hohogap Posted August 5, 2011 Report Share Posted August 5, 2011 I am planning a trip to Istanbul for the above dates and see lots of great hotel prices on Last Minute Travel and other sites. I like using PL, however, and they only show 3* and 4* hotels for their name your own price in just one area of the city. When trying to book through this BB site on PL, a 4* hotel pops up with a "retail price" in excess of US$350.00, which far exceeds even 5* hotels on other sites. I tried $69/night and was rejected. I've researched the posts on this site related to Istanbul and it doesn't appear that anyone has successfully bid a "name your own price" on PL. Any thoughts on a bidding strategy? The 5* hotel on LMT goes for US$131/night (Legacy Ottoman Hotel, ID #1211859). Thanks! Link to comment
Romelle Posted August 5, 2011 Report Share Posted August 5, 2011 If you enter 'istanbul' in the Quick Search box above, you will see such reportings as there have been here, including mine. There are Hotwire successes reported, but no Priceline wins. I'm up to $75 for the 4* with no success so far. My dates are Nov 1-16, so we both have plenty of time. There are Hotwire hotels at both the 3 and 4* levels. $50 and $76. The $50 is for one person, it goes up to $61 for two people. I think the low retail 4* in the same general area was $141, so we are at least approaching the possible success area. I don't want to go too high right now, as it is entirely possible there is nothing in the Priceline inventory at the moment. I'm bidding in smaller blocks of time, as I can see one event day during my trip time. That also lets me make several bids in a day, since otherwise there is only the one zone available.I've also posted at FT to see if anybody there has had any Priceline or Hotwire Istanbul experience. No comments yet, but that site also usually comes through sooner or later. Some of the more interesting deals I've seen are the Expedia Flash Deals. I figure it is too early for those to be available for my dates, but I'm watching them. I hope you will continue to share your results. I promise I'll post anything interesting I stumble upon, also.Romelle Link to comment
Romelle Posted August 5, 2011 Report Share Posted August 5, 2011 Forgot to mention - I'm also using a $20 bonus, and only bidding 3 days right now, so my high failed bid is $75 + $6.67 ($20/3). Romelle Link to comment
Romelle Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 You did see the hotel list of reported Hotwire wins? Very first post in this area. There are two 4* Istanbul hotels on it. Ipek Palas and a Best Western. I plan to keep bidding via PRICELINE until much closer to my dates, but HOTWIRE may be my Plan B. Romelle Link to comment
Rhine-and-Roses Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 I for one would not use Priceline to bid in Istanbul because of the zone. The zone is the Taksim district, not the old town Sultanamet that many tourists want. It's a pretty good distance from the cultural parts of the city, definitely in the business district. The public transportation is good, though. Four stars in Istanbul can be a huge range. We stayed at three hotels (Iceland Ash Fiasco) while we were there, all 4 star, and none even similar in amenities or quality of furnishings/service/price. At one no one even spoke English. We did not use Priceline/Hotwire for any of the hotels, so no experience there. Good luck. Link to comment
hohogap Posted August 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 Fantastic, thanks for the advice and I'll look at the HOTWIRE postings per your suggestion and post updates if I am successful! Link to comment
hohogap Posted August 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 I booked a backup hotel for this period directly with the Basileus hotel, 40 Euros/night with 1-way free airport transfer from IST. Ratings on TA are great. Anyone have any experience with this hotel? Price is almost too good for an apparently solid 3* property (listed as 4* on a couple of web sites). Link to comment
Rhine-and-Roses Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 No experience at all with this hotel. I would be a little worried about a 3*, but it could be perfectly fine. The concierge at the hotel we stayed at said that many hotels pay people to review them well. I would think this would be easy enough to figure out. If your hotel has lots of reviews in foreign sounding English, that may be the case, especially if they claim to be from the USA or UK. If people on TA give permission to be contacted about the hotel, you can contact them directly with specific questions. I loved Istanbul, but there was a lot of wheeling and dealing going on. Everybody had a cousin who could do this and that for you, so I tend to believe that there may be irregularities with reviews on TA. Link to comment
hohogap Posted September 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 I loved Istanbul, but there was a lot of wheeling and dealing going on. Everybody had a cousin who could do this and that for you, so I tend to believe that there may be irregularities with reviews on TA.Thanks! I'll keep that in mind and continue my Hotwire and LMT site investigation for hotels (always through the BB web site links) in IST in January. Link to comment
hohogap Posted September 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2011 I've reviewed the Hotwire hotels listed on the BB boards summary and can't identify this 5* property in Istanbul. $91/night in the "Faith" area. Total with taxes and fees = $407.86.Ammenities include:Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Laundry Facilities (self-service) High-Speed Internet Access Spa Services Hotiwre ammenities for the Ramada Plaza City Center on the BB board show these ammenities, which don't match exactly:Amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, SpaAny thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. Link to comment
thereuare Posted September 2, 2011 Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 I've reviewed the Hotwire hotels listed on the BB boards summary and can't identify this 5* property in Istanbul. $91/night in the "Faith" area.Is this in HOTWIRE's Aksaray - Laleli - Topkapi zone? If so, this property has not yet been reported to the board, but my guess would be the Barcelo Eresin Topkapi.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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
hohogap Posted September 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2011 No, this is listed as in the "Faith" area. Link to comment
AaronJB Posted September 3, 2011 Report Share Posted September 3, 2011 Are you searching for Istanbul or something else similar? I'm not seeing any "Faith" zone when searching, either.Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches. Link to comment
hohogap Posted September 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2011 Checking today for Istanbul and the Faith area now doesn't appear on Hotwire as you state. Must be the Barcelo as pointed out previously by Thereuare. Thanks for all of your help and rest assured that all of my bids and purchases are made through BB links. Link to comment
thereuare Posted September 6, 2011 Report Share Posted September 6, 2011 Let us know if the zone and/or hotel(s) re-appear or whatever you decide to do for this trip.Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
hohogap Posted September 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 Let us know if the zone and/or hotel(s) re-appear or whatever you decide to do for this trip.Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.Still looking at hotels and prices still seem to vary widely. I booked my flight on Delta from DTW thru JFK with non-stop from JFK to IST for just over $700 total< so hotel rates may be able to be increased a bit. I'll keep you posted as I bid and get the hotel, as the trip is on! Link to comment
Romelle Posted September 29, 2011 Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 While I'm happy with the $73 4* I scored, I think I'd have been sorely tempted by that $90 5* HOTWIRE currently has for your dates. There wasn't any such deal for my dates.Romelle Link to comment
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