Jasmine

Thanks. I actually don't drink but falling asleep behind the wheel is just as dangerous. I guess I will get my friend to bid in the $40s for Ann Arbor. I don't think Ypsilanti is really any cheaper anyway.

I've bid up to $38 for a 2* without any luck. I don't want to pay much more than that so I'm looking into other towns nearby which are hopefully cheaper. Which of the following would be the most convenient? (I'm going to see a show at the Blind Pig and don't want to drive too far in case I'm tired): -Ypsilanti -Canton -Plymouth -Belleville Thanks.

I posted a review here. I also snapped a couple pictures of the room. How do I get those uploaded?

I stayed at this property for two nights (July 22-24). It is in the "Plaza at Harmon Meadows" complex with a bunch of other hotels, stores and a mall (more info here). As with the other hotels in the area, the bus going to the Port Authority in Manhattan stops steps from the hotel ($2.85 each way). Attached to the hotel is an Outback Steakhouse which is open late (takeout until 1:00 AM I believe). After my bid of $58 was accepted, I called the hotel to confirm the reservation and request a non-smoking room. Once I arrived at the hotel I was able to check in a couple hours early without any issues and got a NS room as requested. The staff was friendly and helpful. Covered parking is available a few steps away from the back entrance to the hotel. The room was nice and clean if not a bit on the small side. My room had a King-sized bed with a couch (possibly pullout - I didn't bother to check) but I got the impression from the front desk that I could have had double beds if I wanted. The bed itself was comfy - the goose-down duvet was a nice change from those usually worn out polyester blankets at some other places. The pillows were also feather filled but I found them too high (sore neck in the morning). The bathroom was pretty cramped - they even put the coffee maker on the counter top (even though there is plenty of room on the drawers and desk in the main area). No microwave or mini-fridge to be found (a microwave is available in the lobby). The a/c system was good - easy to use and quiet. Overall I was pretty pleased with this property and wouldn't hesitate to stay again.

Had previously tried bidding up to $56 with no luck. Your Offer Price: $58.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $116.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $24.89 Total Charges: $140.89

For anyone who is interested, my review has been posted: Hiton Garden Inn Review I enjoyed my stay and would definitely go back. It's a nice alternative to the expensive properties (and parking) in the city.

I spent one night at this property (July 4). It is located in the 'Midway Hotel Center' which is a bunch of hotels all grouped together along with a TGI Fridays. The hotel looks very new and has plenty of free parking. Check-in was quick and I was even able to get a room 3 hours prior to the check-in time without any trouble or extra charge. The room itself was fairly large with two double beds (very comfortable with feather pillows). It was extremely clean and tastefully decorated and even comes with a microwave and small fridge (there's a Walmart and a Target right up the street - I picked up some microwave popcorn and drinks to stock the fridge). There is free highspeed internet available in the room but if you don't have a lap-top with you, you can go down to the 24 hour business center to use the computer there. In the evenings there are fresh cookies at the front desk and in the morning you will find a copy of USA Today on your door. There is also an indoor pool on the main floor but I didn't use it. Getting to and from the airport (to catch a train into the city) was very easy. The person at the front desk will call the shuttle for you (when you get back to the train station/airport, you will have to call the hotel to request a pickup so make sure you bring their number!). I never had to wait more than 5 minutes for it to come. As for the CTA train, they come often and it takes about 25 mins to get to the 'Loop' area. I bought a visitors pass for $5 which gave me an unlimited number of rides in 24 hours (from the time you first use it). The only negative thing I experienced is that there was no remote control for the TV in the room. By the time I realized this, it was about 9pm and when I called down to the front desk I was told they'd bring one up immediately. They never did. I mentioned this to the lady on check-out (so that I wouldn't be charged for "stealing" the remote) and she was extremely apologetic. Oh, there were also fireworks going off all night long in the backyards of houses across the street. Of course it was the 4th of July and something the hotel couldn't control :)

Thanks. I forgot to mention that I went through SavingsBarn. I will do a review of the hotel when I get back.

I stayed here April 30-May 2. This was my review (from my original post): I had some trouble actually finding the hotel. Mapquest directions weren't entirely clear and I had to stop three times to ask for help (first two times I got poor directions) so it took me about 45 minutes to get there (even though the entire time I was within 5 minutes of it). At one point I was staring at the hotel from across the NJ Turnpike but couldn't find a road to take me across to it! Not the hotel's fault - just thought I'd mention it. It was about noon when I finally got into the lobby and although it was too early to check-in, I confirmed there'd be a room waiting for me when I got back that night from the city. I also requested a non-smoking room at that time. Staff was very friendly and helpful. They have free parking available 'next door' in a covered structure (which I believe is shared with the mall) and also some spaces (maybe 10-15) out front. I nabbed a spot out front (easier access and safer I felt). The bus to the Port Authority stops right across from the lobby doors - it is the first stop on the way to NYC and the last stop on the way back. A lot of people chose to buy 'round-trip' tickets in the morning but (1) there isn't any savings (2) you have to carry a ticket with you all day and hope you don't lose it and (3) I over heard some people telling the driver that other drivers had refused to honour the ticket (?). So I stuck with one-way fares. I got back to the hotel around 10PM on Saturday night and it only took 2 minutes to check-in. Oddly enough they didn't even take a imprint of my credit card for incidentals (they charge for even local phone calls). I was lucky to land a room facing a quiet street/parking garage. I believe some rooms face the turnpike and I'd imagine there'd be noise. When I first walked into the room I was hit with a pretty bad smell. At first I thought they had given me a smoking room but that wasn't the case - I think the entire hotel is just pretty old and musty. By the next day all my clothes smelled funny too. They have a good a/c system though so I turned it up and it seemed to help with the smell a bit. However the air system is pretty noisy and it woke me up at night whenever it switched on (had it on 'auto'). The room itself was a good size - when you first walk in there is a pull out sofa with a love seat, a TV, coffee table and writing desk. In the adjoining room (no door) there was a King sized bed with an arm chair and another 27" TV. The bathroom was an acceptable size with a bathtub. There is a microwave, little fridge and coffee maker as well. They give you two bottles of water every day which is nice. I popped them in the otherwise empty fridge and had ice cold water for the next day. Now the bad part... the room was pretty filthy. Maybe I just happened to get a room cleaned by a lazy maid but it was gross (and I'm not overly picky about these things). There were "foreign" hairs in the tub and on the counter top around the sink *puke* I also found an eyelash on a pillow and a plastic thingy from a price tag on the sheets. There was dust everywhere and the carpet looked like it hadn't been vacuumed in awhile. I made a point of not taking off my shoes. Breakfast costs $7 but I opted to eat in the city so I can't comment on that. Overall, I thought the hotel was in a good location but I wouldn't want to stay there again because of the apparent lack of cleaning. Next time I'd probably opt for a newer 2.5* over the Prime Suites. Better reviews might change my mind though. I'm glad to see that everyone else so far seems to have gotten clean rooms. Maybe I was just unlucky. I also wish I had known to follow the hotel's directions originally! Would have saved me a lot of time! Good tips.

This was my first bid. I originally wanted to start lower but due to time constraints and reading on this board that the Midway area is a tough zone, I just went with something more likely to be accepted. I don't think I saw this hotel on the list but I'm happy with it. Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Midway Airport 6530 South Cicero Avenue Bedford Park,

I just got back last night from my trip and here are my thoughts: I had some trouble actually finding the hotel. Mapquest directions weren't entirely clear and I had to stop three times to ask for help (first two times I got poor directions) so it took me about 45 minutes to get there (even though the entire time I was within 5 minutes of it). At one point I was staring at the hotel from across the NJ Turnpike but couldn't find a road to take me across to it! :) Not the hotel's fault - just thought I'd mention it. It was about noon when I finally got into the lobby and although it was too early to check-in, I confirmed there'd be a room waiting for me when I got back that night from the city. I also requested a non-smoking room at that time. Staff was very friendly and helpful. They have free parking available 'next door' in a covered structure (which I believe is shared with the mall) and also some spaces (maybe 10-15) out front. I nabbed a spot out front (easier access and safer I felt). The bus to the Port Authority stops right across from the lobby doors - it is the first stop on the way to NYC and the last stop on the way back. A lot of people chose to buy 'round-trip' tickets in the morning but (1) there isn't any savings (2) you have to carry a ticket with you all day and hope you don't lose it and (3) I over heard some people telling the driver that other drivers had refused to honour the ticket (?). So I stuck with one-way fares. I got back to the hotel around 10PM on Saturday night and it only took 2 minutes to check-in. Oddly enough they didn't even take a imprint of my credit card for incidentals (they charge for even local phone calls). I was lucky to land a room facing a quiet street/parking garage. I believe some rooms face the turnpike and I'd imagine there'd be noise. When I first walked into the room I was hit with a pretty bad smell. At first I thought they had given me a smoking room but that wasn't the case - I think the entire hotel is just pretty old and musty. By the next day all my clothes smelled funny too. They have a good a/c system though so I turned it up and it seemed to help with the smell a bit. However the air system is pretty noisy and it woke me up at night whenever it switched on (had it on 'auto'). The room itself was a good size - when you first walk in there is a pull out sofa with a love seat, a TV, coffee table and writing desk. In the adjoining room (no door) there was a King sized bed with an arm chair and another 27" TV. The bathroom was an acceptable size with a bathtub. There is a microwave, little fridge and coffee maker as well. They give you two bottles of water every day which is nice. I popped them in the otherwise empty fridge and had ice cold water for the next day. Now the bad part... the room was pretty filthy. Maybe I just happened to get a room cleaned by a lazy maid but it was gross (and I'm not overly picky about these things). There were "foreign" hairs in the tub and on the counter top around the sink *puke* I also found an eyelash on a pillow and a plastic thingy from a price tag on the sheets. There was dust everywhere and the carpet looked like it hadn't been vacuumed in awhile. I made a point of not taking off my shoes. Breakfast costs $7 but I opted to eat in the city so I can't comment on that. Overall, I thought the hotel was in a good location but I wouldn't want to stay there again because of the apparent lack of cleaning. Next time I'd probably opt for a newer 2.5* over the Prime Suites. Better reviews might change my mind though.

Should I be worried? I just went to the hotel site and tried to make a reservation for my weekend (just to see what the regular rates are) and it said there isn't anything available. I really hope they aren't double booking! Also, thereuare, since you know a lot about the area, would you recommend I take the bus into the city (supposedly the stop is right across the street) or drive to a PATH station? I'm looking for the quickest way to Manhattan (and I don't expect to be out past midnight so that's not a concern). Thanks again.

I know patience is a virtue but I got antsy and went ahead and took another stab at a bidding strategy. It was as follows: Jersey City (3*) - $65 --> rejected ----- Jersey City (2.5*) - $50 --> rejected + Jersey City (2*) - $55 --> rejected ----- Secaucus/North Bergen (3*) - $55 --> accepted. Wait what? <rubbing eyes>. Yes - actually accepted! It's the Prime Hotel Suites Secaucus. Your Offer Price: $55.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $110.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $23.83 Total Charges: $133.83 Thanks everyone for all your help on this. Time to go read up on this hotel as it's the one that I didn't check up on before bidding. Hope it has free parking and relatively easy access to Manhattan. :)

<checking map> I suppose it would be fine however it would definitely be second choice behind the other two and I'd only be willing to go up as high as maybe $50 since I'd have the inconvenience of driving to a PATH station and would need to pay for parking there ($25 at Hoboken).

Clearly by my earlier bidding mistakes, I need help! After today's bidding, I will only have one more attempt at it (on Thursday) before my stay so I don't want to risk screwing anything up. I'll list my parameters below - please tell me how I should go about bidding. Thanks in advance :) In the Jersey City area, I am willing to pay as much as $75 a night for a 3* and up to $65 for a 2* or 2.5*. In the Secaucus/North Bergen area, I am willing to pay up to $65 for a 3* and up to $55 for a 2.5*. At this point, I don't have a preference as to which area or quality level I wind up with. Also I'm willing to split my bid and move from one hotel/area to a different one for the second night if that is necessary.

Oh no!! And I was just starting to think I got the hang of this. Doh. I can still bid for Jersey City alone for a 2* correct? (because I didn't go that low with Secaucus + J.C.). I definitely will be asking for help with my strategy in 3 days - clearly I can't handle this on my own :)

Since I'm locked out of bidding on J.C. alone for another 48 hrs, I decided to give Secaucus a half-hearted, low-ball effort. Secaucus 3* - $43 --> rejected + Jersey City - $48 --> rejected ------------ Secaucus 2.5* - $37 --> rejected + Jersey City - $45 --> rejected Starting Monday I will increase my bids significantly and hopefully something can be had.

Great info - thanks! I went as high as $68 for a 2* last night and still nothing. I'll have two more tries just for Jersey City before I'm desperate but I'm already thinking of trying lower bids for different areas. It's a tradeoff between cost and convenience - if I stay in J.C. I'll be paying more for the room and for parking at the hotel but have the PATH station within walking distance whereas if I stay somewhere else (Secaucus maybe?) I can probably get a room for less with free parking but I'll have to drive to a PATH station. All these options are driving me :)

For those of you familiar with the area, how difficult is it to find parking by the PATH stations? I've printed off a guide so I know where the lots and garages are but I'm concered about the abundance of spots. I'll be there on a Saturday and Sunday so is it safe to assume there won't be many problems? Also, in the event I'm not able to land a room in Jersey City within my price range, where would be the second best area to look in? I see Newark is on the line but I'd probably drive to a closer station so as to minimize the number of stops to Manhattan. Thanks.

Good point about the graduations. I checked for availability through certain hotels directly if I were to split my bid and it seems there are more options for the Sunday night (May 22) so I decided to focus my bids on that. Specifically, the Amerisuites in Medford is showing quite a few rooms available for $107 (non-refundable). So this is what I've bid so far (with that hotel in mind but open to others as well): Medford - 2.5* - $35 --> rejected Medford + Copley - $40 --> rejected Downtown - 2.5* - $40 --> rejected Downtown + Medford - $48 --> rejected Downtown + Medford + Copley - $52 --> rejected I am debating adding the World Trade Center zone but I have no idea what hotels might be there.

Nevermind... this thread can be deleted. It's back up and running now.

Is it just me that can't access the page? I'm anxious to bid on a room.

OK I've just been searching for availability at a bunch of hotels and most of them are booked solid that weekend (even the airport hotels and the ones outside of Boston)! I used the convention checker and nothing came up so I wonder what is going on that weekend. I now realize beggars can't be choosers so I am willing to stay up to 30 mins outside of the city since I will have my car and can drive in each day. I will also take anything that is a 2* or up. My strategy just got more complicated I think (because of all the options now). Wish me luck.. <clicking to savings barn>

Thanks a lot! I never would have thought about using Copley for a "free" bid. My true limit is about $100/night with taxes and charges included so I guess that puts my bidding limit down to about $80? A 3* is acceptable as well except I don't want to wind up at Club Quarters (so should I start a new bid for a 3* and exclude the Downtown region?). I am not opposed to any of the areas as I think all of them (except maybe Medford?) are serviced by the subway.

In a month I'll be visiting Boston for the first time and I'd like to stay somewhere that is easily accessible to the subways as I plan on doing a lot of sight seeing. I will be driving into the city and need a room for May 21 and 22. I'd prefer a 4* but it's not absolutely necessary. I'm flexible on the neighbourhood as long as it's not completely out of the way (i.e. by the airport). Also if possible I'd prefer not to exceed $70. Any tips on how I should go about doing this? Thanks.