Priceline Hotel: Bidding strategy advice for Boston Fri/Sat 6/28 6/29

[QFCHC]

I'm planning on trying Priceline for a Boston hotel for 2 nights in June (Fri/Sat 6/28 6/29).

My aim is for the cheapest property that has good access to the metro (won't have a car). Don't want to get stuck somewhere that doesn't have good metro access and I don't know Boston at all.

Any strategy advice would be appreciated.

I'm traveling alone on this trip (and therefore not splitting costs with anyone). Therefore if I could get something 3* in the $50-60 range that would be ideal.

Thanks folks

[yellowdog]

Welcome to BetterBidding :)

You can't bid on a specific hotel close to the metro when using PRICELINE. You need to be willing to stay at any 3* or higher in the zone you're bidding at.

Which zone are looking at to bid on? And you max/night would be $60 for a 3*?

If you're trying to target a specific property then HOTWIRE can often be a better option if you're successfully able to identify it based upon the star rating and amenities shown before your purchase... the trade-off is that HOTWIRE usually costs a little more than PRICELINE, so you need to decide what is most important to you for a given stay, the lowest possible price OR the ability to take an educated guess as to the property you may receive.

Let us know how we can help you further.

Yellowdog.

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

[QFCHC]

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

I mean I want to only bid in zones where ALL hotels in those zones would have good metro access.

I've used PRICELINE before. Just not for Boston.

I don't mind a longer subway ride e.g. if possible would rather pay $60 for hotel + 20-30 min subway vs. pay more for something super central. But - most important want to avoid zones that have hotels without easy metro access.

[thereuare]

One can never know all the hotels in a give zone so it's not going to be easy to advise you in regards to which zone(s) would work best for your needs.

I would assume that the Quincy Market and Copley Square zones are the most populated and therefore likely get you a hotel close to a T stop, but as per above, nobody can know all the possible hotels in a given area that are in the PRICELINE system (as there may be some not yet reported to the board or a hotel upgraded/downgraded and not yet reported as such) and as you get to the more moderately rated hotels you stand a greater chance of ending up on the outskirts of a zone. You could start with the Priceline Hotel List and see if the hotels already reported in a given zone would get you close enough for comfort to a T stop, but keep in mind that there could be hotels not yet reported to the board, as well as that when you select a star rating it's the minimum you are willing to accept, so the 3* hotels on the list (if that's the star rating you select) are not the only properties possible... everything higher than that is possible as well.

It sounds like HOTWIRE may be a better option for you for this stay in regards that you can take an educated guess as to the property you may receive based upon the amenities shown before your purchase.

With all of the above noted, i don't think your budget is realistic for these dates for a "downtown" hotel.

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

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