Priceline makes the most money with the folks that accept counteroffers. Even people I have trained in rebidding always call and ask should I take the offer? Hotels enter NET rates into various opaque websites (rates not visible to the public) The hotel chain may have one rate code that goes to a few or many opaque sites. The hotel can also set minimum stay limits, close out days for arrival, and maximum number of rooms to sell at the net rate. Hotels use opaque websites to fill empty rooms at lower rates without compromising current business, groups, and prearranged corporate rates. You can benefit most from priceline since the rate the hotel enters is the rate you pay (plus service fees and difference between the hotel rate and priceline bid) Other websites (Orbitz, Travelocity etc) charge hotels up to 25% of the rate in fees and hotels are required to have rate parity (the same rate on all sites)
