Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (NMA-River North) Millennium Knickerbocker

[chic]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, so if it's wrong, please let me know and I will post in the right place.

I need some help in bidding for a hotel in the NMA area for July 22-29. I'm looking for 4* and was thinking of starting at $80. I know I shouldn't to have any particular expectation other than the hotel being 4*, but I would prefer not to have Whitehall. so would bidding low make it more of a possibility that I would get Whitehall since it is listed as the cheapest 4* on Priceline. Should I stop bidding at $110?

Thanks for all the help.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

There is no way to avoid the Whitehall when bidding on PRICELINE. If it is important to you to not receive this hotel then HOTWIRE may be a better, although slightly more expensive option. So what is more important to you... trying to avoid the Whitehall or the lowest possible price?

What is your maximum budget (per nite before fees and taxes for this stay)?

Let us know the above and we'll advise accordingly.

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

[chic]

I'm definitely more concerned with price than with the actual hotel. I think there's about 24 4* hotels in the area so I think I can take my chances. I want to go up to about $110. That is with all the fees and tax included right? Is that too high?

[AaronJB]

The taxes/fees are included during the final part of the check-out process, right before you click to finalize the purchase and have the service search to see if a hotel will accept the offer.

If your budget is $110 "all-in" (including taxes/fees) that's about a $90 bid.

Unfortunately, I don't think $90 is going to be a high enough bid for a 4* in the NMA area for this period - given rates, I think it will likely require a $100-120 bid, and possibly a bit higher.

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

[chic]

Thanks, Aaron. Do you think I will have better luck starting $100 and then going up to $130?

If I do 3*, do you think starting at $90 is still too low?

[AaronJB]

I'd start at $80 for a 3* and work North by $5's.

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

[chic]

Now I wish I just took the deal for about $125/night for Raffaello that I saw a few weeks ago. . . I saw on Travelzoo that they have the Inn of Chicago for $106/night for double bed, but I saw the reviews that the room and bathroom are really small.

Thanks for all your help anyway. If I do decide to bid, I will click on the PRICELINE link on here and let you know.

[AaronJB]

The Inn of Chicago is a renovated former/older Best Western property, but reviews have still remained mixed.

Please let us know what you decide and if you have additional questions.

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

[chic]

I'd start at $80 for a 3* and work North by $5's.

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

When you say work North by $5's, do you mean start with $85? Since you said the rates are generally high now, I was thinking of starting at $100.

[AaronJB]

I'd start with $80 for a 3* NMA-River North zone hotel and work up by $5's (if not $80, then $85, if not $85, then $90, etc.)

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

[chic]

I'd start with $80 for a 3* and work up by $5's (if not $80, then $85, if not $85, then $90, etc.)

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

Oh when you said "North", I thought you meant North Magnificent Mile. LOL

[chic]

I just want to report back that I just got Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel Chicago for $125/night for July 25-July 29 for $589.56.

Don't know if this is a "good deal" in Better Bidding standard, but looking at the prices on the various sites now, it's not that bad, I suppose. This is my first time bidding, so it was a little nerve wrecking. I'm happy though because I was freaking out that I won't have a decent priced hotel to stay in less than a week's time.

I read somewhere (don't remember where), that # of beds and so forth cannot be gauranteed. Should I call the hotel to make them aware that I would prefer 2 beds if available?

Thanks to AaronJB and thereuare for all your help and feedback. I'll definitely use consider using this again for future trips.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you got this stay settled and are pleased with the results... we're happy to have helped.

Yes, you can call the hotel now to request a room with two beds. In all likelihood they won't guarantee anything at this time, but just as that they put a note in the system requesting two beds.

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.