Andrew-NL Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Hello forum,I just discovered BetterBidding as I was searching for a place to stay in Madrid, so let's give it a whirl. :-)I have had a read through some of the relevant posts on Madrid, and was hoping to get the Madrid Westin (Westin Palace), so a 5* in Old Madrid on Priceline, but my bid of USD 155 didn't work. So, any other tips for decent hotels, centrally located and around the USD 130-160 mark in Madrid? What type of strategy would best work.Thanks for your help, in advance!Andrew-NL Link to comment
thereuare Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Welcome to BetterBidding!Please start by reading your messages.You can't bid on a specific hotel when using PRICELINE, you have to be able to accept any hotel in the zone at the star level (or higher) that you choose. You'll likely be happier with the outcome if you have the mindset of landing a nice hotel at a given star rating within a specific zone at a discounted price... rather than Hotel XYZ specifically.With HOTWIRE you can often take an educated guess as to what is being offered based upon the amenities associated with the property, but it's still a 'best guess' and no guarantees you will receive the hotel you're hoping for.What are the actual date(s) of your 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
Andrew-NL Posted February 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Hi thereuare,Thanks for replying. Great website by the way and what seems to be a really helpful community.My dates are Tuesday 3rd - Saturday 7th May 2011. And point noted about the necessary mindset :-) What brought me here was someone on another forum that said that there arent many 5*s in Old Madrid, making it worthwhile checking out Priceline. Which is how I ended up here. I'd also be interested in the Melia Fenix, but that area has more 5*s making it more tricky. (Right?)Anyway, if this plan fails, I will look at what other central areas of Madrid I can try with a decent chance of getting a nice hotel. CheersAndrew Link to comment
thereuare Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 If you go to the Priceline Hotel List you can see the hotels which have been reported to the board within each zone. However, which hotel you actually receive with PRICELINE is usually a roll of the dice... and you could receive a new hotel not yet reported to the board.HOTWIRE has what i'm guessing is the Hotel Melia Princesa for $168/nite if that is of any interest to you.If you'd like to move forward with PRICELINE let us know which zone(s) you're willing to accept and your maximum bid and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Let us know your thoughts (and thanks for the compliments on the site... it's appreciated :) ) Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
mrsqueegy Posted February 19, 2011 Report Share Posted February 19, 2011 Hi, I have been bidding on this area and star rating for my husband's trip with his brother to Madrid. I have noticed that most often won in the "around La Castellana" is the Melia Madrid Princessa and in the "old Madrid" area is most often The Westin Palace. I first bid both areas and won the Melia at a lower rate, but my husband really wanted to stay also at the Westin, so I left out the La Castellana area in my bidding. I had to go higher than I did for the Melia, but I eventually won this hotel(always knowing that we could get another 5*). This strategy works for us because he would be fine if it was another 5* (which seems more like a 4* U.S. hotel), how bad could it really be?Good Luck! I agree, the Westin is a beautiful property, well worth the $150 we won it for! Link to comment
Andrew-NL Posted February 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Hello again, Sorry for the delay - family visit!Anyway, thanks for chipping in mrsqueegy! Actually it was your original post that got me going, trying to get the Westin. And yes, I know what you mean about the USA 5* versus Euro 5* - they don't really compare. And then you get the Asian 5*s - wow! I am pushing the limit of my budget, so lets say USD 160 being my max, with the Old Madrid area and La Castellana areas. $168 seems a bit steep to me for the Melia Princesa as per your Hotwire suggestion. So let's see where this leads!Thanks againAndrew Link to comment
WillTravel Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Two sites that often have great Madrid deals are:www.travelzoo.comwww.solmelia.com In each case, you can sign up. I suggest you do so.Thus far, I haven't found Priceline to offer the best value for me for Madrid, although it can in some cases. Link to comment
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