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Priceline Hotel: 4* or 5* strategy London 9/22-9/27


AlwaysBooking
By AlwaysBooking,
in

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Hi! Could you please help with a Priceline strategy for a forthcoming trip to London? I'm arriving on 9/22 and leaving 9/27. Would prefer a 4* or 5* in Marble Arch/Bloomsbury, Mayfair/Soho or Chelsea/Knightsbridge. Could also add Nottinghill/Bayswater or Westminster if need be. Would max out at $175 per night, but of course always looking for something less expensive :-) Thanks very much!

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AlwaysBooking,

Are you willing to pay more for a 5* vs. a 4* OR is your goal the least expensive 4* or better for this stay?

Also, give it some thought and let us know if you want us to include the Nottinghill/Bayswater and/or Westminster zones in a bidding strategy or not.

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

Let us know the above and we'll take it from there.

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

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I'd do this in two steps, the first being...

At the 4* level you have ONE re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 4* Marble Arch...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Mayfair...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Chelsea...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Marble Arch and Mayfair...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Marble Arch and Chelsea...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Marble Arch and Mayfair and Chelsea...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120

Any questions feel free to ask. If the above is rejected don't get discouraged (as the above is likely on the very low end of an accepted bid range), just post back and we'll revise to try again in 24 hours.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

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

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Thanks for the help. However, when I followed the first two suggestions, both were rejected, so I closed the browser and clicked on your PRICELINE link, raising the bid and changing the first location as directed. After entering all the credit card info, etc. I got the following message:

================

We were not able to process this request since our records indicate you have already made a request for this same trip. Your credit card has not been charged for Request Number xxx-xxx-xxxx-xx.

We'd be happy to try your request again if you can do any one of the following:

Change your dates of stay

Select a different hotel quality star level

Add more areas in which you'd be willing to stay

If you can change any of these items, you can also name a new price. If you are unable to change your request as indicated above, you will need to wait at least 24 hours from the time you made your original offer to try again.

To try your request again, change one or more items with a check.

Can you select additional areas where you can stay?

Bloomsbury - Marble Arch Details

Chelsea - Knightsbridge Details

Finsbury and Islington Details

Hammersmith Details

Kensington - Earl's Court Details

London Docklands Details

Mayfair - Soho Details

Notting Hill - Bayswater Details

Regents Park - Baker Street Details

The City and London Bridge Details

Wembley Details

Westminster Details

Select All Zones

Click here to see a Map of the London, England area.

Can you select additional star levels?

Can you change your check-in or check-out dates?

========================

Any suggestions on what I did wrong? Still have plenty of time, so not panicking yet :)

Thanks again - love this site.

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I started with Bloomsbury/Marble Arch and bid $90. Rejected.

Added Mayfair/Soho and increased bid to $100. Rejected.

Closed browser, used PRICELINE link, (and maybe this was the problem), chose Mayfair/Soho and bid $100 (should have been $90). Was rejected with the note it was a duplicate.

I can try again tonight from the first and see what happens - what do you suggest?

Thanks!

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I'm going to wait another 24 hours and give it a try again. Started again today with the strategy from above, which worked ok up until the 3rd go round, when I got the duplicate submission reply again. :) I must have not followed it to the letter. At this point though, I imagine I should increase my initial bid as time is getting a bit shorter?

Thanks again!

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Of the three zones you're bidding, only Chelsea/Knightsbridge and Mayfair/Soho currently offer 5* bidding.

Current rates suggest that at $175/nite you're not in the right ballpark, but if you want to give it a try maybe you get lucky:

At the 5* level you have SIX re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 5* Mayfair...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 5* Chelsea...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 5* Mayfair and Chelsea...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $175

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

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

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I started with Bloomsbury/Marble Arch and bid $90. Rejected.

Added Mayfair/Soho and increased bid to $100. Rejected.

Closed browser, used PRICELINE link, (and maybe this was the problem), chose Mayfair/Soho and bid $100 (should have been $90). Was rejected with the note it was a duplicate.

I can try again tonight from the first and see what happens - what do you suggest?

Thanks!

I think you missed the re-bid zone and that is why it was duplicate. You already bid on Mayfair/Soho in bid #2, that is why it was duplicate.

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AlwaysBooking,

You need to know how to determine your re-bid zones before you proceed further or you could end up in an area you didn't intend. Please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask any questions you have and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board. If you read the previous link and are confused just post back and we'll break it down further for you.

Once you do have your re-bid zones understood, there is no problem bidding 5*, then if rejected, lowering your star rating to 4*. The only 'problem' you may encounter is that you can't UNcheck a previously bid zone, but you can get around this by closing the browser and using a PRICELINE link on the board to re-access PRICELINE.

Let's handle the re-bid stuff first and we'll go from there.

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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First the good news: I finally understand the re-bid strategy! :) Never once got the duplicate request message! The not so good (but not unexpected) news: my bids were all rejected up to the $175 offer (the little box at the bottom of the page claimed the median price for a 5* was $392). I figure I'll try again tomorrow with the 4* strategy that you offered earlier - but do you think I should increase my initial bid to something that might stand a better chance of acceptance? Or do you thik I might try the 5* again just upping another $10 or so? I realize, of course, that this is next to impossible to predict, so just asking for a 'guesstimation.' Thanks again everyone - truly appreciate your help! Could also probably add Nottinghill/Bayswater and Westminster.

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First the good news: I finally understand the re-bid strategy! :) Never once got the duplicate request message!
That's great, as this is the foundation of almost all bidding strategies!

You can try the 5* strategy if you'd like as it doesn't cost anything (but time) to bid... so if you have time on your hands then give it a shot (realizing that your chances of success are very low)

I would increase your price for 4* bidding as well... is $175 your maximum bid at that star rating as well?

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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I'd re-try...

Select 4* Marble Arch...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Mayfair...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Chelsea...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Marble Arch and Mayfair...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Marble Arch and Chelsea...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Marble Arch and Mayfair and Chelsea...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150

Looking closer at your dates, it appears the first nite (and possibly second) are more expensive then the remaining nites of your stay. Should the above get rejected, is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option?

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

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

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Well, I can see how people can get hooked on Priceline - it can be almost hypnotic if it doesn't drive you nuts :) I went through everthing - actually starting my intial bid out a bit higher and worked my way up to $180 (I also added Westminster zone in the process, since I more or less got the hang of how to do it). No success though, but at $180 it declined and offered: If you are willing to raise your price by $35 to $207 per room, per night, you can try the same request again right now. I figure I've still got some time, so will give it a go again tomorrow starting a bit higher.

If that doesn't work, I'm game to try splitting. Would you suggest one and four as a possibility or two and three?

Thanks again for everyone's help and suggestions . I had stayed clear of Regents Park area as I thought it might be too far from where I need to be for most of the time I'm there - but I'll take a closer look at the tube system - maybe it'll be an option.

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Regarding where/when to split bids, take a look at the retail side of PRICELINE (and/or Expedia) and see if any of your dates are unusually high. If so, split your bid into the high and low batches and bid accordingly. If things are mostly flat, you can have even more bids if you first bid one combination of dates - say 4/1, and then 3/2, 2/3, and finally 1/4. Plenty of potential for total addiction/hypnosis too. Seriously, sometimes you need to work around an event date with the splitting. The trick is to discover just when the event occurs. Bid the lower priced dates first, and then go a little higher for the more expensive dates. Of course, only split your bid if indeed you are willing to move to a different hotel for the second set of dates. No guarantees you will score the same hotel.

Regarding proximity to the tube system, you can zoom in on those Priceline area maps. After a couple clicks, the tube logo starts showing up.

If you are arriving at an airport very late, or leaving very early, you might consider one of the less expensive airport hotels for that date?

Romelle

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