I know the board is not for complaints, and this isn't one -- I'm talking to Priceline separately, but I was just curious about whether this had happened to anyone else, and wanted to share my experience for whatever it may be worth (which may be nothing - lol). I've been using Pricline for four years now, probably 20 nights per year, and this is a first. I know what I'm doing with it, so I don't usually mess up. I did use the PRICELINE links here on the first res. This is about two reservations made out of 13 over March and April, in which I got jumped down levels to levels for which I did not bid. Anyway, With the first reservation, March 28 and 29, I started with Tucson's Ventana Canyon for $40 at 4 stars and 3.5, just for kicks since I knew how unlikely it was, but was planning all along to settle for Tucson Central at 3. When I moved to 3 stars and Tucson Central, I got the Riverpark Inn at $40. I was surprised, since it didn't look like a 3, and when I got there, it was not, and not what I would assume, from experience, I would get for $40 at 3 stars in Tucson. So the next time I stayed in Tucson, two weeks later, I called Priceline first to verify what zone I had bid because I did not want the RIverpark Inn again, and was thinking I'd change zones. The phone guy told me I had bid 3, 2.5, and 2, and that the RIverpark was a 2. I said, I did?!?!? I knew I wouldn't have bid $40 for a 2 star in Tucson, but I let it go, thinking maybe I was temporarily nuts and really did go through bidding down to 2 stars while not changing the amount. On April 26, I bid in Santa Fe, where I stay probably 10-12 nights per year with Priceline, so I know the zones and stars pretty well (I have not always made those rezzys through these links, but I will). I went through my usual process of bidding $45 for 4.5, 4 and 3 in the Plaza zone, as I have actually gotten lucky there before, but then moved on to rebid at 3 stars in Cerillos Road zone, guessing I might get the Marriott Courtyard, as I usually do (thugh I usually pay $32 for the Marriott, I read that it had gone up in cost and stars). However, I got the Holiday Inn, which is a 2.5 star. So the same thing happened -- I got jumped down a level (at least only 1/2 star this time). The Priceline people swear I bid 2.5. I know I did not. I have been very careful with all bids since the Riverpark Inn fiasco. So I am talking with the Priceline folks, asking if this is a browser/platform issue or what. I am about to bid for Washington DC where we start talking real money and substantial difference from 2-3 stars (I can live with overpaying for the Holiday Inn at at a half star difference in Santa Fe, for instance; I feel differently about DC), and terrified this wil happen again. I'll keep y'all posted if anyone wants to know... and I was also curious as to whether this has happened to anyone else and if you were able to figure out what had gone wrong. So that's a long story! edli
