Priceline Hotel: Strategy for New Orleans 7/20-7/22

[rjone15]

I have been reading the forum a good deal and have been noticing that people are getting the French Quarter Marriot(4*) for $60-70 a night. I am trying to get a 4* in either the French Quarter or Convention Center/Warehouse District. I put in a $60 bid and got rejected yesterday and got rejected again today at $63. There are 5 other zones in the city that dont have any 4* hotels. Do I just start subbing in these other options and raise the bid a little when I get rejected? Two zones are 3.5*. These arent going to be picked right?

Are the prices going to be inflated because its over a month away and the days are on a weekend?

I would like to get these rooms around the $60-75 that people seem to be getting them at.

Am I missing anything here?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Rates are date specific, so if rates are higher for your dates (due to it being a weekend, special event in town, etc) there you may not be able to replicate the winning bids of others when rates for their dates are lower than your own. As extreme example, IF your dates were during mardi gras would you expect to win a hotel in the French Quarter at the same $70 rates others have won?

Using the Marriott as an example, hotel direct rates for that property on your dates above start at $249/nite, so the chances of winning it at a sub-$75 bid, or or nearly 70% off, are rather slim.

There are FIVE re-bid zones when bidding 4* in this region... THREE re-bid zones when bidding 3.5*. You don't mention the Downtown zone which is generally considered more convenient, and bid more often, then the Warehouse zone which you mention as one you're considering bidding... is there a reason you're avoiding the Downtown zone?

Let us know the above and we'll take it from there.

[rjone15]

Im going to be in New Orleans for a wedding so I would prefer the French Quarter and Warehouse District over downtown. Some of the areas where the 4* hotels are located in the downtown area arent in the greatest of areas, especially at night.

I have been trying this re-bid strategy and went all the way up to $75 and am still getting rejected.

Should I wait and try closer to the booking dates?

[cal.girl]

I'm looking for exactly the same areas/same dates, and have had no luck for the last week up to $75. I read that there's a youth evangelical group of 35,000 in New Orleans through 7/21, so I think it's a busy week/weekend. I haven't even been able to find a reasonably priced backup. :/

[thereuare]

rjone15,

You can certainly wait, but i think you'll ultimately need to go higher than you're currently bidding... it would require a substantial drop on rates for you to be successful at your current budget. What is your gameplan if 3 weeks from now and are still rejected at current levels? What is the best rate you're able to find at an acceptable hotel?

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