Priceline Hotel: Florence Central 4*

[ewismer]

Started to bid for a 3 or 4* in Florence on 9/9-9/11/05. Bid $75 for a 4*, rejected, added 3* also for $75, also rejected. Will try again in 72 hours at $85. Any suggestions or comments? Any idea of winning prices for those two levels of star categories?

[thereuare]

WillTravel or others may have more to add, but i think Italy is a tough Priceline country.

Do you have a back-up or alternate plans? If so, what price?

[WillTravel]

I wouldn't bid on Priceline for Florence. You run a good chance of getting a hotel that is at the edges of the zone map. These are outside of town, so you'd miss the opportunity to actually stay in Florence. These hotels are set up for tour groups, generally, not the individual traveler, and getting to and from the city centre is not always convenient.

I would check Venere.com (is there an affiliate link for that), and see what's available. If you find a promising hotel, try to find the direct rate.

September is a high-season month for travel in Italy, and Florence is crushed with tourists almost anytime of the year, so I'd try to get a backup as quickly as possible, whether or not you persist with Priceline.

[ewismer]

Thank you for the responses. I did book the 3* Hotel Basilea in central Florence directly with the hotel. The rate was 110 Euros per night for a double room, taxes and breakfast included. It was recommended by an acquaintance. Sounds like I should just stay with this one rather than risk getting stuck on the outskirts of town.