Must be something going on in DC this week...very few options under $300 at the conventional sites. I needed the nights of 13, 14 March 2006, either on the Metro or fairly near downtown. I unsuccessfully bid up to $151 for both nights on 4* in all DC zones a few days previously. When the 72 hours were up, I decided to split the 2 days, try 4*, then 3*. I started with 14 March since the conventional sites indicated this was the more difficult night. I bid up to $151 on 4* in all DC zones for 14 March 06, and then at 3* in Dupont Circle, Convention Center, Arlington, Crystal City, and was finally accepted in Georgetown at the M Street Hotel (formerly Wyndham, now Marriott) --as it was my final bid, I raised it to $153. I'm aware this isn't an optimal bidding strategy (should start a new bid for each zone), but I would have been content with any of these zones (though I bid them in the order of my preference, based on the known worst hotels in each zone). I was invited to extend the bid for extra days but, suspecting I'd gone a bit higher than necessary, I started a new bid for 13 March at $123 in Georgetown and was again accepted at the M Street Hotel. Interestingly, my backup was a conference rate of $250 at the same hotel, and the lowest rate on their web site is $299. I'm well satisfied with the outcome but I suspect I overbid by a few dollars on both days.
