dahammer

What is the "all in" $89 rate for HoJo's with taxes and the Hot.wire 2* $71 rate with tax and fees?

I am asking because the difference might be negligible.

Won this yesterday. I had been monitoring prices for a day or so, Saturday nights during the summer in AC are typically very high. I saw what I believed to be the Sheraton available on PRICELINE Express for $192, then a few hours later it appeard on HOTWIRE for $195. I took a chance, after all this is Atlantic City, and bid $180 and received my first win before setting foot in the town.

Room Price: $180.00

Taxes & Fees: $38.64

Total: $218.64

There is a $15 per day parking charge at the hotel, but it appears to be about a 10 minute walk to Caesars or Ballys, this will be my first stay at this hotel. The rack rate was around $280 and it appears the hotel is sold out, so I am very pleased with this win and no regrets that it was on my first bid. I used the BetterBidding Win Alerts app on my iPad to simultaneously check HOTWIRE, PRICELINE, and Hotels..com rates by flipping through screens. A great app for anyone who values their time during the bidding process.

Wow, that is a great deal for summer weekend dates near Atlantic City, congratulations.

Thanks for the follow up, looks like a great bargain for your stay. I'm not sure of the hours, but IKEA in Conshohocken has a $.99 breakfast. ;)

Enjoy the Folk Festival.

I'll figure out a way to not park at hotel but it is annoying. So you can record the winning bid of $52 for the Mariott Conshohocken West

I would put a call into the general manager with your best "kiss up" tone of voice and say how you look forward to your upcoming stay at the hotel and if he could waive the parking fee. Don't mention your booking method, it's never good to lead with your chin, so to speak. Keep it short and sweet. I would also sign up for a Marriott Rewards card before hand, let them know you're in the club even if it's for one stay.

If that fails, there is a McDonalds across the street. Grab a free coffee in the Marriott Lobby (if available), and get two sausage burritos off the Dollar Plus menu. There is street parking along the side of McD's, but check the signs to see if there are any time limits or restrictions. I don't think West Conshohocken has resident parking permits. There are some office buildings nearby, but security might hassle you about parking. There's also a WaWa across the street, if Hoagiefest is still going on you can grab a made to order Hoagie for $4.99, it will probably be cheaper than anything you'd get at the Folk Featival.

By the way, the Homewood Suites in Lansdale has an average rate of $63 through the PFS site. Congrats on the $52 win.

Pittsfield Cafe (http://www.yelp.com/biz/pittsfield-cafe-chicago, this is an old school diner - I went here as a kid, older relatives went here when they were younger, etc.) The food is reasonably good - very classic diner fare - a real core attraction here is that old school atmosphere and the beautiful architecture of the building's interior - it's tucked away in what's otherwise a classic office building downtown. It used to be cash, now I believe they take some cards but you may want to ask.

They make a great corned beef hash, not the canned stuff. And they accept credit cards too, I stopped for breakfast during my last two trips.

Aaron, this is a comprehensive post of things to do in the area, I will bookmark this!

I only use the room to sleep in (1am to 9am) and breakfast. I do live IN Philly but don't want to drive all the way home from the Folk Festival (in Schwenkville) which is reason for annual trip.

So you don't want to camp out on the farm? ;)

It looks like that $59 rate is gone. I am not sure about the parking in the area, the hotel is bordered by residential areas, highways, and a river. I am not seeing any availability through Hot.wire in this zone. But, there is a McDonald's across the street, also a Wawa convenience store for an inexpensive breakfast and good coffee. However, I agree, the Residence Inn would be a great choice. By the way, right in front of the Residence Inn there is a great Bike trail that runs into the city and out to Valley Forge and beyond. Good luck.

It appears that parking is available as a special rate promotion, otherwise all guests must pay for parking.

This is becoming a habit for me, with 4 Extended Stay America properties in this area (2 in Secaucus - North Bergen zone and 2 in East Rutherford - Meadowlands zone), these 2* hotels have been coming up frequently. All 4 E.S.A.hotels seem to have been refurbished in the last two or three years and are improved. Rooms are still basic, but include a refrigerator, microwave, sink, stovetop, a queen bed, and a recliner. Free wifi and free coffee is available as are packaged muffins and granola bars in the morning. This location is probably my favorite as the NJ Transit Rt. 129 bus to Manhattan stops right in front of the hotel and in the morning it's about a 30 minute trip to the Port Authority, a bargain at $6.40 round trip. The regular rate was $123 plus tax, so I was pleased with my bidding. Rates in Manhattan were just crazy at around $350 plus.

Offer price: $66.00/ 2 nights

Room subtotal: $132.00

Taxes & fees: $30.64

Total: $162.64

There is a shuttle bus that runs between three of the Extended Stay America hotels, during the week the hours of operation are 7:00 AM - 9:00AM. In the evening, the schedule is 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM. At :00, the bus departs the Rutherford-Meadowlands, at :15 it departs East Rutherford-Meadowlands, and at :30, it departs Secaucus (1 Meadowlands Parkway). On weekends, the shuttle runs from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM. This shuttle will take folks to the Secaucus Junction train station, the Walmart shopping center or to some of the corporate buildings in the area. I've never used the shuttle, but it's an option. I think the cab fare to the Secaucus Junction train station is about $17 or so. Always check with the desk clerk regarding shuttle times as they are subject to change.

Made by bids with the WinAlerts app, a great way to check out rates on Hot.Wire, Hotels.com, and even Price.line Express.

Early August is the time of year to get a great deal on a hotel in NYC, if you are familiar with the Price.line bidding process you may be able to get something in the 4* range for a few dollars more than Long Island City.

I have stayed in L.I.C. before, but it was for business. Yes, there are trains available at Queensboro plaza and other stations, but as thereuare mentions, this is an industrial area that doesn't have the same amenities as neighborhoods in Manhattan. I prefer staying in Manhattan for a leisure trip and using the room to wash up or take a nap. I think the price difference will be negligible and worth reconsidering your location. Just my two cents.

I have used PRICELINE EXPRESS as a way to search hotels that offer free parking. Sometimes it is not possible to determine the name of the property prior to purchase, so I will defer to the ratings left by others.

I was accepted on my first bid for a full size, possibly a Ford Fusion. Reviews on Yelp are pretty poor for this location, we shall see. Very pleased with the rate. Used the links on the board to make my Price.line bid, the best rate through Avis was $18.

Edit: Alamo does not assign specific models, I was able to pick from a few different full sized cars, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Mazda 6, and a Dodge Charger.

Greetings and my apologies for not replying sooner, I just saw your question. No, it will not go to or from the airport. The shuttle has limited hours of operation, but I believe they will take you to the train station at Secaucus Junction. I would not recommend staying at this hotel with out a car.

I really wanted to stay a little closer to the Sparrows Point area, but it appeared there were some bargains in Hunt Valley. There was a 2* on PRICELINE EXPRESS that appeared to be the Extended Stay America for $45, my kind of deal. It mentions a "studio" and this frequently is an ESA. I bid $59 for a 3* and was accepted immediately, no bidders remorse here. Well a little bit.......I missed the Manager's reception due to my late check in.

Bid: $59.00

Taxes and Fees: $14.21

Total: $73.21

Used the PRICELINE links on the board to make my bid. The hotel looks fairly new and like all Marriott's is well maintained. This hotel is a couple blocks away from a light rail station which would offer great access to Baltimore.

Best wishes to your Father in Law. Using PRICELINE EXPRESS in the Allentown Dorneyville zone, there is a 2* property for $50 (Friday and Saturday night) with a bed choice of a king or two queens. Here are the Guaranteed Amenities:

Pets Allowed

Restaurant

Fitness Center

Free Parking

Airport Shuttle

Free Internet

Free Breakfast

Business Center

I'm not sure what hotel this is, but it has a 7+ rating by Priceline guests. I like this zone because it is not very big compared to the HOTWIRE zone. Also, the Hospital is almost in the middle of the zone. Good luck, and I'm not sure of the name of this property, maybe the bed selection will aid in its discovery.

There is a major fight scheduled for May 2nd and prices are very high. I don't think it will be possible to stay on the strip based on your budget.

Aaron, that is a fitting description for this hotel. A super convenient location a block from Michigan and Ohio, but with many older properties, the rooms are small. I was given a king and it was fine for just me, the bathroom was also small. There is a $15 per day wifi fee, but free in the lobby. I walked over to Yolk one day for breakfast, it was pretty awesome. The hotel is a short walk from the red line and I was able to give my three day Ventra pass a work out thanks to a transit app I use. This is a solid 3* hotel, it's not the Intercontinental, Hyatt, or Wyndham Riverfront and I would stay here again.

Using the lists on the board, I felt confident that this was going to be the Inn of Chicago. The hotel gets mixed reviews, but generally positive. The rack rate was around $169 so I am pretty pleased with this win. The amenities shown prior to purchase include fitness center and business center. I used the WinAlerts app to check prices on Hot.wire as well prior to purchase.

Very pleased with this PRICELINE Express win, made a same day reservation and saw this 3* with the following amenities: Internet, Fitness, Pool. It had a 8+ rating and was $101. I used the hotel list to narrow it down to the Courtyard or the Holiday Inn. The rack rate was $269. Parking was $35, but there was a public lot down the street with overnight parking for $10, but out by 8 AM. Used the WinAlerts app on my iPad to make my purchase.

Room price: $101.00

Taxes & fees: $16.70

Total: $117.70

Checked Price.line express and saw a 2.5* for $62 with 7+ rating, so I made a $56 bid which was accepted immediately. I was hoping to get the Towne Place Suites, but this hotel is just fine. The rack rate was $99, so I am pleased with the results.

Offer price: $56.00

Taxes & fees: $12.50

Total: $68.50

My bad! I didn't look at the calendar, your first night in Key West is Easter Sunday. Bidding for Key West seems tough because there are few reported wins, it would be great to have more data points. I always like to hear when someone gets a good deal, it gives me hope! With school schedules and such, the week leading up to Easter is in high demand and for the two years we went, we could not find anything less than $300 a night.

As for our Courtyard stay, we had to book direct and I think we got the AAA rate for Friday-Monday of Easter Weekend 2013, it was around $340 for that Family Suite, which I would recommend highly. We thought about the Fairfield, but the rooms were smaller and we were a party of four with adult children.

As for the 1 and 2* property reference, this is when I am traveling solo for business in places like Secaucus, NJ. But for a family vacation I could not risk staying at a 1 or 2*.

Close to the Half Shell is Turtle Krawls and Schooners Wharf Bar, two other favorites. Hope you are successful and that you have great weather.

I have stayed in Key West twice during the Easter Holiday with my family of four. It is high season and hotels will not have problems selling out between Wednesday to Sunday of Easter week.

I have no problems staying at 1 and 2* properties when traveling on business solo, but I could not risk it with a vacation. We ended up in a family suite at the Courtyard and really enjoyed it. The room was quiet and faced the courtyard and pool area, it was great and I wouldn't hesitate to return. Breakfast is not included, but there is a McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts nearby.

I would keep your reservation at the Fairfield Inn and continue to monitor prices on Hot.wire and Price.line Express. I would also make bids as well and ratchet up the bidding each day, I really doubt $150 will work. I read some positive reviews about the Best Western near the southernmost point, there is a link on the board.

I am a big fan of the Half Shell Oyster bar, they have a great happy hour with reduced prices. The local pink shrimp is awesome, sunsets at the state park are tough to beat. Enjoy.

What's this world coming to??

:)

Agreed, Hauppauge and Long Island is getting expensive, occupancy is up and prices follow. If it's any consolation, I stayed at this Holiday Inn about 15 years ago and the rack rate was $100 plus tax.

The MacArthur zone still has some deals, but it's a large area and further out on the Island.

Made my same day bid using the WinAlerts app and I'm pleased with this win. The rack rate is $90.

Room: $48.00

Taxes & fees: $12.83

Total: $60.83

This is the property adjacent to the Hilton (former Sheraton). There are four Extended Stay properties nearby and apparently they all share one shuttle van that operates in the morning and evening. The shuttle is free and it operates within a short radius of the hotels.

You may want to check, but I believe this hotel charges a resort fee on top of your winning bid. I stayed here many years ago and the grounds were very well maintained, and my room was fine, but they have several buildings arranged in a courtyard setting around a few pools. I believe the property was expanded in several phases, so the rooms are not consistent in size or quality. With that said, I think relative to other options in the area, this seems to be a good deal. It might be good to check in just when rooms open up rather than late at night. Would be great to hear a brief follow up after your stay.