Hotwire Hotel: 3* Port Angeles Red Lion

[LoneStar]

This was a strange bid. As is my habit, before bidding on priceline, I checked first on hotwire to see what might be available. For $70, I saw a 3 star property with the following amenities: Oceanfront, Near Beach, Restaurant(s), Pool(s), Fitness Center, Business Center, Laundry Facilities. Given the widespread participation of Red Lions in priceline/hotwire -- and the lack of any other hotel that fits this description -- I knew with 99.9% certainly that this was indeed the Red Lion.

So I attempted to get it for less on priceline. I bid $58 for a 3 star, and was told that if I raised my bid $13, "I might get lucky." Ignoring that, I bid $60 3 days later. And $63 in another 3 days. And then $65. Finally -- in shock -- I bid $68. No luck, and I never got another of their "you're close" messages.

So I went back to Hotwire and took it for $70 (well -- I first switched browsers, because they wanted $71 on my original one). Is this unusual, or is priceline losing its low-price advantage?

BTW, this is one of the more expensive Red Lions. The AAA rate for that night is $135. And the area doesn't really have any cheap alternatives.

[thereuare]

As you did, it's always recommended to do a little research before bidding... as others can see, a little work can often go a long way.

I've always maintained that there is no 'silver bullet' and users should always keep their options open, using whatever service can give them the best deal.

Another benefit of this board is that we can see trends developing as to which service(s) are currently offering the best deals. As well, one service may be best in one area while another service is best in another area (and neither be best in still others... such as often the case in Vegas when bidding less than 5 stars).