Priceline Hotel: 4* Paris (Opera Quarter West - Jardin des Tuileries) Westminster Opera

[ElPal]

We are looking for a hotel of 4 or 5* in the Opera Quays West- Jardin des Tuileries area (based on the hotels that have been won there in the past).

I see that the most recently won 4* in the area are:

• Concorde Opera-$234/nt on its website
  
• Westin Paris - Vendome $668/nt on its website
  
• Melia Vendome Boutique Hotel $337/nt on its website.
  

I note that the rebid zones for 4* in Paris at present are:

• Batignolles-Clichy
  
• Buttes Chaumont La Villette
  
• Gare du Nord - Gare de l'est
  

On the basis of Priceline savings being "up to 60% off", I determined that the lowest 40% of retail for the zone was $94.

Using your link, I placed a bid for OQW, 4* for the first night of our stay only (so we could determine which hotel it was for and if we liked it then add extra nights for the rest of our stay) at $130 - REJECTED

I then closed the browser and used your link again and this time selected the first of the 3 rebid zones, Batignolles-Clichy and OQW, 4* and this time bid $150 - REJECTED.

Again closed browser, clicked your link, selected Buttes Chaumont La Villette and OQW, 4* and bid $170 - REJECTED.

Again closed browser, clicked your link, selected OQW and Gare... bid $180 - REJECTED

Again closed browser, clicked your link, selected OQW, Gare and Batignolles and bid $180 again - REJECTED

Again closed browser, clicked your link, selected OQW and all 3 rebid zones and bid $180 - REJECTED.

Any tips on bidding for this zone? Do you think this may mean that the hotel in question is the most expensive of the three - the Westin and is therefore requiring a higher bid?

[thereuare]

Using your link, I placed a bid for OQW, 4* for the first night of our stay only (so we could determine which hotel it was for and if we liked it then add extra nights for the rest of our stay)...

This won't work as you can only attempt to add additional nites for up to the number of your nites as your original purchase... if you only purchase one nite, you would only be able to try to add one additional nite (not the remaining 6 nites that you need)

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

[ElPal]

Thanks for the prompt reply and for letting me know that. Good to know... I've also looked at HOTWIRE and there is a hotel which keeps going up in price but the area, stars, Tripadvisor rating and amenities remain the same. Can you please help me ID it - it doesn't match any of the reported hotels on the HOTWIRE Hotel List:

4* NOTRE DAME – LOUVRE- MARAIS $242 per night (was $173 only 2-3 weeks ago)

Airport Shuttle

Smoke Free Rooms

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

Laundry Facilities (self-service)

High-Speed Internet Access

Free Internet

4.0/5.0 Tripadvisor

1000+ Tripadvisor reviews

[ElPal]

Very pleased to announce we now have booked a PRICELINE hotel found using your links.

Bid $175 + $7 bonus cash - REJECTED.

Closed and used your link again and selected one of the rebid zones as well as OQW, bid $192 + $7 bonus cash. REJECTED.

Closed and used your link again and selected a different rebid zone as well as OQW and bid $209 + $7 bonus cash ACCEPTED!!!

I was extremely surprised to receive the beautiful Hotel Westminster considering it has not been reported as won on here since 2006!!!

The total price for our 7 night stay is $1674.96 and the rate on the retail part of PRICELINE is $1962.00 so a saving of $220 for the entire stay. This was a saving of 15% so not as large as my last Paris win but still a great rate for such a beautiful and well located property.

Thank you for your website and assistance.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you got another leg of your trip settled and, while not HUGE savings, are overall pleased with hotel and deal received.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.

Enjoy this part of your trip.

[ElPal]

Thanks, also thought I would mention that yesterday I was looking at the "Express Deals" part of PRICELINE using your link for our dates and worked out that the Express Deal for the Opera areas and Tuileries is also the Hotel Westminster Paris and guess what - it is actually overall once fees etc are paid a few dollars cheaper than our total price paid with the successful bid.

We bid $216 per night (which included $7 bonus cash) and paid a total of $1674.96

The express deal for 4* OQW - Tuileries is $215 per night which is a total of $1663.34. The stated amenities are:

pets allowed, restaurant, business centre, fitness centre and a rating of 7/10.

I find it a little odd that even with the $7 bonus cash which was therefore a saving of $49 for the 7 night stay that we still ended up paying $11.62 more by bidding $1 per night more than the express deal price.

Also, looking at the trip receipt, it would appear that we did in fact pay for the $216 and perhaps the $7 bonus cash was on top of that (whereas I am certain we had bid $209 + $7 bonus cash). Is there anyway that I can actually see what the bid was as now I am confused?

[thereuare]

You can try going to PRICELINE and at the top right of their home page: MY PROFILE >> MY TRIPS

It may show the breakdown of actual amount paid and the bonus money, but if not, the winning bid price there would include the bonus money (so if it says "Congratulations, we found a hotel to accept your $216 bid price" that would indicate that you bid $209 + $7Bonus Money).

[ElPal]

It says the winning bid was $216 per night which is also the price if I want to add extra nights - so strange that my receipt shows the existance of the $7 bonus cash but I still appear to have paid the full amount. I might have to contact PRICELINE.

[thereuare]

Closed and used your link again and selected a different rebid zone as well as OQW and bid $209 + $7 bonus cash ACCEPTED!!!

You paid $209 but PRICELINE submitted a $216 bid (with PRICELINE paying the extra $7/nite)... your receipt correctly shows a winning bid of $216/nite... even though you only actually paid $209/nite out of your own pocket.

Extra nites would be attempted/billed at $216/nite since that is the 'true' amount of the winning bid (even though you only paid $209/nite out of pocket)

[ElPal]

See that's the thing, I thought that I had bid $209 (of my own money) + $7 bonus cash so a bid of $216 per night - that's what the "your hotel deal is in the bag" page said. However, the receipt shows the breakdown like this:

Bonus Cash US$7.00

Offer Price US$216.00

Rooms 1

Nights 7

Room subtotal US$1512.00

Taxes & Fees US$162.96

Total charged US$1674.96

The total charged is the room subtotal + taxes and fees. The room subtotal is in fact $216 (the offer price) multiplied by the 7 nights.

The fact that additional nights are to be added at $216 merely confirms my suspicion that the total rate including the bonus cash was $216 per night - it seems that the room subtotal should be $49 less than it is because of the bonus cash of $7 per night multiplied by 7 nights for the stay.

[cjl10schic]

For any of those interested in this property, I'm planning a stay in late October 2013 and attempted to bid for this hotel. Personally, I think it's too early for Priceline to release these rates but I gave it a shot anyways. As of today, I was rejected up to $225. I'll likely try again, month by month, until I get a comparable rate. Any thoughts?

Thanks for reading.

[thereuare]

cjl10schic,

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Please start a NEW TOPIC for your own stay as this will provide a place for others looking at Paris for the same time of year as you to follow your progress, as well as a thread to post your ultimate win, which would then have your complete progress from start-to-finish in one topic.

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

Thanks.