petrel800

As always started with the link to PRICELINE. Need a room for the night traveling to Indianapolis. Started at $50 moving up by $2 through the non 3 star zones. Won at $60. Total $146.90.

Only one chance to bid in Columbus, no rebids. Hotwire and Priceline Express both showed a 3 star at $54 dollars in Columbus. Used that as a starting point and figured I would try $50. Wound up being a $10 savings all in for both rooms vs PRICELINE EXPRESS and about $17 vs Hot.wire. The fees and taxes are always interesting. Deal type: Name Your Own Price Offer price: $50.00 /night Number of rooms: 2 rooms Number of nights: 1 night Room subtotal: $100.00 Taxes & fees: $19.96 Total charged today: $119.96

Free Parking Pet friendly Indoor pool(s) Airport Shuttle Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Business Center High-Speed Internet Access Accessible for the blind Accessible for the deaf Accessible path of travel In-room accessibility Accessible bathroom Handicapped parking Roll-in shower

Link to Priceline win No issues at check in, I called the hotel prior to checking in to request Non Smoking King rooms and to add my Father's name to one of the room as he was arriving prior to me. No issues with the desk. Check in was fast and cordial. Requests were honored. Rooms were spacious and clean, bedding was nice, TVs were flat panel and rooms had a digital climate control system with standard controls (temp and fan). Only complaint would be that the towels were looking a bit dingy, but they were clean. Hotel was pretty standard for a business/airport style hotel. Wireless internet was provided, but I believe this was a Hilton promotion and not typical. Wireless was free in the lobby and there were about 4 computers for use there as well. I would have no issues staying here again.

Tried several bidding strategies for the area on Priceline that were unsuccessful. I used the $62 rate for a 3.5 on Hotwire as my reference for my strategy on Priceline. Final price was $145.73 for 2 rooms at the Hilton. As always used the PRICELINE links to start all my hotel searches.

Not to butt in on your conversation, but don't forget about resort fees, some of the hotels you are looking at have some fees, others don't. Best of luck, even Bally's is showing $199 a night for that weekend, but it's probably a fun weekend to be in Las Vegas.

Nice win, we stayed here in Dec of last year. Just an FYI, I tipped the front desk at check in $20 and scored a river view room, which I believe cost more on their website. Good luck.

Agreed, I find with Trip Advisor, it's a good resource, but you definitely have to read what people are complaining about. Some folks are just unreasonable with their expectations. I just read one on the 4 Points Lexington that they gave a 3 out of 5, no complaints about the room, but they docked them 2 whole points because the hallways were hot, the room didn't have the AC on when they arrived (I see this at a lot of hotels in the summer to save energy), and the lock in their 1st room didn't work, so the desk moved them. Sometimes things break and don't get reported, if the desk takes care of you in a timely fashion, why would you complain on a travel website. I'd understand if the desk told you to deal with it, but sometimes minor things happen. I read another one that gave the hotel a 2 out of 5 because the breakfast wasn't free . . .? I guess as much of a tool as these sites can be, there are just some people who will not be satisfied no matter what. Oh well, not to jack the thread, Kate19, if you have any specific questions about the hotels in the Lex N area, I'd be happy to try and answer from my personal experience there. As another FYI, the Lexington East area doesn't appear to have any wins listed on the board, but there is a nice cluster of Hotels there off of Man O War Blvd. Not sure what would come up there and for what price, I've tried and always wound up in the N zone, but I believe there is a Hyatt Place there and a Homewood Suites, which typically are 3 stars in other areas. It would be a complete crap shoot in that area since no wins are listed, but could be worth a look as well.

Kate19, for what it's worth, I've stayed in all three of the reported 3 star North hotels in the last year. The Courtyard, the 4 Points and the Clarion. All three were clean and what I would expect for a 3 star Priceline hotel. The Clarion was a little older and the fixtures were showing their age, but we found nothing unsanitary or unclean. The beds were comfortable. The 4 Points seemed to have had recent work done as the carpets in the halls seemed to be new and the rooms definitely seemed to be "newer" furniture. Finally, the Courtyard structure was older, but the rooms had been upgraded to their new layout (I've stayed at a few Courtyards). We had a decent experience at all 3 for what it's worth. Just an FYI, I think the Courtyard and the 4 Points are 100% non smoking hotels. The Clarion does have some smoking rooms, make sure to give them a call and request a non smoking room if that is what you prefer. Just another FYI, don't forget, if you get the Hyatt 3.5 downtown, don't forget that they will charge you for parking by the night. Obviously, my standards may differ from yours, but we certainly didn't have any problems in the 3 stars in the Lex N area, and wound up with great deals.

Stayed 7/4/2012-7/5/2012 $48 winning bid. Hotel is clean and typical of the Courtyard brand. Hotel appeared to have been updated in the last few years. Check in was quick and painless. Close to the airport, but I didn't notice any additional noise. We were just looking for a place to stay for the night traveling from Atlanta to Savannah to St. Augustine, but just an FYI, the airport area is a ways from the downtown and beaches if you are traveling for either of those items. All in all, a good hotel at a great price. Nothing special for the family or kids, but will serve you well if you're looking for a place to spend the night to head to your next stop.

Not a lot of rebids for 3 stars in Jacksonville unless you're willing to accept multiple areas. Started bidding at $40 and was immediately given a chance to up my bid by $15. Knowing there was a deal on Priceline Express for $52, we stayed true to the plan and bid $42, $45, $48. Final cost $61.59.

I tried both a 3.5 star and 3 star bidding strategy for Lexington, KY. I was not willing to stay in Lex S. Started with 3.5 star, we figured why not give it a go, more of a hail mary, but worth a shot. Bid twice, once 5/15 and final time 5/17. 3 bids, Lex North, Lex East, and South Lex. Bid up to $60. Typically we stay 3 star in the Lex N zone, this is where I figured we'd land, 3 bids, Lex North, South Lex, finally Lex E (was willing to take that chance). Tried initially on 5/15 and finally on 5/17, highest bid I offered was $54 on the 17th. Bailed on Lexington as I saw on Hotwire, the Cincinnati Airport area looked like an area that was ripe for a deal. Used priceline to grab a room a few extra miles up the road. As always, used the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links provided.

Headed up to Indy 500, but have to stop in the Dayton, OH area the Sat before. Usually, I stay in the Lexington area, but I was unable to crack the pricing for my normal hotels in the area, and wasn't willing to part with more $$$. Decided another hour in the car wouldn't be an issue, besides, we can just sleep in a little longer Sat morning. Anyhow, wound up with one not currently on the list, 3* Doubletree, hotel appears to be on the airport grounds. 2 Rooms Bid $45, $47, won on $50/room. Total cost $123.46 or $61.73/room. As always, used the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links provided.

FYI, I've stayed in Lexington a few times now, each time I've used HOTWIRE or PRICELINE for my stay. Funny enough, all of my stays have been 3 stars in the North Zone. 4 Points, Courtyard, and the Clarion. Not sure what rating you are looking for, but all 3 of those are clean and will serve you well if all you are looking for is a hotel room at a really good price. Just be aware, the Clarion automatically booked me in a smoking room, I had to call and request a non smoking room, but they were helpful. I think my average on a non -holiday/Keeneland/UK weekend in those hotel is around $50/nt before fees. Just an FYI, a cab from that area to downtown will run you roughly $15-20 each way. The 3.5 star Griffin Gate Resort looks like an awesome place to stay, but I've never been willing to splurge. The one weekend I was willing, was the weekend of the Blue Grass Stakes and I wasn't paying what they were asking. That being said, several folks have posted nice prices on off weekends for that one. The Lex E zone has some nicer 3 stars in the area, but I've never seen anyone post a winner from that area. I know there is a Hyatt Place in that region, not sure what else might hit. That being said, while you're always flying blind with Priceline, you're really flying blind in this area. Finally, I've never tried for anything in the Lex S area. It compromises most of the downtown area hotels, but most of the downtown hotels get a nice premium for parking. I'm also worried about bidding on the 3 star Crowne Plaza Campbell House in that area. It gets mixed reviews, personally I've avoided it, but check it out online, you may find it to be the best hotel ever, I don't know, haven't stayed there. Never been interested in the South Lex area, I usually stick to 3 stars and higher on priceline. Hope that helps. It never hurts to look at the hotels on the hotel page and look directly at their websites. Hotwire can also give you a gauge for pricing of certain hotels in certain areas as there are several crossovers between PRICELINE and HOTWIRE. Good luck and have fun, not sure what the purpose of your trip is, but if you get a chance, the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort is pretty cool and was one of my favorite stops of all my trips.

$55 bid $3 bonus cash $58 Total Bid Total Charges $70.55 First bid accepted, should have started lower, oh well. So apparently the 2.5 star Clarion has received a .5 star upgrade to 3 star land in Lexington, KY. I booked some rooms for Friday and Saturday (heavy traffic nights due to the race at Keeneland) through Hotwire, and decided to use my 24 hour bonus cash offer to try to save a few more dollars on a hotel room Sunday night. Wound up with the Clarion. Saved a few dollars over booking the whole deal with Hotwire, so that is good (I'm a cheapskate at heart). Hopefully the Clarion will live up to it's ranking on Trip Advisor, it seems to get semi decent reviews. As always started with the above PRICELINE links. Thanks again better bidding.

I tried some bidding on Priceline, but to no avail for the dates of 4/13-16. Tried bidding up to $70, but got no takers even with the Sunday night stay and some bonus cash. Decided to jump on the above dates and price. As we thought, the hotel was the 4 Points Lexington North. 4/13 - 4/15 $74/nt Final Price $174.65 Beats the $129/nt I had booked at the Courtyard. As always, I started by clicking the above HOTWIRE link. Thanks for the assistance. Since I am so cheap, I did priceline a room for the night of 4/15, I will post my results on that board.

That's the hotel I was guessing as well. Looking at HOTWIRE's Map, it has been extended just up to where the 4 Points is but it didn't pick up the Courtyard in that area. I might try the PRICELINE route as that hotel is a common one on their as well.

As always, I start my searches and buys here at betterbidding w/ the links . . . I need some assistance on ID'ing this hotel. Lexington NE Area 4/13-4/15 3 Stars $74 / nt This Hotel features the following amenities: Smoke Free Rooms Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Any guesses? I have the NE Lexington Courtyard booked as a backup for $129/night, but would rather be paying less.

Been bidding up for a few days, tried a 3.5 bid yesterday. Happy with the win, we really wanted to be as close to River St as possible, this should be perfect. Wed's 4* bids $60, $63, $65, $67, $70, $72 all rejected Yesterday's 3.5 bids were $50, $53, $58, $61, $64, $67 all rejected. Today's bids were $68, $72, $74, $76, $78 win. Final Price $186.84, booking direct with the hotel would have been $189/nt. FYI, per the hotel, they are 100% non smoking now and parking is $19/nt for valet.

Stayed here Friday Nov 18th for one night. For the first time ever, I felt like a Priceline Customer and not a Westin Customer. The attitude of the staff was less than helpful. While I realize I am guaranteed late arrival by Priceline, I like to inform the desk of when we will arrive if it is later than usual. I was told that they couldn't guarantee my room unless I gave them a credit card number over the phone. I refused and reminded them it was prepaid, they backed off and said they would mark the file. When we arrived, the staff was less than friendly, almost like we were inconveniencing them by showing up. We were placed on the 11th floor in a room with 2 beds. I would have preferred 1 king, but it was nearly midnight, so I accepted the key and went up to the room. They claim the beds were "full size." They certainly weren't queen beds, and they would have been lucky to be full size beds. The beds reminded me of what you got in a college dorm. They were tiny and down right insulting to think that the bedding in that room would be acceptable for a party of 4. The room was clean and there were plenty of towels for the 2 of us. Typical Westin, they nickel and dime you for everything though. Water in the room, internet was $10. There was also a charge for parking, which was laughable, because there is more parking at the location than they know what to do with it. On a positive note, the workout room was better than most hotels I've stayed at. Overall, I was less than thrilled, YMMV. Mostly the staffs attitude, and the bed sizes were downright laughable.

Date of stay - Nov 1-4, 2011 I arrived at The Wynfrey in Birmingham around 9PM locally. The hotel itself is attached to a large shopping mall and is surrounded by several other retail shopping centers. The hotel has about 14 stories, and the building is decent in it's appearence, but is showing some age. There is a Shula's Steakhouse in the lobby (I did not eat at the restaurant). Overall, the area was much like any other suburban area outside of any city in the USA. The hotel does have a small amount of self park outside of the lobby enterence, however, a majority of the parking is for valet. There are 2 other levels of parking below the hotel in a parking deck. The hotel charges you $9 a night to park, you access and exit the lot with your room key. The hotel front desk staff was very friendly, and I was checked in immediately, no mention of using a discounter to book the room. My room was on the 8th floor. The elevator and halls definitely have an "older hotel" feel to them. When I entered my room, the floors and bathroom were clean, and I was surprised by the area in the room. It was definitely a pretty decent sized hotel room. The bed was comfortable and I have no complaints there. The TV was just a regular old TV, and it had your standard hotel channels. Biggest complaint would be the furnature in the room. It was definitely old and was showing it's age. I do have to say, by the evening of the third night, I did begin to detect kind of a pet/urine odor coming from the corner of the room, but I can't verify if it was there all week, or just coming from a next door room. It did not overwhelm the room, you could just detect it when you were close to that corner of the hotel room. I did use the fitness room each night, it had 2 treadmills and a few other machines. I asked the front desk if they had a deal with a local gym to workout, and was told they did not. Overall, I would say, this hotel is nothing to get excited about, if you're just staying the night, it's not awful, but I was not overly impressed. It was kind of a joke that they were charging for parking where they were at, but that's the racket I guess. Place needs an update, again, not awful, just don't get wrapped up in their website thinking you are staying at something more than a low 3* hotel (I'd go more like 2.5 if it was my rating).

Taking the Girlfriend to see my Grandmother. Need a place to stop for the night. Started bidding yesterday at $35, added all 3.5 star rebids until we stopped at $42, all bids were rejected. Tried again today at $43, and finally won the Westin at $49. Total price - $62.16, as always used the provided links.

Have to go to Birmingham for a seminar, wanted to stay in the Hoover or Oxmoor-Homewood Zone. Started bidding yesterday at $40 rejected, added Irondale $50 rejected, Pelham $55 rejected. Tried again today at $57 rejected (offered rebid to $70), added Irondale $60, added Pelham $63 accepted at the Wynfrey. Should work for me, only 10 miles from my class, cheapest thing I could find was a class price of $79 at a Knights Inn (I'll pass on the Knights Inn, thank you). Total cost $230.34.

My parents called me on their way from Bowling Green to Lexington and mentioned they did not have a hotel booked. I told them I'd try PRICELINE for them in hopes they might snag a deal. They had called around and since UK and Keenland have events this weekend, most of the prices were very high. They did not want to stay in the Lexington East Zone, so that was omitted in the bidding. I bid once for my Mother on her credit card and then reset and retried the same strategy obviously at a higher rate on my Dad's name and card. Started Lexington N $60, added Lexington S $65, ended by adding South Lexington Zone $72. All rejected. Restarted with my Father's card at $78, $85, then $99. No luck on a big weekend in Lexington. I was able to find them a Homewood Suites in SW Lexington for $125 AAA rate per night. Was rated well on Trip Advisor. Used the provided PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links.

Stayed there last Feb. We enjoyed our stay. Ask the front desk when you check in if they have any complimentary room upgrades available. Lady at the front desk asked me to sign up for the Sheraton rewards program and then put us in a suite since I used her name as the referral for the program. I guess they get credit for that. Enjoy.