Shoob

Thanks for finding that out for me, Thereuare. I actually looked at parking garages on google maps, and didn't see much in the way of prices. Regardless, after thinking about it, I'd rather try to stay clear of paying for parking, if I can. So, let's stick to non-Downtown. Thanks again!

Thanks for the welcome! So, parking for an additional fee may or may not be an issue. In Toledo, I was able to find reasonable parking in downtown; in Milwaukee I parked in the hotel garage and paid (with come & go privileges); same with St. Louis. Chicago, on the other hand, is horrible! Parking is prohibitively expensive in downtown... is downtown Detroit like that? If so, I'll avoid that region... if it is similar to the others I named, and cost of parking cheap, I'll include the area. Any idea?

Hey guys, This will be the 2nd stop on our trip around Lake Erie. I am still unsure if I will check-out of here on the 1st or the 2nd... it will depend on whether we should stay in Niagara Falls 1 or 2 days. From what I understand, there is a lot to see and do in Toronto, and I hear the hotels are beautiful, so I would like a decent place here. Judging from others' wins, tremendous deals have been had at the 3.5* and 4* levels. I'm not really sure what is typical around this time of year in this area, though. I'm not sure what strategy I should employ (which is why I need your help!)... I know that if I shoot for a 3.5* hotel, I'm limiting my rebidding options, and at 4* it might get very expensive. I'd like to aim for paying a max of $80/night in Toronto... could I possibly get a 4* at that rate? If so... strategy please! :) I know I'm asking for a lot of help for this trip (Detroit, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Sandusky, Toledo)... but I hope by me using your PRICELINE link, you guys get a decent compensation. This is easily one of the most useful and amazing sites out there (I'm telling all my friends at med school to use you guys!)!!! Thanks! -Shoob

Hey guys, This will be the 3rd stop on our trip around Lake Erie. I am still unsure if I will check-in here on the 1st or the 2nd... it will depend on how long we plan on staying in Toronto (which depends on whether it is worth staying in Niagara for two days or not). Any ideas? Is Niagara Falls good for a single day or would two days be more worth it? As for the hotel... I have noticed that people on here have winning bids around the $55 to $70 range at 3.5* or 4*. Is that doable for my dates (6/1-6/3 or 6/2-6/3)? I'm willing to pay up to about $80 for this stay (obviously, less is always better) because I would think my wife would enjoy being close to the falls. As always, all help is greatly appreciated!!! -Shoob

Hey all! It has been a while, but I'm back for your help! If you don't recall, I've booked my stays through this website (ultimately, Priceline) when going to Toledo and places in Wisconsin. Well, now I need help for a a new 7 day trip. In sticking to the rules, here's my request for the first leg of my trip: Detroit. I'm not familiar with Detroit at all (other than knowing that we will spend time in Dearborn for shopping before trekking out to Toronto). As always, travel trips would be appreciated (e.g. safe areas, fun locations, etc.). I would like to stick to 3.5* with a $70 limit (impossible?); I hear Dearborn is nice, so if possible I'd like a room there, otherwise I suppose Downtown is fine if parking is not an issue. I am planning to be there the day of 5/29, and leaving for Toronto on the 30th. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

Sorry for the late reply... I didn't realize that you replied on here. First of all... I don't have any idea why there was such difficulty getting a hotel in either place! The park, just wow... I've been to a number of amusment parks, including Cedar Point multiple times, and the park was relatively empty... on a Friday!!! It was crazy... we were able to go on the Top Thrill Dragster a 3 times and go on every other ride twice! Just nuts... Anyways, the rating was 2* in the Perrysburg - Northwood area and the amenities that were shown to me included: free parking, free breakfast, free internet, indoor or outdoor pool, business center. Oh... and it was a smoking room... that was a pleasant surprise because I smoke, but it might bother others. I called reception to confirm that it was a smoking room because I smelled the smoke and didn't want to get [wrongly] hit with a fine if it wasn't a smoking room. The receptionist tasked if it (i.e. the reservation for smoking) was a mistake, in which case she would gladly try to switch us to another room. Great customer service... Hope this helps... just know that the hotel, I felt, was great. It was a bit dated... the phone in the room was really old (as well as the TV), and the AC was obviously old.. but honestly, those things did not take away from the fact that I had a pretty safe, decent place to stay at night with the family... and the customer service was truly nice. -Shoob

Thereuare, I think that you are right... Not sure if you all noticed, but I had to leave the same day that I posted that. I was sitting here for two hours trying to win a bid, but kept losing! I don't think I've ever been so frustrated when I tried to get a hotel! Anyways, I kept trying until I decided that I should go with whatever deal I could get (I was willing to pay for a room outright on a hotel's website... almost). I then decided to look at the Express Deals on Priceline... that seems very similar to Hotwire, but the deals seem better too, plus I trust Priceline's star rating. Anyways, I accepted a deal for a 2* hotel (Quality Inn) in the Perrysburg area of Toledo at $53/night. I had to pick it up because I needed to leave ASAP and needed to make sure we had a place to stay the next night. Anyways... the Quality Inn was truly awesome. I was a bit worried after I bought it, but it's family-owned and is run spectacularly well. The customer service is tremendous, the breakfast is amazing (waffle maker there too!), and we felt safe staying there (the most important thing for us). I recommend it to others... but I really wish I would have paid less overall for the hotel. I got it for $66 after tax... Thanks for the help guys... it's just unfortunate that I didn't get win... I just got lucky in the end! -Shoob

I'm up to $90 on each of these suggestions... with no luck... :( Up to $80+ on the 2.5* level... no luck! What is going on!?

Hi guys... well, I was unable to win at the 3* level nor the 2.5* :( I had to choose the hotel through the link you provided. $49 at the Howard Johnson across from Cedar Point.

Okay guys... I lost at $60 too. Should I drop down to the 2.5* level? So $50 is the bid I should put in here??? Let me know what you guys think, because there is no rebid. I'm anxiously awaiting a reply. Thanks!

Hmm... very good, and kinda tough question. I guess least expensive 3* is best at this point. I don't necessarily need to be closer to one place or another (last time I had an interview, so that was a particular consideration). I honestly would like to stay out of the Downtown area because the one time I stay there, I had to pay for parking... the hotel charged $16/day, and I had to go to a parking garage instead to pay less... no fun. It looks to me like Holland, Perrysburg and Maumee are all fairly similar in that they are all suburbs and fairly decent overall. Holland only has one hotel (Courtyard by Marriott) that I think I would potentially get.. that's where we stayed last time, and it was nicer than I expected! So... in sum, we'll try to get the least expensive 3* in those 3 areas (Holland, Maumee/Perrysburg). Now... I'll let your genius minds figure out a strategy for me! Really, you guys are awesome!

Thanks Romelle. You're right in that I don't have very much time remaining. I'm waiting for the 24 hour period right now... wish me luck. I would really like to win at this. I guess if I have to move down to the 2.5 level, I'll have to do it. And if I still don't win in Sandusky-Huron, then I'll have to try in the other area (I guess it's not too far away from the park, right?). If you (or anyone else) have any other suggestions, please let me know! Thanks again!

I've decided the same with this trip; moving forward with the bidding regardless. Please advise me on a bidding strategy. Thanks!

Thanks... Here it goes! If this does work today, you probably won't hear from me until tomorrow at this time. UPDATE: Lost at $45 and $50. Will try again tomorrow night. Any suggestions in case even those two bids are unsuccessful? Thanks!

I checked HOTWIRE, and nothing appears for quad occupancy that I would like to pay. There is one that is $63, but I'm unsure which that hotel might be... Up till now, I've been lucky with PL in that I have gotten a room with two beds... maybe I should roll the dice with this one? Let's move forward with PRICELINE, especially if the chance to get a decent hotel with a decent rate is greater. Thanks!

Hi, This is the second half of my trip... I'll leave Sandusky on the night of 22nd and check-in at Toledo. Leave Toledo in the morn on 6/23. When I went to Toledo earlier this year, I stayed at the Courtyard in the Holland area. I loved being in that area, actually. I'd like to try there again. So this time, I'd like to go 3*, Holland first, then Perrysburg or Maumee, and lastly, Downtown area. $60/night budget. Again 4 people, so that's a major concern for us. Any advice regarding how to deal with that would be great. I hope to hear back very soon... Please advise. Thanks!

Romelle, Thanks for welcoming me back... and thanks for your advice. I'll go with what Thereuare said (he's the official!). I'll keep this thread for Sandusky, and the new one for Toledo. Thereuare: thanks for reminding me of the other open thread. I posted my win in that thread. Please take a look at it. Now, for Sandusky... I'd like to shoot for a 3* as usual. If I can get it in the price I stated above, that would be ideal. Also, can you give me advice on how to deal with the fact that we will have two other people with us? That's a bit of a concern. The budget is kinda of fixed, so we need to figure something out with what we've got. If we can't nail something in the 3* range, we can drop down to the 2.5*, but I'd really like to nail a 3* if possible. So, let's start with Sandusky-Huron, and then use the other as a back up. Also... on PL, if you look at the "Express deals" for Sandusky, there are a couple 2.5* under $60... so I'm guessing I can bid much less than than and possibly win... is that right? My logic is: if they are willing to offer that directly without a bid, they might be able to offer rooms at a lower rate... let me know what you think. I'll be awaiting a response anxiously because the date is coming up quick! Thanks!!!

Sorry for not informing you all of my win. Got caught up in the trip and all the subsequent happenings of med school preparation. Anyways, I ended up winning a $55 bid for the Courtyard by Marriott in Dearborn. It was a 3* at the time. Hope this helps someone else!

Hello all! I know this is the place to come to for help bidding! Thanks for all the help in the past guys! Now, I need help for a trip coming up in about a week and a half. So, we are looking for a hotel in Sandusky on Thursday 6/21 (check-out 6/22), and after the park, drive to Toledo and stay there for the night (6/22 check-in, 6/23 check-out). I would like a 3 star rating in Toledo, but I'm not sure what is decent in Sandusky (I've been pretty good with 3 star ratings elsewhere). Would it be realistic to nail a room for under $60/per night? That's our budget... This trip plan came about suddenly... and we'd like to make this trip for a special reason. Anyways, any help would be great, like usual. Also, I know that Priceline books only double occupancy... but do you think we could get away with two extra people? Any time I've book through priceline, I've gotten two separate beds in a room... if that's the case, we can always accommodate the extra persons. Please advise me on how to approach this matter. -Shoob

Awesome advice... all of you! I'm going to rebid now. I'm just wondering, though... would it be wise to bid in that same price range but in the 4* category? Also... We (my wife and I) don't drink, so pubs/bars/breweries don't matter much to us. Thanks for the idea, though. Oh, and the 3rd is my interview, so I can't wait much longer to try again. So wish me luck!

Hi guys, Just an update... no luck at those rates. I'm really worried now! The date is nearing, and I don't want to be left without a place to stay. Any advice? It seems like others have gotten rooms around these rates at greater star levels... luck of the draw?

I was just about to bid when I realized that I had a quick question... can I add the re-bid zones from the other areas (e.g. Detroit Suburbs)?

First of all, your advice has been great. I really appreciate that you would do that for me. As for my interview, it's to be a med student... so I'm not too sure where I'd stay if I were to go there. I guess, 20 minute or so drive is not that bad (although, in Toledo, it took me all of 9 [!] minutes to get to the interview from the hotel... I know, it's not Detroit, lol). So, if you know that Southfield is a fairly nice place, I would definitely like to check it out. I live in the suburbs of Chicago, and not having to have a complete change of lifestyle would be nice. I hear that Dearborn is decent, too... any idea about that? If it is, for PL, I'd like to do Dearborn, then Southfield... finally then adding other areas like Troy, Bloomfield, etc. This is kinda daunting!Safety matters mainly because I plan on taking my wife with me so we can get to know the place and see how we fit in... your advice to pick an area in which we might live, is great... I agree with you. I just need to learn what those areas are... lol. You're correct in what you say... I'm just concerned that it will take too long to learn how it works... I'm concerned with the date coming up so quickly! Anyways, I trust you and the rest of the people here, and I have to consider your advice. I noted the acceptable zones in a previous post as well as this post... hope it helps! Romelle... I'm definitely going to look into Hotwire and how it works now. Thanks for the help, and for the wishes! This process is so tough... but interviews are just another obstacle, and your (and others') moral support helps! Thanks again!

Thanks, thereuare, for the prompt reply! Well... I don't know much of anything about Detroit. I just want to be in a pretty safe area, wherever it is that I end up. So the main factors are: safety, distance to interview, and cost of room. Given those, if Downtown is relatively safe, I'd go ahead and stay there. The other place I'm willing to try (that is in the main Detroit area) is Dearborn, as it looks like it is not excessively far from the interview. The only other locations I can think of are the ones in the "Detroit Suburbs" area, that is outside of the main Detroit area, it seems. The only ones I think that I would be willing to try are: Troy and Bloomfield Hills (maybe even Sterling Heights). I'd like to get a 3-star. I'd like to stick $60 max if possible... is this pushing it? I would try Hotwire, but i'm completely unfamiliar with its system, and I think I'm more comfortable with PL. Thanks again for all your help! Can't wait to hear back! -Shoob

Those are the links I always click... remember, I received your help in the past? Did I make you think I would do otherwise? Sorry if I did make you think that, though... it wasn't my intention! Anyways, please help! I'm actually worried given how close the date is getting now. Oh... and Thereuare, do you know much about the Detroit area? I ask because I see your logo... -Shoob