Priceline Hotel: Help with August 1st week booking

[sansu23]

Hello,

I'm new to Name your own price and badly need to use it to be able to manage my travel and stay within a shoestring budget.

I would like to stay somewhere close (within 30 mins of commute) to the Hynes Convention center (Boylston st) - say in one of , Camribdge West,Boston common theater district, Fenway park, Copley square.

Have been trying to bid for a 2 * hotel for about $ 100 and have been unable to --- any advice on how I may be able to get a 2 * or better hotel for that price for 2 nights (Aug-2 to 4th) ?

I'm even fine with a 1 * hotel - but how are they in general ?

Thanks.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

If you haven't yet please start by reading your messages

At current prices I think sub-$100 is going to be tough for these dates in the zones above... are you able to increase your maximum bid at all OR willing to consider other zones (such as staying out by the airport?)

Using MAPS and HOTELS.com and/or BiddingHelper.com what is the best rate you're able to find at an acceptable hotel thru conventional booking channels?

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

[sansu23]

Thank you thereuare

Do you have any idea on the 1* hotels ? Are they okay for staying for 2-3 nights ?

My fear is about landing a 1* hotel chain never heard of.

[AaronJB]

1* is really a roll of the dice in a lot of major cities, and while you could be lucky and get something pretty decent, there's also a chance that you could get something that you wouldn't want to spend one night in, much less two or three. Given the significant variation in quality, 1* in a lot of cities isn't really recommended, and there isn't much in the way of reported wins at the 1* level.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[sansu23]

Thank you Aaron - that kind of confirms what I also thought.

[sansu23]

If the median price for a 2 * is $ 154, is there a fair chance for a bid of $ 120 in West Cambridge area ?

[thereuare]

The median price shown by PRICELINE is meaningless so i wouldn't use that a bidding guideline... i actually think that rates in this zone are higher than $154 for these dates. For example, enter this address '400 Soldiers Field Road, Boston, MA' into MAPS and HOTELS.com and and search within a 1 mile radius for your dates... do you see anything close to $154/nite?

I think your chances are low, but it costs nothing to bid so you have nothing to lose by giving it a try. ;) Are you ready to bid now and commit to a non-refundable reservation for these dates? Did you want to try for a 2* hotel in only the Cambridge West zone OR are all the previously mentioned zones acceptable?

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

[sansu23]

Thank you !

Yes I am willing to bid and commit to a nonrefundable fare if the price per night is not too expensive.

I am fine with 2* in all the mentioned zones - but from what i observed it is only Cambridge west where the price is low compared to these - Boston common theater district, Fenway park, Copley square.

I will definitely use the URL you had given in booking. Thanks. I was also searching on HOTWIRE through the link here and found one for $ 136 in the Newton Brooklyn area which is a 3 *. Not sure exactly which part of the Brooklyn area the hotel is in.

Is the MAPS and HOTELS.com result the "Actual price" at these hotels ? If it were, the Priceline should accept bids in the $ 130 region as it is about 70 % of the original price.

[crito]

On the Brookline area:

There is only one BB listing for Brookline itself, and that's the Holiday Inn. This is very well located. For one thing, it's right on the Green Line (so you can get to Back Bay in about 15 minutes). For another, the neighborhood is fairly interesting, with Coolidge Corner just a couple of blocks away.

The other hotels reported to BB are in Newton. I don't know that area as well, and it's quite a bit further (and pretty boring).

[sansu23]

Thank you Crito for the information.

I was referring to "Brookline - Newton - Harvard area hotel" 3 * available at $ 115 / night. Is this the same Brookline you are refering to or is this probably in Newton ?

Hotwire says the hotel is probably 1.2 to 5.5 miles away from Boston Downtown.

Any suggestions if this will be okay to go with given that downtown is where i need to go by public transport. If I choose to buy, I will go through the link here in this forum.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

What are the amenities of the Brookline - Newton - Harvard area hotel that you're seeing at the 3* level.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

[sansu23]

I am just copy pasting for your reference - i am wanting to be sure this hotel won't be too far away from the Hynes convention center on the Boylston street as I will be using the public transport for commute.

3-star Hotel in Brookline - Newton - Harvard

This Hotel features the following amenities:

Indoor pool(s)

==================

<amenity names only please... not descriptions>

Smoke Free Rooms

==================

Guest rooms at this hotel are always smoke-free.

Fitness Center

==================

Guests have access to exercise equipment; an additional charge may apply.

Pool(s)

==================

Property offers at least one pool area; hours and dates of operation may be seasonal.

Restaurant(s)

==================

Property offers at least one restaurant on the premises; hours and days of operation may vary.

Business Center

==================

Guests have access to business equipment and services; an additional charge may apply.

High-Speed Internet Access

==================

Guestrooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access; an extra charge may apply.

Accessible for the blind

==================

Braille or raised signage

Accessible for the deaf

==================

TTY for telephone, visual or flashing fire alarm and vibrating alarm clock

Free Internet

==================

<amenity names only please... not descriptions>

Accessible path of travel

==================

<amenity names only please... not descriptions>

In-room accessibility

==================

Accessible path from the room entrance to the window, the bed and the bathroom; accessible hardware and minimal resistance to open the door; accessible temperature controls and window coverings

Accessible bathroom

==================

Raised toilet, hand-held shower and grab bars at the tub and toilet

Handicapped parking

Roll-in shower

[sansu23]

There is another one in South Boston area (about 1 to 4.5 miles from the Hynes)

2 1/2 star - has free airport shuttle, laundry, pool, free parking, free breakfast, business center, internet access among others ...

any idea which this might be - if this is not too far compared to the "Brookline - Newton - Harvard area hotel" stated above I might rather go with this.

[crito]

Well, I'm not an ID-ing expert, but the Holiday Inn often shows the Tennis icon. I see a 3.5 TripAdvisor rating, so my guess is this is the Crowne Plaza in Newton, which is not on the T. (You could take a bus to the Hynes easily -- but have a look at the TripAdvisor page for this Crowne Plaza...)

The South Boston 2.5* seems to be the Ramada. This is in Dorchester. It's not a good neighborhood and the hotel is far from the T, but they will shuttle you to the T station.

The 3* Cambridge looks like the HI Express (free breakfast). This is walking distance from the Lechmere stop, so you could take the Green Line easily (the Hynes is on the Green Line). Other Cambridge hotels, if any show up on Hotwire, are near the Red Line, which means changing trains (but those are in more interesting neighborhoods).

One other thing: even though the T is an excellent form of transportation in Boston, you should consider just taking a taxi. From Cambridge, e.g., it would be cheap, < $10. A little more from Newton or Dorchester, but not prohibitive. That might expand your options.

[sansu23]

Thanks Crito - nice to know that taxi fare may not be very high in Boston.

[thereuare]

Please post only the amenity names (and not the descriptions) as you can see how much easier it is to read and helps minimize the chance that we'll miss an amenity when researching your trip.

3-star Hotel in Brookline - Newton - Harvard

Indoor Pool

Smoke Free

Fitness

Pool

Restaurant

Business

Hi-Speed Internet

Blind Accessible

Deaf Accessible

Free Internet

Travel Accessible

Room Accessible

Bathroom Accessible

Handicapped Parking

Roll-in Shower

2.5* South Boston

Shuttle

Smoke Free

Pool

Business

Laundry

Hi-Speed Internet

Free Parking

Complimentary Breakfast

Travel Accessible

Room Accessible

Bathroom Accessible

Handicapped Parking

My best guess for the Brookline property is the Crowne Plaza Newton... i don't have a guess for the 3* South Boston property.

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

Le us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.