Nautica3

Quick follow-up: Room was nice enough, and clean. Free breakfast was good, with scrambled eggs, sausage/Canadian bacon, waffles, home fries, plus all the typical other items. The room they gave me was facing I-70. The highway noise was PRETTY BAD. Luckily, I had a "White Noise" generator app on my Kindle, so that helped.

Quick Trip up to Columbia for my son's Mizzou "Summer Welcome" session. Tried 3.5* only in UoM zone @ $50/night. Figured it would reject and was right. Then added 3* only in UoM zone @ $60/night. Also rejected. Added 3* Columbia Central zone @ $62/night. Accepted! Details: Residence Inn (at I-70 & US-63, north side of highway next to Hooters) - free hot Breakfast - free Internet/Wi-Fi - Indoor Pool - Full Kitchen - Suite - Evening Manager's reception (drinks/appetizers) It said I saved 55% off regular price. Avg Daily Rate for same property on Hotels.com shows $122/night, so I'm pleased. Yes, I used the PRICELINE links above! ;)

Tried to book Cheyenne Mountain Resort (the only 4* on P/L listed in the Colorado Springs vicinity). Used your PRICELINE link. Timeframe is late July/early August for a week. Saw previous wins in the $55-60/night range both here and on another board. Tried for 2 rooms, since P/L only guarantees room for 2 adults per room, and my 2 kids are both teenagers, so we need the space. Submitted $60/night using 4* only for Col Spr South area. REJECTED. Added Col Spr Central for free rebid, tried $65/night. REJECTED. Added Col Spr Airport for free rebid, tried $70/night. REJECTED. Added Col Spr Air Force Academy for free rebid. Tried $75/night. REJECTED. Added Manitou Springs for free rebid. Tried $80/night. REJECTED. I guess I'm being too cheap, since those other wins were probably during Low Season, but I figured it was worth a shot. The Mrs. didn't want to wait several more days to try again, so I booked Cheyenne Mountain Resort via a Hotels.com deal instead. Oh well! Nautica3

Was looking for something outside of downtown, but close to an El line for easy access to downtown. Targeted the Hilton Orrington based on reviews and thread listings here. Please note that although the Hilton Orrington has been listed as a 3.5* in the past, apparently P/L now considers it a 3*, lumping it in with 3 other hotels in the same area. Please update your Hotel list accordingly, thanks! :) Bid History $45/night for 3* in Chicago (Skokie-Niles-Evanston) area - REJECTED $50 free rebid S/N/E + Lincoln Park area (no 3* in it) - REJECTED $55 free rebid S/N/E + Hyde Park area (no 3* in it) - REJECTED $65 free rebid S/N/E + Franklin Park area (no 3* in it) - ACCEPTED! Summary Rooms: 1 Dates: 07/21/2011 - 07/23/2011 (2 nights) Offer Price: $ 65 Room Subtotal: $130 Taxes/Fees: $ 28.22 Total Charges: $158.22

Keep in mind that the Red Lion DT Denver isn't actually in Downtown proper. It's across the highway, closer to the football stadium. If you don't have a car, you're going to need shuttle service or a cab to get to downtown proper--it's too far to walk it, IMO. Nautica

Depends upon the city and dates, really. For example, just today I was checking costs for some potential new business travel, St. Louis to Minneapolis. Rental cars costs in MSP showed $16-18/day on Orbitz (Subcompact or Economy classes), but $25+/day on Hotwire! Then again, I did a bunch of such research last year when I was between jobs, and the variances in rental car costs by city were amazing! Some cities were quite cheap (~$15/day or even less), and some you couldn't find a single thing under $35/day! For cars, I always check Orbitz & Hotwire for the city I'm travelling to, and compare the results. Don't do H/W or P/L for airfare, as I always need to pick my flight times. Nautica

This is a first for me. :) No, not staying at the Clarion. I've stayed there before via Hotwire (usually for higher $$). But this is the first time I've tried to book a 2* in the West Des Moines area and NOT gotten the Fairfield Inn! In fact, I'd come to associate 2* in West Des Moines exclusively w/ the Fairfield Inn, because they accepted bids so low that I figured no other place would touch them! :) :) Well, that's what I get for assuming, eh? I'm a little disappointed, because the Clarion doesn't offer free breakfast and they charge for local calls. And I sleep very well on Marriott beds. Oh well, it's just a reminder of the chance you take when booking w/ P/L! Was rejected on a prior $23/night bid, same criteria, just West Des Moines only. :o For the accepted bid, I added the Merle Hay area. It's not a "true" re-bid since there are 2.5* hotels in merle Hay area, but I figured it was a pseudo-rebid since it was highly unlikely that a 2.5* hotel would accept $25/night. Nautica :D

I'd look at Residence Inn, Candlewood Suites, Summerfield Suites, and Homestead Suites, personally. Good Luck! Nautica

Uncertain. The gig in Des Moines is up, and I'm looking for another job. Preferably I'd like to find something local to me in St. Louis, but the job market there still isn't the best, so I'm still looking at possible travel assignments as well. Have possibilities in Denver and KC, but nothing is definite yet. If I have to travel, I just really want to stay in the Midwest and be able to fly to my contract cities, as opposed to driving 6 hours each way like I've been doing for Des Moines. Nautica

Was starting to get worried on this. Kept getting rejections, and then kept getting "Duplicate Request" errors even when I'd waited 72 hours (after exhausting my free rebids). Ended up at a hotel I haven't stayed at before. Will post review shortly. Before getting accepted, got the following rejections: 2.5*, WDM, $32 2.5*, WDM & DSM Airport, $35 2*, WDM, $23 2*, WDM & Urbandale/Merle Hay area, $25 3* WDM, $40 Got this one on the following submission: 2.5*, WDM & Urbandale/Merle Hay, $36 Guess maybe I need to either raise my offers or start with more lead time. Luckily, my travelling to Des Moines will be over in a month or so! Nautica

Have noticed a slight upward trend on Des Moines area P/L and H/W prices lately. Before getting this one (which is $3 more than I usually need to bid), I got rejected on the following: 2.5*, WDM, $32 2.5*, WDM & DSM Airport, $35 2*, WDM, $23 2*, WDM & Urbandale/Merle Hay, $25 3*, WDM, $40 All of these (except the last) are rates I've submitted and had accepted many times previously. Even the H/W prices seem to be up around 10% or so over prior months. This isn't a one-shot thing. I've noticed it over the course of the past month or so, and there haven't been any truly large in-town events since the Iowa caucases. Still got a decent price, overall, but not as great as I'm used to. Call me spoiled! :) Laertes/Nautica/whatever my handle here is... (it's an Alzheimer's day!)

Have stayed here several more times since last reported. For some reason, I find I sleep VERY well at the FF. I think it's their sheets and blankets...very soft! Anyway, additional notes: - 3rd floor is interior hallways, which means a slightly different (read: larger) layout. Hair dryers on 1st and 3rd floor rooms, but not 2nd floor. - They try to not put guests on the 2nd floor during the Winter. The exterior hallways tend to get slick, which is dangerous. - Can generally get this property for $23/night. Haven't been able to get accepted lower than that.

Candlewood is currently showing the following icons: - Kitchenette - Fitness - Laundry

Had to go w/ a Hotwire hotel this week, probably due to the Iowa caucases causing everything to book up. Posted that on the Hotwire board. Here are the non-winning bids I tried on P/L before giving up and going with H/W. All are for 1/18 - 1/23: 2.5* ----- $30/night - WDM area - Rejected $32/night - WDM & Airport areas - Rejected $32/night - WDM area (3 days later) - Rejected 2* --- $23/night - WDM area - Rejected $25/night - WDM & Urbandale areas - Rejected $25/night - WDM area (3 days later) - Rejected Normally at least ONE of these bids would be accepted. I assume it's all due to the politicos and media in town for the Iowa caucases. Oh well, no biggie. I'll soon see if it's back to normal, as I've gotta book a room for next week.

Tried Priceline for my usual choices & rates, but no dice--probably due to the @#$*&! Iowa caucases! Anyway, saw $36/night listed on Hotwire, with icons for Kitchenette, Fitness Center, and Laundry facilities. Knew it was the Candlewood--the Kitchenette and lack of pool are the giveaways--and went ahead and booked it. A little more than I'm used to paying per night, but I'll probably save some $$ by hitting the HyVee and cooking for myself, so it's all good. Will post losing P/L bids on the appropriate board. Nautica3

Had heard rumors of some folks getting in at $23/night--decided to give it a try. Glad I did! Saved $10 over my normal cost. Maybe I'll buy myself a Spectravision movie to celebrate! ;D Check in Nov 16, 2003 Check out Nov 21, 2003 # nights: 5 Price: $23.00/night Taxes & Fees: 21.86 Total: $136.86 Nautica

Yup! They'd added High-speed Internet access to the one here in West Des Moines the last time I stayed there. Granted, I couldn't get it to work much, but that was due to issues w/ my laptop. The Sheraton Four Points (where I stayed last week) also had free High Speed Internet, but again I had laptop issues. Strangely enough, they also offered PAY High-Speed Internet service through the TV, with a wireless keyboard. $10/day for that. I suppose if you don't have a laptop for the free access.... Glad to see this happening more often. The Country Inn & Suites up here offers High-Speed Internet access for $10/day in *some* of their rooms, but a couple of guys I know have simply asked for a room w/ it available when they check in on their Priceline reservations, and have gotten it. I haven't tried that. With my luck, the front desk clerk would be a stickler for protocol and deny me. :) Nautica

Wanted my normal 2.5* in West Des Moines, but tried the following: - $32/night, West Des Moines, 2.5* - Rejected - $35/night, WDM & Airport area, 2.5* - Rejected waited 3 days, tried again: - $32/night, West Des Moines, 2.5* - Rejected - $35/night, WDM & Airport area, 2.5* - Rejected Didn't feel like dropping to the 2* Fairfield Inn for $25/night (my standard fall-back...it's ALWAYS available), so tried 2.5* in the Merle Hay (Urbandale) area for $32/night. Got it right away. Sheraton Four Pointes. Hotel is okay--not as nice as the Country Inn & Suites in WDM, but better than others I've stayed in. The Merle Hay area is in Urbandale, IA, which is really only 10 minutes up the highway from WDM, so not a big location difference. Lots of restaurants, etc... nearby, and a mall < 1 mile South. Laertes

Folks, the Courtyard by Marriot in West Des Moines/Clive started their remodeling project this week. Found out from talking to the desk clerk that it's suppose to take roughly a month, and they're doing it in phases, starting on the third floor and working down. He also said they've been running very close to 100% capacity lately. Basically this means that for the next month or so, the CbyM will have only ~65 rooms available instead of ~105. Which means they ought to be sold out, in general. Which means I doubt they'll be offering/accepting Priceline bids during that time, or that those bids will need to be much higher than normal to succeed. Unfortunately, I also see this spilling over into the rest of the local market, as customers unable to get the CbyM move instead to the Country Inn & Suites (the other main 2.5* P/L hotel around here). Sure, there are some other 2.5* hotels listed on various sites as P/L hotels around here, but I haven't gotten a single successful bid in the past 3-4 months on a 2.5* in WDM that wasn't either the CbyM or the CI&S. For what it's worth.... Laertes

Got the ol' reliable Fairfield Inn at $25/night. Have never known this bid to fail. Room is closer to the highway, and somewhat noisier than previous stays, but still not too bad overall. Before getting this one, tried the following bids and got rejected: 1) 2.5*, West Des Moines area, $30 2) 2.5*, WDM & DSM (airport) areas, $32 : (after waiting 3 days) : 3) 2.5*, WDM area, $32 4) 2.5*, WDM & DSM (airport) areas, $35 at that point, gave up on the 2.5* level and went for the Fairfield. Laertes

I've been travelling to West Des Moines weekly on business for the past 3 1/2 months. Have gotten to know the local hotels VERY well, and am getting some pretty good deals via both Priceline and Hotwire. However, recently I've noticed that Hotwire is dropping some amenity listings from certain hotels in the area, even though the hotels in question still have those amenities. I know I mentioned this in the Iowa Hotwire message board, but I'm wondering if the issue is more widespread. Case in point--the Clarion in West Des Moines/Clive is virtually ALWAYS available on H/W. It USED to be very easily recognizable, as it had several amenities: Pool, Fitness Center, Business Center, Airport Shuttle, Restaurant, Laundry Facilities, Close to Tennis. No other hotel in the area had anything near that many amenities listed, so it was easy to know which one the Clarion was. Well, it turns out that I don't actually care for the Clarion all that much--it's older, I don't need half of those amenities, etc.... So I started avoiding it. Then one day, I saw a 2.5* in West Des Moines listing only Laundry and Fitness amenities. The price was right, but I couldn't figure out which hotel it was, since it didn't fit any of the standard local hotels I've come to recognize. Turns out it's the Clarion. The following week, H/W is again showing the Clarion w/ 7 amenities, but in the weeks since then, it's back to just a couple. The Candlewood Suites out here seems to have the same varying amenities problem, although to a lesser degree, since they only occasionally lose their Kitchenette icon. Needless to say, this has made me VERY wary of using Hotwire for any purchases! Has anyone else noticed similar issues with any hotels/area they use frequently via H/W? Just curious. Nautica

Got it first try. Was expecting/hoping for the Country Inn & Suites, as this is my $32/night standby, and I prefer it slightly to the C-b-M (CI&S has free b'fast & local calls, but C-b-M has better beds), but got the Courtyard. Oh well, no biggie. :) Based on experience, probably could've gotten the C-b-M for $30/night, as I've done so a couple times in the past. Not a big deal, though, as $32/night is still a great deal. :) Have noticed a significant drop-off in hotel vacancies in the places I've stayed the past few weeks. Guess travel is falling off as the weather turns. Details: Check-in Oct 6th Check-out Oct 10th Nights 4 Cost $32/night Subtotal $128 Tax/Fees $23.52 Total $151.52 Nautica

After having trouble getting in successful bids at my "standard" levels the past couple of weeks, I decided to try and book a little earlier than I'd been. Initially tried a lowball bid at 2.5* for $29/night--no dice! Decided to go on the cheap, and bid 2*, $25/night, and got the Fairfield (good ol' reliable). Nautica

After many P/L rejections of my standard bids, decided to give up and go with H/W. The icons for amenities showed only Fitness and Laundry, so I thought maybe I'd get the Candlewood. Imagine my surprise when I got the Clarion instead! I've mentioned the changing amenities on Hotwire in a separate thread. It's very strange how they can't seem to keep it constant lately. As a result, I don't trust H/W as much. Without consistent amenities icons, how can I determine which hotel it is? Not too mention, wouldn't the hotels themselves WANT all their amenities to be shown? Nautica

Originally tried 2.5*, WDM, $30/night...REJECTED! Added DSM Airport area, tried 2.5*, $32/night...DENIED! Changed to 2*, WDM, $25/night...REJECTED! At this point, I was feeling like Mr. Halitosis at the Mint Convention...nobody wanted me! Even the Hotwire rates for that week seemed higher than usual. Waited 3-4 days. On Saturday, tried again, WDM, 2.5*, $35/night. Got the Country Inn & Suites! My buddy at work is there this week as well. He got $32/night. That's the "standard" P/L rate I've been able to get 3 times previously. I guess maybe things reset themselves to normal over the weekend? Nautica