rykos

I used the PRICELINE HOTELS link and the 5% promo code, and got the above for a total cost of US$185.86, or CA$247.44 (which is what my credit card is charging me). I'm very satisfied given that it was about CA$300 on the hotel website, and not too far off on other travel websites. What I suspect is the same hotel on HOTWIRE would have been US$200.55 including taxes and fees. Forgot to add the amenities listed: internet, pet friendly, SPOOLIN, gym/spa, business center, restaurant, non-smoking, handicap accessible, swimming pool. The description actually listed internet three times in total, but I figure once was enough for the purpose of this post.

There were no hotels listed for Swift Current on this site, but I was hoping for the Best Western or Holiday Inn Express, so I started bidding at $40 with a few dollars more each time. When I hit a $51 bid, I was rejected but was offered an immediate re-bid at $61. However, I wasn't willing to bid more than $55 as I knew there was a Priceline Express deal for that amount. I finally got accepted at $53, but the savings is really only $9 compared with if I had booked directly. For a place like Swift Current, I wonder if I would have fared better if I had waited until closer to my travel date to bid. I used the betterbidding PRICELINE link to book, and wanted to post my win so others stuck staying overnight there could have an idea of what to expect!

Used the PRICELINE link to bid on 5*. Started with $125 (I know, I know--too low. But you have to start somewhere!) in Central Kowloon, raised to $135 and added Tsim Sha Tsui, raised to $150 and added West Hong Kong. Still no luck, so I raised to $175 and added Kowloon (Mongkok). Success! More than I wanted to spend, but I was getting desperate as even the Salisbury is booked! Including travel insurance, my total was $415.80, so about $50 less than other online booking services.

I used the PRICELINE link and got the 3* Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton for $65. I started at $50 (too low, I know) Went to $55 Then $60--at this point they offered me a fast re-bid if I would bid $75. From past experience, I knew I could get something for less. Finally bid $65 today and it was accepted. I was actually hoping for Sheraton or Crowne, just because they're closer to the Go Station, but this will do just fine. My back up plan was Days Inn and it was $90 before taxes, so I figure I still came out ahead. (ETA: rack rate is $159, so if you look at that $65 is a very good deal!)

Just an update, I've been bidding now and then using the board's PRICELINE link I posted above. I've gone up to $75, and still no dice. According to their website, they still have rooms available (including the cheapest rooms) for my date, and the Hotwire price has gone down by about $10 since I started bidding last month. I'll probably continue trying, but since I already have a room in my price range, it's not imperative that I win a room via Priceline.

Thanks. Seems like there are many points of view--some say bid early, some say bid closer to your dates. So I guess I'm doing the right thing by bidding early, then since I'm not getting the prices I want, waiting to bid again. Will post again if I get my dates!

I've been using the PRICELINE link to try to get a 3.5* hotel in Hamilton for August 4-August 5, 2010. From my research, the only 3.5* hotel (afaik) is the Sheraton, and that's the one I want. I started off with a lowball bid of $50 and of course it was rejected. Then $55 $58 $60 $64 $66 $68 $70 All rejected. I saw that someone had a winning bid of $60 last year for similar dates (7/31-8/2--a weekend as opposed to my lone weeknight), but that person didn't start bidding until a few days before their arrival in Hamilton. Would I be better off waiting till July to bid, and then start again? I have another hotel room booked, so if I don't get a Priceline room, I'll still have lodgings. The Sheraton is showing plenty of vacancy for my date with prices starting at $139/evening, and I don't want to go over $70 since including taxes and fees, any more than that will be more expensive than the room I already have reserved. Any hints?

Thanks for the advice. Using PRICELINE, we were looking at 3.5* and above, but didn't want to bid more than $140 (so about $160 including taxes/night). I checked out the HOTWIRE link, and hotels are still quite expensive. The cheapest was $186 for a 3.5* hotel in MTE, which could very well be the Roosevelt I mentioned before. I'll ask them how they feel about Wyndham Chelsea. They might be OK with it. It's a bit difficult, because only one of them is a relatively seasoned traveller, and the other two are rather wary of the big city. I know the seasoned one would be OK with almost anything, but the other two are a little more demanding (not really demanding, but that's the best word I could come up with). Thanks again!

My mother and her two friends will be travelling to New York June 1 to June 3. Because there are three of them, they need to have at least two beds--whether it be two double beds or 1 double/queen/king and 1 cot--whatever is find as long as there will be enough room for the three of them. I know with PRICELINE, once your bid has been accepted, you can't guarantee that your request for an extra bed will be accepted, but are there any areas in NYC where most of the hotels in the 3.5 or 4* categories are likely to grant that request? For example, I checked Empire Hotel in the UWS, and through their own website, it's impossible to book a room for three people. So for my purposes, I'm not even going to bother including the UWS. But the 3.5* Roosevelt has rooms with two double beds available (and has a few wins for that period), so MTE is an option. A related question--if a hotel cannot provide a room with two beds, are they usually willing to provide a cot at an extra charge? They'd be OK with that, too. I'll definitely be using Better Bidding's PRICELINE link when I start bidding!

Speaking of downtown TO, are both north and south zones relatively convenient for a tourist with no real plans? I'm considering a TO trip and will use PRICELINE if I go through with booking plane tickets. But I don't really have anything in particular in mind for TO, just eating, window shopping, maybe a museum trip or two. Would I be correct in assuming that either downtown area would be suitable? (I will of course use the bb PRICELINE links and post results here when/if it happens).

Just wanted to update--I waited a week or two, then tried bidding again. 5* All areas, started at S$90--failed a couple of times. added 4*, started again at a lower bid (maybe S$80?), and went up to S$100 (US$70--including taxes and priceline fee, it would have been S$140--about US$100). All failed. I can't believe 4* or 5* hotel rooms in Manila are really in so much demand that they won't accept US$70/night. I won't be trying again. My mother (for whom I was trying to book the room) is staying with family instead.

About S$160 including taxes (so about S$130 without taxes--taxes are about 20% in the Philippines) is the best rate I've found for Intercontinental Manila so far (the only 5* hotel on the Manila list). I could bid higher, but I'm waiting till closer to the date. I was told February was generally a bad month for travel in the Philippines, so I should be able to get a better rate if I wait for a bit. I'm not willing to go higher than S$90 which would be S$108 with taxes. Higher than that and I may as well book directly with the hotel to get points.

I've been trying to bid for hotels in Manila Feb. 25-26, 2010. Started with 5* Makati, S$70. Failed Rebid with 5* Makati, added Pasay City/Airport, upped bid to S$75. Failed. Rebid with added 4*, but lowered bid to S$70 again. Failed. Will try again in a couple of weeks

Is there an event going on at that time? From what I've found, pretty much all the big hotels are booked solid for that period. I think you're either going to have to take a hotel outside your desired area, or try for a place with fewer stars (if you'll even be able to get one).

http://www.explorestlouis.com/events/index.asp You can check out all the events for the dates you are travelling, but not conventions--just concerts, games, etc. The weekend you're looking at is very busy from what I saw.

Was that your first bid? I got $55 from July 21-23. I know weekdays tend to have lower occupancy rates, but that's a big difference! I didn't want to bid so early (I bid for my room in June, I think) since rooms in MO tend to be cheaper closer to the dates of travel, but maybe I should be glad I did!

I had been watching the MO board for quite some time before placing my bid. It does seem that rooms go for much less a week or two before travelling dates, so you do have plenty of time. That being said, check to make sure there's nothing going on in town the weekend you'll be there (conventions, etc.), and periodically check hotel availability (on the hotels' actual websites) for that date, as well. You may find that hotels are booked up (at least the cheap rooms) for your date. In that case, it may be difficult for you to get a room at a lower bid.

I've been trying forever to get a 4* downtown hotel, but I found the two 4* were completely booked or only had expensive rooms for one of my nights (July 25th--I did a check on their websites). I decided to try to split my reservation to see what I could get. First half--7/23-25 Started with $50 downtown at 4*. Priceline counter-offered with $64. Added Country Club Plaza (zone 2) and rebid at $55. Won the Marriott. Second half--7/25-28 Started with 3.5* at $50 downtown. Rejected. Added Country Club Plaza, rebid at $55. Won the Marriott again. In retrospect, once I was rejected at 3.5* downtown the second time around, I should have just gone with "add a night" to my first reservation, but I wasn't thinking at the time. It's not the ideal location for me, but even when I add parking to the rate ($12/day), it's still a bargain. Used the PRICELINE link both times.

Used the Priceline link and got the above. Tried $50 based on the most recent winning bid, but was rejected. Then added a non-4* area at $53, but no luck. Added another non-4* area at $55, and won! I wanted St. Louis Marriott Union Station since I'll be leaving bright and early from there on my departure date, but am satisfied with what I ended up with (the cheapest web rate from the hotel is $179/night).