TBQ

Robin - first, condolences for your loss. You might also consider bidding 2.5* in the Airport zone. This often yields the Courtyard, which is a good, newer property. 3* often gets the Wyndham, which is across the street from the Courtyard, for a few dollars more. The Wyndham (the former Hyatt) is an older property. Both have frequent shuttle service, and these two are the hotels physically closeest to the entrance to LAX. Added: I looked at courtyard.com and the CY Airport (Centrty Blvd). does show availability. Also: Given your immediate need, keep in mind that a 2.5* bid counts as a bid for all higher star groups. So, if you're trying to lowball and want the most "chances", you may want to do a few bids at 4* first (start at $40)). If no lucj, then close browser, clea cookies, then make your single 3* bd, and then if still no luck, make your single 2.5* bid. Good luck and let us know.

Yes, but the other kind too, not just help running the board. I feel that if anything, the comments here about this sad woman are restrained. People, even those who inadvertently break rules, are deserving of basic dignity and civility. Maybe people should resist the urge to "hit back" when slammed in the face with the vituperative misanthropy displayed by Ms. Mexic, but in a world where social respect of others still has a place, one can understand the urge to "hit back". I have said before that anyone running a board such as TOBB does need to enforce certain rules, and that some of those rules probably do neeed to be fairly strict. But one can do so without the mean-spirited cudgel of instant punishment so gleefully meted out Ms. Mexic. In regard to TOBB's relationship with (or should that be "tolerance of its existence by") Priceline, I and many other business and leisure travelers understand that this can be a tenuous thing indeed. And ultimately she does need to be the final arbiter of what crosses the line that keeps PL's legal department off her back. But there are ways to do this that keep the bounds of civility (at least as it exists online) intact. For example, if I were running a similar board and someone posted something that crosses the line, I would not hesitate to delete the post, but I would also give the poster (who after all is providing me with vauled data fo my board) with an explanation - something like this: Dear poster, Thank you for your contribution to the xxx online community. Due to the nature of our relationship with Priceline, I have regrettably had to remove your post from view. If you would like to offer an edited version, or to discuss this removal, please feel free to do so. Due to time constraints, there may be a delay in responding. Thank you for your understanding of the rules we follow, which guarantee the continued existence of this valuable resource. Board Administrator Instead, someone making a mistake is greeted not with an explanation, but a ban. My opinion is that Ms. Mexic feels that her rules (FAQs) spell it all out, and that anyone who errs has done so because of not reading and following these rules. And therein lies part of the problem - the rules/FAQs are poorly written and terribly formatted - the last thing you'd want if you really did want people to read, understand, and follow them. But until more people do what websoccermom is doing in warning her group of travellers about what goes on at TOBB, Ms. Mexic will continue to lure in unsuspecting new users into her miasma of deceit and ill will. Although I and may others on Betterbidding hope that BB's steady and continued growth will achieve the ultimate goal of becominf the premier Internet community for travel bidding data and assistance, threads like this one (and similar threads on other travel boards) will reveal TOBB and Ms. Mexic for what they are. And if the language occasionally seems harsh, well, that will make Ms. Mexic and the victims of her negative interactive style "even".

I know it's small consolation, but with the best available rate for that date on spg.com at $309, at least you got a "deal" :) :)

True enough on the surface, but when you factor in that the bidder is restricting him/herself to 4* rooms in the midtown zones, that reduces the potential pool. The fact that the show organizers are likely holding large room blocks at the very 4* hotels that often provide room inventory to Priceline shrinks the pool even further.You're right in saying that it is the rare show or convention that (essentially) sells out NYC on its own (one example would be the 2004 Republican Convention). But even a moderate-sized show, combined with the higher occupancy rates brought about by the steadily-improving business travel market, can impact the narrow pool of rooms (4* Midtown) that ExpatAndea is trying to acquire.

The IBS (Beauty Salon and Spa) shows are being held at Javits from 4/29 until 5/02 (with another show, the Invcentives show, opening when the beauty salon show closes). Given the groups of dates being looked at, this may partially explain some of the tightness in the room supply.

Hi - your proposed dates exactly match the RSA (Internet security) conference being held at the SJ Convention Center. Those 10,000 delegates have to be impacting room availability (a show of this size would be a drop in the bucket for a place like Las Vegas, but of course it's different in a market like SJC).

The other day, I ordered a book from Amazon using the BetterBidding link. However, I was NOT signed into BB when I clicked on the link. Will you still get the credit (I hope)? Thanks!

Be sure to tell your friend to give her SPG number at check-in. Although SPG does not grant points or stay credits, or extend elite priveleges on Priceline / Hotwire stays, they DO give points for incidental charges, such as restaurant charges and highspeed internet acces charges.

The check-in was very smooth. Priceline was noted, but in an unobtrusive, low-key way. My request for a nonsmoking King was granted, and when I presented my Omni Select card, I was given the hang-tag voucher for the morning wake-up amenity (details below). The bell and door staff were courteous and seemed genuinely pleased to have me there :) The last time I was here, the hotel was very full, and because it was only a one-night stay, I was placed in a full suite! This time, my regular room was just fine, on the 12th floor, with a city/Petco Park view. The rooms are decorared in soothing sand/beige tones, with a large wooden "wall-mounted" headboards and really sharp-looking chrome lamps (with excellent sight for reading). The matress was very conmfortable and had a duvet-style covering in addition to the triple-sheeting. Even though the hotel opened in March 2004, the large windows have a side section that opens, to let out natural breezes. The drapes do a good job of blocking out the light. The armorie holds a 27" Panasonic TV (flat screen, not flat panel) and a Panasonic DVD player (so ring your favorite, and save on the in-room movie charges, although a goo selection of those is available, as is a Nintento game system). One of the two phones has a cordless handset and speakerphone, and a really nice touch is that your room is assigned a unique, direct-dial number (such as 619-xxx-xxxx) for the duration of your stay. The barhrooms also feature modern wood shelving and wood mirror frame, with handsome Kohler fixtures and chrome accessories. The tub/er has a massage head and an extended, curved shower curtain rod, similar to Westin's Heavenly Bath (so that the curtain doesn't cling to you) :) The in-room coffee maker was supplied with two packets of Wolfgang Puck coffee. Room service is offered 24 hours (but the limited, late-night menu kicjs in at 10:00 pm, not 11 or 12). Minibar prices were moderate. The restaurant (which I didn't eat at on this stay) is a full branch of McCormick & Schmick, the quality seafood restaurant group. Last time, I had a yummy crabmeat fritata. Prices are moderately high, bit certainly not outrageous. For the morning amenity, you are given a hang-tag voucher where you choose one hot drink and one cold drink, and (for weekdays) a choice of the Wall Street Journal, USA Today or the local paper (weekends, you automatically get the SD Union Tribune). On the back, you can add an extra-cost option (bagel, English muffin, etc). After you mark what time you would like delivery, you hang the tag on your doorknob. A nice touch is, if you hang the PRIVACY tag on the knob, they will leave the tray outside your door without disturbing you. The SD trolley stops around the corner from the front door. That stop is on the Orange Line - make an easy transfer to the Blue Line to get to places like Old Town and San Ysidro (Tijuana). An all day pass ("Day Tripper" ticket) is $5 for one day, $9 for two days (I'm 99,9 % sure that the day pass works on the busses too, but check to be sure).

Before your departure for San Diego, be sure to do as TravelGuy recommends in post #5 of this thread: Omni Select Guest As I type this message, I am sitting in my room, looking out at PetcoPark, utilizing the free Wi-Fi to post this message as I sip my free coffee (I skipped dinner last night, so the toasted bagel lasted about 4.5 seconds) :)

The reason the rooms were so tight is the Ft. Lauderdale Auto Show (March 15-19). Although it's a show intended for locals, there are hundreds of staff members who come in to work the show. The Marriott Marina (usually a big participant in PL and HW) is only using about 300 of its 500 rooms, due to Wilma damage. So when even a medium-sized show/conventon comes into town, the demand for close-to-the-convention-hall rooms (especially at the Ren) squeezes out bargain hunters like us :) Great job on securing your deal! Also, keep in mind that the Publix supermarket has relocated to the Harborside shopping center, the side entrance to which is across the street from the AmeriSuites. It's a good place to load up on things for the cruise, and it's open until 11:00 pm.

Yes, I had a similar "win" for this hotel at this price last August, so I was hoping for a repeat :DI agree with bbbb that the properties adjacent to the Convention Center / Petco / Gaslamp areas are preferable to Harbor Island - it's so much nicer to be able to walk to many places, or to easily hop on the Trolley. The Manchester Hyatt also comes up occasionally on PL, but usuall at a higher price point ( ~ $25 - $130). The rooms ar the Hyatt are smaller then the Omni and you pay for HSIA, but some of the views on higher floors are extremely nice. BTW, I found out why the downtown hotels are sold out on the night of 2/4: Thousands of cheerleaders are invading the CC for a convention (I don't know whether to say :) :) or :) :o )

This is an especially good win - the Omni is less than two years old, it has great rooms and it has a terrific location at the base of the Gaslamp district, and it is right on the Orange Trolley Line (easy transfer to the Blue Line to go to Tijuiana or Old Town, etc). It also has free Wi-Fi in the rooms, a rarity in 4* hotels (I tried using the add-a-night option to add the night 2/4/06, but the hotel is sold out). Check-In Date: Fri, Feb 3, 2006 Check-Out Date: Sat, Feb 4, 2006 Your Offer Price: $95.00 Number of Rooms/Nights: 1 / 1 Subtotal: $95.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $18.71 Total Charges: $113.71 Best price on the Omni website was $239 :) Now that I can once again access the SavingsBarn link to PRICELINE, it was my pleasure to use that link!

These proposed dates coincide with the National Association of Broadcasters Show (probably not the best time to secure the best bargains, unfortunately).

This is a very busy weekend in DT Chicago (rates $300+ in the central zones) so I think there was a 'spillover' effect in the Midway zone. Past bidding histories have shown wins in the lower $50 range for this zone. 2.5* bids of $48, $51 and $53 were rejected in previous 72-hour cycles, so I "goosed up" the bid by a larger amount that I would have, if more time had been available before the travel dates. My "cancellable" backup was at $105 per night for a room without HSIA, so this result, while not a rock-bottom ultra-bargain, is still a very good result. HGI's are great with their free highspeed Internet access and microwaves and refrigerators in the rooms. Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Midway Airport 6530 South Cicero Avenue Bedford Park, Illinois 60638 Check-In Date: Fri, Sep 23, 2005 Check-Out Date: Sun, Sep 25, 2005 Your Offer Price: $60.00 Number of Rooms / Nights: 1 / 2 Subtotal: $120.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $25.95 Total Charges: $145.95 Local taxes are a whopping 16.75 percent :) :) Lowest rate on hiltongardeninn.com was $139.00

Amazingly enough :) there is a city-owned parking garage diagonally across from the SF Marriott, the Fifth and Mission Garage: http://www.fifthandmission.com/ Rates ($22.50 per 24 hours) and a map are included in the site.

Or as an alternate: The evil board lady Having alienated her former supporters Chokes on bad sushi

Hi iodonnel, It seems that some of your dates conflict with a couple of sizeable conventions (including one headquartered at the Venetian) - please see the seventh post in this PRICELINE LAS VEGAS thread.

Hi Just a reminder that the Priceline hotel list for Washington DC is still showing a non-existent zone "AIRPORT (DCA)" - as far as I know, this zone is actually the Crystal City zone. Also, be aware that there are two full-service Marriott Hotels in Crystal City (about three blocks apart) the Crystal City Marriott and the Crystal Gateway Marriott. Thanks for your hard work and efforts in our behalf.

Hi vegas looker, With Las Vegas being such a convention-driven town, sometimes it's valuable to look at the Convention Calendar, which thereuare has linked HERE. If I understand your dates to be September 26 to 30, then you should be aware of a bicycling industry tradeshow and convention being held at the Venetian and the adjacent Sands Expo Center on those proposed dates. There will be 26,000 delegates. In addition, there is also a packaging industry show at the LV Convention Center over some of those same dates (27,000 delegates). As you will read in other posts, conventions don't mean that Priceline rooms are impossible to obtain, but the chances do decrease. Good luck in your quest.

I, too, feel bad for the TOBB users, since it is THEY, not the board owner, who have provided all of the historical data. It is THEIR efforts that have been (possibly) laid to waste in this debacle. I also feel bad for the newbies who DO need bidding assistance and who don't know (yet) about BB. As for the board owner, maybe she will use this time off to ( a ) think about how she has treated people in the past; ( b ) remember who it is who provides the data that drives people to her site; and ( c ) maybe she will come back with a new, user-friendly attitude. Then again, maybe gasoline prices will fall under $1.00 in time for my trip next week :) :) :o

In addition to the concert, there is also a large fashion accessories trade show at the Javits Center. MTW (especially) and MTE are usually impacted by sizeable Javits shows (keeping in mind that blocked rooms might be released after the booking deadline).

Hi thereuare, Here'a a copy-and-paste from priceline's Washington zone page: Alexandria - Mt. Vernon Area Details Alexandria - Pentagon Area Details Arlington Area Details Convention Ctr - Capitol Hill area Area Details Crystal City Area Details Dupont Circle - Woodley Park Area Details Georgetown - Foggy Bottom Area Details Springfield Area Details White House - Downtown Area Details My specific note was about the first listing in the betterbidding PL list - I think that "Airport (DCA)" may have been the old name for what PL now simply calls the "Crystal City" zone. This is a guess, but I think that the "Hilton" listed under both "Airport" and "Crystal City" is the same hotel. And for the "Marriott" listing in the "Airport" list, do we know which one of the two Marriotts in Crystal City this refers to? There are two separate full-service Marriott hotels about three blocks apart: Crystal City Marriott http://marriott.com/property/propertypage....arshaCode=WASCC and Crystal Gateway Marriott: http://marriott.com/property/propertypage....arshaCode=WASGW (Note: both offer free shuttle to the airport)

This was an interesting bid in that there is limited availability in the Natonal Airport/Crystal City area for this night, and even more interesting, the hotel that I won shows as being sold out for the night in question on hyatt.com :) Hyatt Regency Crystal City 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway Arlington, Virginia 22202 703-418-1234 Check-In Date: Sat, May 28, 2005 Check-Out Date: Sun, May 29, 2005 Your Offer Price: $51.00 Number of Rooms / Nights: 1 / 1 Subtotal: $51.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $14.42 Total Charges: $65.42 Tax Rate is 10.25% Note: A couple of weeks ago hyatt.com was showing a $109 noncancel/nonchange rate, but the hotel has been sold out on hyatt.com for the last 4 days at least. Also: Some of the zone headings on the PL hotel list look outdated (apologies in advance if I read them wrong).

seaile - great to hear your report of your great deal - Novotel hotels offer excellent value in many cities, and they offer some incredible prepaid (nonrefundable/non-changeable) deals in selected locations through their website. For anyone wanting to reserve direct, be sure to use the BetterBidding link to Novotel, which is found on the BetterBidding Support Page (Click HERE)