50sGuy

3.5* Sheraton N. Dallas / Galleria Bid $39 won plus $12.99 taxes/fees. $51.99 total. Used PRICELINE link. Check In: 8/24 Check out: 8/25 Just an FYI: The Sheraton-Dallas North / Galleria Area 3.5* has some new fees since their remodeling. The parking area is now gated access by room key and will cost you $10 per day/night overnight parking fee. This used to be free. Any visitors will have to use a credit card to pay for parking in $2 increments. The in-room internet service is now $12, this too used to be free. So even though you may get this room for about $50 (bid + taxes/surcharges), if you park your car it will cost about $60 total, add in-room internet and it bumps to $72 per night. While this isn't bad, it's just not the deal it used to be. So be advised.

Not to be a wet blanket, but . . . It is a nice hotel, great location. Downside is mandatory parking fee of around $19 to $20+ per night. That's on top of what you bid and unless you park offsite or don't have a vehicle, there's no way around it. You could check on street parking but it's sparse and restricted (I think). Some people say they get around it by parking across the street at the Galleria Parking Garage but I think you might run the risk of getting towed. This is why I no longer bid on 4 stars in the area... parking fees just don't add up especially when there are really nice 3 stars nearby with free parking.

Not a lot of choices in Crystal River as far as Priceline Bid Hotels go.. tried this several times... Used PRICELINE Link and started at $50 for 2.5* ...rejected...waited a day 'cuz there's only 3 Zones and unless you want to stay in Ocala or Homossassa or somewhere other than Crystal Springs... you need to wait. Tried $60 - 65 bids on different days.. all rejected. Called Holiday Inn Express direct and best rate I could get was $99 plus tax (Around $113) even with Select Card Membership. Checked other sites like Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz... saw that HIE was around $93 - $109. Waited another day and figured $80 was a good try since HIE was the only 2.5* in the Crystal River Zone. Got it! Saved $19...not a lot but hey...$19 could be lunch for 2 somewhere. Here's the details: Holiday Inn Express Crystal River 2.5* 1203 Ne 5th St. ( Hwy 44 W Gulf to Lake Hwy) Crystal River, Fla 34429 Fri Apr 16th 2010 - Check In Sat Apr 17th 2010- Check Out ( 1 Night ) Bid $80.00 Tax: 15.74 Ttl: $95.74 (Free Breakfast too...newer hotel)

Booked a 3* for earlier in the week, thought we'd try our luck at getting a 4* on the beach. From previous research, I knew 4* rack rates in the beach cities were starting at $180+/- . PRICELINE LINK and selected Clearwater Beach Zone / 4* and Bid $85 -- REJECTED Added St. Pete's Bch Zone / 4* and Bid $86 -- Accepted!! :) Here's the skinny: Tradewinds Island Grand 2 nights 4/18-20/10 Saint Petersburg Beach, Florida Your Offer Price: $86.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Travel Insurance: $10.00 Subtotal: $182.00 Taxes and Fees: $30.76 Total Charges*: $212.76 * Having looked at this places website ( and other 4*), I expected a "Resort Fee" of $25 per day. This takes care of parking and at this location... I believe it includes parking, the use of beach cabana or umbrella, paddleboats, workout area and other amenities. So I'm not complaining... 4 Star Resort Class Hotel with beachfront for under $135 per night! Not bad at all. :) (checked rates on hotel website...room would've been $435 for 2 nights.)

This is a good deal...just be aware that you will probably have a $25 per day resort fee added when you check in/out.

Here's the skinny: PRICELINE link 3* POSTCARD INN - St. Pete's Beach 2 nights, 4/14-16/10 Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $68.00 X 2 nights Subtotal: $136.00 Taxes /Fees: 32.42 Total Charges:$168.42 :) (Note: Looked at opaque site (HOTWIREW) and saw an offer of $79 for a "boutique hotel" same area After a little research, figured it had to be Postcard Inn... my hunch was right. Rack rate on website was around $150 night so I think I did okay... got a unique 3* property on the beach for less than $100 a night with free b'fast to boot! )

Is $92 the total cost or was there any mention of additional fees such as a daily resort fee? I'm looking at the area also.

Does your total cost include the daily resort rate? Seems like I read that there's an additional $25 per day resort rate for many 4* beachfront properties. Even so..it would still be a pretty good deal IMHO.

Actually this is not a bad hotel. I've stayed there many times.. and found it to be a good value. It's very close to Beltline, the Dallas Tollway and very close to Addison Circle ( good restaurants )...and free parking. Maybe you could've gotten it for less but I think you did okay. It was renovated about 4 years ago.

Hate to break this to ya...but add $20 per night for parking.

4* ( more like 3 or 3.5*) Le Meridien / Dallas Galleria - 3/25-28/2010 3 nights Bid: $45 accepted Subtotal : $135.00 Taxes & Fees: $28:74 Total Charges: $163.74 Additional Charges: $60 ( $20 per night parking fee...no free parking anywhere.) TOTAL NET CHARGES: $223.74 or $74.58 per night. Better values can be found at Sheraton N. Dallas, Intercontinental or Crowne Plaza. ( FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: Park Central is just down LBJ by less than 5 minutes to Galleria and better value options are there, i.e Crowne Plaza Suites which is similar to Le Meridien in style albeit smaller. It's a 3.5* I believe and can be had on PL for around $45 in most cases...no parking fee either. Also...there's a Westin in Park Central that's a good value too.)

The Le Meridien / Dallas Galleria really should be classified as a 3* or 3.5*....not a 4*. The parking fee is ridiculous...$20 per night which bumps your average total evening cost to about $65+. I've gotten this hotel at $45 which is a deal and they used to only charge $12 a night for parking (when it was Hilton Garden Suites, later Pravda). But the hotel doesn't have much more to offer as a Le Meridien than when it was under other names. Parking isn't covered...and you have to walk a bit to get to your car, especially if you're a late check in. Honestly... there are some really good 3* around the Dallas Galleria zone that don't charge parking fees... like the Sheraton Dallas North at LBJ & Tollway.... even the Intercontinental (4*) has free parking and the Westin Galleria (4*) has the self-serve free parking option. Unless PL reclassifies this hotel to a 3 or 3.5*, I'm not going to bid for a 4* in the Galleria zone.. too many other really great values close by to put up with this nonsense. Sort of defeats the purpose of a PL bid IMHO.

Okay... file this under FWIW. But I had recently got a winning PL bid for a 4* Le Meridien Hotel in the Dallas Galleria area. I've stayed at this hotel many times... back when it was a Hilton Garden Suites then Pravda and now it's Le Meridien. Overall I've been pleased with this hotel under its different names. My winning bids have always been $50 or less per night. What I'm disappointed in learning about is the new parking fees.... $20 per night. In the past it was $10 then $12...then $18 and now it's $20. Sure they have limited parking but I suppose it's just reached my threshold. Look this hotel.. a 4 star.. nope...maybe a glorified 3 star or 3.5 star maybe. But 4 star...uh-uh... nope. So here's my beef. Even the Westin Galleria ( a 4 star definitely) has parking options...free self-serve or valet. I've paid $20 parking fees before but honestly..this is just a bit much considering the hotel. In fact.. there are many quality 3* hotels in the same Dallas Galleria zone that provide free parking... like 3* Sheraton N. Dallas at LBJ & Tollway... or how about the 4* Intercontinental on the tollway.. ahem ....parking is free there. Geez... this is a rip. I've booked 3 nights at Le Meridien... so I'm out $60 in parking. :) I looked around and didn't see a mention of the $20 parking fee... had I known, I'd have bid on less than 4 stars cuz I know the area pretty well. Call me cheap, tight-wad...whatever... but I tell ya one thing.. compared to the other 4 stars in this zone....Le Meridien shouldn't be one of them. I'm ticked. Next time, I'll forgo bidding on a 4 star in the Dallas Galleria zone and stick with the 3 to 3.5* instead. Much, much better value anyways... free parking and won't have this disappointment again.

Downtown Hyatt Regency at $63 is a good rate, just be aware that the overnight parking is pretty high ( usually the case downtown D ). I think it's either $18 or $20 a night for Hyatt.

3* Dallas North / Galleria Area Prava Suites $36 9/13-15/08 Looked at recent winning bids on this board, clicked the PRICELINE LINK, Selected Dallas / Galleria area...Selected 3* and bid $36 for 2 nights...GOT IT!! Thanks!

Below is a copy of a recent post I read in a travel forum on PRICELINE bidding for Venice 5*. It seems that the Hilton Molino Stuckey on Guidecca is the consistent winner at 5* at around $225 USD. (Rack rates at this time are easily double that if not more.) It's a large luxury hotel on Guidecca and has it's own complimentary water taxi for hotel guests that runs every 20 - 30 minutes. Not far from Venice proper via water taxi and everything I've read about it make it a good buy for 5*. While not steps away from San Marco, it is convenient. Check it out via hilton website. Good Luck COPY: Hilton Milano Stucky Venice 5* June 23-25/08 $230 Lead [-] Posts: 1 (05/28/08 9:29 PM) Bid for 225, rejected. Added Lido, upped offer to 230, acccepted.

The 5 Star Hilton Molino Stuckey on Guidecca can be had for about $221 to $251 USD. I've a trip upcoming in late Oct. and have been trying unsuccessfully starting at $145 and now up to $165. I've bid recently and I've gotten notices from PRICELINE saying I could stay at a 5 star in Venice if I upped my offer to $251. I've been waiting as I feel I can do better. If you're a frequent Priceline bidder, you may get some "bonus dollars" of $10 per night up to $50 (min. 2-night stay at a 4 or 5*). I'm 99% sure that if you bid anywhere close to $200, you'll get a "We have a deal for you" message encouraging you to up your bid to anywhere from $221 to $251 USD. I read where this has happened in the past 3 weeks and the Hilton Molino Stucky on Guidecca across from main island was the hotel bidders got. Nice thing about this place is they have their own complimentary water shuttle that runs every 20 -30 minutes I understand. Be sure to use the PRICELINE links from this board and good luck!

I'm very new to this forum so forgive my ignorance if I seem to be uninformed or unaware of certain nuances and practices regarding international bidding for hotels, etc. I'm very familiar with Priceline & Hotwire as I've both to great success here in the States. But me and the Missus are going to be taking an E. European cruise in late Oct-Early Nov, originating out of Venice. We will need one-night's stay prior and 3 night's after the cruise. I have been noting elsewhere that some bidders have been quite sucessful with the Hilton Milino Stucky 5* @ $137 to $145 USD per night via PRICELINE. I was wondering if I should wait and submit a bid closer to my trip dates (as we will be in the "off-season") or should I try and nail it now? Anyone with insight as to Venice and Priceline Bidding for hotels in this city, please offer your experiences as they would be most appreciated. Thanks, 50sGuy

Just registered on this board, did a quick review of topics & recent postings. Here's what I did: Looked at Hotwire for comparable zone & hotel rating / amenities. Read recent priceline winning bids on this site. Followed the lead. Bid $40 for 3* Dallas / Galleria Area. Got a winning bid on the first try: Sheraton Dallas -North Hotel Galleria - Dallas North 4801 Lbj Freeway Dallas, Texas 75244 972-661-3600 Check In: 03/28 Check Out: 03/30 2 nights Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $40.00 Subtotal: $80.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $19.41 Total Charges*: $99.41 Approx. savings: 40-50% off! Great location for N. Dallas /Tollway Corridor. Thanks Guys!