Priceline Hotel: 4* London 6/11-6/14

[bndkraft]

Hi--I am traveling to London 6/11-6/14 and am looking for best area to stay for $100 Priceline bid (or so) per night with husband and 11yo son in one room, close to Tube. Any guidance?

[vanpoodle]

June is a tough time to find something especially cheap. I have found I have done well with Notting Hill, it's an area I really love and I've won sub-$85 on a few occasions. But never in June!

Theoretically, Mayfair is the most expensive zone, and perhaps lower bids in Notting Hill or Bloomsbury 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), 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.

Consider starting off low with Regent's Park as well. That zone is fairly central. The worst of the hotels PL uses there appears to be the Holiday Inn Camden Lock there which is middle of the road in terms of the hotel itself (not a TERRIBLE place or anything, just average) but it is in a really neat part of the city and still close in. Or you might get lucky and land one of the better hotels they are known to use for that zone.

Warning about Kensington: It appears that the Hilton Olympia has now been upped 4*, so only bid there if you can't get reasonable bids in another zone and this one gets accepted at a low price. I think someone was saying that the hotel is actually pretty good. My issue with it is that there is no tube closeby, so you're most likely going to take the bus to get to the tube to go out. There are many wonderful hotels in that zone but I know how my luck tends to be and to brace myself for a less desired property. I think I'd sooner go stay in Docklands for less money (bids sub$85 have been accepted at times when bids in the $140s rejected for the more central zones). The two Docklands 4* appear to be a Hilton or a Crowne Plaza and they're both pretty new. And the tube is close. Docklands also isn't exactly central but it is on 2 different tube lines so reasonable for getting to the main places of interest and there is an excellent museum very close to the Hilton Docklands. That hotel is pretty good and I'd be open to saving money by staying there rather than taking my chances at a 3*.

There's nothing really wrong with City/London Bridge either, it should be cheaper than Mayfair/Westminster.

The 2 known 4* in Finsbury are both very nice hotels, they're just more than 10 minutes' walk to the tube. The east end is really getting revitalized and there is certainly night life there and it is hopping. It wouldn't be a hardship to take the tube to get to a more central zone from there to see the sights.

If you bid on Chelsea you're likely to get the Copthorne Football Club which is entirely decent, less than 10 minutes' walk to the tube, but a slightly longer tube ride in. Or maybe you'll have really good luck and not get this property but instead get something nicer and more in the middle of things(it's just the least desired one in the zone and chances are it's the one you'd land). I would only bid separately for Chelsea after reasonable bids in other zones have been rejected (you can use those other more desirable zones as re-bid zones and just work the bids on this zone starting really low) and the cost savings out there make up for the fact that it's not that great a hotel and it's out of the way and its rate is quite a bit cheaper than other comparable hotels and for good reason. (ie I knowingly bid this zone and won this hotel for $120 a night when bids into the $160s were getting rejected for 4* in the Westminster, Mayfair, Notting Hill, Bloomsbury, Regent's park).

If there really was a chance of landing a hotel that truly is in the Chelsea/Knightsbridge area it would be fine, but it is the Football Club that seems to be their go-to which is far away from there (closer to Fulham and Hammersmith) and that zone just needs to be bid with that knowledge. You are highly unlikely to get something in walking distance to Harrod's or anywhere walkable to Sloane Square -- there are a ton of great hotels in this zone but PL doesn't seem to use them for Name Your Own Price. There is no point bidding this zone plus a nicer zone in the same opening bid at a fair price for the nicer zone because you'll end up with this hotel and be overpaying for it! (the only caveat is that if Chelsea happens to be playing a home game next door (which isn't very often), then they likely haven't given any rooms over to PL for that one night)

[bndkraft]

Thank you so much for your help--this is very, very helpful!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Note that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request (this is especially true in Europe as many rooms are very small and rooms to accommodate more than double occupancy are often considered upgrades above 'standard').

Is this a risk you're willing to accept? If not, HOTWIRE may still be an option as they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (although this usually means two beds, the second 'bed' could be a sofabed, rollaway, etc)