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Priceline Hotel: 3* DC (White House-Downtown) Courtyard Embassy Row


alaskanjackal
By alaskanjackal,
in

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Buoyed by the reports of some midweek 4*s for $60-$80 in late May/early June, I figured I'd shoot for the stars. No luck for now.

FIRST BID: 4*, CC-CH, $60...failed

SECOND BID: 4*, CC-CH+WH-DT, $80...failed

THIRD BID: 4*, CC-CH+WH-DT+NE Suburbs, $103...failed

FOURTH BID: 4*, CC-CH+WH-DT+NE Suburbs+Mt. Vernon, $130...failed

It appears that free rebid zones on a 4* are Alexandria West, Bethesda, DC Suburbs-Northeast, Mount Vernon, and Silver Spring. I really don't want to get caught in the latter two (the first two would be bad enough, but the third and fourth would ruin the trip).

Arriving by train around 11am and would really like a place not far from the station so as to be able to drop our bags and run out for a half-day of sightseeing. As I mentioned above, I thought I'd aim my sights high, since I have a couple of weeks to play with here. About $130 is the tops I'm willing to go for a 4*. (The PL homepage is actually now telling me "Hotel winning bids you might like: White House - Downtown Washington,DC $140"--is this something to believe may apply to me or to ignore?)

However, I've read that 3.5* in DC (CC-CH and WH-DT) are quite nice, so I'd be happy to do one for $100 or less. Otherwise, I am OK with looking at Crystal City--less convenient to our day in DC (we have computers, etc., we don't want to leave in baggage storage at Union Station, so we'd have to schlep them all the way out to Crystal City and come back in for sightseeing, wasting over an hour round-trip), although it is more convenient for our morning flight out of DCA. To make it worth that hassle, I'd like to spend less than $80 ($60, ideally, or even less), but I'm also perfectly happy in a 2* out there, since we won't be spending much time in the hotel.

For a Monday night, what would you recommend?

1. Hold out for a 4* and keep bidding the above sequence of the four bids I already tried; they're likely to open up inventory later

2. Bid $100 for a 3.5*--that is likely to win

3. Forget the above two and go straight for Crystal City. [What would I be able to get for $80? $60? Hard to tell, since most of the wins in CC are weekend days.]

4. Fughedaboudit. Ain't going to happen on a Monday night. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Book the Hostelling International DC.

Hotel prices as listed on PL retail booking:

4*

Liason: $429

W: $419

Willard IC: $599

George: $465

JW Marriott: $419

The Hay: $395

Mayflower Renaissance: $469

Monaco: $449

3.5*

Hyatt Regency: $369

Crowne Plaza Hamilton: $252

Rouge: $288

Madera: $328

Doubletree (Rhode Island Ave): $449

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Hold out and keep trying. I bid on 4 different days, between $65-75 in Convention Center/Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle and White House zones before finally getting a 4* bid accepted for $60. My days are weekend instead of week day, but if you are seeing retail availability on your date, I think you'll get accepted!

I always use the PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links to start my purchases and searches!
You should, too!
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As you have time i would keep trying, but based upon current prices at the moment i don't think your bids are realistic for these dates as your bidding less than 1/3 (and in most case only about 25%) of prevailing rates, which are high for this nite. When rates get high it's usually indicative of high demand and high occupancy, so with fewer unsold rooms to sell, the amount of discount on a percentage basis can actually become less... not greater.

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

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Hold out and keep trying. I bid on 4 different days, between $65-75 in Convention Center/Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle and White House zones before finally getting a 4* bid accepted for $60. My days are weekend instead of week day, but if you are seeing retail availability on your date, I think you'll get accepted!
That's the big thing about DC: I hear weekends are easy, but weekdays are MUCH more difficult. I'll keep trying for now, though!
As you have time i would keep trying, but based upon current prices at the moment i don't think your bids are realistic for these dates as your bidding less than 1/3 (and in most case only about 25%) of prevailing rates, which are high for this nite. When rates get high it's usually indicative of high demand and high occupancy, so with fewer unsold rooms to sell, the amount of discount on a percentage basis can actually become less... not greater.
That's what I feared and the advice I was looking for.

At what point would you recommend I decide to pass on the 4* and start looking for the 3.5* (and then, failing that, the 2* in Crystal City for $60ish)?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.
I certainly will! :)
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At what point would you recommend I decide to pass on the 4* and start looking for the 3.5* (and then, failing that, the 2* in Crystal City for $60ish)?

Each bidding cycle I would bid for a 4* hotel up to your limit, then try for a 3.5*... but keep in mind when switching from 4* to 3.5* you'll need to close the browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE (in order to UNcheck any re-bid zones you previously selected which don't have 4* hotels but do have 3.5* hotels) <-- if you have any questions about this feel free to ask

I would also use the same maximum bid at the 3.5* level as you are at the 4* level... as i think $130 for a 3.5* is still a 'reach' and would be a very good deal for this nite if you were successful.

When to lower to a 2* hotel? That depends upon your 'risk tolerance' for a hotel of this quality level.

Keep us updated and let us know if we can be of further help along the way.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE link on the board to begin your bidding.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Thanks.

Tried again through the PRICELINE link. This time, I skipped the $130 bid and went straight for $140 ($60-$80-$140).

Two interesting things:

Now, the displays "Median retail price for a 4 star hotel in the areas selected: $329," and also the Melrose is down to $249 retail (though it is in the Georgetown zone, which I don't want to chance, since other properties are much farther from Metro stops). Don't know how reliable those indicators are, but it looks like rates at at least some hotels are dropping, so I'll keep aiming for the 4* until maybe later next week.

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Rates at one hotel, outside of the zone you're bidding, are not very meaningful for your bids, imo. As well, the median price shown by PRICELINE is not useful in your

The median price shown by PRICELINE, as well as the price of one particular hotel outside of the zone you've selected, are not meaningful for your bidding, imo.

I also woudln't waste your time with $60 and $80 bids, you would be better served placing those bids $10 and $20 below your maximum bid (ie- $120, $130, and $140 in your example above) If you'd like a more detailed strategy let us know.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your bidding.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Just an update: I tried $120, $130, $140, and $150 (guess my courage is going up the more I do this!) on CC-CC, WH-DT, NE, and MV. No luck.

Will keep trying until probably the middle of next week, unless someone thinks I'd have better luck locking in a 3 or 3.5* now because prices may go UP on those as the date gets closer.

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Nobody can predict if rates will go up, or down, between now and next week.

Do you have a current back-up reservation... if so, where and how much? If not, what is the best rate you're currently able to find at an acceptable hotel 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

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  • 2 weeks later...

After attempting the same series of bids (up to $150) every other day or so, I finally gave up and this morning and bid $150 for a 3.5* and then a 3* (all in CC-CH and WH-DT). Ended up with the Courtyard By Marriott Embassy Row.

Not a bad place, and I probably could have gotten it for a lower bid with better planning (had I not held out hope for a nicer place as long as I did), but I'm reasonably happy. Thanks for all the advice!

And yes, I did use the PRICELINE link. :)

(The Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins may need to be updated--it currently has my old information from above.)

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Congratulations on your success!

While at first glance may appear high for a 3* (because it is :) ), it is actually a very good deal considering the very rates for these dates.

Hope you're happy with the ultimate results and this works well for your plans.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board 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

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