Priceline Hotel: London (mayfair) 5* 5/19-5/23 $200 budget help

[mylastdance]

Hi Better bidding, used your PRICELINE link and I've been trying to bid for a 5* in Mayfair-Soho and Bloomsbury, started at $140 and made my way all the way up to $210 by adding free rebid zones and have not gotten anything. Don't want to go over budget much further but still want a 5* if possible. Help please?

[sec119]

Hi Better bidding, used your link and I've been trying to bid for a 5* in Mayfair-Soho and Bloomsbury, started at $140 and made my way all the way up to $210 by adding free rebid zones and have not gotten anything. Don't want to go over budget much further but still want a 5* if possible. Help please?

This may not be helpful but I bid for a 5* in Mayfair-Soho for $190 using the betterbidding PRICELINE link and did not get my bid accepted. I upped to $200 and added Notthinghill - Bayswater as a free rebid-zone, which at the time did not show a 5* hotel on either priceline or on betterbidding's priceline hotel list. It turns out that there is a 5*, The Hempel, and that bid was accepted, 3/16 -- 3/22.

[thereuare]

Hi Better bidding, used your PRICELINE link and I've been trying to bid for a 5* in Mayfair-Soho and Bloomsbury, started at $140 and made my way all the way up to $210 by adding free rebid zones and have not gotten anything. Don't want to go over budget much further but still want a 5* if possible. Help please?

Welcome to BetterBidding!

If you've bid up to your limit there isn't much more you can do other than:

-raise your maximum bid

-lower your star rating

-SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID

-wait it out and hope for lower rates in the weeks ahead

What is the best deal you're able to find at a 5* hotel in one of these zones thru conventional booking channels?

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

This may not be helpful but I bid for a 5* in Mayfair-Soho for $190 using the betterbidding PRICELINE link and did not get my bid accepted. I upped to $200 and added Notthinghill - Bayswater as a free rebid-zone, which at the time did not show a 5* hotel on either priceline or on betterbidding's priceline hotel list. It turns out that there is a 5*, The Hempel, and that bid was accepted, 3/16 -- 3/22.

Welcome to BetterBidding!

How long ago did you make this bid? Was the PRICELINE screen you had open to check star ratings in each zone a 'fresh' page that you recently pulled out or did you have that browser open for a few days while you continued to bid?

Can you please post your win to the board as a NEW TOPIC so that others will be aware of your win when searching the topic titles on the board and in the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins (you can answer the questions above in your new topic)

THANKS!

[mylastdance]

The Park Lane is about $250 a night through conventional booking but after reading those reviews, I am very hesitant to book. Hoping for the Sofitel or something else not as shabby looking.

[thereuare]

There won't be any way to avoid the Park Lane Hotel when bidding on PRICELINE.

HOTWIRE does have what appears to be the Metropolitan Hotel London, but at $311 is over your budget.

Have you considered other zones?

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

[mylastdance]

Would be willing to stay in the Bloomsbury area also. Any tips?

[thereuare]

Would be willing to stay in the Bloomsbury area also.

You've already included this in your previous bidding above, correct?

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

[mylastdance]

You've already included this in your previous bidding above, correct?

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

Correct. I was also looking at the Tower hill area, but seeing as this is my first time in London, not sure if this would be a good place to have a home base for hanging out at night after sightseeing days. Anyone have any input? Should I try tower hill area?

[Romelle]

There are quite a few reported 5*s in London zones you haven't bid:

Docklands

5* Marriott West India Quay

Chelsea-Knightsbridge

5* Cadogan

5* Jumeirah Lowndes

Notting Hill - Bayswater

5* The Hempel

Regents Park - Baker Street

5* Landmark London

Westminster

5* Marriott County Hall

Some of them have reviews here, and I'm sure the rest have reviews on TripAdvisor. Maybe you could look them up and see if one or more of the zones could also be included in your bidding. Even the hotel web sites have more information on the surrounding areas.

Of course it is always possible to get a hotel not yet reported here, but the above suggested research might help you identify neighborhoods (zones) in which you'd be interested.

Romelle

[thereuare]

Should I try tower hill area?

Do you need to have a 5* hotel for this trip... or at some point do you try for a 4* hotel in one of your preferred locations?

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

[vanpoodle]

I'd just add a caution about bidding 5* in Chelsea -- there are lovely hotels in that zone, but it includes the Wyndham which is also rated 5*. The Wyndham looks like a nice hotel but it is not near the tube, only a bus stop, so I'd avoid that area for that reason, unless nothing was working in the other zones and you feel it's worth trying an outrageously low bid to see if you score a deal there.

Theoretically, Mayfair is the most expensive zone, and perhaps lower bids in Notting Hill or Regent's Park are worth trying. I consider both of those zones as being worthy central bases for a visit to London. I think Westminster (also very central) is likely to have similar pricing to Mayfair. Docklands would be less expensive but it is not central (though has good tube access), like Chelsea, worth bidding on if nothing within budget working in the more desirable zones and the hassle of getting in and out of there is worth it considering the savings.

[mylastdance]

@Romelle - The areas you listed have great looking 5* hotels. Regents park looks like it might work... Do you know anything about the areas? I think I am willing to forgo the one point star rating in order to be more central to shopping/sights with a youthful vibe.

@thereuare - Really looking forward to a 5* since we will be in london for so long and some people reported winning 5* on here cheaper than some 2 stars i found (through conventional sites)... but if the price/availability just don't allow it we will go for a 4*.

@vanpoodle - thanks for the tip. That is what I fear most, getting a hotel that is not convenient. We hope to be all over the city and have never been so don't want any bad surprises regarding transportation. May try Regents Park or Westminster if we cannot get anything in mayfair/bloomsbury. Do you think these areas have good nightlife? My friend recently traveled to London and stayed in Kensington, she complains how dead it was at night....

Thank you all for your help so far!

[Romelle]

@Romelle - The areas you listed have great looking 5* hotels. Regents park looks like it might work... Do you know anything about the areas? I think I am willing to forgo the one point star rating in order to be more central to shopping/sights with a youthful vibe.

I'm afraid I don't know that area specifically. When I've bid for London, I've bid a bunch of zones to seek the best price. Then bought whatever all-you-can-ride tube ticket offered at the time, and wandered all over.

The current good deal for all-you-can-ride public transportation seems to be the Oyster card. Of course riding in those big black cabs is fun too.

Romelle

[vanpoodle]

Westminster is more the business centre so, while it may have a few pubs, don't expect nightlife. Regent's Park is in the area where people live, so it will be much more lively at night, especialy if you end up iin Camden. I would expect Kensington to be more lively than Westminster! Bloomsbury definitely has nightlife because it's close to the university quarter, Mayfair borders Soho where the nightlife is too crazy for my comfort. But if you equip yourself with an Oyster card, very easy to get around the city. All of these zones are central and good bases for sightseeing.

I've stayed in Regent's Park, depending on what quadrant of that zone you land in, you might be near the pubs and restaurants and probably even bars. But if you end up in a quieter area, you won't be far from a happening place, my recollection of walking back to our hotel in Regents Park a few nights was walking past quite a few places with people spilling out onto the sidewalk!

[mylastdance]

If I am not getting counter offers from PRICELINE does this mean no rooms are available?

[thereuare]

No, the counter-offers are fairly random... we have seen counter-offers given/not given when just $1 away, as well as seen them offered/not offered when $50+ away.

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

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