Priceline Hotel: Need 2nd room for 3 people, Amsterdam

[mocro]

Hello. I'm new to Priceline and this site so I apologize if I'm asking very basic questions. I'll be using this site's link to bid on a 4 or 5* room, City Center/Museum Quarter, in Amsterdam for 3 nights the first week of September for myself and my husband, and our 18-year old daughter. In the U.S. we'd get a single room w/2 double beds but I know this isn't the norm in Europe.

Should I bid on one room and cross my fingers we can get a cot brought in or just bite the bullet and bid on 2 rooms? Would bidding on a 5* room give me a better change of getting a cot? If I want a cot should I e-mail the hotel in advance and request or just take my chances when I arrive?

Lastly and I apologize for this elementary question. When I bid on a PL room in NYC, I simply entered the region, hotel* and bid but I understand that the benefit of this site is that members detail the amenities listed so you can try to figure out which hotel you're getting. However, I didn't think you had an ability to choose - even blindly - on PL. Thanks so much for answering these newbie questions.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

You're correct that when using PRICELINE all that is guaranteed is double occupancy... if seeking more than double occupancy the risk increases when booking overseas or in large cities such as NYC where rooms are notoriously small and often have little/no room for a rollaway. In regards t the amenities, i think you're confusing PRICELINE and HOTWIRE... as you mention PRICELINE you select a bid amount, star rating, and zone... HOTWIRE shows you the amenities associated with the hotel so you can often take an educated guess as to which property may be the one offered.

Ultimately it's a risk you'll have to decide if you're willing to take, but have you first tried to search HOTWIRE which allows you to search for up to quad occupancy? HOTWIRE usually costs a little more than PRICELINE, but when would be cheaper then 2 rooms via PRICELINE and also ensures sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search.

Does anything appear on HOTWIRE within your desired star rating and budget when searching for 3 adults?

Thanks in advance for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

Let us know what you find above and/or how you'd like to proceed and we'll try to hep further.

[BacSi]

Cots can be had in all the 4 star hotels I stayed in within AMS. But they normally do charge.

The rooms will be smaller than rooms in the US. They can seem small with only two people in them.

You are technically over the two person limit for bidding on a PL room.

The cost of renting the extra bed can be darn near what it will cost you for that 2nd room through NYOP.

Unless you are a risk taker on a VERY strict budget I'd opt for 2 rooms when bidding.

Safer in terms of bidding and you will enjoy the extra space a lot.

Start about $70 for a 4 star and work your way up slowly.

Stay away from closer to the middle of the month. Google IBC 2010 and check to make sure you are not bidding for these dates. This is important advice.

Right now the 3 four star hotels in play are the NH Amsterdam Centre-----Movenpick----NH Carlton.

All very nice hotels.

Good Luck

[four leaf clover]

Hope your dates are not too close to Sept. 10th. Hugely inflated hotel prices around that time every year!

[mocro]

Thanks for everyone's advice. Now it's getting late and I really need to book for our 8/31-9/3 stay. It's my husband and I and our 18 yo. I'd prefer one room as wouldn't feel comfortable having my daughter stay alone. I'll check out both HOTWIRE and PRICELINE and thanks for everyone's advice.

[thereuare]

If you search HOTWIRE for triple occupancy does anything appear within your desired zone(s), star rating, and budget?

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

[mocro]

If you search HOTWIRE for triple occupancy does anything appear within your desired zone(s), star rating, and budget?

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

We need 2 rooms and my last, unaccepted bid for a 4* was $90US so I ended up renting an apt for $170 euros as I was devoting too much time to this and I needed to move on. I'd always thought of PL as a last-minute thing where hotels unloaded unsold rooms but I can see I was very wrong. There's always next time. Thanks!

[yellowdog]

mocro

Thanks for the follow-up and closing this thread.

Yellowdog.