautiful, the reception was extrememly pleasant and the beds were comfy! They accommodated my request for 2 double beds without hesitation and the entire hotel is non smoking now. Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $57.00 Subtotal: $57.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $15.47 Total Charges*: $72.47 Liz

*Accepted* Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $56.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $112.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $17.35 Total Charges*: $129.35 This was my first bid. The listed price on Priceline for this hotel was $99 per night, $79 on hotwire so I feel good about it. Based on a previous poster's win in September/06 where he paid $49, I decided that due to time constraints I would begin a bit higher to keep with inflation, and hit with this, my first bid. PRobably could have scored a bit lower on the price, but I'm happy with the deal I got. As always, thanks!

Thank you for that info. I've actually switched my cancellable reservation from the Doubletree to the Candy Cane at an AAA rate of $109 for 4 nights, $119 for one night, and $139 for two nights. I've read a bunch of fantastic trip reports and reviews on the hotel, and with it's close proximity to DL as well as it's exclusive shuttle service and extensive continental breakfast I've justified the price if I do end up staying there. I'm still going to try to find something less expensive through Priceline closer to my date of departure, but I feel good about the CC for backup. I'll be watching the board closely in the meantime :) Thanks for all the great help and suggestions! Liz

Do you think it would be possible to separate the Orange County - Disneyland listings to two categories... North and South Disneyland (or even further into the Yorba Linda etc. areas?) I believe this would be a lot more helpful in identifying hotels on Hotwire. Sorry if this has already been talked about. Liz

Thanks for your reply Jessica. We're actually coming during the early part of March, so I assume it is spring break that has people booking rooms like mad. Hopefully the same thing will happen and things will open up closer to my dates. I am a bit panicked but I was able to book the Doubletree at $129 per night (cancellable, for backup) during the dates in March just in case. I'll keep checking both priceline and hotwire for deals closer to then. Good to know about the Holiday Inn.... I passed on a package deal with a local travel agent and that's where we would have been staying :) Yikes! Liz

Thank you, I would like help identifying the 3.5 star hotel mentioned. An interesting thing to note.... I went through HOTWIRE to look at these deals myself and at first I told the site that I was traveling with 1 adult, 3 children. It did not return the 3.5 star hotel for $93. I went back and put just 2 adults travelling and the $93 hotel appeared. Does this mean that I will not be able to get 2 queens (because I am traveling with 3 kids!) Any opinions on which hotel I should make the cancellable reservation at? Do they all allow this if you reserve at the rack rate? I did go back in the posts to last year and although my exact dates were not posted, I see that some people were getting deals on 3 star hotels like Doubletree and Hyatt for around the $50 mark. That would really help this single mom (and her mastercard!) out! Thanks for your patience with this relative newby :) Liz PS. I would also like identifying the 3* hotel that lists a rate of $117 per night (I think it's the crowne plaza?)

Used savingsbarn.com link Tried: $40 - Disneyland (unsuccessful) $45 - Dropped the last night (unsuccessful) $47 - Added Anaheim Hills area (unsuccessful) $55 - Added Mission Viejo area (unsuccessful) $56 - Added Seal Beach area (unsuccessful) $60 - Went back to adding just Anaheim Hills area & dropped the last night (unsuccessful) What gives? Is there something going on that prices would be so high at that time in March? Do you think I will be more successful with these prices closer to the dates of travel? Thanks, liz

What would you recommend I bid for a 3* hotel in the Disneyland area and how far from now should I begin my bidding? We'll be coming the beginning of the month. Thanks, Liz

I called and both the non-smoking and bay room request were obliged! I love this priceline stuff! :) Liz

Can we call the hotel and request a Bay view room if we've booked through priceline? Liz

I WON!! Just got Downtown Miami at the Marriott Biscayne Bay Hotel and Marina for January 29/05 and February 6/05 for $40 apiece!!! WOOOOOOO HoOOOOOO! I started at $30 and then bid $38 and then $40 on both dates to get it. Anyone heard how this hotel is? It looks pretty nice and the regular price is $199 per night on their website. Will we be able to see the Explorer of the Seas from our location? Thanks for all of your help. Liz in Calgary

Any ideas on which one I should book? I tried the Crowne Airport above but they have a $25.00 cancellation fee. Liz

Thank you Jimmy and everyone. This definitely gives me peace of mind to know that you had no difficulty hitting at that late of date. I will try to be patient :) Plus... what's the worst that could happen? We sleep on the beach for one night? (just kidding... I know that wouldn't be safe :)) Loanshark, what you said really does make sense. Thanks for calming me down. Liz

I did another bid yesterday for DT Miami and went up to $60 for 3* or 4* but nothing hit. Will try again when the mood strikes :) (should I continue updating on this thread? Or start a new one each time?) Liz

I went up as high as $60 today for a 3 or 4 * hotel in DT Miami and was rejected. Liz

FYI: Priceline accepted my Canadian, Royal Bank Avion Visa card today when bidding on hotel rooms. My bids weren't accepted, but the card didn't seem to be the problem :) Liz - Calgary

We would like a 3 * (or more) hotel in the Downtown area of Miami for the night of February 6/05. Any strategies for bidding this far out? We would like to pay under the $50 mark, as this seems to be what others are experiencing on Priceline, but I've heard that January is a busier month. Anybody know what people were getting accepted for bids at the end of last January in that area? Any help is very much appreciated. Visit my last topic to see what I've tried so far, for our precruise night - January 29/05. Thanks, Liz from Calgary

Thanks for your replies. I should have been more clear with my original post in regards to price. What I meant to say is that based on what I've been reading others' experiences to be with getting a downtown hotel through priceline (at around $27 - $39), I am not comfortable betting more for now in case things get better later (and while I'm still learning the ropes! :) ) But we are actually okay with paying up to $100 per night if the need be. So that being said, and with what one of you said earlier about January being a busy month, do you think it's safe to wait for up to 3 months before our travels to Miami to try to book a room downtown through Priceline? Or do you think it's a high certainty that they may be booked solid by then? If worse came to worst we are okay with paying the $89 our TA quoted us for staying at the Crowne Plaza Airport, but of course we would prefer to pay less (so that we have more money for other stuff while on board! :) ) Perhaps we can hold the $89 room with a credit card and cancel it within 30 days if we find something better? Anyone know how this works these days with Priceline etc. available? I should also mention that after my original post I went back to try the February 6th (the night we return from the cruise) using the same method and bid up to $45 with no luck downtown. So as far as strategy, I guess I should just keep doing what I'm doing and bid up to $45 every 72 hrs? Liz in Calgary

Hi, I just tried to bid for a 3* or a 4* room in Downtown Miami as we are meeting a cruise ship there on January 30/05 and flying in the night before. I read the FAQ and figured out how to bid (BTW, they accepted my Canadian Royal Bank Visa credit card number with no problem) and gave it a try. First Bid: January 29/05 3 or 4 * hotel in Downtown Miami Bid $35 Rejected Rebid using method where you use areas with lower star hotels only Second Bid: January 29/05 3 or 4* hotel in Downtown Miami and North Miami (which only goes up to 2.5 *) Bid $40 Rejected Third Bid: January 29/05 3 or 4* hotel in Downtown Miami, North Miami as well as Southwest Miami (which only goes up to 2.5*) Bid $42 Rejected Stopped bidding as it's getting higher than I would like to pay, and I don't have any other areas to try to rebid with. Is it likely that I will be able to get a room later on for this price range using this method? Also, I read a nasty review on the Downtown Raddison (a 3* hotel) and am not thrilled about having to stay there. Any way to avoid that outcome from the possibilities? Thanks very much and I apologize for my newbie-ness! Liz from Calgary