Priceline Hotel: Prague Failed Bids

[spiffycalgal]

Per recent winning bids on this forum, I tried to get the 4* Movenpick - Prague (West) for $40/night. Used BetterBidding's PRICELINE link for bidding.

Attempt #1: Chose 5* and 4* hotels in Prague (West) and $40 bid was rejected.

Attempt #2: Chose 5* and 4* hotels and added Prague (East) and $45 bid was rejected.

Interestingly, I went to the hotel's website and checked out their rates for various dates (including the dates when another BetterBidding.com traveler was able to get a room @ $40/night, which is just a few days before my trip) and the prices quoted for those dates was the same as for my travel dates-- $128/night. What gives? :)

I don't want to go down to 3* and risk getting the Hotel Albion, as the TripAdvisor reviews for this hotel are lackluster. Planning to try bidding again in 24 hours.

[thereuare]

Not sure when the other user won their hotel (the day posted or a few days prior) but that was right around the time that the stock/currency markets made some MAJOR moves... is it possible that the currency exchange is causing this to cost more than 10% of the other user's win?

Unless you have options within this same price point, i would try increasing your bid towards $50 ($47/$50 on your next round of bidding) to see if that is the difference between success/failure.

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

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[spiffycalgal]

Thanks, much. I re-bid again (using the PRICELINE link) at $48 and then $51 and both bids were rejected. Will keep trying!

[thereuare]

Doesn't look like a currency issue... hopefully you'll have success in the weeks ahead. Just to throw out more theories, possibly an event taking place at the hotel (such as a wedding) and they're holding a block of rooms for the wedding party, which will be released once the final number of rooms needed is known.

Keep us updated on your progress.

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

Good luck.

[spiffycalgal]

Still no luck. I've tried rebidding several times, going up to $65.

I've booked a room elsewhere just in case and will re-bid in a week or so and see what happens.

[thereuare]

Where, and how much, is your back-up?

Keep us updated on your progress.

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

[spiffycalgal]

My back-up was St. Christophers Inn at Mosaic House, which is supposed to be a very nice hostel. I had reserved a private room with bathroom ensuite but realized after I booked it that their rate is $56 PER PERSON rather than PER ROOM. There's no way I'm paying $112/night for two people for a room at a hostel. So I cancelled the reservation at St. Christophers and made one at Movenpick instead.

I reserved a room through Movenpick's website for 440 euro, the price for 5 nights under the "stay 3, get 1 free" deal. It comes out to roughly $128/night.

Found a better deal on Venere.com where the same room only cost 371 euro. I e-mailed Movenpick to take advantage of their "best price guarantee" deal and they matched the price and gave me an extra discount, bringing it down to 341 euro for 5 nights, making it about $98/night. This is more than I want to pay for a room at Movenpick (knowing ppl have recently gotten it on PL for $40) but it's a rate I can live with if all else fails. But I'd rather spend the $98 (or a little bit more) for a 5*, more centrally located room... or get a 4* for substantially less.

[bTW, I looked at Hotwire and they have a 5* room at what appears to be the Mamaison Riverside Hotel Prague for $114/night. Looked at the hotel's website and direct booking is $128/night. Taxes and fees on the Hotwire price bring it up to $129/night. Not a "deal" at all.]

[thereuare]

[bTW, I looked at Hotwire and they have a 5* room at what appears to be the Mamaison Riverside Hotel Prague for $114/night.

I was just researching this 5* before i got to the end of your post and agree that best guess is the HOTWIRE offer is the Maimaison Riverside. Given the pricing of hotels i suspect you should be able to eventually beat your back-up plan, but i think the bigger question is if you'll need to raise your bid price to do so, and by how much.

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

[veeRob]

For your reference, spiffycalgal, I just had failed bids up to $60 for Fri 9/30 - Sun 10/2 for 4* hotels in East & West.