venkatvanajanz Posted July 5, 2011 Report Posted July 5, 2011 Good morning,Writing from New Zealand and with your advice have managed to snare Millenium Broadway at NYC for 10 days 9/2 to 9/12 for $150 per day. Great result -- not sure how to enter/report it into the wins section.Now I need advice for stay in Boston arriving late night 28 August 2011 out 2 September 2011. Option to cut short stay by a day and stay in Cape Cod some where on way to NYC.I have done the home work and made a few unsuccessful attempts over the last week using advice and PRICELINE links from this site. for example this past priceline adviceno car -- I want to be central and walk mostly so Copley Theatre, Quincy Financial and Harbourfront are preferred areas.Looking for 4* 110-120 max. I saw some one has won Hyatt around that period at $100 (?)or3.5* 90-100 max. Again I saw some one has won Sheraton 3.5* at 95Am I being reasonable for the period. A straight bidding strategy with $ would be much appreciated.Thanks.
thereuare Posted July 6, 2011 Report Posted July 6, 2011 Welcome to BetterBidding!Please click the following link to go to the PRIELINE - New York section of the board... then click the NEW TOPIC button (top right corner OR lower right corner of the board) and fill out the form to report your win. Don't worry about making any mistakes as we'll edit the topic title for you, but at least others will then know of your NYC win for the dates you received.Once you're reported your previous win, please add a reply to this thread indicating which zone(s), star levels and bid amounts you have already tried, and we'll advise accordingly.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
venkatvanajanz Posted July 6, 2011 Author Report Posted July 6, 2011 Have reported my priceline win for NYC. For Boston, from what I can see from Priceline e-mails showing the last three bids I did the following. 08/28/2011--09/2/2011 3.5 starQuincy, Copley, Boston Harbor Front, Fenway, Brighton, North Cambridge 3.5-Star $100Add medford $102Add South Boston $10508/28/2011--09/2/2011 4-starFenway, Copley, Quincy, Boston Harbor Front, 4-Star $100Add North Cambridge 4-star $ 105Add South Boston 4-star $110Note I had reached my first bid in each of the above cases with a couple of bids lower bids (cannot remember exactly what they were.Any help with bidding strategy is much appreciated.Preference is still for4* 110-120 max. I saw some one has won Hyatt around that period at $100 or3.5* 90-100 max. Again I saw some one has won Sheraton 3.5* at 95
thereuare Posted July 6, 2011 Report Posted July 6, 2011 Based upon current rates i think a 4* will likely go for ~$145 and a 3.5* for ~$125. Are you willing/able to increase your bids at this time or do you want to stick with your current bidding limits?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
venkatvanajanz Posted July 6, 2011 Author Report Posted July 6, 2011 Thank you for replying promptly.Would prefer to keep it below $120--especially seeing that there have been wins around $95 for 3* and $100 for 4* around that period. Will I be right in thinking that I have time on my side to wait ? Or should I book now ? Is trying oua different strategy every 24 hours an option ? My US trip is 6 weeks long -- spread evenly between the east and west coast. So money IS a constraint.
thereuare Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 Would prefer to keep it below $120--especially seeing that there have been wins around $95 for 3* and $100 for 4* around that period.There are seasonal factors, but rates are date specific, and there could be a drastic change in rates from one day to the next, even if the dates are 'around the same time'.Will I be right in thinking that I have time on my side to wait ? Or should I book now ?You do have time on your side, but there is no telling if rates will be better or worse in the future. What if instead of rates going down in the next few weeks they go higher, and while $145 for a 4* and $125 for a 3.5* might be accepted now, perhaps next week these amounts aren't enough? One 'concern' about these dates though is that Boston is LOADED with colleges, and this is about the time when many students will be heading back to school (or as freshman arriving for the first time). Many families may be taking their kids to school and helping them move in (especially first year students) and they will likely stay in town for a few nites, taking up hotel rooms. This could have an effect on hotel demand, availability, and ultimately rates (or it's also possible why at the moment these dates are slightly higher then those around them, as per your comments above). For additional info see the "Bid Early or Close to Check-in" link in our PRICELINE FAQ.Is trying oua different strategy every 24 hours an option ?Yes, you could bid every 24 hours if you'd like, increasing the bid each time (or remaining the same if you are hoping that a new hotel has loaded lower rates into the system since you previously bid)What do you want to try first... a 4* hotel in the Copley, Quincy Market, or Harbor Front zones with a $120 maximum bid? Is this correct?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
venkatvanajanz Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Posted July 7, 2011 Yes -- you are correct. Some help there with bidding would be great. In terms of freshman and parents coming to Boston--My understanding was that universities start back after Labour weekend i.e. on 6 Sept. I booked my stay in NYC early to avoid that situation and had planned dates to get away from Boston before the weekend to avoid that rush you talk about. Obviously people who send their kids to Boston can afford the big fees, and the additional expenses of a long lingering goodbye ! Whatever happened to the good old "stick them on a bus and wave them good bye from your little town" ? Regards...and looking forward to doing some bidding.
thereuare Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 Classes often start a few days after Labor Day, but move-in typically takes place within the week before.At the 4* level you have FIVE 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 4* Copley and Quincy Market...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* Harbor Front...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* Copley, Quincy Market and Harbor Front...Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $113, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $118, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120Any 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
venkatvanajanz Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Posted July 7, 2011 Good morning from down under. No success today. Just finished bidding a few minutes ago.Just wondering about a few potential factors---whether they play a role.1. Time of the Week -- e.g. end of the week quota targets 2. Time of the Day -- e.g. hotels updating offers first thing in the morning3. Amount of history of bidding held, and used by Priceline for profilingThanks for your help so far, and also thanks for any further advice you may have.
thereuare Posted July 8, 2011 Report Posted July 8, 2011 I don't believe any of the issues you've listed are relevant. As discussed above, i think the problem is that youre bids are just not high enough based upon current rates for these specific dates.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
venkatvanajanz Posted July 9, 2011 Author Report Posted July 9, 2011 Yesterday, tried 3.5* for 28 Aug - 2 Sept, went up to $130 for Copley, Quincy Market and Harbor Front -- no good.As a variation of strategy, attempted the above with reduced duration and won Boston Mariott Copley Place, $130 ... 8/28/11-8/30/11Tried immediately to extend stay (two days was all that was allowed) but interestingly -- did not get it regardless of all the hard sell of "Book now", "offer available only for a limited time" etc etc .. False advertising ? Probably some small print protection some where. Ahh... well !Went to Hotwire to see if I could close out 30 Aug-2 Sept somewhere else. There was a super saver in a 4* for around the $130 mark but on the WATERFRONT-- which is a very large area on the Hotwire map and potentially a long walk or public transport ride away . Going to wait and keep trying. We may decide to head out of Boston early and go some where else. If we do not get some thing decent.And will also now start looking at Washington DC 12 Sept-17Sept. Had a quick look at West Coast. Accoommodation seems plentiful and far more reasonable out there.
thereuare Posted July 9, 2011 Report Posted July 9, 2011 Congratulations on your (partial) success!Hope you're happy with the results for this leg of your stay and hopefully something will come up for the remaining two nites. For help with the remaining nites, or to report a win, please start a NEW TOPIC since the topic title of this thread now reflects your win at the Marriott.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 this part of your stay. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
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