Priceline Hotel: boston july 26th - july 29th - 4+star plus

[99leeric]

I am driving to Chicago.. and would like to park at Navy Pier.. since it is the most cost effective...

What area hotel should i be looking at ... which would be close to Navy Pier?

Please let me know :)

[99leeric]

hey all.

i want to try PRICELINE and this is my first time using it...

how exactly does it work if i want to bid?

can i just put whatever price i want? and if it gets accepted it gets accepted.. and if it doesnt it doesnt?

let me know pls

Rich

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Since you're likely parking at the Navy Pier and leaving your car there for the length of your stay, i don't see much need for trying for a hotel too close since you won't need access to your car during your stay. With this noted, PRICELINE's NMA-River North zone is the closest to the pier.

Yes, you enter a bid amount and if it's accepted your credit card is billed immediately and you are shown the name of the hotel which accepted your bid. If your offer is not accepted your credit card is not charged and that bid is now 'over'.

What are the date(s) of your stay? What type of star level are you seeking? What is your maximum bid?

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

Let us know the above and we'll try to advise accordingly.

PS- if you haven't seen it yet, this is a good place to start: I've Never Used Priceline or Hotwire

[99leeric]

hey thereuare,

thanks so much for responding.

navy pier - is that the most affordable parking in Chicago? is it safe for my vehicle? any in and out privileges? do you recommend any other place?

what areas are good for tourists? shopping and food? is the chicago loop dangerous?

May 31st to June 3rd - those are the dates i am looking for... i am looking for 4 star and better... i'd like to stay at the W if possible...

what price or bid should i be using?

I am unsure myself...

Thanks for your help!!!!!!!

Rich

[thereuare]

I'm not from the area (AaronJB is and i'm sure will add something to this thread once he sees it) but i believe the Navy Pier is one of the lesser priced garages in the area.. you can see this Chicago Parking Tips thread for more info.

However, i'll re-iterate that you should find the best hotel for your stay and then find the best parking option given proximity/cost. Does it really make sense to find a hotel that is convenient to your car (which you won't be using) but less convenient to the sights/attraction/restaurants that you'll be visiting each day?

The NMA-River North zone is usually considered the most convenient for visitors looking for restaurants, nightlife, etc... with the Loop a second choice. The Loop is close to museums, the aquarium, etc BUT gets quiet at nite... so not ideal for guests looking for nightlife near the immediate area of their hotel. However, the two zones are fairly close to each other and you can fairly easily walk from one to the other or for an inexpensive cab or bus ride.

Rates for your stay are not that high so i suspect you should be able to find something in the NMA zone... what is your maximum bid for this stay?

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

[99leeric]

what should my max bid be? i don't mind paying anything from $50-$99 - is it possible to get the W for that price?

what should i use? HOTWIRE or PRICELINE?

since i'm downtown.. i'm assuming travelling around won't be too inconvenient.

Thanks.

[AaronJB]

While you may get the W, keep in mind that one has to accept whatever hotel may accept your offer, and there are quite a few 4* hotels in each of the two downtown zones in Chicago. PRICELINE is best for getting a hotel cheaply, it's not optimal for looking for a specific hotel. Neither HOTWIRE or PRICELINE have 5* hotels in Chicago.

As noted above, the River North/NMA area is further from the museums, but has a wider array of restaurants/nightlife. The Loop is closer to the museums, but can be VERY quiet at night. Overall, Chicago is compact, but if you're going to be out at night a lot, I'd suggest the River North-NMA area, as if you're in the Loop and want a lot of nightlife, you're going to most likely need a cab to get around.

Navy Pier parking does not have in/out privs. $65 would be a good starting point for a 4* in the River North/NMA area for these dates - while that may be a lowball bid, I don't think a winning bid will require that much higher of an offer if $65 if not accepted.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[99leeric]

AaronJB,

thanks so much for your help.

i will use the links then.. and see what i come up with!

Also... do you know any other place that has cheaper parking than Navy Pier?

Thanks!

Rich

[AaronJB]

There may be some parking lots where parking is slightly cheaper, but the difference would be minimal - most overnight parking in Chicago is at least $20. Unfortunately, I don't drive, so I'm not familiar with parking lots beyond the bigger public ones.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[99leeric]

hi,

i'm planning a trip to boston july 26th - july 29th. i need to park my car in a safe place where i won't really need access to it and i'd like to be downtown... i am not sure what area but can you guys suggest anything and what hotel?

for the hotel... i'd want a 4+ star that is modern and contomporery and yes i will use the PRICELINE links to bid.

let me know pls.

Rich

[99leeric]

hi all,

i'm still planning this trip but now for july 26th - july 29th. i need to be close to navy pier as that is where i wnat to park my car.

for the hotel... i'd want a 4+ star that is modern and contomporery and yes i will use the links to bid.

let me know pls.

[yellowdog]

Please clarify your dates, they are the same as your Chicago stay

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

Yellowdog.

[99leeric]

hi yellowdog,

the date is the same.. i am deciding which one to go to.. chicago or boston.. that's why. i can go either way...

let me know pls.

Rich

[thereuare]

i need to be close to navy pier as that is where i wnat to park my car.

Do you plan to use the car every day? If not, chances are you'll park it on the 26th and won't return to see it untl the 29th, so i wouldn't necessarily choose your location based upon proximity to your car, but rather proximity to where you will be heading out most of the time.

Are you able to accept a hotel anywhere in the NMA-River North zone?

for the hotel... i'd want a 4+ star that is modern and contomporery

These aren't criteria you can select when bidding... you can accept PRICELINE's determination of a 4* hotel or not. If not, or if these aspects are important, you can try HOTWIRE where you may be able to take an educated guess as to the hotel offered before your purchase based upon the amenities shown. The trade-off is that PRICELINE is usually a little cheaper than HOTWIRE.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

PS- please confirm your plans between Chicago or Boston before continuing. Thanks.

[99leeric]

i have decided on Boston. can you help?

[thereuare]

The Copley Square and Quincy Market zones are generally considered to be the most convenient for the average visitor looking to 'downtown convenience'. As per our reply for your Chicago...

i'd want a 4+ star that is modern and contomporery

...these are not criteria you can set when using PRICELINE; what if you receive a historic 4* hotel?

Are you willing to accept any 4* hotel in the zone(s) that you select? If not, you may want to consider HOTWIRE where before your purchase you can take a guess as to the hotel offered based upon the amenities shown, thereby taking a guess as to whether it is a 'modern and contemporary' property. The trade-off is that HOTWIRE usually costs a little more than PRICELINE, so it comes down to price vs. having a great chance at getter the type of property you're seeking.

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

Let us know your budget (per nite before taxes and fees) and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

[99leeric]

i am okay with a historic hotel as well... what should i be bidding on PRICELINE?

Also, where can i park close to that area?

[thereuare]

You're seeking a 4* hotel, correct? What is your maximum bid for this stay?

Why not figure out where your hotel will be first... then you can figure out your parking options :)

Please click this PRICELINE link before replying.

[99leeric]

i did not end up going to Boston.

[thereuare]

Thanks for closing this thread.

Please remember to follow-up your threads with whatever you end up doing for the stay, even if you choose to book direct, cancel your trip, etc.

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