golfmom

Just to add an update: I placed a bid ($155 per passenger) for first class on my last leg home from DFW to FAT on Sunday 2/9/14. Sent the bid in on the same day the offer was received (1 week prior to flight.) It was accepted. Lowest possible bid was $135 but DH didn't want to try that low since the bidding "advice" said there was a poor opportunity of success. But even the $155 bid said that. I couldn't convince him to try $135 (based on my Priceline experience of low bid "advice"). But we were upgraded so he's happy and perhaps will be more daring next time. Though for $20 each I guess it's not really a big deal -- I just like to get the lowest price. :lol:

Does anyone have experience with American Airlines new (since Nov 2013) offers of upgrades by bidding? I just received an offer from them but it appears the "bidding" if that what we can really call it, starts with a minimum. On my FAT to DFW leg of a flight, the upgrade to first class seems to start at $135 -- at least that's as low as I can get the slider to start. The website purports that a successful bid might start at $400 but no guarantees. And of course, that makes me think of Priceline which always warns that my bid is too low. <_< We have good seats (10A & 10B) with early boarding so I don't know that I'm inclined to spend much more for a 3 hour flight, but it's the first time I've seen it as we haven't been flying much lately and I'm curious whether anyone can shed light on what might be a successful bid.

Have stayed here before on a Priceline bid and room has always been satisfactory for the price. My first bid was accepted. I probably should have listened to my gut and started at $40, but you never know with summer travel. All in all, $50 is a very reasonable price for this property in July. Placed bid through your home page PRICELINE link. Hilton Norfolk Airport Norfolk Airport (ORF) 1500 N Military Highway Norfolk, Virginia 23502 757-466-8000 Check-In Date: Tue, Jul 28, 2009 Check-Out Date: Wed, Jul 29, 2009 Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $50.00 Subtotal: $50.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $14.83 Total Charges*: $64.83

Bid $45, received offer to add $13 and rebid, so of course I ignored it and added free bid for $48. That failed so I added free rebid for $50 which was accepted. Best listed price for this night was $76 advance purchase internet. The Holiday Inns seem to be our venue this trip! But they do have a free airport shuttle (which will save our kids getting up in the middle of the night to take us to the airport) so all is well :) Bid through Savings Barn.

Won the Holiday Inn Surfside Virginia Beach (2607 Atlantic Avenue) for Feb 12-16, 2008. Bid $43 Virginia Beach area, added Norfolk NB (Tidewater) and bid $45, closed browser, reopened and bid VB + Chesapeake (Greenbrier) at $50, added Norfolk NB (Tidewater) and bid $55, closed browser, reopened and bid $60 for VB + Chesapeake (Churchland), Priceline came back with offer to rebid if upped by $17, ignored their kind offer :) and added Norfolk NB again with additional $5 and won the bid at $65. Mixed reviews on hotel and we only saved $22/night over AAA rates but for 4 nights total that will buy dinner out on Valentine's Day (well, part of our dinner, anyway :) ). Beach hotels aren't our favorite, but we wanted to be close to our new granddaughter and this hotel is less than 4 miles from their home, so overall we'll be content. Friday night probably knocked prices up going into the Holiday weekend. Will review hotel after trip. Nearly forgot -- I bid through Savings Barn.

I've used ezlinks.com a number of times with good results. Rate includes cart. Have also used their "bid for golf" and taken a few more dollars off the green fee. Rebids aren't allowed for 2 hours, but you can go back to the posted discount rates and still get those if no time for a rebid. Last summer got a round at Pajaro (Monterey Coast) for $17 cart included. I use golfnow.com most frequently for larger selection of courses in my area. Various deals available, all include carts but sometimes the course throws in lunch or no sales tax. Most of the time you prepay, like Priceline. I've never had any trouble with either prepay or pay on site when booked through either site. Savings from both sites usually allow us to play golf twice as much as before (when booking through the course). golfguide.org is also good for northern California though you have to buy their golf certificates for discounts and then present them at the course. I've found the other two sites to be easier.

I think the bids were $90, then 93, 95, 98, 101. Hope that helps.

Started bids at $90 with 4 rebids at $2-3 increments, successful at $101. Used SavingsBarn link. Best price otherwise was $199 internet prepay. :)

Saw on TOB today that someone had won the Omni for $91 with dates similar to mine, but Dupont area was not hubby's first choice . . . so I started today (via Savingsbarn) with 4* CC/CH at $80 and went up to $93 with my five rebids. Then new bid for WH/DT 4*with an $85 bid and went up again to $91 using 2 free rebids. Bid $85, then rebid $88 and got the "add $22 to your bid" offer, rejected and started new bid (adding Arlington) at $91 -- which was accepted. Omni Shoreham Hotel 2500 Calvert Street Northwest Washington, District Of Columbia 20008 202-234-0700 Your Offer Price: $91.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 5 Subtotal: $455.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $75.15 Total Charges: $530.15 I love this board! Thanks for all your help.

I've seen several posters asking if Priceline notifies you when your 72 hours is up for rebidding. I've been bidding fairly regularly trying to get June dates in DC with continual rejections. Today I received this email from Priceline: Try Your Hotel Request Again Since it has been at least three days since your last request, you can try your exact same hotel request again right now by clicking here. Here's a few simple tips: Shop Around Find the best available rates for your dates and city. Then name a price that is 40% less at priceline. Try Additional Neighborhoods Choose as many city neighborhoods as you can to maximize your chances of getting your price. Don't Give Up If you don't get your hotel, don't give up. You can still get great deals by changing your options and trying again. This is a first for me. The hyperlink "click here" takes you back to the screen for zones. You have to check in again with your rebid. Has anyone else seen this? (Unfortunately I didn't have any better luck going this route than I've had for weeks. I do, however, have a backup fully cancellable reservation for my dates.)

Tried 3* Crystal City first at $50, rebid $56 rejected. Then 4* Dupont/WP at $65, rebid $79, rebid $86, rebid $95 rejected. Tried 4* CC/CH starting at $85, rebid $89, rebid $92, rebid $96 rejected. Then 4* Downtown/WH started at $70, rebid $75, rebid $80, rebid $85 rejected. Tried 3* CC/CH bid $62, Priceline countered with "raise $17". I didn't want to go up that much there so added Springfield and bid $69 but alas . . . not enough. :) There are a few street festivals going on around the Smithsonian on these dates (Carribean Carnival, National BBQ, Folklife Festival) and rates seem pretty high. I'm willing to go up to $100 for a 4* and maybe about $80 for a 3* in Crystal City. Given the dates, is this a reasonable expectation and I just need to be patient and try again, or should I bite the bullet and (1) start higher than this time or (2)be prepared to split dates?

Bid $46 Crystal City rejected, added Springfield @$51 for success. Thanks for all the advice -- I still need 5 nights the week before but that's another post. Total includes travel insurance. Doubletree Crystal City At National Airport 300 Army Navy Drive Arlington, Virginia 22202 703-416-4100 $51.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Travel Insurance: $5.00 Subtotal: $56.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $14.41 Total Charges: $70.41

Thanks, that's a good suggestion but at this point we've decided we'd rather be closer to National Mall than farther away, especially with regard to Metro proximity. I'd planned on bidding Crystal City again on Saturday, including some 4* in CH/CC, Downtown and Dupont Circle as necessary. I appreciate your suggestions. Is mid-June a high-rate time?

Not thrilled, was hoping for the Omni, but that's the way it goes . . . total price includes the travel insurance. Still saved enough to cover lunch! Doubletree Hotel Charlottesville 990 Hilton Heights Road Charolottesville, Virginia 22901 434-973-2121 $55.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Travel Insurance: $5.00 Subtotal: $60.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $13.50 Total Charges: $73.50

Tried & failed with 72 hour rebid today: bid $46 Crystal City 3* rejected; added Springfield and bid $51, rejected. Decided to try Conv Ctr/Cap Hill 3* so started new bid at $46, rejected; added Springfield and bid $48, rejected; added Crystal City and bid $52, also rejected. I'm going to wait about 10 days and try again unless there's another strategy you might suggest. Thanks

Stayed one night 1/14/04, friendly late check-in after 10 pm. Clerk simply gave us a room key and had us sign the check-in billing. Rooms are simple, basic 2* furnishings. Small refrigerator -- small note on frig exhorting guests to put unsealed food items in frig because the motel had been known to have "ant problem", but no ants or other bugs seen during our visit. Relatively clean. Continental breakfast: toast, english muffins, danish and cereal, (soft) apples. We ate elsewhere. On the plus side: just 18 miles from Yosemite gate (but it's still a 40 minute drive into Yosemite valley). If you will be in Oakhurst for dinner, get reservations at the "Three Sisters" restaurant -- great eclectic ambience, fabulous food and a somewhat eccentric chef/host. No liquor license but you may bring your own wine, no corkage fee. One caveat: you MUST have reservations. You will not be seated without, and sometimes they just don't open for the evening so calling ahead is vital but definitely worth the effort. We went just for the restaurant and were not disappointed.

Thanks for the help TravelGuy and thereuare. I tried the $40 lowball (through SavingsBarn) rejected, added Springfield and went to $45, also rejected. I have to book 12 nights total because of back and forth to Williamsburg and Monticello, but I wanted to get the DC chunk locked in first. We're paying full price for a B&B in Williamsburg so I figure to fit those 3 days in when all else is in place -- though I can't wait to long or the B&B will be booked. It will be an expensive trip -- we've taken each of our sons to DC when they turn 13, but this son (our last :) ) is a golfer, and not a great tourist, so we'll have to spend at least one day teeing it up. Will try again in 72 hours at $50 and let you know the outcome.

We are arriving DCA on 6/22/05 and will be staying DC until 6/27/05. First choice is Crystal City. Is it reasonable to bid for all days at once? Thinking opening bid of $50 with one free rebid (Springfield?), if rejected going to $55 on rebid. If rejected again (and not taking it personally :) ), thinking of splitting stay to 6/22 -24 and 6/24 - 27, again starting at $50, at least for the weekend. Weekday rates range from $179 (Doubletree) to $265 (both Marriotts). Weekends are $89 (Doubletree) to $147 (Sheraton). I know the weekday rates may be a problem . . . what would you suggest for starting bid? Am I bidding too early for this trip?

Yes, it was the first bid -- I didn't want Mariposa so I just took a chance based upon postings on this site. There isn't much available in Oakhurst or Mariposa, with or without Priceline (unless you want to cough up $350 a night for Erna's (Elderberry House). The new Chuckchansi casino down the road in Coursegold is nice but I'm guessing it won't be on Priceline for a while. Thanks for your help -- maybe we'll just spring for breakfast! :)

Quick trip for dinner with friends (who didn't invite us to spend the night with them :) ) . . . Hmmmm, should I worry? :) Your Offer Price: $30.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $30.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $10.10 Total Charges: $40.10

Stayed 7/10-11/2004. Very nice hotel and lobby. No mention of Priceline, just "prepaid" reservation. Standard Hyatt amenities, we had king bed with sofa bed and rollaway in a second floor room overlooking the pool/spa area. Ate dinner Saturday night in the hotel restaurant going for the "family-style" special called Tanto a poco (a lot for a little). It WAS a lot of food but for the price ($20 adults, $10 children) the food was just OK. There's a breakfast buffet for $28.95 / person. Looked good but we ate breakfast Sunday morning across the street at Eric's deli & restaurant. Excellent food -- averages about $10/person. (Get there early on weekends because it packs out by 10:00AM.) Would go back in a flash at $46/night. Hotel was filled on Saturday night with a high school 15 yr reunion (remarkably no noise with window closed) but virtually empty on Sunday night. Met another couple in the pool Sunday night who had booked via Priceline for their room just that morning -- they paid $58 and were quite happy. Hotel is walking distance to shopping centers with grocery store, restaurants, coffee spots, Longs Drugs, and Carl's JR. Great value overall.

Just spent 3 nights here (7/12-15/2004) and the family consensus was "great :) place". On arrival no mention of Priceline, we were offered a king or two doubles with a garden view. Asked if we'd be able to get a rollaway (two large teenage sons with us) and was told they cannot put rollaways in most rooms now because of workman's comp claims from the housekeeping staff. The desk clerk then quickly offered to upgrade us to the Regency Club on the 17th (top) floor for an additional $40 a night + tax. We grabbed it because we were easily spending $40 every morning for breakfast feeding two teenage appetites. It was SO worth the money. Nice continental breakfast with fresh melons, strawberries, grapefruit etc., 3 kinds of cereal, strawberry yogurt, large tray of breakfast pastries, two kinds of bread for toast, english muffins, 3 kinds of bagels, whole fresh fruit, 3-4 juices, milk, coffee, mocha and hot chocolate -- and all available from 6:30 AM - 10:00AM. There are also snacks (freshly baked cookies, whole fruit and pretzel mix) and drinks available from 10:30 - 5:00. At 5:00 they put out veggie trays and dip, cheese plate, crackers and a hot hors d'oeuvre that changes daily. All non-alcohol drinks are free. Honor bar for beer and self-serve wine ($4.50). Also self-serve cocktails ($5.50 I think). Room was clean though a little worn around the edges. Wonderful beds and feather pillows. View from this floor was to the west overlooking the bay and pool area-- beautiful all day, great sunsets. We had a car so being off the beaten track was actually a nice respite from the city. Self-parking is $10, and I think $14 for valet. BTW I asked the next day about a rollaway and got the same story about worker comp claims from a different desk clerk. Sounded to me like it might also be a union issue. I added my Hyatt GP number on arrival and was given credit for room upgrade and all other incidental charges.

Hyatt Regency Islandia Check-In Date: Monday, July 12, 2004 Check-Out Date: Thursday, July 15, 2004 Your Offer Price: $70.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 3 Subtotal: $210.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $32.37 Total Charges: $242.37 Tried $55 Coastal, rejected; then$58 adding Miramar, rejected; $61 adding Mission Valley, rejected; $70 adding Downtown and accepted at Islandia. I think I got impatient and should have used more zone combinations between $61 and $70 but my husband is thrilled and thinks I'm a genius so who can complain? :) Thanks for all your great advice!

Four Points Sheraton Ventura Check-In Date: Friday, July 9, 2004 Check-Out Date: Saturday, July 10, 2004 Your Offer Price: $59.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $59.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $12.99 Total Charges: $71.99 :)

:) I'm a really new newbie -- made my very 1st bids yesterday -- all rejected. Reading this site really made the difference. Two attempts today and both accepted. This is such a kick -- I have never had more fun scheduling a vacation!!! Check-In Date: Saturday, July 10, 2004 Check-Out Date: Monday, July 12, 2004 Hotel Name: Hyatt Westlake Plaza In Thousand Oaks 880 S Westlake Village Blvd Westlake Village, California 91361 Your Offer Price: $46.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $92.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $17.07 Total Charges: $109.07 Also got the Ventura Sheraton 4 Points for Friday July 9 Offer: $59 T &S 12.99 Total: $71.99 (closer to Westmont and UCSB -- we're checking both out with college bound son :) ) Thanks for such a great site! I COULD NOT have done it without you!!