vatravel Posted August 17, 2010 Report Share Posted August 17, 2010 Okay, I'm not picky. I need a room for one night, one person, based on reviews the only thing I don't wantis the Knights Inn. I have stayed at both Super 8's, Microtel, Holiday Inn and the Super 8 in Radford.I would like to win a bid at maybe 30 % less than retail. I can get 10-20% off with AARP without thepriceline service charge so......I'm going to start tonight with a $55 bid for a 3 star, I think there is only one, the Holiday Inn. I'm sureI'll be rejected but I have a few days here. Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 18, 2010 Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 Welcome to BetterBidding!What is retail rate and/or your maximum bid for this stay?Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Let us know how your first round of bidding goes and/or if we can be of any help along the way. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
vatravel Posted August 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 What is retail rate and/or your maximum bid for this stay?That's a good question! I've got to do some more research on the retail side with the taxes.Are the fees that PRICELINE and HOTWIRE add a percentage or a flat fee? Link to comment
vatravel Posted August 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 Looking online at the best rate I can find for this town for this night is the Super 8 on Laurel St. It is rated a 2*. On the Super8 website to direct book this it would be $68.54 with the aarp discount. There are so many 2* hotels in this zone that I am hesitant to use either PRICELINE.com or HOTWIRE.com for anything above $40. Some of these are definitely not 2* hotels, including the other Super 8, that one wouldn't even be worth $40 (including taxes and fees). I've got a couple of days, I'll let you know what happens. :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 19, 2010 Report Share Posted August 19, 2010 In your first post you stated you were looking for 3* hotels... are you now looking or a 2* property? Would you only bid for a 3* up to the price you could get a 2* thru conventional booking channels?Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board 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
vatravel Posted August 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2010 Sorry for the confusion. I've gone on a lot of sites including the county Chamber of Commerce which lists real time availability. From what I have been able to gather it looks like all the 3*'s are sold out so I doubt they would be available at any price on PRICELINE or HOTWIRE. This leaves me with2* options, there are so many 2*'s that are not really comparable. I'm just trying to avoid paying retail while getting a room that I feel safe in, not sure if that is going to be possible for this trip at this time (last move in day for students of VATech). I might start looking at Roanoke about 45 minutes north. Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 19, 2010 Report Share Posted August 19, 2010 You can try HOTWIRE to see if any of the hotel(s) offered there can be reasonably identified and offer a discount... but if there are 2* hotels in the zone that you don't want to stay in, then perhaps a non-opaque purchase is the better option for this stay (or bid only up to a point where you feel any hotel you received would be a good value)If this is a busy time for hotels, which it appear to be, many hotels may not discount as much as usual, and any discounts offered by the opaque suppliers may not be as deep as typically seen or expected.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Keep us updated and let us know if we can be of further help along the way. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
vatravel Posted August 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2010 Thanks for the tips! Yes, the area, VA Tech territory is really dependent on the college to fill the many many 2* hotels. Football games, move in a move out days the hotels all jack their rates to unbelievable levels. Imagine a 1* going for $100 a night. Hotels within a 30-40 mile radius are almost as bad.This morning, hoping for last minute cancellations, I was going to try my hand at PRICELINE again but following your suggestion I tried HOTWIRE first. I was able to identify the 2* listed for$69 + 14.51, for a total of $83.51. The icons listed were Complimentary breakfast, Fitness Ctr and Laundry. I read the reviews which gave it away as the Microtel Inn Blacksburg-Christiansburg (the place I got last week). Checking the Microtel website I was able to reserve a room (senior rate) for $62.96 + 7.55 for a total of $70.51. Reserving directly I also got a larger room with two queen beds and choice of smoking/non, plus I can cancel up until 6pm tomorrow without penalty.Should I post something on the HOTWIRE section as I know this is definitely the hotel? I'm running out now, so it will be when I get back.Many thanks again for all your help! (I haven't totally given up on PRICELINE, I may still try for a cheap 3* but at least I know I've got a place) Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 20, 2010 Report Share Posted August 20, 2010 I read the reviews which gave it away as the Microtel Inn Blacksburg-Christiansburg (the place I got last week)... Should I post something on the HOTWIRE section as I know this is definitely the hotel?If your purchase last week was via HOTWIRE then please share the details of that purchase with the board... if you 'know' it's the Microtel by figuring out, then no need for a new thread as we only add properties to the hotel lists which are confirmed with a win/purchase.THANKS! Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
vatravel Posted August 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2010 Last weeks win for the 2* Microtel Blacksburg was on PRICELINE, I reported that to the board on 8/11, I wasn't sure if I should post something on the HOTWIRE forum as I didn't actually win thisone, just figured it out but reserved directly w/the hotel. It was kinda cool knowing exactly what hotel HOTWIRE was offering after reading the reviews and after staying in so many of the 2*'sdown there. Link to comment
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