DwB

My wife and I stayed at the Intercontinental Chicago September 28 through October 2, 2011. We arrived by taxi from the airport around noon. I had called previously to try to confirm a King Bed room, but was told it would only be indicated as a preference. We were allowed to check-in upon arrival and initially I was offered a Double Queen. I asked about a King and she checked and one was available and provided, hassle free. We were on the 26th floor on the North Wing. I believe there are two wings. I am not sure if one wing is more recently renovated or not. Our room, 2669, was clean and in good shape, if slightly dated. The toilet fixture is old-school for example, but the room was comfortable with all the expected amenities and a new flat screen television. We had no problems at all with our stay and the hotel is in a great central location. There were no additional charges except for a local call (they charge for local). We did not have a vehicle to park. I ran into a problem being hungover on departure day. Accordingly, I arrived at Midway by taxi, went to the counter and realized my passport was still in the safe at the hotel with some Canadian Cash. I called the hotel and eventually spoke to Bryan as Security who had the passport and cash retrieved and put in an envelope and sent by taxi to meet me at the airport. It was obviously very helpful. Overall, very happy with the experience at the Intercontinental.

Oops, Intercontinental

North Mich... 4* $138 X Add Franklin $141 X Add Hyde P $144 X Add Lincoln P $147 X Add Midway $150 X Add Midway $155 ACCEPTED Thanks for your help Room Cost (avg. per room, per night):$155.00 (USD) Number of Rooms:1 Number of Guests Per Room:2 Number of Nights:3 Room Subtotal:$465.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees:$83.19 (USD) Total Room Cost:$548.19 (USD)

I bit the bullet, but the $67 deal is no longer available. Booh

Thank you both for replying. Any idea which hotel is the Priceline Elite Hotel Sale in the Millenium Loop area with the following amenities: 24-hour Fitness Center, Walking distance to Millennium Park and the Chicago River, multiple restaurants, Plasma TV, in room safe, deluxe bedding. Is the Elite Sales pitch to be trusted i.e. that the hotel is handpicked with great customer reivews? 67 bucks sounds too good to be true for a decent 4*! Thanks again!

North Mich... 4* $99 X Add Franklin $104 X Add Hyde P $111 X Add Lincoln P $118 X Add Midway $124 X Add Midway $131 X Add Skokie $138 X No luck

Millenium 4* $65 X Add Franklin $70 X Add Hyde P $80 X Add Lincoln $85 X Add Midway $85 X Add Midway $90 X Add Skokie $95 X No luck

Any advice on Chelsea?? It seems like the 3* hotels on the Master List are underrated? Are there deals to be had on decent accomodations there? Is it an okay area to stay for the weekend?

I went back to the well with the following: ESB $135 add TS $141 add MTW $149 add MTE $154 add CPS $159 add BKLN $164 add CHEL $168 add ConIs $172 add L.I. $176 add MSG $179 add U.E.S. $181 No dice.

Yeah, I was hoping to get a 4* for that max. Hope in one hand.... I can go higher, but would rather not. Maybe another area is just as convenient for the weekend tourist? and will increase my chances? I can start over again tomorrow....

Unsuccessful so far: 4* MTE MTW TS CPS $126 add Brooklyn $134 add Chelsea $141 add Coney Is $147 add Long Is $152 add MSG $157 add UES $164 No dice. Trying to get a nice 4* for anniversary weekend. Any further suggestions??? Thank you. That was pretty well top price.

DID THE FOLLOWING: Select 3.5* Ottawa... Bid $55, rejected added re-bid zone1...Bid $61, rejected added re-bid zone 2, Bid $66, accepted crowne plaza

It was a $179 counteroffer to each first crack at a 5*

Oh yeah, It is the Holiday Inn--Mayfair :) . It seems to get good reviews overall and the price seems to be well below sticker compared to other sites and its own website reservations, so I think its a good result. By the way, what do people say about the service they get when using priceline? Are you treated differently, or are you treated the same as booking the traditional way (or with Expedia, etc.) And while I'm at it, when I was trying to get the 5*, I was given the option of immediately paying $179 per night. In posters' experience, is it possible to subsequently get what you want for less than that "counteroffer", or is Priceline telling you that is what you need to pay and you won't get it for less?

FYI, we pulled the chute on this jaunt b/c of the cost that wkend.

I had no luck getting a 5* Soho for what I was willing to pay. Rejected--4* Soho for $111 Rejected--added Westmin for $119 (proabably would have been better strategy to start in Westmin at the lower price) I was only bidding on Feb. 11 through 13th expecting to pay more for the 14th. Those weren't accepted so I added the final day and went to $126 as last shot, not expecting to get it, but it was accepted. FYI, the following were other misguided and poorly planned attempts to get a room that were rejected: 5 Star: 02/11/201002/15/2010Hammersmith, The City and London Bridge, Mayfair - Soho, Notting Hill - Bayswater, Bloomsbury - Marble Arch, Finsbury and Islington $129 02/11/201002/15/2010Hammersmith, Mayfair - Soho, Finsbury and Islington, Bloomsbury - Marble Arch, Notting Hill - Bayswater$119 02/11/201002/15/2010Bloomsbury - Marble Arch, Mayfair - Soho, Hammersmith, Finsbury and Islington$114 5 Star: 02/11/201002/15/2010Hammersmith, Kensington - Earls Court - Knightsbridge, Westminster, Mayfair - Soho, Bloomsbury - Marble Arch, Finsbury and Islington $139 02/11/201002/15/2010Kensington - Earls Court - Knightsbridge, Bloomsbury - Marble Arch, Mayfair - Soho, Westminster$131 02/11/201002/15/2010Kensington - Earls Court - Knightsbridge, Westminster, Mayfair - Soho$124 4 Star: 02/11/201002/15/2010Kensington - Earls Court - Knightsbridge, Westminster, Mayfair - Soho$95 02/11/201002/15/2010Kensington - Earls Court - Knightsbridge, Mayfair - Soho$95 02/11/201002/15/2010Mayfair - Soho$99

The best rates I'm seeing are in the $400 range. Ouch. Splitting bids is no problem ie. cheaper some nights and more $ for other nights doesn't bother me.

Yesterday, I spent some time reading the advice to some other NYC travellers and then I tried following the strategies provided to others previously (without success yet). I must admit I was only "loosely" following them though. Time to Regroup! My wife and I are doing a last minute trip to NYC. We are tourists and neither of us have been there before. As far as where we stay, I've been copying others and picking the 4 central areas MTE, MTW, CPS, TS. I started 4* and went down to 3* eventually (dropped my $ bid too though). I think I need to regroup with a proper strategy and any help would be greatly appreciated. We're not really that picky, but just want a good deal. If we can get a 4* in a prime area for $200, great. But I don't want to pay $200 for a 3* in a bad neighbourhood. Basically want the nicest hotel for $200 or under as long as it's somewhere convenient for newbie tourists. Therefore: Limit--$200 Star--3 or better Area--start central (MTE, MTW, CPS, TS) before expanding

Hi, First time user of Priceline. Used the PRICELINE link from the forum. Travel dates are September 9th to 14th. I chose MTW, MTE and TS and 4* having looked at the other wins for that time period on the calendar. I bid $140 and was rejected. I was given the option to change something and rebid so I added Chelsea and bid $149. It was rejected and I was linked to PRICELINE showing me a list of hotels. Does this mean I have to wait a day to try to re-bid or can I just start over? Should I split the stay into two bids? Thanks for any help.