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Got it on my first try. Should've bid less. Used the PRICELINE link here of course. Marriott Boston Burlington One Burlington Mall Road Burlington, MA 01803 781-229-6565 Check-In: Tuesday, July 21, 2009-04:00 PM Check-Out: Wednesday, July 22, 2009-12:00 PM Summary of Charges Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $50.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $50.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $12.66 (USD) Total Room Cost: $62.66 (USD)

Your Offer Price: $28.00 (per day) Total Rental Days: 10 days Subtotal: $280.00 Taxes and Fees: $95.40 Total Charges: $375.40 Lowest Published Price: $863.71 Total Savings:* $488.31 (You saved 57%) Use the PRICELINE links here.

LAX is generally a good place to rent a car and the rates typically go down the closer you get to your arrival date. However, your dates may pose difficulties because it's peak season. I would book something now that you can cancel and start bidding about a week before your trip. By the way, what size rental are you looking for?

Hyatt Regency Chicago Millennium Park, Loop & Grant Park Area 151 East Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois 60601 312-565-1234 Check-In Date: Fri, Jun 5, 2009 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sun, Jun 7, 2009 / 12:00 PM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $57.00 Subtotal: $228.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $44.40 Total Charges*: $272.40 Used PRICELINE links here.

Used PRICELINE links here. Hilton San Francisco Union Square West - Nob Hill 333 Ofarrell Street San Francisco, California 94102 415-771-1400 Check-In Date: Sun, Jun 21, 2009 / After 02:00 PM Check-Out Date: Mon, Jun 22, 2009 / 12:00 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $64.00 Subtotal: $64.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $17.28 Total Charges*: $81.28

I've booked a buttload of hotels on PRICELINE and I would say that about 30% of the time, I get a room that is probably among the smallest in the hotel and usually near an elevator (a louder area). Its like getting the middle seat at the back of an airplane. Typically, I call and request a room change and usually I am accomodated. If you're not prepared to be a little pushy, then you will get screwed. I should note that the other 70% of the time, I get a great room and I always get a great price.

Did you know that you can get far more that 4 bids by using different combinations of free rebids? Go USE/Fishermans, USE/Civic, USE/South San Fran, USE/Marina, USE/Fishermans/Marina, USE Fishermans/Civic, etc., etc., etc. The way to do this is to start your bid over each time (I click on car rentals and then back to hotels) or open a new window.

I really needed 2 beds, which takes out the Westin St. Francis, and the Parc 55 location is not good for me, so I stayed away from USE and USW zones and focused on Embarcadero in the hopes of getting the Hyatt. My bidding history was 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 92, 94, 95, 97, 99. PL countered for $22 more at 90, 94, and 97, which I declined. I finally hit at $99 for the Omni. I was actually pleasantly surprised with this hotel because it has great ratings at trip advisor, I called and confirmed 2 beds, and the cheapest I can find is $245 a night for my dates. I used the PRICELINE links here of course. Here's my results: Omni San Francisco Hotel Financial District - Embarcadero 500 California Street San Francisco, California 94104 415 677-9494 Check-In Date: Wed, Jun 17, 2009 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Fri, Jun 19, 2009 / 12:00 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $99.00 Subtotal: $198.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $39.32 Total Charges*: $237.32

Looks like a lot of people are bidding at $71. There are plenty of free rebids. Try $69 first. 69 dude!

That's what I thought. Lame.

Used PRICELINE link to start my bid. I'm not sure if this is a good deal or not. Anyone know how to get free rebids on car rentals? Pick-Up Location: Hertz Corporation San Francisco International Airport 780 Mcdonnell Road San Francisco,CA 94128 1-800-654-3011 Your Offer Price: $20.00 (per day) Total Rental Days: 2 days(1 days and 15 1/2 hours) Subtotal: $40.00 Taxes and Fees: $30.19 Total Charges: $70.19 Lowest Published Price: $83.80 Total Savings:* $13.61 (You saved 16%)

There's definitely a risk when trying to get a second room but in this particular instance, I think it was more of an informed decision based on the great information provided on this board than luck that allowed me to score. I kept my bids exclusive to USE 4* with free rebids. No other 4* in this zone was hitting this low so I felt comfortable bidding and expecting to get a second room in the same hotel.

I needed to add another room to my earlier posted rezzie. This time I bid in dollar increments from $66. PL counteroffered for $17 at $66 and $68. I declined each time and hit at $69. I'm convinced that is the rock bottom for this hotel right now. 69 dude. Used PRICELINE links here of course. Check-In Date: Friday, April 17, 2009 Check-Out Date: Sunday, April 19, 2009 Hotel Name: The Westin St. Francis 335 Powell Street San Francisco, California 94102 415-397-7000 Your Offer Price: $69.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $138.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $29.43 Total Charges*: $167.43

I bid up to $75 in small increments with free rebids starting from $60 in Embarcadero (trying to get the Hyatt). I was unsuccessful so I shifted gears and bid $70 in USE - hitting on my first try. I was a little impatient with my bidding on this one and I'm curious to know how much lower I could have gone. However, it seems like a decent result. I used the PRICELINE links here for my bid. Check-In Date: Friday, April 17, 2009 Check-Out Date: Sunday, April 19, 2009 Hotel Name: The Westin St. Francis 335 Powell Street San Francisco, California 94102 415-397-7000 Your Offer Price: $70.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $140.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $29.70 Total Charges*: $169.70

Practical Traveler has a new article featuring betterbidding.com. I'm not sure if anyone has posted this here yet.

Booked 3 rooms at $51 a night per room. Got it on my first try. Good deal! Used PRICELINE links here of course. Renaissance Providence Hotel Providence Downtown 5 Avenue Of The Arts Providence, Rhode Island 02903 401-276-0010 Check-In Date: Sun, Apr 5, 2009 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Mon, Apr 6, 2009 / 11:00 AM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $51.00 Subtotal: $153.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $29.43 Total Charges*: $182.43

I bid $70 and PL counteroffered for $22 more. I declined and bid $72 - rejected. I then bid at $75 and hit. Used the PRICELINE links here of course. Check-In Date: Saturday, March 28, 2009 Check-Out Date: Monday, March 30, 2009 Hotel Name: Hyatt Regency San Francisco 5 Embarcadero Center San Francisco, California 94111 415-788-1234 Your Offer Price: $75.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $150.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $31.45 Total Charges*: $181.45

Used the PRICELINE links here. Tried multiple bids starting from $60 for 4* in USE, USW, and Embarcadero. Finally hit at $75 Parc 55 Hotel Union Square West - Nob Hill 55 Cyril Magnin Street San Francisco, California 94102 415-392-8000 Check-In Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2009 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Wed, Mar 11, 2009 / 12:00 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $75.00 Subtotal: $150.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $31.44 Total Charges*: $181.44

Used PRICELINE links to make bid. Hotwire showed $15.95 so I bid $12 and hit. Full-Size Car (Unlimited Mileage) Pick-Up Date: March 19, 2009 Drop-Off Date: March 22, 2009 Pick-Up Location: Alamo Rent a Car AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL ARPT 3600 Presidential Blvd Ste #108 Austin,TX 78719 Your Offer Price: $12.00 (per day) Total Rental Days: 3 days(2 days and 21 1/2 hours) Subtotal: $36.00 Taxes and Fees: $28.91 Total Charges: $64.91 Lowest Published Price: $83.82 Total Savings:* $18.91 (You saved 23%)

Got it on my first bid. Used PRICELINE links. Doubletree Hotel Lowell Billerica - Tewksbury Area 50 Warren Street Lowell, Massachusetts 01852 978-452-1200 See Hotel Website View Map and Directions Check-In Date: Sat, Dec 13, 2008 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sun, Dec 14, 2008 / 12:00 PM Amenities: Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $30.00 Subtotal: $30.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $10.27 Total Charges*: $40.27

Hit it on the first try. Hilton Boston Logan Airport Revere - Logan Airport 85 Terminal Road East Boston, Massachusetts 02128 617-568-6700 See Hotel Website View Map and Directions Check-In Date: Sat, Nov 22, 2008 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sun, Nov 23, 2008 / 12:00 PM Amenities: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $65.00 Subtotal: $65.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $15.99 Total Charges*: $80.99

I bid in $10 increments from $80 all the way up to $130. Lukewarm, but I was booking for a friend who wanted quick results. I used the PRICELINE links here of course. Le Meridien San Francisco Union Square East - Embarcadero 333 Battery Street San Francisco, California 94111 415-296-2900 Check-In Date: Thu, Jul 17, 2008 / After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Mon, Jul 21, 2008 / 12:00 PM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $130.00 Subtotal: $520.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $87.26 Total Charges*: $607.26

I've heard of others getting the Hilton Riverside for 4/30-5/3 in the low $60's. Looks like Sat night is the stickler. If you're willing to split your bid, things could work out well for you.

I looked at hotwire but the best they offer is a 3.5* all inclusive, which is the Allegro Playa Dorada for $637 total for my dates. The tripadvisor for that hotel is not great and I'd rather shell out $800 for the RIU (which is my current rezzie). I was hoping that someone would have an idea on how to narrow down what PL offers.

I'm looking to book for puerto plata for 3/5-3/10 and I am tempted to try PL. The problem is that I want an all-inclusive. A general search on PL indicates that the Riu Bachata, Merengue, Mambo and the Viva Wyndham Tangerine are all listed as 3* in that area. The "name your own price" zone for "North Coast" only gives an option up to 3* and no resort. I would gladly take the Riu properties or the Viva Wyndham if those are the 3* hotels in the zone. I just don't want to bid on 3* and get something that is not all-inclusive. Anyone have suggestions?