Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Boston (Copley Square-Theatre District) Park Plaza

[JASCAR]

So far using the PRICELINE link bid yesterday $75. on Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial zone. 9.. No luck

Tonight using the PRICELINE link bid $80 on Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial zone 9.... No luck so..

rebid $85 on Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial zone 9 plus added Boston Harbor Front - Aquarium zone 1... still No Luck

I have considered putting bid in for one night instead of two as way to rebid (date change).... however don't really want to take chance they may not offer additional night option after winning one night bid like usually do. This has worked for me previously, however only do it if don't care if might have to change hotels.

Guess will try again tommorrow....

Thanks for the info you provide here. It is a wonderful tool.

[JASCAR]

HAS ANYONE OBSERVED THERE TO BE CERTAIN DAYS WHICH ARE MORE LIKELY FOR BIDDERS TO HAVE SUCCESS HERE?

The travel industry typically has trends for best time to buy Airline tickets and I have also heard it is true of hotel inventory.

Just wondering if anyone here has noticed and cars to share when works best to hit the PRICELINE links for success?

[thereuare]

rebid $85 on Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial zone 9 plus added Boston Harbor Front - Aquarium zone 1

The Harbor Front-Aquarium zone is not a re-bid zone at the 4* level... are you willing to accept a hotel in this zone OR are you thinking there are no 4* hotels in this zone? You do have FIVE 'true' re-bid zones at the 4* level, are you using these?

What is your maximum bid for this stay?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[JASCAR]

I DID REALIZE that there were 4* Hotels in The Harbor Front-Aquarium zone however upon looking at them, both seemed acceptable options and also seemed to be typically higher priced so figured less likey to be put in one and would not have problem if did wind up there.

I did not try any of the "FIVE true re-bid zones. I did read about that process in a forum here yesterday... Was not totally sure how comfortable I should be with trying that and figured had some time.. May try that if next bids are unsuccessful.

As far as the Maximum willing to bid...... guess that is kinda subjective as the rooms are for while attending a conference who's cost will be picked up by a government entity whose standard allowance is well over (perhaps twice or more) what I beleive I will wind up paying based on what i see this forum has helped other obtain. I just assume save as much as possible and not spend tax payers $ if the option exists for maximum savings.

[thereuare]

Since you have time, if you'd like to learn/ask questions about re-bidding to become comfortable with process feel free to ask.

Let us know if / how we can help with your bidding.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

I just assume save as much as possible and not spend tax payers $ if the option exists for maximum savings.

On behalf of all taxpayers, "thank you" :)

[JASCAR]

Tried $90 Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial zone 9 tonight with no success.

rebid $95 on Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial zone 9 plus added Boston Harbor Front - Aquarium zone 1... still No Luck

rebid $100 on Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial zone 9 plus added Boston Harbor Front - Aquarium zone 1...PLUS Fenway zone... still No LUCK

perhaps will try during daytime next time... know I should be able to rebid with zones 6,7,8 &11. or I might consider actually staying within Copley Square - Theatre District zone.

[Ostriker]

Maybe the high price is related to graduation day, which is on 5/16 for many universities (including Boston University).

[UKBS]

I'm trying for these dates also, in the 3.5* Quincy/Copley areas and no luck up to $120 so far. I'm going to a concert then. It's not looking good for these dates, is it?

[UKBS]

JASCAR, I hope you don't mind me hitching a ride on your post. Being our trips are on the same dates I thought it would be easier to check things out this way. :)

My highest bid is really $120 so now I'm wondering if I should check 2.5* hotels.

I'm using the BetterBidding links to Priceline, BTW. :)

[UKBS]

I decided to go for $125 and no luck there either.

I didn't mention I had tried 3* up to $85 $60 also. Maybe I should go higher there? Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[JASCAR]

I DON'T MIND AT ALL HITCHING ON MY POST.... Perhaps we can benefit from it. I have placed some additional bids and have added the Copley Theatre zone as an option (have stayed in that area before and liked it ). I have bid as high as $130 on 4* without acceptance. I have also tried bidding on 3 1/2 * as well and up to about $120 (if I recall correctly).

Will keep trying at different times of day and in different ways and will share results.

Please feel free to post anything you try and results as "information is power", thus this site is a great tool.

As for the Concert; Is it a big name that would be drawing crowd to the area?

[JASCAR]

I Have NOW bid UP TO $140 for 4* in Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial zone 9, Boston Harbor Front - Aquarium zone 1., Copley theatre zone 5 . PLUS Fenway zone (for rebids)... still No LUCK then added 3 1/2* for SAME and still no takers

[thereuare]

UKBS,

Please start a NEW TOPIC for your own stay and you/we can provide a link to your topic within this thread. You can provide brief updates in this thread but the bulk of the update should be in your own thread. This will make it easier to keep separate the bidding that you have done and the bidding of the OP. You may decide to bid higher before lowering your star rating whereas the OP may decide to not bid higher, add zones that you are not willing to add, etc, etc and it works out better to have separate thread. Thanks.

JASCAR,

My guess is that a 4* is looking more in the range of $175-$200 and a 3.5* in the $150-$175... although Hotels.com has the well reviewed Radisson for $182/nite (unforutnately this is non-refundable)

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (or our Hotels.com link if you go that route)

[UKBS]

I'm going to see Pearl Jam so they should bring a lot of people in, but I wouldn't know how much that would effect bidding.

I realize I put the wrong amount in for my highest bid for 3*. It was $60 not $85.

[JASCAR]

:) FINALLY after 4 days of bidding in gradual increments, I got the message I have been seeking:

Congratulations, your price of $166 was accepted by Boston Park Plaza hot el a 3 1/2 *

Boston Park Plaza Hotel

64 Arlington Street

Boston, MA 02116

617-426-2000 Check-In: Monday, May 17, 2010-03:00 PM

Check-Out: Wednesday, May 19, 2010-12:00 PM

Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $166.00 (USD)

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 2

Room Subtotal: $332.00 (USD)

Taxes and Fees: $59.68 (USD)

Total Room Cost: $391.68 (USD)

ALWAYS using the PRICELINE link from this forum I would bid usually adding $5 increments and expanding the areas among the ones I was comfortable with winding up staying in as well as safe zones for rebidding. I eventually would add in 3 1/2 * ususally not stretching those with quite as high a bid. Yesterday went as high as $155 for 4* properties & $125 on 3*..... however by the end of night worked my way up to $155 on both 3 1/2 and 4* in the Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial zone 9, Boston Harbor Front - Aquarium zone 1., Copley theatre zone 5 .

Decided to give a try tonight and first tried $159 for 4* no success , added 3 1/2* still no go.

then jumped the bid to $166 with both 3 1/2 * and was accepted...

HIGHER THEN i HOPED HOWEVER Lower than all posted rates and anything was finding on HOTWIRE or Hotels.com (of course using the connecting links) or any other sites.

I have done much better most time with PRICELINE and especially since I found theBetterbiddinbg forum however we are satisfied.

[yellowdog]

JASCAR

Congratulations on your success!

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding :)

Great to see that everything worked out for you in the end.

Enjoy your stay.

Yellowdog.

[UKBS]

Congratulations! You did get the hotel for much less than listed, so that is good! Have a great trip!

[JASCAR]

Congratulations! You did get the hotel for much less than listed, so that is good! Have a great trip!

I sometimes wonder if when using Priceline I am ging to get a room in the Hotel that is subpar or less then might expect.

Upon arrival we were told the room reserved for us was a Queen standard (not a bad room) however they were upgrading us to a KING DELUXE.

This was a pleasant surprise and without even inquiring or even hinting for possibility of upgrade. Good start.

The Hotel is Grand old Historic hotel with a lot to offer. Multiple restaurants and lounges in the building and others across the street or around the corner.

Great stay in clean comfortable rooms with fine bed filled with pillows........ This room even had two bathrooms.....a highly unusual feature.

[AaronJB]

Glad to hear you're having a good stay! :)