peacenik18

I wanted to stay in Mid-town, I didn't care exactly where, and didn't want to spend more than $150/night.  I came up with a bidding strategy using 4* and a max of $150 and re-bid zones.  

I didn't win right away.  It took over a week.  Last week I started bidding at $100 and bid up to $113 in $1 increments using rebid zones.  This week i started at $130, again using $1 increments, and hit at $140.  I won the Club Quarters, Opposite Rockefeller Center for $140/night or $352.76 total.  A savings of $158.44 or 31% when compared to booking directly on their website.  Good reviews, excellent location.  I have to say I'm quite pleased!

Bid 4 Stars for Times Square at $200, didn't get it so I lowered it to 3.5 Stars and raised my price to $205.  I've been employing this bidding strategy for a few nights now as we only wanted to stay in the Times Square area; our price/night would have increased as the dates got closer.  I hit with the Yotel Times Square.  It looks really nice online - very modern and clean!  Overall, pretty satisfied!  Of course I used the Priceline link!

Sorry for the late post! I used the PRICELINE link from Betterbidding.com to start the bid. I started bidding at $140 at the 3.5 star level and added a new region until I won the Courtyard for $185 ($230.80 total). I had a max of $200/night.

Bid $140 Mid-Town East Failed

Bid $150 ..., Times Square Failed

Bid $160 ..., Central Park South Failed

Bid $170 ..., Mid-town West Failed

Bid $175 ..., Madison Square Convention Center Failed

Bid $180 ..., Empire State Building Failed

Bid $185 Won Courtyard by Marriott

Hotel retailed for $499 for that night, not including taxes! We were thrilled with our savings AND the hotel was immaculate!

Hi! I'm reporting another win for our 2013 London - Paris trip! I bid $88 for 4* in the Kensington - Earls Court zone and it was rejected; I added Mayfair-Soho and bid $89 and won this. The total price is $114.54. I'm very excited as their website lists this hotel at $375/night for the same date which is a huge savings!

Hi Loveboat1234, what star level are you trying to win?

Ewismer,

Thank you for the hotel suggestion! It's our first time to Paris so we're just hoping for a place close to the metro. Yes, for our two nights it ended up at $232.08 - roughly 2/3 the full price of a single night; needless to say I felt a little like I had just won the lottery! I'm going to look up the hotel you suggested right now.

Thanks again!

I've stayed in that hotel and you are still in the underground Zone 1 so travel to any of the sights in London is generally less then 20mins on the tube at the cheapest rate. Also, the hotel is a short 5 minute walk from the Gloucester Tube stop in a very nice neighborhood. I'd recommend the Illy Patissere on Gloucester (across from the Tube) for breakfast - they squeeze their own Orange Juice - where a good hearty breakfast will only set you back about £6.

The Holiday Inn Kensington even has British, European and American outlets in the room I was in. Not as prestigious an area as Bloomsbury, but I hope you enjoy your time none-the-less!

I bid $65 for downtown Providence and it was accepted. I always feel like I bid too high when my initial bid gets accepted, still we're pretty happy. $81 total with taxes; the current retail price is $149/night, so it looks like we bagged quite a great deal!

I bid Kensington - Earl's Court at $90, rejected; added Mayfair-Soho for $91, rejected; added Bloomsbury-Marble Arch for $92, rejected; added Westminster for $93 and won the Doubletree by Hilton. Very very happy! Currently, their website lists this property at £215/night for these dates. Excellent location as well.

I am going to keep trying for Paris through Priceline; I will continue to use the PRICELINE links in the forum. Should I start a new thread for my Paris win (when it comes?).

YAY!

Excellent idea and we may give that a try, but we decided to try to bid through the traditional PRICELINE route; I'll use the links from the forum each time. You can close this thread though. I'll start a new one to let you know the winning hotel! Thanks again!

Sorry, I had completely lost that post. I replied and you can close it. Thank you.

I ended up booking directly with a hotel; I found a exceptionally low price with the Millennium Gloucester and we ended up there due to their price-match policy.

I am planning a trip to Paris for 5/24/13 - 5/31/13. I used the PRICELINE link to search for hotels; I saw a PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal listed for 3* hotel with free wi-fi for the Eiffel Tower area for $112/night. Is there anyway to help narrow down which hotel it might be?

I stayed at the Millennium Gloucester in 2011; they're connected. It's a nice hotel and literally 100 feet from the opening of the Gloucester Tube stop on the Picadilly line. I'm a single woman, 5'2" and 120lbs. I felt so safe in that area during both the day and night!

Maybe I missed it, but did you use PRICELINE for this reservation?

Just curious to know did you ever id this hotel or did you decide to stay elsewhere?

Hi TravisGA!

I traveled to London for the first time last spring. It was an amazing experience and you're in for a treat! I didn't know about this forum and had never done Priceline then so I booked directly with a hotel for the Kensington area; it was very clean, safe and conveniently located. It was cheaper then booking in central London too. The tube in London is very easy to learn and read on the fly and within a few hours I felt like I was a pro at navigating it; you also never feel very far away from anything since their mass transit is so good. There is a hop-on-hop-off tour that stops right at the Gloucester Road Station which was a wonderful surprise!

If you're looking for a more touristy (but still very safe & clean) area - I'd also recommend Mayfair - Soho but the hotels tend to be a little more pricey.

Good Luck!

Thanks! I'm not going to book this property though. I've got some time until my trip in August, so I think I'm going to keep trying Priceline and see if I can't get a 4*.

I was looking on Hotwire (used your link) at hotels for London for 8/27 - 9/5; saw a 3* for $59/night with the following amenities - Complimentary Breakfast and High Speed Internet (clicked on "show all" and nothing additional). The hotel is recommended by 90% of Hotwire Customers. I know it's not a lot to go on, but I was wondering if you could help ID it?

Thanks!

P.S. I've been using Priceline to bid on a 4* hotels (used your link here too) for the past couple nights!

Thank you!

Is that per room or combined? I'm planning to go in August and need two rooms as well.

I wanted to let you know that I stayed in London on business for the first time last April; I was 25 and alone (I'm a girl). I used maps.google.co.uk in street view to learn my way around before I ever set foot in the UK!

I joined this site because I want to go back and my company isn't paying this time - so I want to be a savvy buyer this time!