captnamo Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 Looking for room in Boston May 19 thru 24. IAUG Conference at the Conference Center which I think is near Fenway park. I expect hotels in the area will be busy as the conference site is advertising rooms at special rates all over $200.Bringing my wife. Looking for the best room at the lowest price. 3.5-4.0 star under $150 would be awesome ($100 or less would be a miracle). Not sure if we'll rent a car or not. May stay a few extra days, but considering Couch Surfing for adventure and savings.Any suggestions for adjacent areas? Transportation? Techniques to start low and bid up to 4 star in Boston?
AaronJB Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 I'd guess that there may be a graduation or two around this time, as well - plus, Spring rates are naturally going to be higher.Please confirm which PRICELINE zones (the map of zones is displayed during the bidding process) that would be acceptable. Rates are definitely high for these dates on HOTWIRE, and getting a 3.5 (or particularly 4*) in the core areas of Boston would appear unlikely for $150 and under (the cheapest 4* HOTWIRE is showing is $268.)Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.
thereuare Posted March 3, 2012 Report Posted March 3, 2012 The 'main' Conference Center in Boston is in the Waterfront zone, please confirm the location of the conference you're attending and we'll further comment on this stay and area.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (please click each of these previous links before replying)Thanks. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
captnamo Posted March 5, 2012 Author Report Posted March 5, 2012 Conference Center is: John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center900 Boylston StreetBoston, MA 02115But this must be an office address or something? This address is in Zone 9 Fenway Park according to Google Maps. Zone 8 Copley Square/Backbay is the next adjacent to the east and that's where I find the building labeled in Google and is close to the "headquarters" hotel. Areas 2 or 5 could be possibilities if transportation is reasonable and accessible. I'm not familiar with the areas nor the transportation. Here's a list of the "conference hotels" in the area according to our organization:Hyatt Regency BostonOne Avenue de LafayetteBoston, MA 02111Courtyard Boston Downtown Tremont275 Tremont StBoston, MA 02116Omni Parker House60 School StreetBoston, MA 02108Sheraton Boston Hotel - Headquarters Hotel39 Dalton StreetBoston, MA 02115The Liberty Hotel215 Charles StreetBoston, MA 02115Hilton Boston Back Bay40 Dalton StreetBoston, MA 02115Marriott Boston Copley Place110 Huntington AvenueBoston, MA 02116I can lower my sites to 3* or 3.5* if I must to get under $200.Let me know if you need any other information.
thereuare Posted March 6, 2012 Report Posted March 6, 2012 It does look like there is a Convention Center at the location you referenced... the convention center i was referring to is called the "Boston Convention and Exhibition Center".The John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center is actually located in the Copley Square-Back Bay zone.Areas 2 or 5 could be possibilities if transportation is reasonable and accessible.To avoid any confusion, please use zone names (and not numbers) as the zone numbers will change if/when PRICELINE adds new zones or changes the names of existing zones. While obviously Copley-Back Bay would be the most convenient, Boston Common-Theater District (Zone2) and Quincy Market-Financial District (Zone 12) should work too since they are most the 'heart' of the city and would likely have nearby transportation options. Birghton-Brookline (Zone5) is not really bid that frequently, but the Green line does appear to run thru the middle of the zone which should give you a straight shot into the Covention Center, HOWEVER, i don't know how much 'city' this zone is, and if you're looking for nightlife at all, the other three zones (Boston Common, Copley Square, and Quincy Market) would put you more in the center of the city.Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed, but i'll state that i did take a quick look and $150 and under may be a tough call for these nites.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
crito Posted March 7, 2012 Report Posted March 7, 2012 This is a common confusion.The Hynes Center is indeed on Boylston St. in Back Bay, quite close to Fenway Park. The "Convention Center" region a la Priceline and Hotwire contains the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, and is quite isolated and generally a lousy place to stay (although it is convenient from Logan).Thereuare is correct that the Brookline-Brighton area is more suburban and residential (though Brookline has some decent nightlife). And the T is by far your best transportation option. The Hynes stop is on the Green Line, but the Back Bay Orange Line stop is also just fine (the most direct way is to walk through the Copley Place mall and Prudential Center, so in bad weather you can get from Back Bay Station to Hynes without going outside at all).
captnamo Posted March 7, 2012 Author Report Posted March 7, 2012 crito,Great info. Thanks for the reply! Ok, how about under $200? Copley Sq./Backbay and Boston Common/Theatre 3 to 4 star.
thereuare Posted March 8, 2012 Report Posted March 8, 2012 Ok, how about under $200? Copley Sq./Backbay and Boston Common/Theatre 3 to 4 star.Please confirm... did you first want to try for a 4* up to your limit, if rejected then try for a 3.5*, if rejected then try for a 3*... OR is your goal the least expensive 3* or better for this trip?Let us know the above and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
captnamo Posted March 8, 2012 Author Report Posted March 8, 2012 Of the two strategies, I'd say I'd like to try for a 4* up to my limit, if rejected then try for a 3.5*, if rejected then try for a 3*... which, if it gets to that point I'd then be trying for the least expensive 3* or better in the area.Let me know your thoughts on the best approach. Thanks!
thereuare Posted March 8, 2012 Report Posted March 8, 2012 When bidding 4* in Boston yo have FIVE re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.Select 4* Copley Square-Back Bak Bay...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $170, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* Boston Common-Theatre...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $170, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* Copley Square-Back Bak Bay and Boston Common-Theatre...Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $190, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $195, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $200Any questions feel free to ask. If the above is rejected post back and we will revise for a 3.5* property.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Good luck and let us know how it goes. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
captnamo Posted March 9, 2012 Author Report Posted March 9, 2012 Great, thanks for the info. and for the explanation of the strategy on the site!I'll have to try this at home tonight or this weekend as our Web Filter is blocking the site when I click from your links. I can go straight to PRICELINE ok at work, but will wait to use your links. =o)
AaronJB Posted March 9, 2012 Report Posted March 9, 2012 Thank you for keeping us updated and using the site's PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links is greatly appreciated. Please let us know what you decide and if you have any additional questions.
captnamo Posted March 10, 2012 Author Report Posted March 10, 2012 Tried as directed and rejected on all bids. Let's try for 3.5* next. Looks like the same 5 rebid zones will work for this level, too. Where do you recommend I start?
thereuare Posted March 10, 2012 Report Posted March 10, 2012 I'd use the same bid amounts... simply change to 3.5* and follow the previous strategy.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
captnamo Posted March 11, 2012 Author Report Posted March 11, 2012 No luck with 3.5 star hotel up to $200.Try for 3*?
thereuare Posted March 11, 2012 Report Posted March 11, 2012 Unfortunately at the 3* level you only have ONE re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.Select 3* Copley Square-Back Bak Bay...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3* Boston Common-Theatre...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* Copley Square-Back Bak Bay and Boston Common-Theatre...Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $160Assuming 24 hours from your failed 3.5* bid, i would do the following each day (assuming you have some time on your hands):1) Try the 4* strategy2) Try the 3.5* strategy3) Try the 3* strategyIf the 3* strategy fails, repeat everything in 24 hours, but change the 3* strategy to:Select 3* Copley Square-Back Bak Bay...Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $170, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3* Boston Common-Theatre...Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $170, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* Copley Square-Back Bak Bay and Boston Common-Theatre...Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $180Then repeat again, but for the 3* strategy try:$185/$190$195/$200In addition to the above, is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option? I see HOTWIRE has a 3* hotel for the last 3 nites of your stay at $186/nite. If splitting is an option, we can look into that property and then stay someplace else (possibly different zone and/or higher price) for the first 2 nites.Let us know your thoughts in this regard and we'll take it from there.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
crito Posted March 11, 2012 Report Posted March 11, 2012 Yeah, the problem is that your conference is during the graduation days of Boston University, Boston College, and Harvard. Wow, that is bad timing!Will you have a car? Staying in a suburb and then doing a park-and-ride might save you a ton of money. The Peabody-Danvers area seems to have rooms at reasonable prices now. (Purple commuter line MBTA train to North Station, then green line to Hynes.)
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