cynstalker

Ah - thanks dahammer. It didn't occur to me to check that way! Thanks for the info - even though it's disappointing. It was so nice to be able to bid knowing exactly what I was getting. I guess that's life! :)

On the Priceline site there is no longer a 3 1/2 star option? Boohoo! I just called Marriott Albany to see what they could tell me, and they know nothing (of course.) It used to be so nice, because they were the only 3 1/2 star hotel, so I could always know exactly what hotel I was booking.

Bid: $77.00 Taxes and Fees: $18.64 Total Charges*: $95.64 12/30/09 1 night Started at $50; ended up with $77.00. Used the BB PRICELINE link. Thanks being here! Cyn

Started at $70; priceline offer for $22.00 more, said no; bid 75 then 80. $98.63 with fees. Last minute booking. Best rate I saw was $112 plus taxes AA rate on website. Used bb PRICELINE link. Thanks better bidding! Cyn

Was trying for downtown Rochester 3.5 or 4*, bid from $50 to 85, excluding East Rochester as a free bid as I thought we would be able to get the Woodcliff for a bit less. (Final night of the Jazz Festival is this night, so it was a long shot to get a room at the Hyatt. They show sold-out on HOTWIRE, Travelocity and on the Hyatt page.) When I coudln't get 3.5+ downtown for $85 or less, I tried East Rochester and got it first bid of $70.00. Maybe I should have started a bit lower, eh? :) Just checkd the Woodcliff website, rate was $149; went on Travelocity, price was $169. This is amazing! $70 plus $17.80 in fees, total $87.80. Bid using the PRICELINE link. Thanks Better Bidding! Cyn

Bid $65, rejected with the offer of adding $17 and getting the room. Thanks to a post I had read on this site, I did not accept that offer, and rebid at $70, which was accepted. So, not only did I save hundreds off retail, I also saved $24 because in the past I would have accepted the adding on of $17.00 and paid $82/night instead of $70. :) I did use the link to PRICELINE from betterbidding. Thanks so much for this wonderful site! Cyn

Ok, yes it does make sense. Thanks for the clarification, the edit of the post title, the wonderful assistance, and the birthday wishes! Cyn

Using the above described strategy, I was able to get the Westin Grand Hotel for $120.00; $600 for 5 nights plus $98.95 in fees. I am very excited - Thanks so much! :) Should I post the winning bid as a separate post, or is this sufficient? Cyn

Great- thanks so much, I'll try it right now. One question - why only 2 re-bids before closing and re-trying? Wyy not all 4? cds

"If this is of interest let us know and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow." Yes, it is of interest - thank you! Cyn

"Any chance you can change your dates to 6/26-7/1?" Possible, if it's a significant savings. It just means I would miss my birthday in DC, but I could live with that! :) What would you suggest for bids on those dates? Cyn

My companion and I have been trying to secure a 4* hotel for the above referenced dates for the past 3 days, with no luck We started at $75 and have gone all the way up to $137. We even dropped to a 3.5 star, again starting at $75 and up to $90. We would be happy with the White HOuse, Georgetown, DuPont Circle or the Convention Center/Capitol areas. Preference is the WHite House area. We've used the "free" bids including crystal city, DC Suburbs, Mt Vernon and Springfield, started with the White House area, and adding one area at a time. I'm seeing bids that have been accepted for less than the amounts we've bid - but for only a day or 2. Would it make sense to break the stay into 2 parts? (I would really hate to have to move!) Or is it simply that DC is incredibly busy that week, and we're going to have to pay a higher price? We need to try and get this booked today or tomorrow, so we can then book our airfare and not pay a huge price for purchasing within 14 days of travel. Our preference is for 5 nights in DC. Do weekends play into this? Any insights and suggestions are gratefully appreciated! Cyn

$77.00 plus taxes & fees, $95.93. 5/30-31/09 used the PRICELINE link. Thanks!