Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park) Hilton Towers

[mark2000]

Using the PRICELINE link from this forum, for a stay between August 11-14, I tried:

$75, 4*, Chicago (Millenium-Loop-GP) - REJECTED

My travel companion (from another city, computer and internet connection) tried:

$85, 4*, Chicago (Millenium-Loop-GP) - REJECTED

He doesn't feel comfortable adding re-bid zones with no 4* hotels, so we'll try again in 24 hours.

Anyone else had any luck with this kind of bid? I thought we would at least get something similar to the wins listed in the calendar, but nothing.

Unfortunately, I won't be using the HOTWIRE to get a room this time around. I really am looking for something under the $100 pricepoint.

[AaronJB]

I don't think you're too terribly far off for these dates - if you got a $16 counter-offer at $90, I'd suggest heading higher by $3's - $93, $96, etc.

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

[mark2000]

Another Q for the experts - if I re-bid in 24 hours with the same $ amount, might rooms become available at that level for the same dates, or am I wasting a bid in your opinion?

[thereuare]

New inventory can be added at any time, and if you're using re-bids then it's a good idea to 'backtrack' a little, but if you're only taking one shot each time, i wouldn't waste a bid... this is what makes re-bidding so useful.

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

[alisha234]

Hi,

First time poster on here. Still a bit confused here about the re-bidding after 24 hrs. What do you mean by ''backtrack''?

[Romelle]

You've 5 bids available and bid, as an example, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 with no success. The next day, rather than starting on up with 110, 120, ...etc., you "backtrack" and maybe bid 70, 80, 90, 100, and 110. That way, if there is an offering that just appeared at 85, you will get it with your 90 bid, rather than your 110 bid.

I like to call it a "sweep" technique, as you sweep over areas you've already swept the day before, while still moving forward.

Chicago has 6 free rebid zones right now. There is good information in the FAQ area on how to detect them. If you work through it and think you understand, you can post back with your list of them and somebody will double-check your logic. When using the technique, you have to check just before you bid, as the zones do change once in a while.

Romelle

[mark2000]

Can anyone comment on the proximity of Priceline wins in the Chicago MNA area to subway stations?

Obviously, I can see the maps - but in human terms, how is their proximity - are we talking, "hauling ass" in most cases? Or "just a couple blocks" kinda thing?

I'd really like to try staying in the Magnificent Mile area this trip, but I'm afraid I'll end up with something too far from the subway. That's what's good about Priceline wins in the Loop - there's always a subway closeby.

I will be hanging out fairly far north on the Red Line at night, so I won't want to walk far from the metro when we get back downtown.

[hohogap]

Having lived in Chicago for 10 years (and recently having stayed in the NMA area at hotels), you are most likely "blocks away" from the subway, versus hauling ass wherever you are in MNA.

[Sota327]

The subway line in NMA/River North Area is really limited to the redline, which runs along state street, which is only 3 blocks west of Michigan Avenue. If you get a hotel on the west side of Michigan Avenue, you should be within a few blocks of a trains stop on the redline. If you end up on the east side of Michigan avenue, it will be a little bit further of a walk, but I still think it is an option. I am always happy in either NMA/River North or the Loop and always take the train from ORD. Now, if the commute from ORD is of a big concerne, you will have to make a transfer to get on the red line (if you end up in NMA/River North hotel). This can be somewhat of a pain. Last time I won the Embassy Suites Downton, along STate STreet, I just took the Blue Line to Clark/Lake and walked the 10 blocks because I didn't want to hassle with the transfer to the redline. Maybe others have additional and/or better advice.

[mark2000]

Nah, I don't mind transferring to the Red Line if I am coming from ORD on the Blue Line. I think I'm going to try a couple more bids tonight in the Loop at $86 and $96, and if that fails, maybe my travel companion and I will try to lowball the Mile at $80 and $90 to see if we get anything.

Failing that, we'll probably just swallow a $100+ bid in the Loop 24 hours later to be done with it. It's not as cheap as some of the other wins on the calendar, but its still a damn good deal.

[AaronJB]

The main two Red Line stations in the NMA-River North zone are State/Grand (which is in the River North area) and the Chicago/State station, which is more towards the North half.) There's also the Clark/Division stop in the Gold Coast area, although the only 4* up that way is the Sutton Place.

I'd say the furthest 4* NMA hotel from a subway station is the W Lakeshore, followed by the Sheraton. Otherwise, I really don't think that any of the other 4*'s is a particularly difficult trek - one can walk from the Drake, Knickerbocker or Westin MA up to the Clark/Division or Chicago/State station and one could head from the Wyndham, Omni, Affinia or Felix to the Chicago/State station nearby. Intercontinental/Marriott/James/Palomar/Sax/Westin River North customers could walk to the Grand/State station, which is bit more of a walk from the Intercontinental, but not awful.

These are in many cases not a "couple of blocks", but I suppose I really don't think 4-5-6 blocks in downtown Chicago feels like that great of a distance - blocks are fairly short, there's a lot to see and you can get a sense of the area on the way (maybe look for a place to eat later, etc.)

The hotels in the Loop are generally closer/much closer to the Red Line, but I think the only two in the NMA/River North area that become a longer walk are the Sheraton and to a somewhat greater degree the W Lakeshore.

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

[mark2000]

Oh, my, goodness. People. I have very bad news.

My travel companion just did a bid of $100 in zone 7, 4* Chicago, and it came up with a successful bid at CHICAGO OHARE. We were together when he did it, he insists he chose ZONE 7. Has ANYONE ever had this happen before?

We are both just sitting here, out of our skulls over this. Completely shocked.

[thereuare]

...he insists he chose ZONE 7. Has ANYONE ever had this happen before?

Yes, and it always ends up being user error.

What hotel did you receive?

You can try contacting PRICELINE and let them know you don't think you chose that zone and often they'll send a screenshot of the page you submitted. From there you can ask if there is anything they can do to help you with the situation, although this often has mixed results.

If you didn't, please ask your travel companion to use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin any future purchases.

Let us know how you make out (and please let us know the details of the hotel received)

[mark2000]

Ya know, we're pretty tech savvy individuals, and he read and re-read the confirmations out to me. If I'd heard "Chicago O'Hare" when he read out the final comfirmation screen to me, I would have said something. I did a little more research on this on the net and it seems it's not an isolated incident. It's very rare, but not completely unheard of. We were sticking to single-zone bidding. There are a smattering of stories out there where people HAVE received hotels COMPLETELY out of their selected area.

At any rate, here's proof-positive Priceline is aware errors happen. I immediately called customer service who looked into it and offered us a refund, minus a $25 admin fee, as long as we rebooked on another bid. They sent us an email laying out the steps to get the full refund processed.

So we bid $106 and ended up with the Chicago Hilton, August 11-14. I am not pleased. I knew it was a possibility but it was the lowest of my options. I hadn't seen many recent wins on it so I didn't suspect I'd get it. It doesn't exactly have the best reviews. And although very close to the red line, it's far from anything "fun" to do. Looks like I'll be getting a CTA ride pass. Anyone know if Chicago has a bikeshare service like Bixi?

Oh well, them's the breaks. This was not a positive experience on Priceline. I have had one very positive experience and one very negative one. I will use Priceline again, but if it happens again, I'm done. I realize there are scores of people who have had countless good experiences-- but trust me, one this bad, will leave a sour taste in your mouth.

FTR, the win we didn't pick was $100 4* Chicago O'Hare Renaissance Hotel August 11-14.

[thereuare]

There are a smattering of stories out there where people HAVE received hotels COMPLETELY out of their selected area.

This is where zone boundaries are inconsistent with the true location of the property, which isn't the case here.

At any rate, here's proof-positive Priceline is aware errors happen. I immediately called customer service who looked into it and offered us a refund, minus a $25 admin fee, as long as we rebooked on another bid.

This is PRICELINE having a heart... if they were at fault (such as the hotel being located outside the zone selected) there wouldn't be any cancellation fee.

Even experienced (and tech savvy) bidders make mistakes from time to time, i can't say that this is the case with your first purchase above, but this has always been my experience with the "i didn't choose that zone" error.

So we bid $106 and ended up with the Chicago Hilton, August 11-14.

I've edit the topic title of this thread to reflect your first purchase of the Renaissance, can you please start a NEW TOPIC to reflect your win of the Hilton.

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

Thanks.

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success. :)

Very nice deal for this Hilton stay. A new priceline hotel thread has been started for your Renaissance win, as requested in your post that has been moved there.

In terms of the Hilton win, it is towards the south boundary of the zone and this area can be quiet at night - what were you looking to do? There are some restaurants nearby, but it depends on what you're looking for.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the site's PRICELINE link.

Enjoy your stay.