abcd12345 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Hey all! I am very new to this site and love the work you guys are doing here. Helping everyone out like this is amazing and such a deal helper. I am hoping someone can help me out with a bidding strategy for my vacation coming up in London. I would like to stay in a 5* in Soho, which from doing research is the Intercontinental Park Lane. I am very happy with this hotel and would love to book it for anywhere between $120-$150 range per night. I have saw other posters who got it for $155 which would be fine as well. I was hoping someone could draft me up a bidding schedule for the dates below. This is really the only hotel I want, so I am quite nervous about adding Zones and getting them etc.....Travel dates: Check-In March 26,2011 (Saturday) Check out March 30,2011.Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you so much!!!! Link to comment
yellowdog Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Welcome to BetterBidding :) To get you started here.You can't bid on a specific hotel when using PRICELINE. You have to be able to accept any 5* hotel in the zone at the star rating you select. You're ok with this?If you're trying to target a specific property then HOTWIRE can often be a better option if you're successfully able to identify it based upon the star rating and amenities shown before your purchase... the trade-off is that HOTWIRE usually costs a little more than PRICELINE, so you need to decide what is most important to you for a given stay, the lowest possible price OR the ability to take an educated guess as to the property you may receive.if you still want to go with PRICELINE so please read this link: Priceline Re-Bidding ExplainedGood luck!Yellowdog.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Link to comment
Romelle Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Unlike some of the other London Priceline areas that only have one 5* reported to betterbidding, the Priceline Soho area has nine reported 5*s. Even with the areas with only one reported 5*, there is always the chance a new one will crop up. With Soho, it is hard to tell just what might turn up on a Priceline win. The Marriott and the Grosvenor were reported a couple times in November and December.Romelle Link to comment
abcd12345 Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I would be comfortable with any 5* hotel in the Soho area within my budget....Thanks for the help! Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 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-Soho...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 add re-bid zone...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150Any 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 Link to comment
abcd12345 Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Bidded twice yesterday hoping for some luck, even went up to $200 per night, nothing accepted nor any offers back...Do you suggest to wait? Do they usually change how much they will accept for a night within time?? Any help will be great, thanks! Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Yes, rates needed for an accepted bid do change based upon a hotel's occupancy level, just like hotel direct rates change. However, just like hotel direct rates, there is no telling if the next rate adjustment will be downward as you wish OR if rates will move even higher.At the 5* level this is one of the most expensive zones in London, what is your maximum bid for this stay?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 Link to comment
abcd12345 Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I am willing to spend about a $1,000 total for the stay, including taxes and all. This is my first trip to London and really just want to be in a comfortable hotel with a good location... I am open to hearing any opinions about where else to stay. I really like the central location of Soho, which is why i narrowed it down to there. My girlfriend is quite picky so I am obviously chasing the 5* Hotels to keep her happy..... Link to comment
Romelle Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Other Priceline zones that have 5* hotels reported here are:London (Docklands)5* Marriott West India QuayLondon (Chelsea-Knightsbridge)5* Wyndham Grand Chelsea Harbour Conrad Hotel 5* Jumeirah Lowndes London (Regents Park - Baker Street)5* Landmark LondonLondon (Westminster)5* Marriott County HallYou and your girlfriend might look the reviews over for these (Hotel Reviews tab above under 'E' for England) and see if you find any of them attractive. Also, www.tripadvisor.com has lots of good reviews.Bidding in more zones increases the odds of success. I've not stayed at it, but have seen some positive reviews for the Docklands Marriott West India Quay. It is admittedly pretty far out, but I think the area is interesting. If you decide to try other zones, do realize there can be other 5* hotels beyond those reported here thus far. Take a good look at the individual zone maps to be sure you are OK with the full area. Also, work your way through the lower $$ bids just in case there is a less expensive offering in the new zones you are trying.Romelle Link to comment
abcd12345 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Can you help ID these hotels for my stay??HOTWIRE(check-in) March 26 (check-out)March 304* $123 Kensington-Earls Court area HotelAmenities: Restaurant, Laundry4* $125 Chelsea - Knightsbridge - Battersea Park area HotelNo-Smoking, Fitness, Pool, Restaurant, Business, Laundry, Business Center, Pool3* $167 Mayfair-Soho area HotelRestaurant, Business CenterNotting Hill - Bayswater area Hotel 4* $163RestaurantAny help IDing would be greatly appreciated, thanks!!! Link to comment
valencia Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 On Hotwire, accepting a 4* hotel that has a 90% customer satisfaction should be lovely. Sometimes there may be a 5* also at a good price. Check that out, too, as it is easier to figure out which hotel you will get and perhaps you may be happier with that rather than bidding the unknown since you are not able to get anything in your price range so far where you want. Link to comment
thereuare Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.... and your searches too!Please click this HOTWIRE link and we'l have a look at the HOTWIRE offers above.Thanks. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
abcd12345 Posted February 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Check in March 26,2011 check out March 30,2011, 4 nights. I am set on this 4* Hotel in the Westminster Area for $166 per night.Amenities: Fitness Center, Restaurant, Business Center, High Speed InternetAny idea which hotel this could be? After research I believe it is either the Riverbank Park Plaza or the Victoria Park Plaza. I really want the Victoria Park Plaza. Anyway to find which one it is??Also, how can I make prefer to get a double bed rather then twin beds? Any help would be greatly appreciated because I am looking to book within the next hour or so.I am using the links and will post my winnings after, thank you! Link to comment
cwuer Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 On Hotwire, accepting a 4* hotel that has a 90% customer satisfaction should be lovely. Sometimes there may be a 5* also at a good price. Check that out, too, as it is easier to figure out which hotel you will get and perhaps you may be happier with that rather than bidding the unknown since you are not able to get anything in your price range so far where you want.Valencia, I see you still looking at London bids, :) Did you see that bloomsbury marble arch 4 star Marriott win at $93? Looks good to me! Aren't you even tempted to try for that one? :) Link to comment
valencia Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Not really. I'm all set. But have fun seeing what other people get! Ha ha ha! Link to comment
valencia Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 The Victoria does get a few extra points over the Plaza, but I really like the Plaza's location, too. You have a really great bus ( RV1 I believe) there that goes all the way to Tower Bridge, and in the other direction, to Covent Garden. Nice views always near the river, too. You have the Tate Modern, London Eye and a lot of interesting sites there. 90% customer satisfaction is great, and unfortunately, these deals "disappear" sometimes from one day/hour to the next.. or come back later.. more expensive or, sometimes.. cheaper.Good luck. No matter which hotel it is.. even not one of those mentioned, it is obviously very appealing. Link to comment
valencia Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 You can ask for bed choice once you have booked the hotel, but of course there is no guarantee you will get that.. even in normal bookings they don't always guarantee bed types.Become a member in the hotel's frequent stay club.. that might help a bit. Link to comment
abcd12345 Posted February 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Amenities: Restaurant, Business, Internet, FitnessWon the Riverbank Park Plaza for $814 total after taxes.Thanks for your help, now onto booking Rome! Link to comment
thereuare Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Congratulations on your success!Glad to see you're happy with the results and this will work well for your plans.Thank you for sharing your win with the board.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Enjoy your stay.PS- please reply to our previous message. Thanks! Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
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