Shoob

Lol... I should know the procedure by now! I actually do plan on driving (from Chicago... as I did for Toledo... I assume that Detroit will be a similar drive). Although I'm unsure what would be an appropriate budget for the area, I'd like to stick to about $60 on the top end, if possible. I'm hoping that can still get me a decently rated hotel. Oh, and as far as zones are concerned... I'm not really certain how to go about picking the zones. I can't seem to find any free zones; however, I notice that the Dearborn Suburbs or Dearborn Northwest sections (that I must click on separately) have potential free bid zones. My interview is in Downtown, so I'd like to be close to there. Dearborn seems close enough as an option. A couple of the suburbs zones (Troy and Sterling), also seem to be close enough. This is definitely tougher than picking in Toledo! Please help!!!

Hello guys! I've posted before in the Ohio section for rooms in Toledo. You all were such a great help! I've been invited to interview at Wayne State University, at their School of Medicine... I need help to figure out how to bid in this area because it is significantly different from Toledo! I plan on checking out on the 3rd of April. So I either need a hotel for one night or two nights... not sure which would be best... Probably two, so that I can figure out how traffic is on weekday mornings... so I guess I'd need a stay from the 1st to the 3rd. In the past, at Toledo, I went with 3 stars, and I thought those hotels were great and reasonably priced. Can you all please help with suggesting a strategy that could hopefully keep me close to the school and get me a nice hotel? Thanks! -Shoob

Thanks again, and thanks for the well-wishes. I certainly hope the experience will be nice. From what I see on Google Maps, the hotel is situated in a very convenient area (right by the mall, it seems). This should make things a bit easier... as a bit of a tangent, anyone know of good food around the area? Well, I certainly plan on having you guys helps should I need to book a hotel in the future. And definitely expect that I will send friends and family your way for help, and at the very least, have them use your link for their Priceline usage. Take care guys. Wish me luck on my interview!!! _Shoob

Thanks Sk8mom for the advice! Well guys... I won the Courtyard in Holland for $62 (I was going to originally choose $60, but decided to up it... this was truly the max I was willing to go... eh..). Not extremely happy with the win, but it is still satisfactory. Thanks for all the great advice, everyone. I appreciate it! -Shoob

Good point. I'll update you as soon as I get a chance to re-try.

I'm currently at work, so I'll start the process again later tonight. I have to wait till the 24 hour mark, though, right??? Also, could it be fruitful to bid at the $40 mark again given that it was rejected at $55 last night (when bidding both locations together)? Please let me know. Thanks!

First of all... lol at your opening comment. I did not see that you had actually responded to my previous response! Sorry... I meant to say that the $55 was "well above" given the $40 to $45 range we were initially trying. Honestly, I liked the hotels I thought were in the Priceline system for those two areas, and I'm willing to bid up to the $60 mark in that case. I'm surprised that I won at $43 last year (although, it was in the Downtown zone). The Hotwire one is enticing, though... but I'm concerned about the conflicted reviews that you mentioned. What would you suggest?

Okay... well, I tried Maumee, then Holland, then Maumee + Holland, using your strategy exactly. I decided to leave out Downtown for the reasons given in my previous reply. Anyways... I still have not won. I actually bid well above your suggested rates. My last bid for Holland + Maumee + 2 rebid zones was at the rate of $55! I still lost! What do I do now, guys??? I would really like to land in either of these two areas.

I lost Maumee; I'm trying Holland now. I looked at the hotels located in Downtown, and I don't like them very much. I'd rather stick to Holland and Maumee.

Maumee is now the first preference; 2nd is Holland; 3rd is Dowtown or Perrysburg (not sure which one to go with, given that Perrysburg has nicer places with better reviews according to the retail side of Priceline) This is a bit different than last year, but using the reviews and * rating on the retail side of Priceline, I think the above preferences are better... I hope that helps!

I apologize for the confusion. My main thing was distance and cost... however, I found out that distance isn't as big of a factor as nearly every hotel in the Downtown, Maumee, and Holland are located close enough to arrive at my location within the 25 minute mark. This means, cost is of concern. It seems that the hotels in Maumee don't charge for parking (at least the 3 star ones). So I'm shooting for Maumee first. I'm keeping a budget of $50-$60 max, but if I could get one significantly cheaper, I'd be a happy man! I understand that last year I got the room at $43, and things might have changed since then, but I would assume that they wouldn't change so much that I can't keep that a realistic goal. You guys are better aware, however, so I go with your suggestions. So, yes, my goal is Maumee, 3*, < $50-$60 range, I'll pay just a bit more for Maumee, I guess.

Thank you very much! Well, I tried something interesting after I read your post. I went on Google Maps and typed in Hotels in Toledo, and if you notice on there, the hotels are more or less in clusters, and those seem to (almost exactly) outline the zones on Priceline! Thus, this gave me an idea of the farthest points from where I need to be on the day of the interview, and according to the directions from the farthest points in those zones, the drive will be a max of 25 minutes, which is certainly doable. In that case, I am first going to try Maumee, then Maumee and Downtown, then Maumee and Holland, and then Holland and Toledo... i.e. I'm going to switch Downtown and Maumee in the suggested bidding strategy given above... does that sound right? I'm waiting on the green light from either of you guys... and then, bids away! Please get back to me ASAP. I sincerely appreciate all the help you all have provided me! EDIT: I realized I looked at that strategy incorrectly... should I then do Maumee, Maumee + rebid zone 1, then Maumee + rebid zone 2? Then move on to Downtown zone and re-do that process? Also, I'm guessing I can lower my bidding price, given the area isn't Downtown... right?

I'm sorry, but I haven't started the bidding process yet... I had to confirm that I could get both Saturday and Sunday off at work, so I didn't want to book and then find out I can't have the Saturday off... I have Sunday off, luckily. Anyways... I'm nearly ready to start, but one question before I do so... I was looking at the zone maps, and realized that the one for Downtown is MASSIVE compared to both Maumee and Holland, and it seems that if I aim at Maumee and Holland before considering Downtown, I'm more likely to land a stay at a hotel significantly closer to the University... is this line of reasoning correct? I know that there is a Hilton on the campus where I am supposed to interview, but as I understand (from doing my research on these forums), there is no way to tell if the Hilton is even considered on "Name Your Own Price", and there is no way to know if I can nab a stay there. If this is the case, is it not a idea to try the Holland and Maumee zones first? I don't want to risk landing a hotel that is 30 minutes away! Maybe my lack of familiarity with the area is making me think that Toledo is larger than it really is. But again, if any of you have an idea, please let me know so I make an informed decision. Let me know what you think as I'd like to start for sure later today as soon as I head home from work. Thanks! Take care, guys.

Hey all! I've used your services almost exactly a year ago, and I was able to nab a tremendous deal... $43 for a one night stay at the (apparently, former) Crowne Plaza in downtown Toledo. I'm back now because I need to head back out there around the same dates but the circumstances are a bit different. Before I continue, here is that previous priceline win. Okay, so this time around, I need a hotel for two nights for a stay from 2/18 - 2/20. I'm supposed to be at University of Toledo at 9am on Monday the 20th, so I will be checking out that day prior to leaving to the university. The reason I'm back on here requesting the forum's help is that it seems the re-bidding strategy has to change for Toledo... Last year, I think only one or two areas had a max rating of 3 stars, which included Downtown. Now, four out of the six areas have a 3 star rating, so I have become a bit apprehensive to proceed on my own! So, I am hope to arrive in town on Saturday the 18th, and I'm not sure if that will affect my bidding strategy as well. Do you think it will be possible to get a hotel around the same $43 price as last year? I look forward to all of your help. I hope I have ample time to get a decent deal again. Can't wait to start the process! Thanks, guys!

Hey guys, Well, I won the Crowne Plaza at $43 (I followed your strategy exactly). It was a nice win, though a bit bittersweet because I found that almost everyone who stayed here complained about parking. Supposedly they "force" you to valet park at the rate of $16/day, and nobody seems to be offering advice for those who don't want to pay the valet parking fee. Does anyone familiar with this hotel or the region have any suggestions as far as parking is concerned? Also, how is traffic in the area? I have to attend a meet-and-greet (at the school) on the evening of my arrival, and my interview is in the morning around 9AM (how much time should I give myself?). I'm sure others can offer some good advice about the region. Oh, and does anyone know if I am forced to use the valet, if I can park, leave for my meeting, and come back and park without incurring any further charges? Where can I find info on check-in and check-out times...? I hope I can check in by 4PM... Sorry for all the questions... I've just never been to this place before, and I'm fairly anxious. Oh... any good eats in Toledo (preferably inexpensive)?

Very quickly (sorry for all the questions... I'm anxious)... since there are two re-bid zones, can I start the bid a bit lower (e.g. $32) in Downtown Toledo, and if rejected, re-bid Downtown Toledo with Oregon area at $35, and if rejected again, re-bid Downtown with Toledo North at $38? I ask this because in your strategy you mentioned the two re-bid zones (I think those are the ones that I named), but you did mention two re-bids before closing the browser. Please let me know ASAP as I'd like to finalize this today if possible. Thanks again... I hope you understand my anxiety (don't have much in the bank)!

Well, I'd still like to stick 3* since you suggested I could try starting at $35. The Hilton in Toledo is the hotel that is ON campus, and it was a 3*. I wasn't expecting to get that hotel, but instead was hoping, as it would be nice (due to location, not due to name). So I'd like a hotel at a great price, as you stated. So in that case, should I begin with the suggested you suggested earlier? I'd like to start bidding now since I have some free time. Let me know... Thanks!

Hey guys... Thanks for all the advice. Here's the problem... I actually had time to bid today, and as I went for the bid, I found that the hotel I really wanted (Hilton Toledo) that was in the 3* category is no longer visible when I do a search. I also noticed that a lot of the 2 1/2* hotels are pretty decent in those areas mentioned above. What would you say is the best plan of action from here on? Let me know what you think... Thanks again! P.S. Also, when I used the link in this thread to access PL, I found no indication of your website for credit. How can I ensure that I did it correctly?

I feel that I understand how this works now... How soon would you recommend that I start bidding? Does starting at the $35 mark sound reasonable (like in your example) given the rates shown on PL for 2/16 - 2/17? I will start the process as soon as you all think it's okay. Thanks again for the help. -Shoob P.S. To those of you who are familiar with the Toledo area, would it be a good risk to add Perrysburg into the bidding given that it is further away from the school than Maumee and Holland?

First of all, thanks to all three of you guys. I really appreciate it that you are willing to take the time to help me with this. I'm usually fairly busy with school and work, so it's tough to find help for this sort of thing. And Romelle, I'd certainly like to make an informed and cautious decision so I could get the best rate, and I'm sure with help (from those like yourself) I could get that. Okay, so I looked at the map. Now, I'm certainly not going to pretend to know the Toledo area... I live in a suburb of Chicago, so Downtown Chicago I usually go to by public transportation, so this will be a different experience. I'm not sure if you have seen the Hilton that is located at 3100 Glendale Avenue, Toledo, OH 43614, but this is almost literally down the street from where I need to be in the morning, and it has free parking, but the rate is $101/night on the 2/16 - 2/17 stay. However, when I put the address in for the place I need to be (3025 Arlington Ave., Toledo) on PL, the hotels shown as 3* seem to be in the $100 range, and at the least $70. Was the search that you conducted for those areas for those given dates? I ask because I can't seem to find deals like $56/night for 3*. I'm reading through the links you sent me. By the way, don't worry guys, I'm going to make sure to access PL only through your links to make sure you guys get your credit. Your help is invaluable, and that's the least I could do. If you all are familiar with the Toledo area... how is traffic in that area on a typical Thursday morning? How about evenings? How is the weather usually in Toledo? I know this might not be the place to ask this, but I'm interviewing there (like I said) and I might end up spending at least 4 years of my life there, and I'd love to know why I'd be willing, if at all, to live there. So ultimately, 3* sounds good to me, even 2 1/2* might be ok, but how likely do you think it is for me to nail a hotel on those dates at $35 - $40? Maybe I'm pushing it, but I can move up, but honestly I don't want to have to pay over $50, especially because I don't plan on being in the room for very long overall. I just need to relax in the room and sleep from about 9 PM (I'll check-in in the afternoon though) till about 8 AM. I have to be at the location at 9 AM... maybe this all will help you get an idea of how far of a hotel I can manage and cost. Oh, and before I forget.... the University sent me a list of hotels which includes the Holland, Maumee, and Downtown Toledo areas, and they state to mention I need the UT Visitor rate, however I have a good feeling I won't get much by doing that, and PL will get me a better deal. Let me know guys... so yea, Maumee, Holland, and Downtown should all be fine as the university also recommends those areas... and free parking always helps tons. Okay, I'll wait on someone's reply. Thanks again!!! I'll drive more customers your way... I know plenty who are constantly traveling... I'll have them use your links at the very least. -Shoob

Hey guys... I found this website and went through it for quite a while now and I feel that you all can help me a lot more than I can help myself in this arena... I don't commonly stay at hotels, so this is quite new to me. I need to be at the University of Toledo - Health Sciences campus on the 16th of February and plan on leaving the very next day, however I can't seem to decide where to stay and what cost is appropriate. There is a Hilton on campus that is listed at $101/night on Priceline, and though I would love to stay there (so that I can get to my interview on campus without worrying about finding the place on time), I can't afford such a steep cost. That is listed as a 3* on Priceline, and even the 1* hotels in the area (Downtown, Maumee, Holland, etc.) are in the $40-50 dollar range (which would be good for a a 3* but definitely not a 1*). I'm sure some of you might be familiar with the area there and can help me tremendously... I have no idea what Toledo is like. I'm driving there from Chicago on the 16th, and anticipate arriving sometime in the afternoon and I need to be at the campus by 6:30 pm that night, and then at a day long meeting/interview on the 17th. Please offer any help that you can, and any advice on bidding. I certainly appreciate your kind help. Thanks again! -Shoob