joehotel

Searching for star ratings on the forums is not possible unless I am doing something wrong. Example when I search for 4* Downtown in Washington DC it comes back with an error that the search arguments have to be 3 letters long. Is there any way around this?

VERY BIZZARE -- could book only 1 room at a time with the Omni Newport News Hotel thru Hotwire, so I had to book it twice, using the Betterbidding HOTWIRE link of course! I have never seen anything like it! Whenever I tried to book 2 rooms the $69 rate would simply disappear from the Hotwire Search Results!! This is a NEW hotel for the Hotwire list. Web rate is $83 so still saved some major bucks for 4 room-nights - thanks BetterBidding!!! Here is a sample of one of the room results. 1000 Omni Blvd., Newport News, VA, 23606 (757) 873-6664

Got this on the first bid. I believe this is a new property for the list. used the PRICELINE link on Betterbidding Holiday Inn Charleston House Charleston 600 Kanawha Blvd E Charleston, West Virginia 25301 304-344-4092 2 rooms Your Offer Price: $52.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $104.00 Taxes and Fees: $21.26 Total Charges*: $125.26

I was browsing around and saw a 4* for $93 in Cleveland on 8/1/09. There are no other 4* hotels in University Circle ( I used to live there). I am 99.99% certain it is the Intercontinental at the Cleveland Clinic. Amenities are Fitness Center, Restaurant, Business Center, and High-Speed Internet Access.

:) $67 for the Embassy Suites - a new hotel for the list! I've stayed here before and love the place. Great free breakfasts, and for me the best thing is the extra door between the bedroom and the living room that minimizes noise intrusion. I used the HOTWIRE link - but paid with HotDollars from my account (from a previous trip's refund due to over-rating) so I am not sure if that helps you or not. Embassy Suites Cleveland-Rockside 5800 Rockside Woods Blvd, Independence, OH, 44131 (216) 986-9900 CheckIn Date:Fri, Jul 3, 2009 Check-out Date:Sat, Jul 4, 2009 Amenities Suite Airport Shuttle Complimentary Breakfast Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Business Center Laundry Facilities :) :o

$80 for 2 rooms, 6/29/09 Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Amherst-Hadley, MA 400 Russell Street, Hadley, MA, 01035 (413) 582-0002 Amenities Complimentary Breakfast Fitness Center Pool(s) Business Center Laundry Facilities Golf Nearby 3 stars for a Holiday Inn Express? Man, star inflation rules. According to the Hotwire guidelines, this is a 2.5* chain. Well, I saved $28 off the advance purchase rate on their website, using the HOTWIRE link at BetterBidding. Thanks again!!

Got this on the first try. Thank you Better Bidding. I used the PRICELINE link. Courtyard By Marriott Basking Ridge Basking Ridge 595 Martinsville Road Basking Ridge, New Jersey 07920 908-542-0300 2 rooms at $41. Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $41.00 Subtotal: $82.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $20.34 Total Charges*: $102.34

Got 2 rooms for 1 night. Thought I would get the Hyatt 3.5* $46 Princeton East - Monmouth Junction Wyndham Princeton Forrestal Hotel & Conference Center 900 Scudders Mill Road Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536 609-936-4200 Your Offer Price: $46.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $92.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $21.14 Total Charges*: $113.14 I did use the PRICELINE links on Betterbidding. I must admit I am a little scared from the Tripadvisor reviews of this place. These types of conference centers bill themselves as 3.5* and up, then you get 2* and lower service and accomodations. I've seen this type before at the "Marietta Conference Center" in Georgia. I will report this to Priceline if it is mis-rated. However, the price was right (saved $80 off list price).

I was happy to use the site's PRICELINE link. I will be booking many more rooms for this trip and I will use the site's links going forward. Cheers!

Got this on the first bid, thanks to BetterBidding! Courtyard By Marriott Rockford 3 Star Rockford 7676 E State St Rockford, Illinois 61108-2718 815-397-6222 2 rooms at $45. Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $45.00 Subtotal: $90.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $19.26 Total Charges*: $109.26

Start of a long road trip. Hampton Inn Indianapolis NE/Castleton Address:6817 E. 82nd Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46250 HotelPhone:(317) 576-0220 Complimentary Breakfast Fitness Center Pool(s) Business Center High-speed Internet Access Golf Nearby

Last two times I've used HOTWIRE they asked me to review the hotel, which I did. However, I don't see a way on Hotwire to actually VIEW the reviews that have been created by users. Am I missing something?

:) I got the surprise of my life the other day. Hotwire downgraded the Crowne Plaza London City to 3.5 stars after I stayed there a few weeks ago, and proceeded to credit me with the entire $923 that I spent on this trip in "HotDollars"! The HotDollars are for real. I just booked another hotel with the credit on my account. Here is the text of their email message. Dear [xxxxxxxxx], We are contacting you about your recent stay at CROWNE PLAZA LONDON-THE CITY, Hotwire Itinerary Number [nnnnnnnn]. We periodically review our representation of our hotel partners' star rating. After doing so for this hotel, we have decided to adjust the star rating to 3.5 stars. While we are confident in the quality of all our hotel partners, the new rating more accurately reflects the service level, accommodations and facilities of this property. As such, we would like to offer you the total amount paid for your hotel reservation in HotDollars, for a future Hotwire reservation.... etc Sincerely, Hotwire Customer Care

Got this property off Hotwire just now. 3 star in Ann Arbor - University Area $115 Sunday 1-18-2009 1 night smoke-free rooms, fitness center, pool, restaurant, business center, high-speed internet Hotwire states: "Holiday Inn Central Campus 3155 Boardwalk Drive Ann Arbor,

There is a tech convention of 2000+ (prior attendance) on these dates in Austin where I would like to use Priceline. Boss does not want me to prepay hotel rooms in case of cancellation so I figure I would book a cheap refundable room, then use Priceline nearer the date to book the hotel. Considering the economy I am thinking travel will be curtailed by many companies. 4 hotels show in the official hotel booking list: Courtyard Austin Downtown/Convention Center $190 convention price, web price $260 Hilton Austin (Host Hotel) $194 conv. price, $279 web price Omni Austin Hotel Downtown $185 conv. price, $249 web price Residence Inn Austin Downtown/Convention Center $200 conv. price, $189 web price (!) QUESTIONS: 1. Does anyone know what a convention of 2000+ attendees will do to the hotel situation in Austin? 2. Is it reasonable to wait until later to book with Priceline?

I plan on attending a convention downtown Austin TX March 1st thru 6th 2009. The 4 hotels with special deals (and I imagine, free shuttle) are Omni, Hilton, Courtyard Downtown, and Residence Inn Downtown. Any bidding advice appreciated. I like the upper star ranges but if any other Austin hotels are near the convention center I will consider bidding on their star range. Thanks.

Wow! Now Courtyard by Marriott is considered 3 star?????? I thought that's what the 2.5 star category was invented for. In any case: Hotel Name: Courtyard By Marriott Cleveland Beachwood 3695 Orange Place Beachwood, Ohio 44122 216-765-1900 Your Offer Price: $50.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $50.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $15.22 Total Charges*: $65.22

I got the Crowne Plaza London - The City for US$129 for these 6 nights. 12/26/08 checkin, 1/1/09 checkout Amenities: Fitness Center Restaurant(s) Business Center High-speed Internet Access After researching each of the 6 individual nights and finding that this same (apparent) hotel was priced at $132,143,143,179,179,and 179, I then priced it for 6 complete nights, and found that it was $129 per night! I jumped on it, so much so that I forgot to use the Betterbidding HOTWIRE Link! The night of 12/31/08 was the most concerning as hotel availability (at least through Hotwire) seemed to dry up that night. Another reason I was glad to book this room for 6 nights, to avoid a split stay. I imagine there will be a lot of revelry downtown that night, so I am going bring some earplugs! IMPORTANT ITEM - please note that if you go through the booking process for Hotwire, before you actually confirrm the booking, that you can see the Tripadvisor score for the hotel. In this case it was 4.5 out of 5 stars, which precisely matched the Crowne Plaza's rating on Tripadvisor. Of course, the Tripadvisor ratings change daily, so that's not something you can compile a database for, but it is one more piece of information. CROWNE PLAZA LONDON-THE CITY NEW BRIDGE STREET 19 London, EC4V 6BD United Kingdom 011-44-870-400-9190 Hotel rate per night: $129.00 Nights: 6 Rooms: 1 Subtotal: $774.00 Tax recovery charges & fees: $149.84 Total price: $923.84

Thanks to all who replied. I ended up booking through Hotwire (and I should have used the Betterbidding HOTWIRE links but in my haste to do so, I forgot!) I ended up at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza for $129 in the City - Financial District.

I think 12/31 is the problem as you stated. Prices jump on that day if I price with HOTWIRE for single days. Thanks for the advice!!

Thank you kindly (viel Dank!) for your reply. I really appreciate the information!!

Any advice appreciated. Looking for a 4* hotel 12/26/08 to 1/1/09, close to the city or tube. I've seen London Islington Hilton as low as $80 and the Bloomsburg Marble Arch Novotel St. Pancras as low as $75. Trying to avoid Kensington area after reading very bad reviews of the Hilton Olympia 4*, specifically musty moldy smells which disagree with me. my zones X. Islington A. Bloomsburg Marble Arch B. Regents C. Westminster D. Mayfair/Soho E. The City F. Notting Hill So far, I've bid (using the Betterbidding PRICELINE link) up to $85 for zones A+B+C+E+F+X without luck. Should I wait a day, or try to add more zones and increase my price? I thought this was the low season (past Christmas). Thanks, Joe Hotel

Yes, my friend stayed there and was very happy with the price and the property. Thanks again! You are helping real people save real money.

Got the following hotel for $45 on my first bid. Of course, I used the PRICELINE links from Betterbidding. Thank You Better Bidding and Thank You Thereuare! ! ! Cincinnati Northeast - Blue Ash Courtyard By Marriott Cincinnati Blue Ash 4625 Lake Forest Drive Blue Ash, Ohio 45242-3729 513-733-4334 Your Offer Price: $45.00 Number of Rooms: 2 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $180.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $36.10 Total Charges*: $216.10

Looks like the price should be $65 not $60 for this posting. ...