mom2gren

mom2gren

I took a look at your dates and i'm sorry to say that with the current rates will a max budget of $85 not cut it.

To go with HOTWIRE isn't the solution if you want to save money since you have a chance to undercut the HOTWIRE rate on PRICELINE. 3* in your preferred zones is close to double your budget for the moment. This is why you keep getting rejected. And my guess is that you'll keep getting rejected unless you bid higher.

Thank you. That's a lot for a 3* - especially in Europe - where they're not even very good.

My bid today for a 3* in the same zones in Paris for 2 rooms was for $92. Rejected yet again :) .

I guess I'll go up in $3 increments daily, or we may be forced to change our travel plans entirely. How high does a 3* go for? This is a bit ridiculous. I know Paris is a lovely city, but really, THIS much for a 3*??? :)

Thank you so much for your very kind help. I love these boards.

I REALLY hope you will start posting those winning bids! Even with the excellent administration here, this site needs the member bid submissions to be effective.

I will do so from now on. Unfortunately, I don't remember my wining bids from before. I have a rough idea. I used to frequent another board, but was tired of the coldness/rudeness. I heard great things about here from others, so I've joined these boards.

PPS - The weak dollar is part of the problem, and apparently tourism is up generally. Lots of "sticker shock" reported this year for lots of different cities.

Not good at all, but thanks for letting me know.

PPPS - Have you checked your "My Rewards" on Priceline to see if you have any bonus money? And if you have an Entertainment Book, there is a coupon in it good for $20 (3* or better and 3 days or more bids).

I will, thank you. Had never even heard of that. :)

ETA: Just checked. No rewards and no Entertainment Book.

Have you thought about staying near Heathrow? This is what I do when I visit London now. Easy but of course more time consuming to use the tube to get in and out. Very nice 4 star hotels available.

Thank you. That would be a last choice. We are doing that for 2 nights on route to Israel. But we would really, really prefer not to - plus the transport costs would add up also - I know that LHR is much cheaper than Central London.

My bid today for 3* in London (in every zone except the Docklands and Wembley) was for $86 for 2 rooms. Got rejected. Yet again. :)

This far out, perhaps you could bid just once a week or something else a little less frequent than daily? I don't deal with rejection well either, and find that helps.

Thanks, but I feel the pressure. I can't stand the uncertainty either.

It is possible the hotels just haven't given rooms to Priceline yet, as the whole purpose is to sell otherwise empty rooms.

I just asked my husband, a hotelier, and he says that it may be possible that they haven't yet given their rates for that specific time period, but I have a hard time believing that. So frustrating. I've never, ever had such problems with PL and I've been bidding with them for more than 7 years.

There are a number of colleges and universities in London that rent rooms out during the summer. You can find them with a simple search like "summer college housing", or something similar. While I've not done them in London, I've done them in Dublin. Old beat-up dorm rooms, but access to a kitchen. Friendly staff and other visitors.

Romelle

Yes. That would be a definite last choice. At the age of 43, I'm so not into that, unless if I'm forced to. BTDT. I feel that at my age, I do deserve a bit better than what I did say when I was in my teens and early 20s ...

Thank you so much. This whole thing is really annoying.

Thank you again.

But we need to know your max budget be room/night before tax/fee for a 3*?

And we need to know the zones you're willing to stay in (post the names, not numbers) in order to help you.

I would have thought that a 3 star should certainly be no higher than $85 or so. But this doesn't seem to be the case.

The Zones I have been bidding in:

St. Germain - Latin Quarter – Montparnasse

Eiffel Tower – Porte de Versailles – Montparnasse

Champs Elysees - Opera Quarter West

Opera Quarter East - Les Halles

What would your max budget be room/night before tax/fee?

I honestly don't know. I would have thought that for a 3* should certainly be no higher than $85. But I seem to be proven wrong.

Perhaps I should go with Hotwire. It really is frustrating.

Thank you so much for helping out.

This thread has me concerned.

We're a family of four - and because of that - we have to bid for 2 separate rooms - planning our trip to Paris and London.

I've been bidding unsuccessfully for over 2 months at 4 stars. Yet, their rates are far beyond a reasonable person's budget. So, then we were forced to settle for 3 stars in both cities.

We realize that we're going to both places during the peak summer months. After all, really, who wants to be in these places in the cold? :)

We realize that 3 Stars in Europe are not that great, but this thread is scaring me.

Our last bid for 3 stars in pretty much all the zones in London and in Paris was for $88. Still no success.

When I look at 3 star hotels in London and Paris, they don't seem that bad - Novotel, Thistle, etc. - are they really and truly dumps?

What are we to do? Bid for a gazillion dollars for two rooms at a 4-star? :)