zbenye

If PL really had a problem with people using invalid card numbers, they'd simply present the "we're sorry but we couldn't find a hotel..." page instead of the "couldn't charge" page. Then there would be no reason to submit a bid with an invalid card number, since the whole purpose of doing so is to find out if PL will try to charge it, meaning a successful bid. But I think they just don't mind. Eventually you buy something.

If you haven't flown Ryanair before, read up on their very low baggage allowance, which is strictly enforced. Thanks for the tip on the LM still being accepted. I still haven't gotten the HK$200 credit I'm expecting. The website says to expect the refund within 30 days after the ending of the promotion, which I presumed to be 4/15.

I had won a $50 bid at this hotel for a December (low season) stay. So your win at $54.50 is excellent for high-season, and if you're pleased with the location, which is a bit out of the way, then this is a terrific deal. Remember free breakfast (confirm with desk). If you take the tube to Vauxhall station, you'll have a 5 to 7-minute walk to the hotel. There was some road work going on, which you may need to go around. There's a bus stop near the hotel that you can use to get to Victoria, West End, etc. Two blocks east of the hotel is a small deli/bakery that sells the best jelly donuts. European donuts - no hole and raised with yeast. Yummy. Are you sure about the lucky money? I thought that promotion ended on April 15th..? About the credit card, when I use visa or mc, the charge is within pennies of the result I get from the currency convertor I use (www.xe.com). However when I used my amex the charge was about $2 over. Obviously I don't use amex for purchases in foreign currency anymore.

b, thanks for the link, I was glad to see that the discussion was about a code other than D002807. So they were trying to use an employees-only code, doh! I agree that you should be more careful when booking for someone else. Considering that the published rates are so low right now, just book those. At least as a backup reservation.

b, I've used D002807 several times and never a problem. Would you email me a link to the discussion you mentioned? Avis offers a full size on your dates for $21. Expedia shows Thrifty and Dollar for around $20, full size. I think you should bid no more than $15 for a full size on PL (no more than $13 if you insist on mid size), otherwise just book the above conventionally. No reason whatsoever to go with Hotwire at $21.

Unfortunately, couldn't link directly into the page, but it's in PL's help section, under flights. Here's an excerpt: Destination region Avg. connection times booked by priceline (hours) Maximum connection times booked by priceline (hours) Europe 2.3 5 Canada 1.5 2.5 South America 2.3 4 Carribbean 1.5 4 Middle East 3.4 6 Asia 3.0 7 Africa 3.9 4.5 Australia 2.5 8

This hotel is a good deal for $50. You're saving over 50% off published rates. Enjoy your stay. For the benefit of others who might be looking at this post for clues on how much to bid in that area, note that, based on the tax amount charged, a bid of $36 could have been accepted.

Conveniently located a block away from Pigalle station, and just a 10-15 minute walk to anywhere. Small hotel, clean and friendly. The room had a double bed, desk, chair, mini-fridge under the desk, Small closet. The lack of drawers was annoying, since the room was so small that there was no space on the floor for laying a suitcase flat and using it for storage. The tub had a very high wall, and an awkward glass thing that closes half the length of the tub. The thing (what are these called?) could swivel to allow easy entry into the tub, but it was blocked so it couldn't be turned outward. It would be very hard and dangerous for older people, children, or anyone with knee problems, to get in and out of the tub. I recommend asking for a room with a shower stall instead. Also, because the thing only closes half the length of the tub, water splashes onto the bathroom floor. Ingenious. The hotel provides some body & hair cleansing liquid. I was glad I brought normal soap and shampoo with me. The bed: it was only 6 feet long, and the padded headboard reduced it by some 4 inches. I am 6 feet tall, so the bed ended at my ankles. I had to sleep diagonally to fit in. What would a taller person do? It's not like Europeans are particularly short... *** zbenye's favorite things in Paris: - Leonidas chocolates. Twice as expensive as in Belgium, but still half what they cost in the U.S. The white chocolate with mocca filling is the best. - The Honore Fragonard museum. No, not the artist but his cousin the Vet...! Read up: Review and Museum website. Keep a sick bag with you, just in case...

This hotel is overrated as 3*. It's a 2* at most. The lobby is just a small hallway with a front desk counter. There is one elevator for the 6 floors. 6 persons can fit in it, which is quite large compared to what I've seen in Europe so far. The room was large but very dull. White walls, 2 pictures, cheap wood floor (might have been linoleum). 2 single beds, a desk and a chair, a closet. An empty area looked like space for a 3rd bed. There was a mid-size refrigerator. A much-too-small TV was mounted on a rack on the wall opposite the beds. The bathroom had a full tub. Very little counter space. The room key is attached to a gigantic piece of heavy metal that won't let you forget that you must surrender it to the front desk whenever going out. The Continental+ breakfast was very nice and included in the Priceline rate. There is paid parking in the back. Other guests were walk-ins, mostly groups of young people who came to town for New Year's and cramped 4 into a room. They were loud. Underground station Aldgate East just around the corner with 2 lines going through it.

Also, it would be nice to be able to correct mistakes in message titles. Those are not currently editable.

After I post a new message, I can click an EDIT button to make corrections. But this button disappears after a while. On other BBs, an EDIT link is always there for the message owner to make revisions. Can the button here be made to remain, at least for as long as no replies follow the post?

Check-In Date: Saturday, May 31, 2003 Check-Out Date: Friday, June 6, 2003 Hotel Name: Hesperia Madrid Paseo De La Castellana 57 Madrid, Spain 34 912108800 Your Offer Price: $130.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 6 Subtotal: $780.00 Processing Fee ($5.95 per room): $5.95 Local Taxes and Fees: $51.36 Total Charges: $837.31

Thank you for the link, sounds interesting. What I miss the most is the good ol' Easy Sabre on Compuserve many years ago. A command-line-based application that let you explore rate availability, and book flights in far fewer steps than today's GUI's. But then came Travelocity and replaced it :-(

This hotel doesn't look like much from the outside (but then that's my opinion of most buildings in Europe), but your impression of it will change as soon as you walk into the very modern lobby. It must be quite new. The room too was new and spotless. It was very spacious in European standards and had two single beds, a desk with chairs and a coffee maker. Ample storage for your clothes. The bathroom too was comfortable and modern (shower only - just what guys prefer). Bring soap and shampoo with you if you don't care for the gym-style liquid soap dispensers. The staff was very nice and let me check in as early as 9AM. A generous continental breakfast is included even in Priceline's rate. The hotel has a pay parking lot if you're driving. Otherwise, the tube (Vauxhall station) is about a 10 minute walk, or there's a bus right by the hotel that will take you there or to Victoria station or lots of other places.

In London, try getting the Comfort Inn in the Vauxhall zone. It's a great hotel and the spacious rooms have two beds. Look for the review in the reviews section in a bit.

Lots of changes in Hotwire's portal, including the introduction of vacation packages, where hotels are shown with name, star level and amenity icons. Want to book the hotel alone? Check out the hotels listed in the vacation packages for the city, then go to the hotel booking screen and match the star level and amenity icons to what you saw in packages!

This hotel has a pool, a gym, a bar and a restaurant, which is very likely why it is rated 2.5*. The rating is definitely not linked to the quality of accommodations. The regular rooms are equivalent to a run-down roadside motel, perhaps a bit larger. The style and condition of the furniture and bathroom fixtures testify to their progressive age, somewhere between 20 and 30 years. The upholstery is stained and soiled, the furniture scratched and chipped. Renovation is badly needed here. There are several Business Plan floors, and I'm guessing that the rooms there are more reasonable. A sign at the front desk offers an upgrade for $15, which includes free breakfast and local calls, fridge and microwave. The lobby is nice, the clerks are kind, the free shuttle was prompt. Parking is free. Local calls are free when you present your free Priority Club card, otherwise $.75. No free breakfast, no in-room high-speed Internet Access. So-so deal for Priceliners, extremely poor deal for folks paying published rates.

Priceline zone: San Francisco Airport Hotwire zone: San Francisco Airport North - Oyster Point Quiet and 3 miles from the airport. Free shuttle 5AM-11PM or so. Two adjacent buildings of 4 floors. Lobby and breakfast room in one, laundry and gym in the other. Plenty of free parking. Free local calls. The free breakfast is great: cereal, yogurts, muffins, toast, fruit, juices, coffee, and recently added - self-serve waffle iron. Rooms are spacious with either one king or two full beds. Closet, chest, nightstand, desk, two chairs, phone jack near desk, coffee maker. small fridge+microwave combo available for the asking if not already in room. All in good condition. Most guests are Spanish-speaking. $1/guest/day makes the maids here very happy, as suggested to me by the extra coffee bags and soaps they stocked.

This place is a motel, not a hotel. You drive up and park in front of your room. The room door opens to the parking lot or to the back yard. Although the furnishing is nicer than most motels, it's still a motel and I do not believe it deserves to be rates the same as, for example, the La Quinta across the highway, which is a true hotel. The lobby is elegant with an on-site caf

Priceline zone: San Francisco Airport Hotwire zone: San Francisco Airport North - Oyster Point Spanking new hotel, just a couple of miles from the airport. Next door to a McDonalds; IHOP across the street, Hungry Hunter (excellent steakhouse) just up the road. The rooms are large and beautiful. Very tastefully decorated. Choose from one king or two full beds. The bathroom is spacious, with stone floors and marble counter. Hair dryer and usual amenities. The room has a work desk; coffee maker; small fridge; microwave; safe; two phones; high-speed Internet - FREE; local calls - FREE. Awesome complimentary expanded breakfast buffet hosted by wonderful Jackie. Free parking. Laundry room has only one washer and one dryer. Each are $2, and two runs through the dryer are necessary. Small gym, hot tub. No hotel charges beyond Hotwire payment. I've stayed at many hotels in the airport area, and I consider this one the best!

Exquisite for a 2*. Deserves to be rated higher. It's a suite hotel. I Got a studio with a queen bed. There is a full kitchen: fridge, micro, dishwasher, sink, toaster, electric range, coffee maker and all kitchenware. Room also had large work desk and chair, armchair, large TV, dresser. Full bathroom with all the usual amenities. Free in-room high-speed Internet access. Free 60-minute local calls. Free parking. Free self-service laundry! The washers and dryers phone your room when cycles finish!! Free continental breakfast (very minimal). hot tub and exercize room. Car required, or be shuttled to public transportation. About 10 minutes to SF. Great value!

Priceline zone: South San Francisco Hotwire zone: San Francisco Airport North - Oyster Point Very new and clean hotel. Isolated in what some day might be a biotech area, but at this time the Residence Inn next door is the only other building on this out-of-the-way dead-end road. The hotel has a restaurant, and if you don't have a car then that's where you'll eat as there is nothing within walking distance and no public transportation. The rooms are large, but the design is idiotic. A lot of space is lost to an unattractive hallway that runs through a third of the length of the room. The bathroom is spacious, because the sink was placed outside of it. So in the bathroom itself there's the tub at one side, the toilet at the other, and a big nothing in between. That's where the sink should have been. As a result, there's only a small closet, with sliding doors so narrow, it is uncomfortable to reach inside. On the small counter around the sink there is a coffee maker. The hair dryer is stored in the closet, as it hadn't occurred to the designer to mount it at a convenient location near the sink where the outlets are. The rest of the room houses a king bed, a dresser with a TV on top, a small sofa, coffee table and a small work area with desk and chair. These are arranged in a manner that does NOT give a feel of a sleeping area separate from a living area, although the available space could allow that. So the layout of the room sucks, but it's clean and in excellent state of repair. The mattress on my king bed is so soft - just the way I like it. Soap, shampoo and coffee replenished daily. Breakfast is available for purchase at the restaurant in the lobby. Coffee/tea are complimentary. Local calls are 50

I stayed there last fall and got a room with a private bathroom. I had a renovated room and loved the furniture and decoration, but hated the claustrophobic feeling. The room was just slightly larger than the queen bed - hardly any room for the suitcase, and forget drawers. The bathroom was small, and most inconvenient was the wash sink, a tiny corner fixture with no counter. An then I got this hotel again. If I thought the room I got before was small, I now stand corrected. The room I got this time makes that one seem gigantic. This room has the sink in the bedroom corner - no room for it in the bathroom. The bathroom has the toilet and a shower stall. No tub. This room is so small - no more than 150sf, about 1/3 the size of the common hotel room in the U.S. - that a queen bed would not fit into it, so it has one full bed. Not a problem for single me, but two persons may not be comfortable sleeping in this bed. There were some decorative pillows on the bed which I had to ask housekeeping to remove from the room, having no space to put them on the floor. Also for lack of space, I sent away a strange tray holding a vase with artificial flowers that were placed right on the bed... A mini TV is mounted on a pole that's based in the platform of the bed. A wireless keyboard provides TV-based Internet access for $9.95. A night stand of a sort is also on a pole rising from the bed platform, and on it a small CD player. A phone is mounted on the wall. It has buttons for two lines, but only one has dial tone. Calls, including "toll-free", are $.75, plus $.05/minute after 30 minutes. There is one medium drawer in the base of the bed that one must kneel down to use. There are no dresser or closet (and hence no iron/board). There are three hangers on a hook on the bathroom door. My suitcase will be the closet for this week. My nook has a window that opens into a ventilation "shaft", and the view is the room across. The windows are double-paned, so outside noise is not a problem. Corridor noise, however, is really bad. The door and inner walls must be paper-thin. Some guests at this hotel use a shared bath, which happens to be located right next to my room, so plenty of traffic. There is no air conditioner, just a ceiling fan and a heater. This room would be considered minimal even in Europe. No coffee maker. Guest laundry in the basement, $1.75 per device. Only one out of the 4 dryers is in working condition. $7 breakfast at the restaurant in the building. Denny's around the corner. No garage, but many public garages in the area. Very expensive - car neither recommended nor needed. The front desk clerk was very courteous. Here too, I was given to sign a folio that clearly showed what the hotel had been prepaid by Priceline.

Standard 3* hotel. Rooms were good size and clean. Despite the location between runways, there was no noise. Self-parking was $11. Local calls were $1, waived if you're member of their frequent traveler program (enroll right there and save). Fast Internet $10. Look for free street parking. There were always a couple of open spaces, right behind the hotel.