Priceline Hotel: Help needed Blacksburg Christiansburg Va

[vatravel]

Okay, I'm not picky. I need a room for one night, one person, based on reviews the only thing I don't want

is the Knights Inn. I have stayed at both Super 8's, Microtel, Holiday Inn and the Super 8 in Radford.

I would like to win a bid at maybe 30 % less than retail. I can get 10-20% off with AARP without the

priceline service charge so......

I'm going to start tonight with a $55 bid for a 3 star, I think there is only one, the Holiday Inn. I'm sure

I'll be rejected but I have a few days here.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

What is retail rate and/or your maximum bid for this stay?

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

Let us know how your first round of bidding goes and/or if we can be of any help along the way.

[vatravel]

What is retail rate and/or your maximum bid for this stay?

That's a good question! I've got to do some more research on the retail side with the taxes.

Are the fees that PRICELINE and HOTWIRE add a percentage or a flat fee?

[vatravel]

Looking online at the best rate I can find for this town for this night is the Super 8 on Laurel St. It is rated a 2*. On the Super8 website to direct book this it would be $68.54 with the aarp discount. There are so many 2* hotels in this zone that I am hesitant to use either PRICELINE.com or HOTWIRE.com for anything above $40. Some of these are definitely not 2* hotels, including the other Super 8, that one wouldn't even be worth $40 (including taxes and fees). I've got a couple of days, I'll let you know what happens. :)

[thereuare]

In your first post you stated you were looking for 3* hotels... are you now looking or a 2* property? Would you only bid for a 3* up to the price you could get a 2* thru conventional booking channels?

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

[vatravel]

Sorry for the confusion. I've gone on a lot of sites including the county Chamber of Commerce which lists real time availability. From what I have been able to gather it looks like all the 3*'s are sold out so I doubt they would be available at any price on PRICELINE or HOTWIRE. This leaves me with

2* options, there are so many 2*'s that are not really comparable. I'm just trying to avoid paying retail while getting a room that I feel safe in, not sure if that is going to be possible for this trip at this time (last move in day for students of VATech). I might start looking at Roanoke about 45 minutes north.

[thereuare]

You can try HOTWIRE to see if any of the hotel(s) offered there can be reasonably identified and offer a discount... but if there are 2* hotels in the zone that you don't want to stay in, then perhaps a non-opaque purchase is the better option for this stay (or bid only up to a point where you feel any hotel you received would be a good value)

If this is a busy time for hotels, which it appear to be, many hotels may not discount as much as usual, and any discounts offered by the opaque suppliers may not be as deep as typically seen or expected.

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

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

[vatravel]

Thanks for the tips! Yes, the area, VA Tech territory is really dependent on the college to fill the many many 2* hotels. Football games, move in a move out days the hotels all jack their rates to unbelievable levels. Imagine a 1* going for $100 a night. Hotels within a 30-40 mile radius are almost as bad.

This morning, hoping for last minute cancellations, I was going to try my hand at PRICELINE again but following your suggestion I tried HOTWIRE first. I was able to identify the 2* listed for$69 + 14.51, for a total of $83.51. The icons listed were Complimentary breakfast, Fitness Ctr and Laundry. I read the reviews which gave it away as the Microtel Inn Blacksburg-Christiansburg (the place I got last week).

Checking the Microtel website I was able to reserve a room (senior rate) for $62.96 + 7.55 for a total of $70.51. Reserving directly I also got a larger room with two queen beds and choice of smoking/non, plus I can cancel up until 6pm tomorrow without penalty.

Should I post something on the HOTWIRE section as I know this is definitely the hotel? I'm running out now, so it will be when I get back.

Many thanks again for all your help!

(I haven't totally given up on PRICELINE, I may still try for a cheap 3* but at least I know I've got a place)

[thereuare]

I read the reviews which gave it away as the Microtel Inn Blacksburg-Christiansburg (the place I got last week)... Should I post something on the HOTWIRE section as I know this is definitely the hotel?

If your purchase last week was via HOTWIRE then please share the details of that purchase with the board... if you 'know' it's the Microtel by figuring out, then no need for a new thread as we only add properties to the hotel lists which are confirmed with a win/purchase.

THANKS!

[vatravel]

Last weeks win for the 2* Microtel Blacksburg was on PRICELINE, I reported that to the board on 8/11, I wasn't sure if I should post something on the HOTWIRE forum as I didn't actually win this

one, just figured it out but reserved directly w/the hotel. It was kinda cool knowing exactly what hotel HOTWIRE was offering after reading the reviews and after staying in so many of the 2*'s

down there.