Priceline Hotel: 3* DC (White House-Downtown) Four Points

[hend4550]

Hi all,

I'm currently planning a trip to DC for myself and my boyfriend. I'm not too familiar with the area, so I'm having a tough time figuring out which sections to include in my bidding on Priceline and was wondering if anyone could offer some advice. We'll need a room from April 28th to May 1st, 2011. It's just a pleasure vacation, so we're not too picky about where we stay as long as there's close access to the subway. We'll be taking the bus in to the city and aren't renting a car, so we don't require parking. Neither of us are big "nightlife" people, so we don't have to be close to bars or clubs (although we don't care if we are). The one thing that would be nice to have nearby is a convenience or grocery store (eating out at restaurants for all of our meals isn't really in the budget). The main goal of our vacation is to check out a few museums, the zoo, a few monuments, and maybe some cool architecture or unique/interesting neighborhoods - the usual "touristy" Washington type trip.

So I guess to sum it all up, we need something relatively inexpensive (well, as much as is possible around a place like DC), but that allows decently easy access to the city via subway (we'd even be willing to stay in Arlington or one of the outlying suburbs, as long as the subway isn't a far walk, and it's a relatively safe neighborhood).

In my experience so far with Priceline, 2.5 star hotels suit our needs perfectly - my guess is a 2 star hotel probably would too, as long as its clean, but we haven't tried any of those yet.

Any advice about where would be good to stay and when/how to bid would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time!

PS. Also, although it's not planned at this time, my sister and her boyfriend have tossed around the idea of tagging along, but they wouldn't know until the last minute. I know that priceline hotels are only guaranteed for two individuals, but has anyone had success bringing more than that and being fine with just one room?

[austin_res]

Most commonly bid zones for tourists are Capital Hill/Convention Center and White House/Downtown. Most hotels in these zones are within walking distance to a subway station and are convenient to the museums and monuments. Dupont Circle is also a good third choice, especially since you plan to visit the zoo.

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

What would be your desired budget per night? PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy/1 bed; while you can request two beds, there is no guarantee that the hotel will be willing or able to work with you - and they can say no or charge more for a room with two beds. HOTWIRE is a better choice, as you can indicate the amount of people in your party and be ensured of having bedding for the entire party. I'd suggest staying at 2.5* and above, 2*'s in a number of major cities can be pretty inconsistent when it comes to quality.

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

[hend4550]

Thanks for your responses! We're looking to spend no more than $150 pr night, but as always, the less expensive the better. I'm assuming if we go outside the typical downtown or Capital Hill regions it will be a bit cheaper, but I'm not sure which areas would provide the best access to the subway to commute in to downtown during the day.

[thereuare]

Your budget shouldn't be an issue, based upon current rates you should be able to get a 4* hotel at $150 or less directly in 'downtown' and prices go down from there as you lower the star rating.

Did you want to move forward with bidding OR did you want to wait on your sister to see if you need a room for more than double occupancy? Are you willing to pay more for a higher rated hotel or do you prefer to stick with the lower rated properties?

Let us know if/when/how you'd like to proceed and we'll try to assist further.

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

[theo2112]

Hi there,

I have a very similar situation as the original poster. I am looking for the same exact kind of trip, just a little sooner. My girlfriend and I are looking to be in DC for 2-3 nights starting on 3/31.

We'd like to spend around 300 for the hotel again for either 2 or 3 nights, hoping to be in the downtown area. I'd like to be in at least a 3 star hotel.

I've been working on priceline trying to find a room that would work with little success. In your expert opinions, do you think my goal is feasible?

thanks, theo

[AaronJB]

theo2112,

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

Please provide the details of the stay (dates/desired budget/star rating/zone) in a new thread and we would be happy to help.

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

[hend4550]

Hi all,

I just wanted to let you know that I finally (after about four days of persistent bidding!) was able to get a hotel for our trip. Here are the details:

Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton Washington (it's right downtown, at 1201 K Street NW)

Star Level: 3

Price: $70.00/night

Dates: Thurdsay April 28th to Sunday May 1st

Total Room Cost: $248.52 USD

I was originally bidding on just Crystal City for 3 stars at $65 per night. When that didn't work, I expanded to add Whitehouse Downtown, lowered the stars to 2.5, and upped the bid to $70 (not at all expecting to get a hotel downtown at that price, so I'm pleasantly surprised!). We ended up getting bumped up to 3 stars and got a hotel right downtown. Should make for a fun trip :)

Thanks for everyone's help!!

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success. :)

Terrific deal for this DC property during a busy period.

Thank you for sharing your win and please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

Enjoy your stay.