Sun Devil Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 Hi. Just signed up, first post.My wife and I are going to Washington DC to do the tourist thing and enjoy some time without the kids.Dates: 5/8/09 - 5/17/09, 1 room, no car (want to be near metro)Hoping to keep to $100/nightWe are thinking only 4* or above (concern 3.5* might be unpredictable, dirty, rundown, etc.) But we'd listen to thoughts on whether 3.5* is a safe bet.We are ok with being in:A. DC (Convention Center - Capital Hill)B. DC Georgetown-Foggy Bottom)C. DC (Whitehouse - Downtown)D. DC (Dupont Circle-Woodly Park)E. DC (Alexandria)F. DC (Crystal City) - no 4*'sI tried the following bids a day ago after reading up on the forum. I could probaby do a better bidding strategy and I am looking for advice.1st bid - E $652nd bid - EC $703rd bid - ECA $754th bid - ECAD $805th bid - ECADF $856th bid - ECADFB $80all rejected.I've seen wins on this board in the April/May time period for 4* in the 70-100 range. Is it unrealistic to try for the whole week including two weekends at anywhere near these rates? Splitting sounds painful as I might wind up in three hotels over the week (I am there two weekends) and spend valuable Smithonian time lugging luggage across town.There are other area's that look like they don't have 4*'s, but they are far away (hate to get stuck there). Am I safe doing free bids with those areas? e.g. springfield, Mt Vernon, etc.thanks,Sun Devil Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Let's start with re-bidding since that will be a necessary component of any strategy we suggest. The proper way to determine your re-bid zones is outlined in this Priceline Re-Bidding Explained thread.Currently, at the 4* level, you have FOUR re-bid zones avaialbe. Please read the Priceline Re-Bidding Explained thread and confirm your re-bid zones with the board OR ask questions if you're confused about anything and we'll break it down further.Once you're all set on re-bidding we'll look deeper into this stay.Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Sun Devil Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Ok, so my 4 free re-bid zones are DC Suburbs, Mount Vernon, Springfield, and Crystal City. I think I get that part. Any other suggestions about strategy or starting price? Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 You have your re-bid zones correct. (always doublecheck them before bidding to make sure nothing has changed since you last checked)If you're willing to bid up to $100 for the zones you mentioned above you can use your FOUR re-bid zones and try as follows:Select 4* Convention Center, White House, Dupont...Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $80, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* Alexandira and Georgetown...Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $80, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* Convention Center, White House, Dupont, Alexandria and Georgetown...Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $105 (if you want to bid an other $5... if not you can stop at $100 above)Any questions feel free to ask. If the above is rejected we'll then weigh your remaining options.Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.Good luck and let us know how it goes. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Sun Devil Posted March 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 Thanks for the plan. I bid it out exactly as outlined above (used the PRICELINE links, too). Bid up to $105 in three steps as outlined, but rejected each time. What would you do next.One thought I had was to try to split it up (1st weekend, week, 2nd weekend) but bidding only Alexandria (and my 4 free bid zones) so I would be guaranteed to be in the only 4* in Alexandria. [i don't think anyone has won a 4* other than the Westin Alexandria, in the Alexandria zone]. That way I would not have to change hotels. Any thoughts on this plan?Any other thoughts?thanksSun Devil Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 25, 2009 Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 I don't think that bidding only Alexandria is a solid gameplan unless you are willing to change hotels during your stay. First, you're not assured that the Westin is the only 4* hotel currently offered by PRICELINE, but more importantly, you don't know that the hotel has offered PRICELINE avaialbility for the entire length of your stay... what is you're successful for the weekend dates at a reasonable price but the midweek dates are $200+/nite (i dont' know current hotel direct prices, but you get the idea)Would you be more agreeable to SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID if it were two hotels over the course of your stay rather than three?Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Sun Devil Posted March 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Might be willing to split if it were two hotels. But how would that work over two weekends with an interveening week? I don't see how I might not get one hotel the first weekend, a second during the week and a third during the next weekend.If I don't split, I assume all that I can do is try the same bidding strategy again at higher prices?thanks,Sun Devil Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 I think you're taking too simplistic of a view that you need to divide your stay by weekend / midweek / weekend.Well, to look at your options...On HOTWIRE there is a 4* hotel in the Alexandria-Old Town zone for 5/8-5/12 for $113/nite and what appears to be the same hotel is available for 8/12-8/13 for $189... so this would give you 5/8-5/13 for an average price of $128/nite.Also on HOTWIRE for 5/13-5/17 the same hotel as above is avaiable for 5/13-5/17 for $124/nite.So combining all the rates above you could stay at the same hotel for ~$126/nite average, not too far from your $100 target.To try to reduce this cost a little you could assume you could combine the 5/8-5/12 and 5/12-5/13 for an average price of $128/nite... then try bidding on PRICELINE for 5/13-5/17 to beat HOTWIRE's $124/nite (although in practice you would want to do the PRICELINE leg first)Similarly you coudl assume you coudl purchase the 5/12-5/13 for $189 and the 5/13-5/17 for $124/nite for an average of $137 and try bidding on PRICELINE for the 5/8-5/12 leg of your stay.I'll doublecheck all the above before proceeding, but wanted to at least show a bit of an outline of how it could work to at least get very close to you target budget.Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Sun Devil Posted March 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Thanks for the advice. After reading through all that, we checked it out on hotwire and indeed, it looked like at hot wire, there was only one night that was much more expensive, $189 while the rest were lower. If we booked all at hotwire we would have an average $128 per night. Trying to get one leg on Priceline first seemed a little advanced for me, so before going there, I thought I would just see what would happen if I bid up to $120 on priceline for 4*'sHere is what I tried...Select 4* Convention Center, White House, Dupont, Alexandria and Georgetown...Bid $90, rejected added re-bid zone...Bid $100, rejected added re-bid zone...Bid $110, rejected added re-bid zone...Bid $120, accepted, Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, 5/8/09 - 5/17/09, 4* White House-Downtown.It is a few dollars less than the Hotwire average and I didn't have to piece it together. I'll be more adventurous next time, probably could have saved some bidding in seperate parts and/or with Hotwire combo as you suggested. I am guessing I could have saved another $100-$200 bidding in parts.Thanks for the advice and yes, I used the PRICELINE links to bid.I'll be back for future travel.Sun Devil :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Congratulations on your success!Looks like this worked out relative well... just a little over your original budget (yeah, adds up over 9 days though) but you'll be able to stay in one place, relax, and enjoy the city rather than worry about packing up one day mid-trip and changing hotels.Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using our PRICLINE link to begin your bidding.Enjoy your stay. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
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