Priceline Hotel: 3* & 2.5* Seattle (Lynnwood)

[lily_99654]

I'm a first time bidder, and I've been bidding unsuccessfully for about 3 weeks on Priceline. I have bid $60 to 70 for my first 3* bid, used my free rebid for $75, then added in 2.5 star and bid $55 or $60. Is this the correct way to bid or should I be doing it differently?

Tonight is my final night as we are leaving for Lynnwood tomorrow (shopping at Alderwood Mall). I can book the Best Western Alderwood online for $96 including tax. So I was planning to bid $80 and 85 for 3* tonight, and if rejected, bid $65 for 2.5*.

Any comments or suggestions for more success? Thank you in advance. :)

[Romelle]

I'm a member, not a moderator, but your plan looks very reasonable to me.

I did look at HOTWIRE for your night, and they have 3* $118, 2.5* $85, and 2* $70. Since HOTWIRE tends to be a little higher than PRICELINE, your planned bids are in line.

I checked your free rebid assumption, and agree with you that you've just the one at the 3* level and none at the 2 1/2* level. It never hurts to check just before bidding though.

Hope something works for you, but good to see you have a back-up plan.

Happy shopping!

Romelle

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

If you had more time there would be more ways to play this, but with your arrival tomorrow i'd bid up to your maximum at each star level and hope for the best.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or if you ultimately book direct please use the Best Western link as found in our support page.

Good luck and let us know how your next round of bidding goes.

[lily_99654]

Thank you, Romelle, for checking over my bid strategy. :) Very much appreciated.

Yes theruare I have been using the board's PRICELINE link. Thank you for all your work on the board. It is a very pleasant forum.

I bid again per my plan and all bids were rejected. :)

A question, tho: At the spot where I enter my bid amount, it gives a median price for a 3* hotel in the area. Why is the amount different almost every night when I bid? It has been as low as $139 and as high as $173 (tonight).

A second question: Should I have done things differently these past weeks, and if so, what? I am learning.

Cheers,

Lily

[thereuare]

A question, tho: At the spot where I enter my bid amount, it gives a median price for a 3* hotel in the area. Why is the amount different almost every night when I bid? It has been as low as $139 and as high as $173 (tonight).

Rates fluctuate day-to-day as hotels update pricing based upon supply/demand (ie- hotel occupancy levels). HOWEVER, this information is often incorrect/not accurate and is best be ignored, as it's not useful in your bidding strategy. It is important to note hotel direct rates in devising a bidding strategy, but this isn't a good source for that information (given how inaccurate it often is)

A second question: Should I have done things differently these past weeks, and if so, what?

Ask for help sooner... not sure if you just found the forum last nite (at which point it wouldn't have been possible to ask for help sooner) OR if you've browsing around and only first posted last nite, as the more time on your side the more strategies you'll be able to employ.

Unless you're considering other zones, hope the Best Western works for your plans and it's a successful shopping spree :)