nbharara Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Hey guys,I am looking for some help on bidding on priceline. I am getting there on 3/20 morning, and leaving 3/24 afternoon. I wanted to stay in a decent area in london (hopefully 4 star), but I am not sure about which zones are good and what price I should start with. I was hoping somebody here could provide me with some guidance! I would really appreciate any help! :)Thank you!! Link to comment
WillTravel Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 My opinion only:The very best zone for most tourists, particularly first-timers, is Mayfair-Soho. However, I've never stayed there as I didn't want to pay the extra money it requires. My second-favorite zone is Bloomsbury-Marble Arch - I've stayed in that zone and I don't think you can go wrong (although some people aren't as thrilled with the most northerly options). The Kensington zone is great if you get a hotel by the Gloucester Road tube station, which happens about 90% of the time (rough estimate), and a little less great if you don't. Westminster is pretty good too. I've also stayed in a couple other zones - it doesn't matter a great deal as you can get around London easily by tube and bus, and every area of London has something of interest. I'd start out by bidding this way.$55 in Bloomsbury Marble Arch for a 4*.See if you get any counteroffer, and then post back. Link to comment
nbharara Posted March 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Thanks, I will be trying in the morning! I will be using the link from this site for my bids.I will post back with what happens.. Thanks! Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 If you let us know which zones you're willing to bid, your minimum star rating, and your maximum bid, we will be able to suggest a bidding strategy for you to follow. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
nbharara Posted March 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Wow! Thanks! I was just about to click through the link to bid, but if you could help me with a bidding strategy, I would LOVE it.Zones:Bloomsbury/Marble Arch, Mayfair/Soho, Westminster, Notting Hill/BayswaterMinimum Starting Bid: $55Maximum: $80I would prefer a 4*, from what I hear thats a good level to strive for. However, if I have to, I guess I could go for a 3* (any advice on if its worth paying a little more for a 4*).Thanks!! Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Assuming you have no zone order prefernce above (if you do then post back before bidding), this is how i would proceed...Select 4* Bloomsbury...Bid $53, if rejected add Mayfair/Soho...Bid $58, if rejected closer browser and re-access priceline however you did prevously.Select 4* Notting Hill...Bid $53, if rejected add Mayfair/Soho...Bid $58, if rejected closer browser and re-access priceline however you did prevously.Select 4* Westminster...Bid $53, if rejected add Mayfair/Soho...Bid $58, if rejected closer browser and re-access priceline however you did prevously.Select 4* Bloomsbury and Notting Hill...Bid $61, if rejected add Mayfair/Soho...Bid $65, if rejected closer browser and re-access priceline however you did prevously.Select 4* Westminster and Notting Hill...Bid $61, if rejected add Mayfair/Soho...Bid $65, if rejected closer browser and re-access priceline however you did prevously.Select 4* Bloomsbury and Notting Hill and Westminster...Bid $70, if rejected add Mayfair/Soho...Bid $75.Any questions feel free to ask.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
nbharara Posted March 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 No luck so far! I bid all the way to 70 and following your advice to a T. I just haven't bid 75 yet because I was wondering, maybe I should add Kensington in there. If I do, could I try Kensington with all the diff other options? I was thinking maybe the Kensington area is cheaper? Maybe I am just stupid, but came to mind, so I'd thought I'd ask.For example,Kensington with MayFair/SohoKensington with BloomsburyKensington with Notting HillKensington with WestMinsterIf you can help out. I used your link for all my bids. Thanks again for ALL your help!! Link to comment
nbharara Posted March 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Also, here is a log of my bidding that I did:Bid 53 for Bloomsbury - rejected Counter off $97/nightAdded MayFair/Soho and bid 58 - rejected no counter offerclosed browserBid 53 on Notting Hill - rejected counter offer 89/nightAdded MayFair/Soho and bid 58 - Rejected no counter offerClosed BrowserBid 53 for Westminster - rejected Counter offer 85/nightAdded MayFair/Soho and bid 58 - rejected no counter offerclosed BrowserBid 61 on Bloomsbury and Notting Hill - rejected counter offer 89ADded MayFair/Soho and bid 65 - rejected no counter offerclosed browserBid 70 on Bloomsbury and Notting Hill and Westminster - rejected, but said i raise the bid $22, i could rebid.. Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 Given the counter-offer you received, i suspect that you will be successful very close to your maximum bid (although it may take a few dollars more... but we'll deal with that when we get there)The question now is would you prefer Kensington at a lower bid amount or your first choice of zones at a higher bid amount? It sounds as if you feel you're getting desperate, but i wouldn't feel that way if i were in your shoes... you know that as of now the worst case scenarion is that you're looking at success at $92, but it won't likely take this much since most Priceline Counter Offers can be undercut. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
nbharara Posted March 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 Well from what I read, Kensington seems like a nice area to stay in. I didn't do enough research in it, and wasn't sure if its a nic area, but from the reviews I read, its pretty nice for tourists to stay there. I am thinking about bidding in that area, and seeing if i can get a lower price.Do you think thats the best idea? Yeah you are right, I was getting a little nervous! :) Thanks for the reassurance! Any advice on how I should continue from here? Thank you again! Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 Select 4* Kensington...Bid $60, if rejected add Bloomsbury...Bid $65, if rejected add Notting Hill...Bid $70, if rejected add Westminster...Bid $75, if rejected add Mayfair/Soho...Bid $80.I believe all of the zones were acceptable tot you based upon your previous bidding. The above will also take you up to your previously stated maximum bid.Any questions feel free to ask. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
nbharara Posted March 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 Hello!I just bid $60, and the counter offer is $69 for Kensington. I am thinking about taking it, or maybe just bidding like $62 by adding another zone, but then will I lose the chance of getting this counter offer?Thanks for your help!! Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 If you want the Kennsington zone you can use your other failed zones as "pseudeo re-bids"... of course these are 'live' zones so you could get a hotel in these other zones, but since you were happy with these areas yesterday, i would bid as follows:4* Kensington at $60 (already bid) now add Bloomsbury...Bid $62, if rejected add Notting Hill...Bid $64, if rejected add Westminster...Bid $66, if rejected add Mayfair/Soho...Bid $69.Since the above zones were rejected yesterday at higher amounts your chances of getting these other zones are slim, but it could happen as new inventory is always being added.Any questions just ask. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
blindman Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 Hello!I just bid $60, and the counter offer is $69 for Kensington. I am thinking about taking it, or maybe just bidding like $62 by adding another zone, but then will I lose the chance of getting this counter offer?Thanks for your help!!I think thereuare's last post says it all.....Bid $60, if rejected add Bloomsbury...Bid $65, Link to comment
nbharara Posted March 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 you are right it sure did, i just wanted to see if I should go in slower increments now that the counter offer is there.thanks for the help though! going to try to bid again right now. I really appreciate it.I think thereuare's last post says it all..... Link to comment
nbharara Posted March 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 YAY! I just got it:Holiday Inn Kensington ForumCheck-In Date: Mon, Mar 20, 2006 Check-In Time: After 02:00 PM Check-Out Date: Fri, Mar 24, 2006 Check-Out Time: 12:00 PM Your Offer Price: $64.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 4 Subtotal: $256.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $55.11 Total Charges: $311.11 Thank you so much for helpin gme get the cheapest price possible!! :) I really appreciate it all! Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 Congratulations on your win!We're glad to have helped and are please to see that you are happy with the outcome.Have a great trip! Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
LoneStar Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 A super deal, and I understand the hotel is decent, but isn't it wrong to classify it as a 4-star? How many 4 star holiday inns are there? Looking at their rates, which are readily available on the weekends for 80 pounds, I would submit that this is really a 3 star property.As long as folks bid low in the sector, though, it's hard to complain too much about getting this property for this price. Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Remember the different rating systems in Europe (and other non-US) contries.Scan thru the PRICELINE HOTEL LIST (CTRL+F on your keyboard for 'holiday inn') and you'll see that the majority of Holiday Inns are rated 4*. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
LoneStar Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 There certainly seem to be several of them. That is so wrong -- it's a shame that priceline is screwing up their rating system abroad (a little like hotwire does in the US). Marriotts and Holiday Inns are not in the same league. The Holiday Inn brand that would be comparable is Crowne Plaza.I guess one just has to bid low in places where a Holiday Inn has popped up. Link to comment
lwitchel Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 The irony is that of all the 4* hotels in the Kensington area I've gotten so far (Holiday Inn, Copthorne Tara, Millenium Gloucester, Hilton Olympia), I think it's the one I've been most satisfied with. Then again, if there's free wireless and a fitness center chances are that I'm happy. But I'd say none of those four is a true 4* hotel. The only one I've gotten in London so far is the Marriott Marble Arch. Link to comment
LoneStar Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 Yeah, the Holiday Inn sounds like a more than decent hotel, but it's not a 4-star property. In fact, even priceline used to classify it as 3 stars! Not sure what they're trying to accomplish by "upgrading" most of the 3 star Kensington properties to 4 stars. I would think that the typical American tourist is going to say "what the heck is a Holiday Inn doing as 4 stars?" But, then again, priceline isn't the most customer-driven business I've come across. Link to comment
WillTravel Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 I guess it depends how you look at it. The Holiday Inn Seattle is a 3*, and I don't think it's as upscale as the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum. So in that sense the classification makes sense. Holiday Inns in Europe do tend to have a more upscale feel than their American counterparts.As to inconsistencies, we had a very nice room at the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury (rated 3*), and I think it was better than the standard room we had at the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum (rated 4*) although perhaps not quite as nice as the executive room we had at the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum. The Holiday Inn Heathrow Ariel (rated 3*) was definitely not as nice as either the HI KF or Bloomsbury, but I'd still call it 3*. (Except when I got an executive room at the HI Ariel, I'd consider that equal to a 4* room.) But Priceline doesn't look at "niceness" in any event - the ratings are supposed to be based on amenities and facilities. Link to comment
LoneStar Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 And the downtown Seattle holiday inn is misrated, too! :) But at least it's only 3 and not 4 stars.It does seem that there almost a 1-star "grade inflation" in Europe. Only "5 stars" guarantees you a truly upscale property. "Four Stars" obviously has much more risk in the UK than on US bids. Link to comment
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