marla6

This was quite a pleasant stay. I got a room on the 9th floor with a partial view of Oak Street beach. It was clean, mostly quiet (construction work noise started about 9am), and everyone was quite pleasant. Though I didn't have a car, my friend did, and the hotel's only option was $64/day valet parking. We opted for a lot just west of Michigan, on Walton, that only charged us $14/day. As a bonus, the hotel is only a short walk away from the Original Pancake House! Yum!! Though the area is a little TOO pricey/trendy for me (I mean, let's be honest, I'm not going to shop at Louis Vuitton) the hotel was great. Would stay there again.

I was hoping for something a bit more south, but this should work for a quick weekend getaway, seeing that it will be a last-minute trip on marathon weekend! I don't NEED a hotel, so I low-balled it & if I got rejected after my free rebids I was perfectly happy just couch surfing. Started with the Loop at $85, then added NMA at $88 and was accepted. With taxes, total is $109.97. Best rate on hotel site is $159 ($185 w/tax) so still happy with saving some $$, especially considering some of the prices closer Grant Park/Museum Campus for the weekend. Never stayed at this, any tips/tricks? (Used the PRICELINE links! As always, thanks for the help!!) (D'oh!! JUST NOW realized I could have upped my bid in the Loop and done NMA as a totally separate bid!! I should know better by now. Oh well :) )

Done. (I should've known better! ha!) PL still shows some promise for a 2-week stay, HW has a handful of <$100 2.5* and 3* but I'm not familiar with any of the zones or the transportation available. Is there any particular strategy for longer stays? For example, bidding several 1-weeks vs fewer 2-week stays?

Which area doesn't much matter so long as there is either public transport nearby to get to/from airport, or if it has a hotel shuttle I can use. It'd be extra nice if there was a fridge involved in all of this as well, but I can look more closely at the possible hotel list later. I'd need my stay to start 3/20/12, going through at least the end of March. I still don't know if it will need to be extended..won't find that out until next Friday (hopefully) so a split stay would probably be best anyway at this point. I'd be ok with one hotel switch if need be. As for cost, below $100 for sure, $80 ish even better. A quick search on PL (for a 2-week stay) shows some promise in the 3* department.

Anyone have any tips or advice for successful bidding on a hotel near Logan (with hotel or public transport available to/from BOS) for an extended stay? Would need starting next week, for about 2 weeks, possibly more. Never had to bid on more than a few nights so not sure if it's even an option. Thanks in advance!

Heeeeey guess who just scored herself a 2nd interview?! THIS girl! (3.5*) Orlando Airport $32 + Kissimmee $35 + Ocoee $38 + Orlando East $42 + West Disney $45 WON Renaissance Orlando Airport $45.00 bid +$13.24 taxes/fees $58.24 total for 1 night. Lowest rate on the Marriott site is $189.00 ($212 w/ taxes/fees). I got this at almost 75% off! Wowza! No pouting about parking this time, it's only $8 + at the Renaissance (though I admit, I was sort of hoping for the Orlando Airport Marriott again, just for that glorious steam room. ha!) BTW, anyone know of any health clubs or similar that might offer a one-day pass which has a steam room :) What can I say... it was heaven. Of course, I could just use my hotel savings for a spa treatment instead. Thanks for the help, as always. Love me that betterbidding support page PRICELINE link.

Loved my stay here! From the outside it looks like nothing impressive, but I really liked my stay, especially for the price! It was exactly what I needed, I loved the fitness center & steam room especially. (added a review) BTW, I think the interview went well... now I have to wait. Ugh, I hate the waiting! Thanks again for the forum help (and the good wishes). Keep up the good work!

One night stay, won it for $50 on PL (around $68 with taxes/fees) plus another $12 for parking. TOTALLY worth it!!!!! Overall, I really enjoyed my stay, it had everything I needed, and I would absolutely stay there again. :D Pros: location hotel amenities good service Friendly staff quiet free newspaper Cons: none important enough to mention Comments: location: airport is down the street, PLENTY of restaurants, convenience stores & drug stores nearby (but not really easy to walk to, you'd need a car). Daily parking is $12+tax (valet is only $2 more I think) but I think it's worth it. It has one of those lots with raised arms where you need your hotel room key card to get in/out. Parking is huge, but pretty packed, so if walking is not your thing, go ahead and valet it. common areas: the hallways upstairs seemed a bit warm & stuffy but I guess that just means they're saving power? The Lobby was magnificent & had anything you'd need (boarding pass print station, cucumber water, newspapers, plenty of seating, free wifi) plus a coffee shop/deli and a retail store as well as a rental car desk. All very clean and everyone was SUPER friendly. Loved it. room: I was in a double room on the 7th floor facing the lake. Good view (huge windows). I would have liked a slightly softer bed, but the linens were clean and very fresh and comfy. The room itself wasn't huge but had everything I needed. The TV was nice & I had all sorts of options for internet, video, Ipod, etc that I could hook up to the TV (via the work desk next to the TV) but I didn't use any of them. Good lighting, efficient & quiet AC unit, plenty of storage. bathroom: a bit on the small side, mostly because the door opened into the bathroom and sort of blocked everything. I had to walk all the way into the bathroom (almost to the wall opposite the door) to be able to step around and swing the door shut so I could reach the toilet & shower. The vanity was huge, good toiletries, everything was clean & in working order, quiet shower, good pressure, plenty of hot water, good lighting. amenities: Wish I had been able to spend more time there! I made use of the fitness center (fantastic treadmills!!) with towel & water service. If you forgot your headphones (to hook up to your cardio machine) be sure to borrow a pair from the front desk!) I also used the steam room (aaahhh wish I were there now). The sauna was in working order too but that's not my thing. They have an indoor + outdoor pool and volleyball court but I didn't get to use them. No breakfast, but they do have a deli/bakery/coffee shop downstairs with some delicious looking muffins and a retail store with juice & some dry foods as well. I didn't eat at any of its restaurants.

(3.5*) Orlando Airport $35 + Kissimmee $40 + Ocoee $42 + Orlando East $46 + West Disney $48 + Winter Pk. $50 WON Marriott Orlando Airport $50.00 bid +$13.98 taxes/fees $63.98 total for 1 night. Lowest rate on the Marriott site is $159.00 ($178.88 w/ taxes/fees). That's more than a 60% discount!! Woohooo. Though my celebration was cut a little short when I realized the Marriott charges $12+ for parking :( Should've done my homework. Anyone know a work-around for this? I'm driving over for an early morning interview & will need to park my car. I honestly didn't think I'd win the 3.5*, I was just using it as a reference point before the 3*. I saw many folks were winning the Country Inn & Suites with the 2.5*, but I didn't want to risk getting the Ramada Suites again at that level. Ugh. Guess I wanted to avoid the Ramada Suites so bad that I didn't take into account parking charges & free breakfast perks. oh well. Glad for the win! I used your PRICELINE link for the win (and the HOTWIRE link to search their rates to start with). Thanks SOOOOOO much for you all do! My, how I've missed you :D

Loved my stay, :) perfect after two VERY LONG DAYS of riding a bike (tough for us non-riders). I added a review to the hotel page. Thanks for your help, as always :)

Stayed for one night on July 5, and I couldn't have asked for a better place! Excellent value. I had a king room on the 22nd floor of the west tower, amazing view. Room was ridiculously large, bed was super comfy (and I have some back issues to contend with), bathroom was roomy, clean and stocked. The staff at the front desk was more than accommodating, especially considering that I arrived very late (1:30am-ish) and they were contending with some rather "interesting" folks who had just arrived from the nearby U2 concert. Haha! I didn't take advantage of any of the hotel amenities (wifi, parking, fitness, room service, restaurant, bar, etc) so I can't speak on those. The hotel overall was very clean, modern decor, seemed elegant, elevator was speedy, the halls were quiet. I'd stay there again, hands down. The products in the bathroom were nice (can't remember the brand, but I definitely liked the hair products) and I really like that they had a back-lit magnifying mirror on an adjustable arm attached to the wall. The giant bathroom mirror was back-lit as well, which was nice for a little ambiance. A few nit-picky things, if you're interested: *I had an adjoining room; clearly there was NO sound barrier around the door as I heard my neighbors loud & clear. I don't think this would be a problem with regular rooms, as I heard no noise from the other rooms or the hallway. *The toilet paper holder was mounted in a REALLY weird place, unusually close to the tank of the toilet. I realize this is petty, but when you're tired and your back hurts, having reach/bend in strange ways just to reach the TP seems silly. Thanks Jason @ the front desk for great service!

I never was able to score a win for this night... just wanted to close out the thread. Thanks for the help!!!

Yeah, I noticed the Palmer on LMT last night, but looks like it's already gone to On Request. Still weighing my option I guess. Had it not been for this flat tire fiasco I wouldn't be so hesitant about spending money at this point, even if a tad above my measly budget. Right now, least expensive "available" LMT has is Congress Plaza for $184. I know if I needed more than just Saturday night, this wouldn't be so tricky.

Just an update: Still no luck, went up to $115 bid (so already over my $125 limit if you include taxes), both in 4* Loop & 4* NMA. I just had to buy new tires after an out-of-town flat, so upping my budget isn't exactly an option. Looks like that's very much the case. HW still lists the least expensive 3.5* at $180!!! So I plan on trying one more time tomorrow, since I lose nothing by trying, then maybe check out LMT, then just crash at the apartment (my back-up option) Sigh... thanks for the help though!

The not-ideal-location of some of the 3.5* s in the Loop is sort of what I was concerned about. I'll keep inching up on the 4* Loop for now, seeing that I do have a place to sleep, push to shove. From the NMA hotel list, the only 3.5* which shows availability (on its respective hotel website) is, in fact, The Allerton. Don't know how rooms distribute rooms though... does no availability on the hotel site lean toward no availability left on the bidding sites too (or at least less likely)? The list of hotels with availability is pretty thin for for 4* NMA too. Yeah, I figured there wouldn't be many deals to be had on a Saturday night for this weekend, but I'll keep trying for 4* in either zone. I'll update on what I end up doing (in the case I don't end up with a winning bid) so you guys can close it out. Thanks!!

Did you mean lower the star rating or increase my bid? Otherwise, I'm SUPER confused! :) I think I will begin a new series of bids at the 3.5* level in the loop then add the NMA zone after I'm out of rebids. If I have no luck there, I'll increase my bid just a smidge in the 4* level + add the NMA zone. Any suggestions on where to start my bid @ the 3.5* level? I sort of already have one, which is why I'm keeping my budget hopelessly low. I will be staying with a friend and could stay at his house on this night as well but I wanted this hotel stay just for comfort reasons. I fly in c. 9am on that day & will be out & about all day (so I wanted to stay close to the "action" near the park), and he works nights & I'd much rather stay in a hotel by myself all comfy than in a houseful of strangers (with a shared bathroom) while he's @ work, since I know I'll be tired. Sounds kinda silly, really. I'm also not necessarily married to the idea of staying in the loop & would be ok with NMA as well... I've mostly not bid it only because I've only been to Chi once & I know nothing of the area! I'm not interested in shopping or bars/clubs... just want someplace with easy walking/transport & safe. Will probably do some walking around, scenery, museums, etc.

I need a one night stay for Saturday 7/2/11, preferably in the Millennium Park/Loop zone. I know a decent priced Saturday stay is going to be tricky. On a holiday weekend + last weekend of Taste. I'm trying to stay below $125 total. I've tried for three days, topped out at $91 bid ($112 w/ fees) but with no luck. I realize I'm being optimistic here, but (Q. # 1)any guesses as to whether I might score this soon? Or any other strategies? At this point, HW has the loop zone greyed out & the lowest price they have is a 3.5* in NMA for $151 (which makes me think my efforts will be useless). PL's rates start in the $180s for 4* Looop I'd be willing to bid 3.5* Loop but I don't see a whole lot of wins for this, which makes me a little hesitant about the hotels in that zone/star level. (Q. #2) Any thoughts on the hotels in the 3.5* Loop list? I don't want to try NMA @ the risk of winning the outliers that are a little further north than I'd like. Ideas? Encouraging words? Reality check? Thanks!!

I figured I got time so I started low, won right at the end of my free bids! I can't be mad at half-off! Haven't been to Chi in a few years, SOOOOO excited!! (Still need to win a place for night of 7/2/11, still working on that one though, also Loop zone) Mill. Pk/Loop 48 + Franklin Park 50 + Hyde Park 52 + Lincoln Park 54 + MDW 57 + MDW north 60 + Skokie 62 WIN Hyatt Regency Chicago $62.00 bid +$16.67 fees/taxes $78.97 total for one night. Rack rate on the Hyatt site was $159 And yup, I used the BB link to PRICELINE. (How could I NOT with everything you guys do for us?!)

Ok, I just caught my mistake, again! And I don't know how to delete the post! ha! SORRY!! I now see this is prob. Hyatt Place airport south.

(My mistake... that should be a 3 star in the title!) Searched Miami FL 5/28/11 - 5/30/11, 1 room, 2 adults 3* Fort Lauderdale Intl Airport area $67 Suite non-smoking shuttle breakfast fitness center hi-speed internet I don't think I've seen one reported like this. Any guesses? thanks!

Well, I decided to take my chances with a PRICELINE bid, since the original 4* (@ $99) that I asked about was gone and it was now listed for $115. The win ($72) Hyatt Regency Austin 208 Barton Springs Boulevard Austin, Texas 78704 6/19/10 - 6/20/10 2 rooms, 3 adults Here's how it went down: 4* $60 Downtown - rejected $64 add Central zone - rejected $68 add North zone - rejected $72 add Northwest zone - accepted Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $72.00 Subtotal: $144.00 Taxes & Fees: $30.58 Total Charges*: $174.58 I think it's a darn win, especially for two rooms. Rack rate on the hotel site is $199! Cheapest parking around (12 self/18valet) and even though I was shooting for the other side of the bridge, I'm kinda glad we're a little closer to SoCo and only a short ride away from 6th. Thanks again for ALL help. I've said it, but I'll say it again: LOVE THIS SITE! so of course I used the PRICELINE link :)

Looks like the $99 4* is still available, and now there is a 3.5* ($84) popping up also for downtown but with a kitchenette I can't tell which prop it might be (maybe it's not reported yet?) I searched for 3 adults, 2 room for 6/19/10 (Fitness Center, Pool, Restaurant, Business Center, Kitchenette, Recommended 80%) It doesn't look like the bnb that I had my eye on is going to come through for me so we're back to searching for 2 rooms in downtown. I hadn't booked yet because I had my fingers crossed for the bnb :)

Thanks for the input. If I had to choose one or the other, I'd lean more toward the Hilton, based on location....seems we're closer to downtown many restaurants/bars etc. We wil have a car available though, so it's not a huge deal. Oh, and I'd be perfectly ok with a 3.5* prop too. Just shooting high right now is all. I was really looking to find out two things: 1-that hopefully it WON"T be the ATT center, and 2-that it MAY possibly be a snazzy property. it's downtown, I suppose they're all nice :-) I've never been so I have no clue. I was also looking around at some of the boutique-type properties (BnB but not so grandma-lookin') because I think they'd be into that, but I can't afford two rooms at those types of places. I think I'll look around some more and maybe try to book something later this afternoon, whether through HOTWIRE or PRICELINE or the hotel itself. I appreciate any other thoughts you want to add. Thanks again!

I searched for 2 adults. Eek! Didn't think it would matter since I searched for 2 rooms. Guess I don't know all the 'tricks' yet. There will be 3 of us total. We don't HAVE to have two separate rooms (or even a 2br suite if I booked through a hotel)....just thought it'd be a nice gesture, and well, I'm sure we'd all enjoy the privacy.

Hi all! Any ideas on what this could be? I'm looking for 6/19 to 6/20, two rooms. Don't really have a budget but I'd definitely like one of the higher-end properties. I'm surprised at how much the 'normal' rates vary for these! 4* Downtown Austin/Town Lake $99 Fitness Center Pool Restaurant Business Center Internet Recommended 90% Unfortunately it seems almost all of the 4* have the same amenities listed. Maybe more info on what I'm trying to do will help. I'm coming in from out of state to visit a friend whose husband just recently returned from a 2nd deployment. The live a few towns away and we'll be meeting in downtown so we can all get away. Since I dont' get in until late Saturday, and since they are basically newlyweds (a bit more than a year), I would like to get them a very nice room where they can check in early, do what newlyweds do, whatever...as a late wedding present. Of course, I don't care what MY room looks like (I could stay at the extended stay for all I care) but I don't want us to be at two separate hotels. Any thoughts? Am I better off booking through the hotel to try to get two rooms (or a decent deal on a 2 br?). This will be my first time in AUS (and their kids will be out of town) so we want it to be nice. Thanks for the help!!!