Priceline Hotel: Priceline/Hotwire Vancouver/PDX advice?

[AztecWolverine]

I'd like to find 2 inexpensive rooms or 1 large suite for June 16-18 near PDX. It seems that all the Priceline or Hotwire hotels that are available are rather mediocre, with complaints about noise, age, cleanliness, or security, etc. (The Red Lion Vancouver at the Quay, The Red Lion Inn & Suites PDX, the Holiday Inn PDX) I'd love to get the Residence Inn in Vancouver or even the Radisson PDX, but they seem to be unavailable through the bidding web sites. Do all 2 1/2 * bids at PDX get upgraded to 3* and the Holiday Inn? Any suggestions? We'd also be willing to stay up the Columbia River Gorge the night of the 17th, but I didn't see anything up that way. By the way, I found your web site after defecting from TOBB :) Best wishes!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Inexpensive and mediocre often go hand in hand. :)

I think you need to be a bit clearer in what you're looking for... are you willing to bid for what you describe as the 'mediocre hotels'. Everything we know about the area is reported in the hotel lists (note that PDX on Priceline is in the Oregon state category).

Are you looking for either the Vancouver or PDX zone? Are you trying to avoid at least one hotel in each of these areas?

[mucsea2003]

You may also consider to bid for one of the nice 4* hotels in downtown Portland which are quite reasonable on Priceline. It is only a short and easy ride with the light rail to the airport. You would have the advantage to be staying downtown with all its dining and shopping opportunities. If you are really lucky you might end up in one of the suites at the 5th Avenue Suites. Unless of course you are travelling by car. Then this might not be so great since parking can be a little pricy downtown. Don't count on finding anything more reasonable more upstream along the Columbia this time of the year.

[AztecWolverine]

Thanks for your replies. Here are the answers to your questions:

"Are you looking for either the Vancouver or PDX zone? " YES

Are you trying to avoid at least one hotel in each of these areas? YES

"Inexpensive and mediocre often go hand in hand.

I think you need to be a bit clearer in what you're looking for... are you willing to bid for what you describe as the 'mediocre hotels'. Everything we know about the area is reported in the hotel lists (note that PDX on Priceline is in the Oregon state category)."

The Holiday Inn and Red Lion are going for between $28-$36, and the Red Lion Quay for about $45. Many people have complained about them on TripAdvisor and Expedia -- noise, dirty, security, etc. I am certainly willing to pay more than this. Usually one can get a decent 2 1/2* hotel for around $45 through Priceline, and a bit more will get you a good Hotwire hotel. But I spent a lot of time looking at the PDX and Vancouver area and am finding it hard to get these types of hotels for June. As I said, I'd love the Residence Inn or even the Radisson, and I've always liked Courtyards. Even good clean Fairfields or Comfort Inns. We will be meeting someone in the airport area, so the downtown suggestion is out. We will be touring up the Gorge and visiting sites in Vancouver. Any suggestions on bidding strategies? :)

[thereuare]

Do you think you are flexible enough to use Priceline? Based upon your list of hotels you don't want, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment.

The deep discounts are in exchange for flexibility... it's a trade-off. If there are hotels that you absolutely don't want then you should probably book direct at the Residence Inn, Courtyard, or Radisson.

[AnthonyJ]

I think Hotwire would work for this one. Hotwire defines the Vancouver zone differently than Priceline does. Look at Hotwire's Vancouver boundaries and you'll see that Hotwire excludes all of downtown Vancouver, which is where the Red Lion at the Quay that you don't want is located.