Priceline Hotel: Bidding Help

[mabner]

I am headed up Chicago for a Reds vs Cubs baseball game at wrigley. I've used this forum in the past to bid on PRICELINE and of course always use the links. Hoping to get some help on this, would like to stay downtown and be able to ride the train system to the game and around town. What would work best for this.

Thanks

[thereuare]

If you have wins that you haven't posted to the board, it would be appreciated if you started to share your results so that others can benefit from the information, just as you have been helped by those who have posted before you.

For your upcoming stay, what is your desired star rating and budget?

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

[mabner]

4 Star, 150 a night would be the top end. I've heard good things about the Millenium Park - The Loop - Grant Park area. Any advice on bidding strategy would be helpful.

[thereuare]

While the Loop zone is usually pretty good for most users, it's typically a second choice to the NMA-River North zone... the former is closer to museums and the aquarium but can get a bit quiet at nite... the latter is more centrally located to shopping and nightlife. The two zones are adjacent to each other so they're not mutually exclusive and many user do bid on both, but the NMA usually is the preference of the two.

Is the Loop your preferred zone, or do you prefer the NMA zone... or is the least expensive in either zone your preference?

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

[mabner]

I am open to either place honestly, looking for the best bang for the buck while staying with a 4 star. Nightlife is a plus as going to watch baseball for a day game.

[thereuare]

I am open to either place honestly, looking for the best bang for the buck while staying with a 4 star. Nightlife is a plus as going to watch baseball for a day game.

What is the more important objective... best bang for the buck OR proximity to nightlife?

Assuming both were available at $150 or less, are you willing to pay a more to stay in the NMA zone vs. the Loop zone OR would the goal be the least expensive in either of these zones?

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

[mabner]

My goal would be Nightlife

[thereuare]

Assuming both were available at $150 or less, are you willing to pay a more to stay in the NMA zone vs. the Loop zone OR would the goal be the least expensive in either of these zones?

???

[mabner]

Sorry, assuming both available, Least expensive in either zones. I feel you can't go wrong in either area.

[AaronJB]

If you are going for a day game and are going to be out later at night, personally, I'd focus more on the River North-NMA area. If you bid on the Millennium Park-Loop-GP area, the Loop area is definitely more quiet at night, but you could wind up in an area that is particularly quiet later at night (such as the West or South end). The River North and Gold Coast areas (the former towards the bottom end of the zone, latter at the very top end) are two recommended areas for nightlife/restaurants, although I think the River North area is the more enjoyable.

As for the game, I'd take the Red Line subway North to Addison and Wrigley's right there. I'd go early in order to avoid crowded trains - there's plenty of places to sit and wait near Wrigley, including Sluggers (http://www.sluggersbar.com/)

I'd start at $110 for either of the two main zones and work higher by $5's. Hopefully a hotel will accept lower, but based on regular rates and HOTWIRE, I'm guessing a 4* bid in either zone will likely take more towards $130-150. You do have time though, and I'd try lower levels first.

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

Please confirm how you'd like to proceed with the zones (NMA first or least expensive of either) and we'll take it from there.

[mabner]

I would like to start with NMA first, what are the throughts of going to a 3.5? Could it help, i know it removes 2 of the 6 rebid zones.

[thereuare]

What would be the reasoning for trying a 3.5* first... hoping for a lower rate than the 4* property?

You can try 3.5* first if you'd like, but i'm not seeing too much difference in the price of 4* vs. 3.5* properties for your dates so i don't think it's going to save you much, if at all (in the NMA zone at least). If your 3.5* bidding fails, would you game plan be to increase your bid amount for a 4* in the same zone OR try for a 3.5* property in the Loop zone?

If first trying for a 3.5* NMA property did you want to stick with your $150 maximum bid?

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

[mabner]

After looking i see what you're talking about the price is about the same. I'm going to stick with the 4* NMA and hope that i can get it booked for $150 or under.

[thereuare]

When bidding 4* in the NMA zone you have SIX re-bid zones. 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 4* NMA...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

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

I'd start with the above, if this is rejected (don't get discouraged) just post back and we'll revise to try up to $150.

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.

[mabner]

Was unable to get it booked with this.

Is $150 a realistic price for these hotels or is this just a pipe dream?

I've never been to Chicago, and am open to help from others on where to stay and what star levels to go after.

[AaronJB]

I think you're probably not too far off - I'd guess $155-165 may be successful at the 4* level.

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

[thereuare]

Do you want to consider the Loop zone, raise your budget, lower your star rating, or wait it out and hope for lower rates in the weeks ahead? (of course the risk that that a slightly higher price that may be accepted now might not be available a few weeks from now if rates go up instead of down)

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

[slruud]

Why not book the Embassy Suites on State Street for $154/nite on Lastminutetravel.com while you continue your bidding? LMT bookings are cancelable up to 3 days before your stay. If you're going to be out and about most of the time, you'll probably just need a place to park your head for a couple of nites.

[mabner]

1 Room 2 Guest

9/19-9/21

Need help with this one. Seems everything is booked for this time period

3-star Hotel in Downtown Chicago - Millennium Park - Grant Park

This Hotel features the following amenities:

Indoor pool area

Fitness Center

Restaurant

Business Center

High-Speed Internet Access

Free Internet

<amenity names only please... not descriptions>

[AaronJB]

Please provide an update for your Chicago Priceline September stay thread, then reply to this thread and we would be happy to take a look and ID the above listing.

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

[mabner]

No luck on the bidding even got up to 160 and nothing. Seems from looking on other sites most hotels are booked for those days! Trying Hotwire now, started a thread in the forum for it.

[mabner]

No problem, updated the thread, not having luck on PRICELINE. Thought I'd give HOTWIRE a try!

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same trip in the same thread.

If you go back to HOTWIRE and click the SHOW ME button next to this offer (the one with the price in it), then on the ensuing page click the 'See all' link under the amenities, do you see more than what you've posted above? This is what i see for the $157/nite hotel in the Downtown zone when searching for 9/19-9/21:

Indoor Pool

Fitness

Pool

Restaurant

Business

Hi-Speed Internet

Deaf Accessible

Free Internet

Travel Accessible

Room Accessible

Handicapped Parking

If you see the above, this is a match for the Essex Inn and that would be my best guess for this one.

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

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[mabner]

Wasn't able to find a hotel in our price range. Used Marriott points and stayed outside the city.

[AaronJB]

Thank you for closing the thread.