Priceline Hotel: 4* Amsterdam - City Centre-Museum Quarter Zone

[jenee727]

Hello - This is my first post here :)

I'm looking to book a 4* in Amsterdam for September 12-14 and would like to stay in the City Center and Museum Quarter zone. My budget is anywhere from $70-$100. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Based upon current prices I'm not sure how realistic $100 is going to be for a 4* hotel for this stay (some hotels are showing sold-out), but with time on your side i would begin as follows:

At the 4* level you have ONE re-bid zone. 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* City Centre-Museum Quarter...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $80

If rejected wait 24 hours and retry $85/$90... if rejected wait another 24 hours and re-try $95/$100

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.

[four leaf clover]

Your dates, unfortunately, coincide with the largest conference of the year in Amsterdam, so hotel prices will be very high.

[BacSi]

Actually its worse than this. Prices will be sky high IF you can find anything. I can't remember virtually any PL NYOP wins during the IBC week as far as the last 3 years.

Well well north of $150 for a 4 star IF you can find any rooms. North of $200 would be my guess IF there are any rooms to be had at all.

Considering how bad the hotel direct rates will be a win at $200 for a 4 star just might be a real steal.

[jenee727]

Thanks for the info.. after researching a bit more that day, I realized the IBC conference was at the same time :) We did book a room at Hotel Central Park which is not as close as I would like it to be, but wanted to have something secured.

I did bid PRICELINE the other day at $85 and $95, but was rejected - I'll try again with the strategy noted. If we went up in price to $200/night incl taxes (since that's how much Hotel Central Park is), should I just keep upping the bid each day until I reach the limit?

Thanks again for your help!

[thereuare]

Since you have plenty of time before your stay you can continue to increase your bids by $5 each time, but as the above indicates, your chances of success are fairly low. If you don't have much time on your hands to bid, or if you'll get frustrated by bidding, you can increase your bids at substantially larger increments to get up to your $200 limit more quickly.

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

Good luck.

[jenee727]

Thanks, I tried at $100 and $110 with no luck - will continue and let you know how it goes.

[BacSi]

Thanks, I tried at $100 and $110 with no luck - will continue and let you know how it goes.

Good Luck

But I will buy you a large drink when next in AMS if you get a win before $200.

If it were me I would also consider bidding on a 3 star. Some of those may be less in demand, at least initially, more so than the 4 and 5 star hotels will be. Expense accounts.

Only a two night stay? If it were at least 3 nights I might consider an apt. Some of those seem to be less used than hotels during the IBC week. At least it kind of looks that way. Apts in AMS normally require a min of 3 nights though.

[jenee727]

Thanks for the info... I'll just keep trying 4 star for the heck of it until I reach $200 then will start with 3 stars since I have plenty of time... :)

tried $120/$130 today, but was rejected.. will try again...

can't stay more than 2 nights, so no go for the apartments, but thanks for all the advice!

[four leaf clover]

Jenee - just to say that the $200 bid on Priceline will have taxes and charges subsequently added (perhaps around $16), as opposed to the $200 inclusive at Hotel Central Park.

[BacSi]

Hotel Central Park does seem to be a very well reviewed hotel. And while I would never stay there during normal times----just to far out for me----during the week from hadies aka IBC week---I'd be happy to get this place for $200.

Keep that reservation. While we discuss $120 vs $180 vs $300 for a winning bid the fact is that during this week there may be no NYOP rooms available.

The IBC is a hotel devouring monster