Priceline Hotel: 4* London (Kensington - Earls Court) Holiday Inn Kensington Forum

[ladybugsea]

Bidding for my mom's honeymoon, 9/16-9/23, through link as always. :) I've been bidding 4* up to $125 with no luck, although I have gotten 'raise to $160' twice so I'm not that far off (I raised to $130 and didn't get it). I have also been trying 5* Mayfair at $165 since others have won it 9/16-9/18. They would prefer not to split the stay. I am hoping that some patience and time will pay off? I'm getting nervous since it's only 6 weeks away and it's such a long stay.

So far I have been bidding on the following zones (and expecting the win to be in Ken or NH):

Mayfair - Soho

Bloomsbury - Marble Arch

Kensington - Earl's Court

Notting Hill - Bayswater

I wanted to include Westminster, but I noticed the Priceline map includes the other side of river, and I don't want a hotel on that side. I would also add Chelsea - Knightsbridge, but that zone seems to be really long and goes far out. Any opinions on this? If necessary I will up the max bid and add more zones as we get closer.

[thereuare]

I think the first 2 nites are cheaper then the balance, so there would likely be a benefit to SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID, but if they don't want to change hotels during their trip, i think the $135-$165 range is pretty reasonable for this stay.

Keep us updated on your progress and let us know if we can be of further help along the way.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your bidding.

Good luck.

[ClairdeLune]

You were smart about being careful with the Chelsea/Knightsbridge as I have read a couple of people write on here and the Hotwire one that they have a hotel very far from where they wanted, although a lovely hotel it said always that the location was far. Pestana was the name and if you read the reviews on Trip Advisor, it's the thing they all say is that they couldn't walk easily to the tube. If you stick with the 5 stars in that area, you will be safer. You might get the option of adding days to the stay once you get accepted. But sometimes it can be nice to change hotels too. It puts them in a different area to explore. Hope that helps. I'm doing the same thing and areas. Also HOTWIRE has been advertising a four star at $150 and I think it's Millenium Baileys in Earl's Court and they have great reviews. You can get yoiur eight days with the HOTWIRE route.

[ladybugsea]

I found this on Hotwire this morning (new, the best offer I have seen in a month of looking daily):

4* $134

Fitness, restaurant, business, high-speed

80%, the lowest rating is for the location

4 on TA

Would you guess Pestana Chelsea Bridge?

[thereuare]

While the the Pestana Chelsea Bridge has been reported as a 4* hotel in this zone, it didn't have these amenities, so while possible, i don't think there is enough to conclude that this is likely the that property. I did give a look at these amenities are just too common to gain much insight with any degree of confidence.

Since this an extended stay you could see if this same property is offered for the first (or last) nite of your stay and then again for the balance. If so, you could purchase the solo nite in order to 'look behind the curtain'. If you're happy with the results purchase the remaining nites, if not, make alternate plans for the balance of your stay.

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

Let us know whatever you decide for this stay or if we can be of further help.

[ClairdeLune]

I found this on Hotwire this morning (new, the best offer I have seen in a month of looking daily):

4* $134

Fitness, restaurant, business, high-speed

80%, the lowest rating is for the location

4 on TA

Would you guess Pestana Chelsea Bridge?

It might indeed be Millenium Bailey's, which got good reviews and is very centralized. It would say the Earl's Court area. One of the places I would steer clear of is when they say it's the Battersea area and then it would likely be those hotels a bit off the beaten path for immediate access that you want. I've been finding they aren't giving all the amenities listed for the hotels on Hotwire. But a good one to look for with the Pestana is the swimming icon. I believe they have a pool if I'm not mistaken.

[ladybugsea]

Thanks. I'm starting to get nervous. Just how rare is a 7 night win? Hotwire still lists a 5* Mayfair for the first 3 nights for $192. If it were my own trip, I would certainly be trying for those 3 nights on Priceline; I would split if it meant I had the opportunity to stay in a 5* in Mayfair.

[thereuare]

Just how rare is a 7 night win? Hotwire still lists a 5* Mayfair for the first 3 nights for $192.

Given the first 3 nites are Friday-Monday i'm guessing that the issue isn't that it's a 7 days stay, but more so that rates are cheaper for these 3 nites vs. the other 4 nites.... i assume if you search for the last 4 nites rates are substantially higher?

If it were my own trip, I would certainly be trying for those 3 nights on Priceline; I would split if it meant I had the opportunity to stay in a 5* in Mayfair.

Is this gift a surprise? If not, why not give your mom a choice... a 5* in a premier zone for the first 3 nites and a 4* star for the last 4 nites... or a 4* the entire trip in an 'ok' area?

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

[ladybugsea]

Using Hotwire as my estimate, if I split the stay, what appears to be the same Kensington hotel is available for both halves, $169 for the first 3 and $193 for the last 4. But when I search the full stay, a Kensington hotel comes up but it is definitely not the same hotel as the one that comes up for the split stays.

No, it's not a surprise, she was hoping to get a good deal and stay in Kensington or another value zone. I will keep on bidding! Thanks!

[ClairdeLune]

Considering what is happening in the news, if you wait a bit you might find you will get better prices as there might be cancellations. I see that Notting Hill is very affected by the riots so you have to watch. I'm sure all will be resolved by then but still people tend to cancel plans with so much unrest. I think Hotwire is the way to go as it gives you the 7 days straight if you pick a good area. Good luck and hope all will be safe.

[ladybugsea]

Update: won Holiday Inn Kensington Forum $145

Been bidding for a while and kept getting rebid screen for $160-$170 at about the $130-135 mark. Today I sleuthed it out, bidding each neighborhood separately to determine it was Kensington, then looked up the usual wins for prices and came up with the following on hotel websites:

NH Harrington Hall - no avail 2 of the days

Marriott Kens L339

Millen Bailey's L148

NH Kens L164 $246

HI Kens Forum L128 $231

and a Hotwire 4* Kensington for $172, TA 3.5

The Hotwire offer seemed a possible match for the HI Kensington Forum, so putting that with the low rate I figured that might be the win. Talked to my mom who decided to up her price and didn't mind this win, I bid $145 and won HI Kensington Forum. Not the great $100 deal I was hoping for, but certainly a good deal considering the current rate/inventory and the week-long stay. Plus she hadn't booked a back-up, which I kept bugging her about, and I was tired of bidding. :)

Used the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links about a million times, do you only get credit for the last time I used it when I finally won? :)

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you got this stay settled and that you (and hopefully your mom) are both pleased with the outcome. Hope this works well for her plans and she has a great honeymoon.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.