Hotwire Hotel: 2.5* DC (Alexandria - Old Town) Holiday Inn Alexandria Southwest-Eisenhower Avenue

[meganr]

Hi. This is my first post on this forum and the first time I am considering using Priceline. We are going to Washington DC April 17-27, 2013 arriving at Reagan at 6:00 pm from Seattle. There are two adults and 1 child who will turn 5 during the trip. I do not want to spend more than $125 with all taxes and fees (below or around $100 would be super!). Hopefully this is a reasonable budget. Our first choice is to stay in the White House/Downtown area in a 4 star hotel. Second choice is Convention Center/Capitol Hill again in a 4 star hotel. Third choice is Dupont Circle/Woodley Park 4 star hotel.

I do have a couple of questions and concerns in addition to seeking bidding advice.

1. I am unsure if it is better to just book a hotel in Alexandria or Arlington because they are less expensive and ride the metro in to DC. In this scenario I would know what hotel I am getting, what amenities are included (free airport shuttle, breakfast, indoor pool, or whatever), and that I will not be subjected to any kind of "Priceline discrimination". However, it will cost as much or more than I suspect I may pay through Priceline to be right in the city.

2. Are there any 4 star hotels in my preferred zones that do NOT allow children? I have researched all of the ones I have seen listed and I don't think any of them exclude children, but that would be a major problem if that is a possibility.

3. Am I correct to assume that my preferred areas generally have easy access to the Metro? I have a Metro map that I have been referring to in my research, but again, I am worried we would end up in the one hotel that is nowhere near the Metro somehow.

I really appreciate any help you can provide. I apologize for all the questions, but I will be grateful for any piece of mind you can provide.

Thanks!

Megan

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

First issue that you need to address is that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request. Is this a risk you're willing to accept? If not, HOTWIRE may still be an option as they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (although this usually means two beds, the second 'bed' could be a sofabed, rollaway, etc)

HOTWIRE may also alleviate some of your concerns as they will often show you a percent recommended by previous HOTWIRE guests, ratings on certain categories they ask previous guests (one of them being 'location of hotel'), amenities associated with the hotel, and TA ratings... any of these information can help you 1) take a guess as to the hotel that is being offered, and 2) even if you can't guess help you be assured that the property you're about to receive is well regarded/reviewed.

The trade-off is that HOTWIRE usually costs a little more than PRICELINE.

With all of the above noted, i don't thin a 4* hotel at $125 all-in will likely be had for this complete stay. I think you may be able to get something for close to a $125 bid price, but not all-in.

As well, there aren't that many 4* hotels located in Alexandria and the nearby suburbs, and although i only gave a quick look, my early (and brief) research shows 4* hotels even in the suburbs at $200+... what 4* hotel(s) are you finding in the suburbs that would likely coast you close to $125/nite??

Let us know the information above and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there. If you decide you'd prefer to book direct i'd also suggest our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com where you can easily filter the results shown to only certain star levels and price range, and then further zoom in on the map to find out just how far the nearest metro stop is located. As well, we've included links for each hotel to the WalkScore so you can also see nearby restaurants, coffee shops, bars, shopping, etc... although i do think you'll be able to get a very nice deal on something that will work for your needs this trip, if you're willing to be a little flexible and a little more realistic about current rates for these dates.

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

[meganr]

First issue that you need to address is that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request. Is this a risk you're willing to accept?

Yes, we are willing to accept this risk.

With all of the above noted, i don't thin a 4* hotel at $125 all-in will likely be had for this complete stay. I think you may be able to get something for close to a $125 bid price, but not all-in.

Okay. I think when I was initially looking last week, there were more reasonably priced 4 star options (like around $200 to $225 I think) and with "up to 60% off" as Priceline suggests, I thought $125 might be reasonable. What would be a reasonable budget in your opinion? More like $125 before taxes and fees? Or should I go down to 3.5 or 3 star options?

As well, there aren't that many 4* hotels located in Alexandria and the nearby suburbs, and although i only gave a quick look, my early (and brief) research shows 4* hotels even in the suburbs at $200+... what 4* hotel(s) are you finding in the suburbs that would likely coast you close to $125/nite??

We don't have to stay in a 4 star hotel. It just seemed that in my research of the hotels offered on Priceline, that hotels with lower stars were more hit or miss in the reviews. I am just worried about bidding for 10 nights and being stuck in some dump. We have stayed in some pretty gross hotels before, but usually only for one night. We camp in tents and have stayed in cabins with no bathroom, but we want to stay somewhere clean and comfortable for this trip.

Let us know the information above and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there. although i do think you'll be able to get a very nice deal on something that will work for your needs this trip, if you're willing to be a little flexible and a little more realistic about current rates for these dates.

The other options we are considering are Alexandria or Arlington.

Another thought is to break the trip into two or three segments and do separate bids. Of course that means moving from one hotel to another (most likely), but maybe I would have better results or a better chance of actually getting a bid accepted. Also, hotels in Washington DC get pretty cheap on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Maybe I should break out the weekdays and bid those separate or something.

Again, I appreciate your help and am sorry for so many questions!

[meganr]

I have been looking at Hotwire options as well. I will post on a new Hotwire thread with an ID request. Also, I have been using your links every time I do a search on Priceline and Hotwire. Thanks!

[meganr]

Wondering if anyone can help ID the following hotels I am interested in on Hotwire. I tried comparing them to the lists and have some guesses, but would like confirmation. Thanks! (I am using the links for Hotwire and Priceline from this website for every search)

Alexandria & Old Town 2.5 stars (Holiday Inn maybe?)

$82/night compared at $159/night on other sites

90% recommended by Hotwire users and 3.5 of 5 on Trip Advisor

Amenities

Free Parking

Indoor pool(s)

Fitness Center

Pool(s)

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

High-Speed Internet Access

Accessible for the blind

Accessible for the deaf

Accessible path of travel

In-room accessibility

Accessible bathroom

<amenity names only please... not descriptions>

Roll-in shower

(Handicapped Parking)

Alexandria & Old Town 3.5 stars (Crowne Plaza maybe?)

$117/night compared to $208/night on other sites

90% recommended by Hotwire users and 3.5 of 5 on Trip Advisor

Amenities

Airport Shuttle

Fitness Center

Restaurant(s)

High-Speed Internet Access

Tennis Nearby

Accessible for the blind

Accessible for the deaf

Accessible path of travel

In-room accessibility

Accessible bathroom

Handicapped parking

Roll-in shower

Alexandria & Old Town 3 stars

$112/night no price comparison for other sites

90% recommended by Hotwire users no info on Trip Advisor ratings

Amenities

Fitness Center

Pool(s)

Accessible for the blind

Accessible for the deaf

Accessible path of travel

In-room accessibility

Accessible bathroom

Handicapped parking

Roll-in shower

Thanks for the help!

[thereuare]

Please think about what you really want from this stay.

I mentioned above that you have a chance at a 4* hotel for a $125 bid price... so what is more appealing to you, something like this in one of the zones you originally requested OR staying at a 3* or 3.5* hotel for about the same price in the suburbs... OR a 2.5* rated property for less?

My first choice would be trying for a 4* hotel in one of the zones you first inquired about (if $125 bid price is within your budget) and see where that gets you, as it seems like a better option then Alexandria/Arlington for about the same price, lesser location, and lower star rating. If you are interested in the 2.5* property please double check the amenities as i think you are missing one.

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

[meganr]

Please think about what you really want from this stay.

I know it seems like I am all over the place here! When I first started researching hotels for our trip I thought I would just book a Holiday Inn Express since we have stayed in those in the past and they have always been fine for us. The best price I could find was about $130 including taxes and fees. Then I thought maybe I should try the Priceline thing and see if we could get a nicer hotel closer to the Mall in DC for less or the same amount.

I mentioned above that you have a chance at a 4* hotel for a $125 bid price... so what is more appealing to you, something like this in one of the zones you originally requested OR staying at a 3* or 3.5* hotel for about the same price in the suburbs... OR a 2.5* rated property for less?

Yes, a 4 star in one of the original zones is ideal. I am just not sure that with taxes and fees and possible additional mandatory fees upon check in at the hotel that it would still be in a reasonable price range for me. It sounds like you think a $125 bid price is reasonable for those areas. Am I correct?

My first choice would be trying for a 4* hotel in one of the zones you first inquired about (if $125 bid price is within your budget) and see where that gets you, as it seems like a better option then Alexandria/Arlington for about the same price, lesser location, and lower star rating. If you are interested in the 2.5* property please double check the amenities as i think you are missing one.

Yes, I would like to try bidding those areas, but I would like to know what hotel you think that 2.5 star hotel is (I was missing the handicapped parking amenity). If it is a Holiday Inn, we may be swayed to go lower star to save several hundred dollars. Plus since it is Hotwire, we will know we can have sleeping space for the 3 of us and it has an indoor pool, which we would like. If we save money on the hotel, we can spend more on nice meals and another vacation later this year. :-)

I've been using your links every time I search.

Thanks again!

[thereuare]

Best guess for the HOTWIRE 2.5* property would be the Holiday Inn Eisenhower Avenue.

I think you have a chance at a 4* for $125 in 'DC proper' but odds favor it being in the Dupont Circle zone.

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly... or let us know how you make out with the HOTWIRE property if you move forward with that one.

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

[meganr]

Best guess for the HOTWIRE 2.5* property would be the Holiday Inn Eisenhower Avenue.

Okay, that's what I was thinking too. If things are not going well with the Priceline bidding I may just go with this option. Thanks!

I think you have a chance at a 4* for $125 in 'DC proper' but odds favor it being in the Dupont Circle zone.

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly

Dupont Circle would be fine. So I have attempted to determine my bidding strategy (I like to see if I can figure it out myself first) and I am hoping you can confirm if I have it right or not. My first choice area is White House, second is Dupont Circle, and third is Convention Center. I looked through and it looks like Alexandria West, Bethesda, Cleveland Park, Crystal City, DC Northeast, Georgetown North, Mount Vernon, and Silver Spring are rebid zones with no 4 star or higher hotels. Where should I start the bidding? Also, at what point(s) do I need to close the browser, click the link, and start over again? I will definitely use your link for bidding! Thanks for the help!

Bid 1 White House

Bid 2 White House + Dupont Circle

Bid 3 White House + Convention Ctr

Bid 4 White House + Dupont Circle + Convention Ctr

Bid 5 White House + Alexandria West

Bid 6 White House + Bethesda

Bid 7 White House + Cleveland Park

Bid 8 White House + Crystal City

Bid 9 White House + DC Northeast

Bid 10 White House + Georgetown North

Bid 11 White House + Mount Vernon

Bid 12 White House + Silver Spring

Bids 13 - 20 Dupont Circle + (same as White House scenario)

Bids 21 - 28 Convention Ctr + (same as White House scenario)

[thereuare]

If things are not going well with the Priceline bidding I may just go with this option.

Keep in mind that this hotel may not be offered once you've gone thru all your PRICELINE bidding and want to resort to this HOTWIRE property.

Your bidding strategy won't work as you've included Dupont Circle and Convention Center at the beginning of your bids and then again at the end.

Are you willing to pay more to stay in the White House zone vs. the Dupont Circle zone vs. the Convention Center zone... or is your goal the least expensive 4* hotel or better for this trip?

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

[meganr]

I went ahead and booked the Hotwire room. It was the Holiday Inn Eisenhower Avenue, which is great for us. Saved $600 from the lowest price I could find for this stay at this hotel (on their website) and it is close to the Metro and airport. Thanks again for your help and please let me know if I need to post something separate for the HOTWIRE deal.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you received the hotel you were hoping for and this property will work well for your needs (and budget) for this trip.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and helping us add this property to the Hotwire Hotel List.

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

Enjoy your stay.