Priceline Hotel: 4* DC (Dupont Circle - Woodley Park) The Dupont Circle Hotel

[dprocket]

Hello, I am taking the family to DC of 9/8 weekend. Looking for 2 rooms in the White House/downtown or DuPont Circle area for checking in 9/8 and checking out 9/10.

I would like to stay in the $70-90 per night range and since I'm travelling with my family I find that 2.5 stars are very good for us.

I already tried the following:

- White House - Downtown - 3* $60

- Whitehouse + Georgetown Foggy Bottom - 3* $65

- White House + Georgetown Foggy + DuPont Circle - 3* $65

- White House + Georgetown Foggy + DuPont Circle - 2.5* $60

These were declined.

Thanks in advance for any help. Love this forum. I don't post often, but check it frequently.

[thereuare]

Looking for 2 rooms in the White House/downtown or DuPont Circle area for checking in 9/8 and checking out 9/10.

You've also bid the GT-Foggy Bottom zone... is this zone acceptable?

It's not clear from your bidding... are you willing to pay more for a 3* vs. a 2.5* OR is the goal the least expensive 2.5* for this stay? If the former, is a 3* only worth $5 more to you vs. a 2.5*?

I don't post often, but check it frequently.

Hopefully you're at least sharing all your wins so that others can benefit from the information.

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

[dprocket]

The primary goal is the get the least expensive 2.5* or 3* hotel. I lowered my bid when I included the 2.5 with the expectation that the hotel choices would be broader potentially lowering the price.

I have an event I am attending at West Potomac Park, and then we will be doing site seeing. So, I think GT-Foggy Bottom is an acceptable zone, as well as the Convention Ctr/Capital Hill although they are less desirable options than White House and DuPont Circle.

I do post my wins on here. Thank you!

[thereuare]

The primary goal is the get the least expensive 2.5* or 3* hotel.

We need to be a bit more specific in your goals for this stay for us to offer some suggestions, so by way of example...

If you bid 3* up to $70 in White House and DuPont Circle and are rejected, do you then want to:

1) continue to bid at the 3* level for these two zones up to your $90 limit

OR

2) add GT-Foggy Bottom and/or Convention Ctr/Capital Hill to your 3* bidding hopes you can get a 3* in one of these zones for less than the price of a 3* in White House and DuPont Circle

OR

3) lower your star rating to 2.5* and try again at the same (or possibly slightly lower) price in the White House and DuPont Circle zones

Hope the above clarifies some of your options. Let us know your thoughts, or questions, and well take it from there.

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

[dprocket]

Thank you for your patience with me. I would say #1 would be my first goal, and #3 would be my second goal. I've seen Hotwire with a 2.5* for $99 so I'm using that as a bit of a benchmark. I'd go 90-100 for a 2.5-3* in the White House or Dupont Circle area.

[thereuare]

I would say #1 would be my first goal... I'd go 90-100 for a 2.5-3* in the White House or Dupont Circle area.

Based upon your response above, i'm assuming that you'd like to bid for a 3* in the WH or Dupont Circle zones up to your $100 limit, then if rejected start over and try for a 2.5* property in the WH or Dupont Circle zones up to your $100 limit. If this is correct...

When bidding 3* in DC you have ONE re-bid zone. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 3* WH-DT...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...

Select 3* Dupont Circle...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...

Select 3* WH-DT and Dupont Cirlce...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $100

If the above is rejected you can either lower your star rating to 2.5* and try PRICELINE again... OR HOTWIRE has a 3* hotel in the Dupont Cirlce zone for $99 with:

Boutique

Hi-Speed Internet

Blind Accessible

Deaf Accessible

Free Internet

Travel Accessible

Room Accessible

Bathroom Accessible

Roll-in Shower

My guess for this property is the Normandy Hotel... which is only 2.5* rated on PRICELINE. However, one advantage of going with HOTWIRE is that you're reasonably assured of a 'good' hotel given the 4.0/5.0 TA rating and high ratings given from previous HOTWIRE guests that HOTWIRE shows for this current offer... whereas with PRICELINE you're subject to any 2.5* hotel in the zone(s) that you bid.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes (or if you have a question regarding any of the above)

[dprocket]

I think I understand how the re-bid works. Just to clarify, so I don't screw this up...after the 1st bid ($85 / WH / 3*) is rejected (it was), I can add "Mt Vernon" as a zone, since according to the search there are no 3* hotels in Mt. Vernon. This gives me a second chance to do essentially the same bid, but I can raise it a few bucks. Correct?

[dprocket]

Thank you so much for your help.

Here's what I did and I think I got a great deal:

- Bid $85 in WH-DT 3* , rejected

- Bid $85 in WH-DT+Dupont Circle, rejected

At this point added re-bid zone (Mt. Vernon, VA)

-Bid $90 in WH-DT+Dupont Circle+Mt Vernon 3* .... WON!

The Dupont Circle Hotel 4-Star

Dupont Circle - Woodley Park

1500 New Hampshire Avenue Nw, Washington, DC

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Sorry didn't get to your re-bid zone question yesterday, i wasn't feeling well so i was offline all nite. However, glad to see it worked out well for you and that you're pleased with the results.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

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

Enjoy your stay.

[dprocket]

Out of curiosity, Is D.C. a tougher market on weekdays? I'm trying to book an additional day (9/10-9/11) and my attempts have failed, following the exact same strategy as above. I'm wondering if its the fact that I am booking for a Monday instead of a Friday.

My previous successful bids were for 2 rooms because we had some people staying with us but only need 1 room for the additional night. Priceline did offer to extend the stay, but only for 2 rooms, not 1.

I'm going to keep trying, but thought I would check.

[thereuare]

DC is an event driven market, so you can't put a blanket 'midweek' vs. 'weekend' on it... events such as large rallies, demonstrations, conventions, government meetings, etc, etc effect DC hotel rates more than simply what day of the week it is.

If you'd like help with the additional nite of your stay please start a NEW TOPIC.

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

Thanks.