avatar13 Posted April 26, 2012 Report Posted April 26, 2012 Hi looking for recommended strategies. I realize this is a busy weekend, my girlfriend and I just got our flights so we are now focusing on a hotel. We'd like to stay in TS, MTE, MTW, and CPS for starters but will venture out to ESB. We would like to target 3.5-4* and are looking for $180 all in per night. I saw two wins for 4* hotels in the wins calendar and were won earlier this month so they are recent so I am thinking it's possible? What bidding strategies should I try? Say I want to bid up to $180 and target 4* first, what order should I try? I can throw in QB and MSG zones as rebids as they don't have 4* hotels, am I looking at that correctly? TIA!
thereuare Posted April 26, 2012 Report Posted April 26, 2012 Welcome to BetterBidding!...looking for $180 all in per night.... Say I want to bid up to $180Your bid price is before taxes and fees, so can you please clarify if you want to bid $180 or if it needs to be $180 all-in (which comes to ~$152 or so bid price). I think this is a significant difference for what might be attainable for these dates.I can throw in QB and MSG zones as rebids as they don't have 4* hotels, am I looking at that correctly?You actually have SEVEN re-bid zones available when bidding 4* in NYC (and SIX re-bid zones when bidding 3.5*). Please see Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board. If you read the previous link and are confused just post back and we'll break it down further for you.Let us know regarding the actual bid price you'd like to use and if you're able to determine all your re-bid zones... 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
avatar13 Posted April 28, 2012 Author Report Posted April 28, 2012 Thanks and sorry for the confustion. I meant to say max bid price of $180 (so before taxes, etc). I saw two wins for that weekend so that's how I set my target price. The only thing is I'm staying for 5 nights and from what I've read it's harder to get a great price on that many nights and i've seen recommendations to split the stay. I would prefer to just stay in one place and not have to move if I can avoid it. If I can't get that price I would be willing to go to 3.5*, I am not sure about 3* because I've heard that even 3* in NYC can be a bit dodgy. I took a 2nd look and I do see 7 rebid zones in my target area which is central in the city (downtown and SOHO are too far south so they are out). So what strategy do you recommend? I don't have any particular requirements as long as a subway is reasonably close (within 15 minute walk).
thereuare Posted April 28, 2012 Report Posted April 28, 2012 I saw two wins for that weekend so that's how I set my target price. The only thing is I'm staying for 5 nights...Sounds like the wins you're basing your maximum bid on weren't for the same exact nites as your own, and that those wins were only for weekend nites(??) whereas your trip includes weekday nites. Given that weekdays in NYC are usually more expensive than weekend nites, if the previous scenario is accurate, your stay may require a higher bid in order to be accepted. Let's give it a try and we'll take it from there:Using your preferred zones (TS, MTE, MTW, and CPS) and your SEVEN re-bid zones you can try...Select 4* TS and MTE...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* MTW and CPS...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* MTW and MTE...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $153, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* TS and CPS...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $153, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* CPS and MTE...Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $158, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* MTW and TS...Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $158, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* TS, MTE, MTW, and CPS...Bid $163, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $168, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $173, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $178, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $180Any questions feel free to ask.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
avatar13 Posted April 30, 2012 Author Report Posted April 30, 2012 Select 4* TS, MTE, MTW, and CPS...Bid $163, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $168, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $173, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $178, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $180Any questions feel free to ask.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Good luck and let us know how it goes.I just wanted to make sure I understood the last bidding scenario, I select TS, MTE, MTW, and CPS and then you outline 7 re-bid zones. There are 7 re-bid zones to begin with and I've seleted 4 right off the bat, that means I select the 3 remaining 4* re-bid zones and then for the last 3 re-bids choose other zones that have less than 4*? This is what I understand from the re-bidding strategy but I just wanted to make sure. If that is the case then for a city like NYC that has a lot of zones i can keep selecting zones that are lower * rating and bumping up prices until I get a win correct?
thereuare Posted April 30, 2012 Report Posted April 30, 2012 I'm not following your post 100%... i think you understand the concept but not certain you're getting the full picture. Let's try this to make sure we're on the same page:These are the four zones you're willing to accept:TS, MTE, MTW, and CPSYou have SEVEN OTHER zones that are your re-bid zones... which 7 are you using as re-bid zones?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
avatar13 Posted May 2, 2012 Author Report Posted May 2, 2012 Ok I get it, I'm choosing the 3* and below zones but selecting 4* as my criteria so I'm guaranteed one of my 4* if my bid is accepted?4* Zones:TSMTEMTWCPSRe-bid Zones:CONLICLESMSGMSHQUEUES
thereuare Posted May 2, 2012 Report Posted May 2, 2012 Yes, you have it correct (although you're selecting the zones with 3.5* and below (not 3* and below as posted)).So now you can simply take the re-bid zones you listed above and input then into the previous strategy, substituting one of the re-bid zones each time it states "... add re-bid zone...". HOWEVER, always double check your re-bid zones via the previous method above to make sure that nothing has changed since you last checked.Any questions feel free to ask.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
avatar13 Posted May 20, 2012 Author Report Posted May 20, 2012 I wanted to give an update on my win, I actually won a bid on May 7th at the DoubleTree Hilton Metropolitan for $205/night before tax ($245/night after taxes). I did not have any luck with 4* and based on what I saw it seemed that rooms were trending upwards so I dropped the star rating and increased and $205 was actually my limit. However today I checked and it seems I can get a room on PL, Expedia, etc using just the standard hotel search and almost all of the rooms types listed for this hotel (except for one that allows you to pay when you get to the hotel which doesn't apply) are below as low as $162/night to $182. I called the hotel and they confirmed I will be getting a queen room which currently lists at $162 and I paid $205 with NYOP, I asked about getting an upgrade and he said my room will be queen ("it is what it is", his quote). Do I have any recourse here? THe thing that worries me is that I've heard PL customers somtimes won't get the most premium rooms so I'm worried that someone can buy $162/night directly at a savings of $300 total after tax today and I end up with a non-premium room having spent a lot more per room. Or is this just a case of the risks that may happen with NYOP?
avatar13 Posted May 20, 2012 Author Report Posted May 20, 2012 Ok i'm going to reply to my own message. Good news is I called Priceline phone support and asked about any sort of price guarantee, they reviewed the case and applied a credit for the difference of $167/night and what I paid which was $205/night after tax the difference was $319 which was 100% of the difference plus $25. And to top it off they also gave me $50 travel voucher for my next NYOP booking. WOW! I am so relieved they look out for their customers, in the future I have 0 doubt about PL and will use it everytime now!!!
AaronJB Posted May 20, 2012 Report Posted May 20, 2012 Sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the result.I was actually just going to write that you could try to call PRICELINE and pleading your case for the Best Price Guarantee, but wasn't sure what they would say since that's 24 hours after purchase. However, glad to hear that they handled the situation quite well. Thank you for sharing your win and please use the site's PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links to start your purchases and searches.Enjoy your stay.
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