Priceline Hotel: Chicago

[bellczar]

I have today finished placing my 80th bid over a grueling 4-week period on a 4-night stay in Chicago with no results. I have stayed in 4-star Loop hotels this time of year for $60 nominal and in lesser hotels in the Loop and North River area for as little as $50. Something must be happening in Chicago next weekend that is driving prices up.

I started bidding 4-star, not at all expecting to win. I then lowered to 3.5 star, then 3 star, 2.5 and 2 star, all aiming for the Loop. My usual bidding increment for this particular trip was $2. After about 6 days of this, I started bidding on the North River area, placing a lower bid, as has been my experience with that part of Chicago relative to the Loop. When this proved to be not fruitful, I aimed for 1-star. The last two days, I added some other zones away from the center of the city. When I reached $80, I gave up and booked a room through a different venue.

No doubt one or more people will Monday morning quarterback my bidding in a patronizing manner.

Date Time Bid Star Zone

15-Mar 22:14 $50 4 Loop

15-Mar 22:15 $52 4 add Fr

15-Mar 22:17 $54 4 add Hyde

15-Mar 22:18 $56 4 add MAN

15-Mar 22:22 $58 4 add Skokie

15-Mar 22:23 $60 4 add Gr Chi

15-Mar 22:25 $62 4 add Linc

15-Mar 22:26 $64 4 add Midway

16-Mar 22:29 $44 3.5 Loop

16-Mar 22:30 $46 3.5 add Fr

16-Mar 22:31 $48 3.5 add Hyde

16-Mar 22:32 $50 3.5 add MAN

16-Mar 22:37 $44 3 same

16-Mar 22:39 $44 2.5 same

18-Mar 1:13 $46 3 Loop

18-Mar 1:14 $48 3 add Fr

18-Mar 1:16 $50 3 add Hyde

18-Mar 1:17 $52 3 add MAN

18-Mar 1:18 $46 2.5 same

19-Mar 1:21 $54 3 Loop

19-Mar 1:23 $56 3 add Fr

19-Mar 1:24 $58 3 add Hyde

19-Mar 1:25 $60 3 add MAN

19-Mar 1:26 $48 2.5 same

20-Mar 1:31 $62 3 Loop

20-Mar 1:33 $64 3 add Fr

20-Mar 1:34 $65 3 add Hyde

20-Mar 1:35 $50 2.5 same

20-Mar 1:36 $52 2.5 add MAN

21-Mar 4:48 $54 2.5 Loop

21-Mar 4:49 $56 2.5 add Fr

21-Mar 4:51 $58 2.5 add Hyde

21-Mar 4:52 $60 2.5 add MAN

21-Mar 4:53 $45 2.5 add North

22-Mar 4:57 $45 2 Loop

23-Mar 6:29 $50 2 Loop

24-Mar 9:24 $50 3 Loop/North

24-Mar 9:27 $52 3 add Fr

24-Mar 9:31 $54 3 add Hyde

24-Mar 9:34 $56 3 add MAN

24-Mar 9:38 $50 2.5 same

25-Mar 18:08 $44 2.5 Loop/North

25-Mar 18:10 $46 2.5 add Fr

25-Mar 18:12 $48 2.5 add Hyde

25-Mar 18:14 $50 2.5 add MAN

27-Mar 0:20 $52 2.5 Loop/North

27-Mar 0:22 $54 2.5 add Fr

27-Mar 0:25 $56 2.5 add Hyde

27-Mar 0:27 $58 2.5 add MAN

28-Mar 0:35 $45 2 North

28-Mar 0:36 $50 2 add Loop

29-Mar 1:55 $55 2 North

29-Mar 1:57 $60 2 add Loop

29-Mar 1:58 $40 1 same

30-Mar 2:08 $45 1 Loop

30-Mar 2:09 $50 1 add North

31-Mar 7:26 $64 2 North

31-Mar 7:28 $66 2 add Loop

31-Mar 7:30 $55 1 same

1-Apr 13:06 $70 3 Loop

1-Apr 13:07 $70 2.5 add North

1-Apr 13:09 $70 2 same

1-Apr 13:11 $60 1 same

2-Apr 14:00 $75 3 Loop

2-Apr 14:03 $76 3 add Fr

2-Apr 14:04 $77 3 add Hyde

2-Apr 14:06 $78 3 add MAN

2-Apr 14:08 $75 3 add North

2-Apr 14:15 $75 2.5 same

3-Apr 14:16 $80 3 Loop

3-Apr 14:24 $80 3 add North

3-Apr 14:28 $80 2.5 same

3-Apr 14:30 $75 2 same

3-Apr 14:33 $70 1 same

3-Apr 14:37 $45 1 add Linc

4-Apr 15:26 $50 2 Linc

4-Apr 15:26 $55 2 add Loop

4-Apr 15:28 $60 2 add North

4-Apr 15:30 $65 1 same

4-Apr 15:31 $60 1 add Gr Chi

[AaronJB]

Wow - certainly an epic set of bids! Thank you for sharing your bid history, although sorry to hear that nothing was accepted.

I think rates have continued to move up year/over/year this year in general. For this specific set of date/s, there's nothing considerable going on - a couple of minor conventions are going on.

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