Priceline Hotel: 3* Toronto (Downtown North) Ramada Plaza

[Weency]

After reading the pointers here on BB, I tried a bid today (one week out from desired stay) and now must wait till tomorrow to re-bid. And I will use your link this time! And I need help. :)

Desired:

3* and up in Toronto Downtown North for one night Jan 14, a Friday night.

Budget: up to $70.

Area: I'm trying to stay near the hospitals as I have an early Sat morning appointment. I can walk to a hotel anwhere in the Downtown North zone, or south to the top end of the Downtown South section, but will not have the energy to go further so don't want to risk being accepted for a hotel too far south (Westin) so don't know if I should risk re-bids in the South Zone.

I have looked at the new Calendar tool, excellent, and see that it may be possible to get a 4* within my budget, but was kind of counting on Westin not accepting my low bids... yet stranger things have happened.

The Delta Chelsea and Metropolitan are the closest to the hospital in the North zone, and the Sheraton Centre, Hilton, and Hilton Garden would be acceptable to walk to in the South zone.

* I also am looking to book my husband for two nights - a Sun night and Mon night Jan 23 and 24, in the same area and parameters as above, so he can park the car and have a place to relax while I'm in for surgery. Even paying for hotel parking is less expensive than parking at the hospital ($12/hour and up, no limit!)

Should I post a separate discussion for those dates? Is there an advantage to bidding for these two trips together if all the parameters are the same? or should I do separate bids for these two trips?

This is what I did today FYI:

For the night of Fri Jan 14:

North 4* $55, rejected

North 3.5* $55, rejected

North 3* $55, rejected

New bid:

South 4* $60, rejected

North 4* $60, rejected

North and South 3.5*, $60, rejected.

I guess I should have upped the amount a bit each time? Must each day's new bids start with the amount I left off with the day before? I want to try using the Toronto East Zone for re-bidding, is that safe? I don't see any PL hotels at present in that zone at all, but see a Comfort Inn on the BB map.

Thanks for any suggestions! Wish this was a pleasure trip :) maybe next time!

Weency

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

These are two separate stays over two different, non-continuous, dates so you can't bid these together. Since you could receive different hotels for each stay, and we try to put all the details of the purchase in the topic title, we'll use separate threads for each, we'll use this thread for your 1/14 stay... feel free to start a NEW TOPIC for your 1/23-1/25 stay.

Given your parameters i wouldn't bid the Downtown South zone... if you can't accept a hotel anywhere within the boundaries of the zone then i wouldn't include it.

For this stay are you willing to pay more for a higher rated hotel OR is your goal the least expensive 3* or better? What is the address of the hospital?

Lastly, I don't think you have a full understanding of re-bidding as you have re-bid zones which you're not using... see this Priceline Re-Bidding Explained thread and feel free to ask any questions you might have.

Let's start with the above and we'll take it from there.

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

[Weency]

Okay, will stick to just the Toronto Downtown North zone for one night 1/14/10.

The hospital destination is on University between College and Dundas. I can take any hotel in this zone.

The goal is the lowest price up to $70 and I am not picky about hotel rating.

I will look further into re-bidding zones, I got on to that tip after placing my first bids.

And I will post another thread for the separate trip.

And will use the BB links to PL.

Thanks so much for any suggestions!

[Weency]

I can take any hotel in this zone.

of 3* and higher!

[AaronJB]

I don't think $70 is going to be enough for this date for a 4*, but you may have a chance at 3.5* at the high end of your desired range ($65-70)

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

[thereuare]

Weency,

Have you tried any bidding yet?

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

[Weency]

First time bidding, thanks for all the help and advice here on BB. I used the PRICELINE link.

3* Toronto (Downtown North) Ramada Plaza on a Friday night, January 14, 2011.

Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$60.00

Subtotal: US$60.00

Taxes & Fees: US$15.64

Total Charges: US$75.64

The bidding history as follows (don't laugh, first time, I was breaking into a sweat):

One week prior to stay:

Toronto Downtown South 4* $60

Toronto Downtown North 4* $60

3.5* $60

unsuccessful, and determined the South zone was too far to risk.

6 days out:

Toronto Downtown North 3.5* $47 (yes I'm a turkey)

(added 5 re-bid zones) 3.5* increments up to $55

unsuccessful

5 days out:

Toronto Downtown North 3.5* $55

Toronto East (re-bid zone) 3.5* $57

3* $59

unsuccessful

4 days out:

Toronto Downtown North 3.5* $60

(added 4 re-bid zones) 3.5* increments up to $64

unsuccessful

3 days out (today):

Toronto Downtown North 3* $60 accepted

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The location, if farther from my destination in that zone, is least expensive on enclosed parking. With temperature expected to be well below freezing, it is less likely my teenage son will be introduced to the hotel's ornamental hookers as promised in the reviews :)

[Weency]

Yes, I just added the details in its own thread ... does this thread then get merged with it?

Thanks for your help, it was $60 for a Toronto Downtown North 3* the Ramada Plaza on 1/14/11-1/15/11

[yellowdog]

Weency

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding :)

Good to see that both your trips are booked and ready.

Enjoy your stay.

Yellowdog.