iahphx

From my experience, when you send email to priceline, it is answered in India. No doubt accounting for some of the hilarious -- and almost always non-customer-focused -- responses.

If you navigate the maze of their customer service telephone number, you seem to get an American. I had a messed up priceline reservation -- somehow the priceline computer didn't talk correctly to the hotel computer -- and this fellow solved the problem prompty and courteously. Something I frankly didn't expect from priceline, which tends to have great deals and dubious service.

See my discussion of PHX fees and taxes (HERE) in the car rental deals thread. They certainly are mysterious -- and amazingly high! FWIW, I don't think you can save money on a car rental using priceline or hotwire. Go to Orbitz, and see the low rates -- you'll need one, given how much you're going to pay in taxes and fees!

Speaking of rental car taxes, the worst offender these days has to be the Phoenix airport (PHX) , where fees and taxes easily top off above 50%. That's just incredible to me.

The only good thing is that the car rental companies seem to lower their rates to compensate for this (some of the fees, like airport facility charges, may not actually be directly paid to the gov't). I just got a weekly rental on a full size car from Alamo for $115 (using an Entertainment Card ID and $20 off coupon), with the total cost of the rental topping off just south of $200.

Before I snagged this rate, I actually thought of renting the car from a nearby off-airport location, like a branch in a hotel lobby. The tax rate is basically half the on-airport rate -- although the rental rates tend to be higher. Frankly, for some rentals, it might still make sense to do this. For instance, if you wanted to book one of those nationwide promotional rates advertised on the car rental companies' websites, you'd probably save money. For instance, before I found this deal on a full size car, I thought of renting a minivan. The local minivan rates at PHX are quite high, but you can probably snag a $199/week rate booking direct from the car rental websites. If you picked it up at a nearby hotel (taking the hotel's shuttle bus) instead of at the airport, you could save $50 a week in taxes.

Incidentally, hotwire and priceline are (as is typical for cars) useless in PHX. Hotwire wanted almost $40/day for a full size car and while I never actually bid with priceline, I see from another board that successful bidders were paying significantly more than $20/day, plus all the nasty fees and such.

That sounds typical for Priceline -- home of the world's worst customer service.

Of course, a couple months ago, I e-mailed Amazon to find out which edition they were selling of a guidebook (a new edition had just been released), and they couldn't tell me.

And Amazon has a reputation for good service!

FWIW, having just returned from that zone, N/S makes no sense for Waikiki. It is a thin East/West strip.

A great deal with the bonus money, too. 40 bucks for a decent hotel on Waikiki is a steal. I stayed there on my trip and got my money's worth (see review). The only concern is some people have experienced this "bad tower" thing, but that did not happen to me.

Also, PL tends to mass email bonus offers before it reports quarterly earnings to boost revenue and the percentage of repeat business which it recently boasted to be in the 60% range. This is an improvement from where it used to be in the 30's% but I mean how can a business survive without high satisfaction and repeat business ... leads to questions like why the customers did not come back.

Ah, the internet business.

But I suspect you're correct -- and it is the end of the month! "Let's make those numbers, boys!"

I also only received a bonus offer on my non-primary email address. Interestingly, I was unsuccessful and tried to reuse it for a "new" bid in a different city. It would not let me access it again. Not sure if that's intentional, or just a momentary glitch.

Yeah, scorp, I'd say it's a surprising deal. I was stunned when I priced it out -- so much so that I called the Wyndham res line to confirm. If you don't do the AMEX R&R promotion, it looks like rates start north of $150 with no free nights. Just a bizarre disparity.

Frankly, I haven't seriously tried to directly book a resort in the US in years -- I'm spoiled by priceline's always-better-than 50% discount. But when I started seeing Tucson resorts come in under $100 -- and getting nowhere with priceline in the $50s -- I explored all the direct promotions. I'm still wondering if this one could be a mistake.

And yes, I'm already a member of Wyndham's by-request program. I joined after I was awarded a Wyndham on priceline a couple years back. To my surprise, they honored the perks on that priceline stay, and a subsequent one. Now I see the website specifically says no perks for priceline/hotwire rooms, so I don't know what would happen. The perks are clearly worth "something" -- their new "free long distance" program is unique. If I have the time, I may just call a friend or two just for the thrill of running up a free long distance tab at a hotel!

I will still keep my eyes open for reported priceline deals, however. If for some reason the Westin pops up for $50 or less (hey you never know, maybe we'll get bonus money) I'll consider it -- especially if they don't have a $20 resort fee like the Wyndham. Otherwise, I'm very happy with my good fortune, and will remember to peak at the Wyndham website more frequently in the future.

Thanks, scorp -- I've been sort of avoiding the "north" section because we'll be visiting family in Tucson and it's just more convenient to be in the Foothills. Otherwise, I'd have nothing against the North (although it is perhaps slightly less convenient for most Tucson sightseeing/dining activities).

I did just find a remarkable "direct" deal with Wyndham for the Ventana Lodge. If you book 2 nights under their American Express $89 promotional rate (see the website), you get a night free. That's the best "direct" rate I've seen at a hotel of this caliber in a long time. So I booked it. I can change my mind later if I want to. The only bad thing about the rate is they have something like a $20 daily resort fee, which is pretty outrageous, but I'd have to pay that on priceline (I assume it's the same with hotwire?).

The Ventana Lodge is not as well known as the Westin or the Loews, but that's probably because it has only 50 rooms. Kind of a boutique suite resort hotel. My only hesitation is that I'll be travelling with my kids and they might like the pool/waterslide area of the Westin. But the Lodge offers much bigger rooms, which seems like a plus in their favor. Anybody with a first hand opinion?

Thanks. It seems like Wyndhams have been "overrepresented" in the winning hotwire "bids" we've seen, and no Starwoods. But I guess our Hotwire sample pool is still pretty small.

Just looking at this board, I haven't seen anyone given a Starwood hotel (sheraton, westin, four points, W) on hotwire. Is that correct? Anyone recently get a Westin or Sheraton on hotwire? I'm tryimg to figure out what hotel I might get.

Thanks -- that's a great tip!

Too bad it only works in the 30 or so large cities where they offer packages.

For example, I'm looking at Arizona, and they offer packages to Phoenix, but not Tucson. I'm trying to figure out which "foothills" resort they're offering in Tuscon for 70 bucks.

Really tempting to forget about priceline and book the hotel I want directly. I see Hotels.com wants only 75/night weeknights for the Loews Ventana, but 89 on weekends for June.

The only thing keeping me from doing so is that in the "foothills" section three are really only 3 hotels -- the Loews, the Westin La Paloma and the Ventana Lodge. They all seem nice -- at this point I don't have a preference -- and there's no doggy hotel I can get stuck with.

So far I've bid up to $58, and I will ultimately stop at $60. Even priceline admits the average room rate for a resort in Tucson is only $95. Not sure why it's like pulling teeth so far.

Looking at this some more, I see Hotwire's $70 resort is in the Foothills section, and that Westin is directly selling its La Paloma Resort in that zone for only $95/night for June.

Logic would therefore suggest one could likely get this resort for under $60 (or its nearby equivalent competitors) eventually on priceline.

One thing that is interesting is that the Starwood group (of which Westin is a member) seems to now be trying to sell its hotels for less on its own website. It even offers a price match guarantee (not applicable to hotwire and priceline, of course). This move -- which makes logical business sense to me -- could mean that the "golden age" of priceline discounts may be nearing an end. Obviously, picking your own hotel -- and getting their frequent guest points -- is worth something.

I kind of liked this hotel for the money (my invoice said $39, so without bonus money I'd start bidding there). It's downtown, but very easy access to the Interstate. Parking would add $8 weekdays, but the meters don't run evenings or weekends, and on-street parking is plentiful. About a block or two up Second Street are some surprisingly trendy restaurants, including a spiffy-looking cafe selling only soup, so there might actually be some benefit to being downtown (other than business). The City Island recreation area across the mighty Susquehana is also just blocks away.

They seemed to spend lavishly on the hotel's interior, with marble and plenty of local Amish-style "antiques." Room decor is also well above average for a business hotel, with faux Amish quilts and wall hangings. Even the indoor pool has windows to the bar area! Certainly more style than you'd expect to find in a Harrisburg Crowne Plaza.

I've got a June trip to Tucson planned, and I'd sure like to stay in a priceline-priced resort. A few years ago I snagged the Sheraton El Conquistador for less than 50 bucks on priceline if my memory is correct (there was probably some bonus money involved). I understand the Loews Ventana Canyon went for $50 last summer.

So far, I've bid up to $55 with no luck. I will be patient, and hope for the return of some bonus money. Hotwire seems to be selling a resort for $70 in June, which I'm curious about. That seems to suggest I'm shopping in the correct price range.

Anybody with any recent experience bidding in this market?

Nothing special about this place but it is a good value. The place is being somewhat neglected maintenance/furnishing-wise, but the staff is more than pleasant. The pool is good, the beach pretty to look at (I swam elsewhere), there's free evening entertainment and it's by no means a TOTAL dump. Easy shopping very nearby, and convenient to most of the island.

Bottom line: if you want to stay super cheap or you just need a night or two, it's more than fine. If you're looking for a fancy resort, stay elsewhere.

Just a fellow up -- I liked this hotel for the price. Absolutely nothing special about the rooms -- in fact, try to get a NON-connecting room for more quiet, and an upper floor will block street noise -- but the hotel is well located in the heart of Waikiki. You can use all the facilities at the somewhat tonier Sheratons across the street. So it was my money (and it was), I'd stay here for this price if I wanted to be on Waikiki.

BTW, parking is now 10 bucks. The lot is initially confusing, but very convenient to the rooms. You don't need a car for Waikiki, but it's a good idea if you want to get out and about on Oahu. There's no plausible way of avoiding the parking charge unless you want to leave your car very far away.

Yup.

For 2 weekend nights in April. Took advantage of the bonus money promotion. Downtown zone.

Was initially shooting for a Marriott in the "south" zone. Started at $35, went up to $40. Nothing. Decided to add downtown (where I knew there was a crowne plaza) and dropped back to $35. Got hit.

Factoring in the amount of bonus money, this is the cheapest reported priceline rate I've seen for this hotel. They charged me $7.02 in tax. At the 9% rate, that would equal $40/night. With the $10 bonus, does that mean I could have gotten it for $30? Shows you never know. BTW, cheapest promotional weekend rate from the hotel is $89. Hotel has also received positive reviews. So no complaints.

There's even more to this story . . .

My foot-loose family member decides he wants to stay ANOTHER night in St. Augustine. And he like the La Quinta. Given the above info, I tell him the best thing to do is get the $49 "sleep" rate direct from the hotel. Only problem is they're not offering it for the additional night! So I bid, not optimistic that I'd get him anything (if you see my Central Fla post, you'll see we had little last minute luck on this trip).

First bid: $43 -- with very limited rebids, merely trying to shave a couple bucks off the $45 rate, and remembering I was rejected the previous night at $40. But this time, we instead get the 2* PONCE DE LEON HOTEL AND GOLF RESORT.

Turns out that IS the former Radisson. Expansive grounds, but Pop says it's not quite as "well kept" or convenient to the historic area. Published room rates are much higher than the La Quinta, FWIW.

So perhaps those old $40 Radisson bids would still work. If I wanted to stay at the Ponce, I'd probably bid $40. If rejected, I'd look to see what I could get the La Quinta for on their website.

Yeah, I was afraid of overpaying for one of those interstate motels, too. That's why when I started bidding the 2-stars, I did not include the "west" zone.

It's just a shame that the downtown Radisson was classified as a 2-star -- something I've never seen before (even AAA gives it 3 stars). Otherwise I never would have bid $45 for a two star. Even $40 -- a price I was rejected at -- could have easily been an overbid.

Since I was having so much fun with this, I decided to send them a "reply" to their letter. This time they at least read it, and sent me a largely coherent form response! Not surprisingly, however, they do not consider their $5.95 service fee to be part of the guarantee. Frankly, I think that's mildly dishonest, but hey -- you going to sue for $1.95? So it is possible to overpay on priceline -- just by not more than $5.95!

BTW, I went through this exercise to see what would happen (obviously, the money involved is trivial). I think we now have some better insight (good and bad) into their corporate practices.

_______________________________________________

Dear Sir or Madam.

With all due respect, do you guys actually READ these letters before sending out a form response?

My correspondence seeks a refund under your "best price guaranteed" program. As my letter states, I paid more for my hotel room than I could have gotten it direct from the hotel's own website. I would appreciate the refund -- and you folks actually reading my letter!

Thanks

_____________________________________________

Dear Mr. xxxxx,

Thank you for taking the time to send us an email. We apologize for any miscommunication in our previous correspondence and understand that you

found a better rate for your room on hotel's website.

We have reviewed rates available on http://www.laquinta.com and are unable to find a room rate that is lower than you offer price of

$45.00.

Please make sure that when researching other internet sites, you are looking at the correct hotel and looking at the exact check-in and check-out dates and equivalent room type. [Editor's note -- huh?]

Furthermore, Mr. xxxx, the $5.95 priceline-processing fee is used to defray the cost of processing your request. If we find you a hotel reservation, a standard $5.95 per room charge is added to the final cost. Our Best Price Guarantee applies for your offer price and does not include the processing fee or taxes added to it.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Sincerely,

Surabha T.

The priceline.com Customer Service Team

Out of curiosity, I went ahead and requested my "overcharge" refund from priceline. Sure enough, they sent me an "idiotic" form letter response. You can easily see why they're not famous for their customer service!

_________________________________________________

Dear Sir or Madam,

[As you can see from the attached] I made this reservation with you for tomorrow in St. Augustine. I was awarded the La Quinta for my $45 bid. Checking their website, they are offering a rate to the general public, using their "Sleep" promotion of $49. With your $5.95 service charge, I am paying $1.95 more than if I had booked the room direct with La Quinta. Please refund this difference to my credit card.

Thanks.

________________________________________________

Dear Mr. xxxx,

Thank you for taking the time to send us an e-mail. We apologize for the delay in responding to your message and understand that you are dissatisfied with the price you requested.

We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused you, however, as you are aware, we search for hotels that will accept the price that you agree to. Hotels change their rates throughout the day, which is why we recommend that you research available rates for the

hotels in the area of your destination prior to determining the price you are willing to pay for your reservation.

Mr. xxxx, we are sorry that you are no longer satisfied with the price you agreed to. We search for a hotel that matches all of your criteria, including price.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Sincerely,

Sachin T.

The priceline.com Customer Service Team

Well, bturner, I think I have the info you need. DON'T BID PRICELINE IN ST. AUGUSTINE NOW!

I have a "crazy" relative travelling around Florida this month (see my central Florida bid post) who keeps calling me for help with last minute priceline reservations. Yesterday, he tells me he wants to spend tonight in St. Augustine.

OK, so I quickly look at the zones, and I look at the historical info on TOBB. I first tried that "west" zone for the apparent Renaissance hotel, but not too seriously -- I went up to $50 (plus that promotional $10 bonus money for 3 star+ properties) and quit.

I then bid more seriously for what appeared to be a 2-star Radisson in the historic district that folks had once gotten for $40. The priceline bonus money promotion doesn't count on 2-stars (the highest zone there), so I first bid $40 and failed. I then added the "beach" zone, raised it to $45 and got a La Quinta in the historic zone.

A little disappointing, but not terrible. But then I went to La Quinta's website to see what a room would have cost me for the night and it turns out there's a promotional $49 "Sleep" rate available. Do the math -- $45 plus $5.95 means I COULD HAVE SAVED MONEY booking direct! That's never happened to me before with priceline (I wonder if I complained to priceline under their price guarantee, they'd refund the $1.95)

BTW, I then looked at Radisson's website (which I guess I should have done beforehand had I wanted to be an anal-retentive bidder), and found that the St. Augustine Radisson is apparently closed temporarily. Hosed!

Yeah, I didn't post the link because I suspected it was a one-time use.

This is interesting as we haven't seen any bonus money in many months. And 10 bucks a night is fairly generous.

I guess it pays to be on their mailing list -- even though you get a fair amount of worthless junk.

No luck on a 2-star or better in Cocoa Beach for $50 for several different days mid-February.

No luck on a 2 1/2 star or better in several Orlando zones for $45 for 2/14-2/15 (surprising to me).

No luck on a 2-star Melbourne for $30 for 2/14.

I have a somewhat foolish relative who is travelling around Florida the past 10 days without advance reservations (foolish because it's a pretty peak tourist week). He keeps calling me at the last minute to help him get priceline rooms (he's no fool on that front -- he knows what I usually pay). But I keep striking out -- the Orlando failure was particularly surprising because, hey, I can always get a cheap room in Orlando. But peak season, on short notice, is apparently different. In Cocoa Beach, I was trying to get him into a 3 star Hilton that folks on the TOBB board have reported success as low as $38. No luck, even for tonight (2/24) at up to $50, when I thought we might be beyond the peak period.

That bid in N. Melbourne was aimed at a Baymont Inn, which usually pop up quite reasonably. They had rooms on their website for $59, but wouldn't take a $30 priceline bid.

We had to resort to those motel coupon books (now available on line at roomsaver. com).