Priceline Hotel: 4* Asheville Failed Bid Report

[hopeland]

Just wanted to report on my failed bidding for a 4* in Asheville 6/2/12-6/3/12.

Bid up to $200 on 4 separate bidding sessions. No bids accepted and no counter-offers.

Price points:

* Hotel Indigo had a Hotwire bid for $218, but that has disappeared, though it has disappeared and reappeared before.

* Hotel Indigo retail is $272.

* The Grand Bohemian retail price was $349, now $299.

* Haywood Park is the lowest cost retail option at $239.

I didn't find the $218 hotwire rate for the Indigo to be compelling enough to take, considering its only a $21 savings over the fully refundable Haywood Park reservation.

The one thing we can learn from the failure is that the Grand Bohemian is the only Asheville 4* participating in Priceline. The first three Priceline attempts showed the Median Retail rate to be $349, exactly the same as the Grand Bohemian retail rate at that time. When the GB retail rate dropped to $299, the Median Retail at Priceline dropped also to $299. I know it's possible that there could be one hotel higher and one hotel lower than the Grand Bohemian, and it would still set the median price, but I think that's unlikely.

It is a little strange that Indigo participates in Hotwire but not Priceline though. I suppose it's possible that they do participate in Priceline, but Priceline may categorize it as a 3.5 star, which some other sites do, and their minimum price points are to high to be routintely accepted.

[thereuare]

The median retail rate shown by PRICELINE does not necessarily include all hotels in the zone at that star level, there could be multiple hotels at that star level and PRICELINE many only use the retail rate of them, which would explain your experience above. As well, there have been many examples when the retail rate has been 'faulty', such as when adding a re-bid zone (where there are no hotels at the star level being bid) and the retail rate changes, which is not logical... i wouldn't draw any conclusions, or any bidding price points, based upon the retail rate shown by PRICELINE.

Please use the requested PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your future bidding, searches and travel purchases.

Thank you.