jb107756

3 people; amenities: breakfast, pool, high speed internet Used Better Bidding HOTWIRE link

Didn't do my research on this site, so bid $55 for my opening bid and it was accepted. Better than $134 quoted by Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia, but if I had checked out BB, would have started at $42. Used the BB PRICELINE link.

A fairly large convention that weekend so I wanted to lock in early. Tried the following which all were rejected with no counter offers: 4* Greater Chicago to $91 trying for the Hyatt McCormick Place 4* Millenium Park-Loop-Grant Park to $86 3 1/2* " " " " " to $81. 3* " " " " " to $66 HOTWIRE was offering a 2 1/2 star in Hyde Park for the correct dates at $57. Amenities were pool, rest. and hi-speed internet which I was pretty sure was the Ramada. So decided on a $51 offer for a 2* in Hyde Park on PRICELINE, accepted first try. Although I am not expecting much at the #115 out of 187 hotels at Tripadvisor, the Ramada can be reached readily from O'Hare on the Blue Line and either Express bus 2 or 6. It is also a 2 block walk to the MERTA train which goes directly to the Convention Center. Some of the recent reviews are better than the older ones, so there is some hope. Used BB's PRICELINE link for all bids, including the successful one.

Using BB's PRICELINE link, started at 3* at $56 - rejected, then 2.5* at $54 - accepted, $13.56 for fees and taxes = $67.56. Thanks anng3

Bid $51 for 3.5* in Napa-Sonoma (Santa Rosa-Rohnert Park-Petaluma). Counter-offered at $14 more. Rebid adding 3* at $56. Accepted with upgrade to 3.5*. Started with BB's PRICELINE link.

I goofed. Apologies. Thereuare, would you please add Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites to the title.

Amenities: near beach, complimentary breakfast, business, laundry, hi-speed internet, golf nearby Not sure if this belongs in the San Francisco section or the California- other section but we will be using this to commute to the Golden Gate Park attractions at the west end of San Francisco. Used BB's HOTWIRE link

Yup, there were additional amenities, spa and children's activities. Learn something new every time I use BetterBidding. Keep it up ThereUare.

See my Marriott Ottawa post from today under HOTWIRE, and maybe you can do as well as I did for the Marriott.

After striking out with PRICELINE with bid for these 4 nights (one counter offer for a total of $81 plus charges, but most attempts just outright rejection with bids up to $72), decided to just go with HOTWIRE. From the info here, I thought it would likely be the Marriott, with an outside chance it might have been the Westin, both being acceptable. Amenities listed were Smoke free, fitness, pool, restaurant, business,laundry, high speed internet, golf nearby. Used BetterBidding link to HOTWIRE

Asked for comments re my stay by Hotwire, and I am repeating them here for Better Bidding users: When I first found where this hotel was located, I was a little concerned about how safe it would be to walk from the nearest MARTA train station, E1. However as a male, I felt perfectly safe, but I don't think I would recommend it for a woman walking alone. It requires crossing 2 freeways on an overpass, so there are not a lot of pedestrians around. For those attending a convention at the Georgia World Conference Center, there is a municipal bus, #97, that leaves (and returns) to just across the street from the hotel, with a stop a half block from the Convention Center. The schedule and route map are downloadable from the MARTA site, http://www.itsmarta.com/ which also is good for planning other trips in Atlanta. Service seemed pretty reliable and passes are available at the MARTA store in the airport. I never used the hotel's shuttle, nor the restaurant, so I can't comment on those. Two computers available for guests. In spite of the size of the hotel, I never had to wait. Checking in and out were very smooth. All in all, a good 3 night stay.

So what does one get for $28? A clean non-smoking room that doesn't smell of smoke a clean bathroom with a good water pressure in the shower/tub combination, a good supply of towels, soap but no shampoo or conditioner a kitchenette with dishes, cutlery, fridge( can be turned off if noise is a problem), microwave, toaster, 2 hotplates, dish soap TV with 23 channels, clock-radio, iron and ironing board helpful staff with no apparent negative attitude because of an inexpensive booking made through Priceline negligible sounds from adjacent rooms or the hallway a reasonable "family restaurant" Mitzel's (currently rated 4 of 109 at Tripadvisor for KENT) and a Burger King, both a 5 minute walk away. The negatives: a faint smell of perfume which required some airing out of the room constant hum of traffic from the adjacent freeway, even near the opposite end of the building on the second floor which is shielded by some trees preventing the highway from being seen. Light sleepers should bring earplugs, but at a cost of $28, that doesn't seem too much to ask

First bid of $28 successful. $28 + $11.16 = $39.16. Used PRICELINE link at top right.

Was hoping for 3* Holiday Inn Select in Decatur which is almost beside a Marta station. Ended up with the Atlanta Marriott Century Center which is much farter from MARTA transit, so will be using some of my savings on cabs I guess. First bid accepted. Used BB link to PRICELINE.

Received the following message from Hotwire: We periodically review our representation of our hotel partners' star rating. After doing so for this hotel, we have decided to adjust the star rating to 1. While we are confident in the quality of all our hotel partners, the new rating more accurately reflects the service level, accommodations and facilities of this property. As such, we would like to offer you the option of either canceling the reservation for a full refund, or keeping the reservation and receiving the full amount paid for your Hotwire reservation in HotDollars for a future reservation. Your HotDollars can be used to book any flight, car rental, hotel reservation or package on the Hotwire Web site. Each one is equivalent to one U.S. dollar in value and is available for one year from the date of issuance. Should you choose to cancel, we would be happy to assist you in rebooking to be certain that you are accommodated during your trip. This time I took the money with the idea of booking closer to the date requested.

Hotwire was offering a 4 star resort for $79, so decided to try PRICELINE. For a RESORT, tried $61, unsuccessful. Tried $66 and was counter-offered at $17 more. Went back to Better Bidding, and resubmitted at $72 and was accepted. $72 + $16.40 = $88.40. Thanks again for keeping this site up to date.

This is the weekend for Halloween and the Savannah Seafood Festival, so wanted to lock in early. Tried the historic district, the HD and Midtown, then HD and Midtown and Gateway with PRICELINE, lowering my bid with each additional zone, but prices seemed high. Got this the first time I added Airport to my list. Possibly could have got it cheaper, but I am not unhappy with the purchase. $53 x 2 + $106 + 23.14 = 129.14. Used BB's PRICELINE link.

Complimentary breakfast, fitness, pool, businees, high speed internet $49 + $12.83 taxes Used HOTWIRE link from this site. Thanks again.

Reviews are terrible, but it certainly is cheap. Suite, Fitness, High speed internet. Please add to hotel list so people will know what they are getting at this price.

As suggested by this site, complimentary breakfast, fitness, pool, businees, high speed internet gave Hyatt Place airport south at what sounds like a pretty reaonable rate. Used Better Bidding HOTWIRE link to start search. Thanks. JB

Best Value. Fitness, Restaurant, Business, Laundry. Nov. 7 - 10 at $69 per night, total $244.39.

Decided to take the refund. Not only was it a dumpy hotel (172 of 196 at a popular hotel review web site), but it was well outside what I would call Midtown Atlanta. If you look at the map for Midtown, it seems to have an irregular shape just to include this establishment. Rebooked for Holiday Inn Select Capitol Conference Center for Nov. 7 - 10 at $69 per night, total $244.39, which is BEST VALUE with the 4 amenities listed with your site: Fitness, Restaurant, Business, Laundry. It is 93 of 196 and on a direct bus route to the Convention Center, as well as having a shuttle to the downtown core. Hope that you will still get your cut as the original booking was done through your site, although the revised booking was done over the phone. Well done in getting the Priceline site to allow you to direct business their way through your site.

I received the following email from Hotwire, and thought it was important to let users of this web site know about this downgrade. Based on another popular web site's reviews of this hotel, I must say I am not surprised. Think their offer is pretty generous: We periodically review our representation of our hotel partners' star rating and decided to adjust this property's rating to 1.0 star. While we are confident in the quality of all our hotel partners, the new rating more accurately reflects the service level, accommodations, and facilities of this property. Due to this modification, we would like to offer you the option of either canceling your reservation for a full refund or keeping the reservation and receiving 186.11 HotDollars good for any flight, hotel, discounted car, or package booking on the Hotwire Web site. One HotDollar is equivalent to one U.S. Dollar.

Wanted to lock in early for conference next November. Internet was only amenity listed. Two questions for thereuare. There is no listing for Savings barn on the SUPPORT BETTER BIDDING Page. Is this an oversight or a requirement of either Priceline or Savings Barn? You must send a lot of business to Savings Barn. Does Savings Barn support this site? As I've said before, I'd prefer using your software link to HOTWIRE and help support this site at least a small amount, rather than using Priceline and have nothing go to supporting this site.

This was booked through your HOTWIRE link. It's a real shame that we can't support Better Bidding when we use Priceline. As a result, I am more inclined to use HOTWIRE, because I want to support this site.