Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Detroit (Airport DTW) Embassy Suites Detroit Metro Airport

[Shoob]

Hey all!

It has been a while, but I'm back for your help! If you don't recall, I've booked my stays through this website (ultimately, Priceline) when going to Toledo and places in Wisconsin. Well, now I need help for a a new 7 day trip. In sticking to the rules, here's my request for the first leg of my trip: Detroit. I'm not familiar with Detroit at all (other than knowing that we will spend time in Dearborn for shopping before trekking out to Toronto). As always, travel trips would be appreciated (e.g. safe areas, fun locations, etc.).

I would like to stick to 3.5* with a $70 limit (impossible?); I hear Dearborn is nice, so if possible I'd like a room there, otherwise I suppose Downtown is fine if parking is not an issue. I am planning to be there the day of 5/29, and leaving for Toronto on the 30th.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

[thereuare]

I suppose Downtown is fine if parking is not an issue.

Welcome back!

Parking will be available downtown but you should expect that it will come with an additional fee... is this "an issue"?

Let us know so that we can confirm if we should include this zone in the bidding above.

[Shoob]

Thanks for the welcome!

So, parking for an additional fee may or may not be an issue. In Toledo, I was able to find reasonable parking in downtown; in Milwaukee I parked in the hotel garage and paid (with come & go privileges); same with St. Louis. Chicago, on the other hand, is horrible! Parking is prohibitively expensive in downtown... is downtown Detroit like that? If so, I'll avoid that region... if it is similar to the others I named, and cost of parking cheap, I'll include the area. Any idea?

[thereuare]

I just did a quick good search and the city runs some municipal garages which appear to have a maximum daily rate of $10-$15/day, so i would guess something in the $10-$20 is the norm.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

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

[Shoob]

Thanks for finding that out for me, Thereuare. I actually looked at parking garages on google maps, and didn't see much in the way of prices. Regardless, after thinking about it, I'd rather try to stay clear of paying for parking, if I can. So, let's stick to non-Downtown. Thanks again!

[thereuare]

When bidding 3.5* in the Detroit area you have TWO re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 3.5* Dearborn...

Bid $55, if rejected add your first re-bid zone...

Bid $60, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...

Select 3.5* Dearborn and your second re-bid zone...

Bid $65, if rejected add your first re-bid zone (the original re-bid zones used above)...

Bid $70

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Shoob]

Thank you. I will start the process in a couple hours. I will keep you guys updated.

[Shoob]

Hey guys,

I didn't win at those rates. Thoughts?

[AaronJB]

I think you're likely not that far off - it may take $77-85; HOTWIRE has a 3.5* at $97 in the Dearborn area.

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

[thereuare]

I'm not sure of what shopping there is in Dearborn but i recently spent a great few days in Ann Arbor. While the town has nostalgic significance for me, it's a great little town with lots to do (and good restaurants) if you're just looking for a place to occupy a day and break up a trip. It's about 45-60 minutes to Detroit, so not sure how that works with your plans.

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

[Shoob]

Hey guys,

I didn't get a chance to bid again last night... but I checked PRICELINE EXPRESS Deals right now and it seems like there are deals that are barely higher than what I'm bidding. Should I rebid today at the same price point as yesterday because of this? Let me know when you get a chance.

Also, Thereuare, thanks for the suggestion. We thought of Ann Arbor, but we'd like to stick with Detroit (family friends there).

[thereuare]

PRICELINE EXPRESS has a 3.5* in Dearbor (Indoor or Outdoor Pool, Pets Allowed, Restaurant, Free Internet, Free Parking, Business Center, Fitness Center) for $81/nite.

Using code READYSET5 takes an extra 5% off bringing the cost down to $77. I would therefore bid as follows if you're willing to go a little higher then your previous day's bidding:

Select 3.5* Dearborn...

Bid $60, if rejected add your first re-bid zone...

Bid $68, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...

Select 3.5* Dearborn and your second re-bid zone...

Bid $73, if rejected add your first re-bid zone (the original re-bid zones used above)...

Bid $75

If the above is rejected then take the PRICELINE EXPRESS offer for $77 (net of coupon code).

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

[Shoob]

I'll bid again now around those prices, but honestly, I'd like to keep the overall cost in Detroit low so that I can have some slack to spend more on rooms at my other stops. Maybe going down to the 3* level is in order then?

[Romelle]

The Courtyard by Marriott is the only reported 3* win for Dearborn. It is very positively rated in www.tripadvisor.com.

Of course you could get an entirely different one, but thought I'd give you one possibility.

Romelle

[thereuare]

It's up to you how much a 3.5* vs. a 3* hotel is, but this is a one nite stay so you're only looking at a few dollars more total cost relative to your previous rejected bid. As well, i'm not sure how much you'll save, if anything, with a 3* property.

When bidding 3* in Dearborn there are NO re-bid zones, with not much time between now and your stay i'd try $50 and increase by $10 every 24 hours (or until you reach a point where trying a little more for the 3.5* property would be worthwhile vs. the amount you'd be bidding on a 3*)

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Romelle]

You can of course try both the 3.5* and the 3* bids in the same session. The trick is to try the 3.5* up to whatever $$ level you choose, using those free rebids. Then - get clear out of Priceline, link through here again, and bid the 3* for Dearborn at your chosen $$ level.

Getting clear out of Priceline is usually referred to on this site as "close your browser".

However you do it, you want to make sure all the little zone boxes other than Dearborn are unchecked from your 3.5* activity before bidding at the 3* level.

Romelle

[Shoob]

Thank you both, Romelle and Thereuare! Here I go again... I'll keep you guys updated!!

[AaronJB]

Good luck! Hope you get an accepted bid in this round.

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

[Shoob]

Hello all,

Change of plans across the board. So I haven't gone yet because of the potentially bad weather in the Midwest this week.

Anyways, after watching the weather for the past couple days to determine when to leave... we've decided the best day to leave for Detroit will be Friday morning (May 31st). So we need a booking for that night. I'm willing to go down to 3* in Dearborn area... or any other area that's nearby so I can have a quick drive to the border on Saturday morning. I see that there is a 4* in Southfield for $72 that night, a 3* in Southfield for $52, and 3.5* at the airport for $52 (I'm not sure how far the airport truly is from the border though...if I'm not mistaken, it looks like it's quite the drive to go to the city one day and return to the airport for the night and then head out to Canada).

Thoughts?

[Romelle]

You might look at PRICELINE EXPRESS before you do any bidding. Rates appear to be lower than those for your previous dates.

For that matter, you might just want to book with PE. I saw several that noted Free Parking, and even a few that noted Free Breakfast (that little steaming coffee cup symbol).

Regarding logistics, depending upon precisely where you land in the zone, Dearborn looks to be about 10 miles from the airport. Not bad if you get an airport hotel.

I'd be tempted by the $39 Dearborn 2* with free parking and breakfast - then I'd have lots of money for shopping and the next hotel down the line ;) . Better to gradually get fancier than the other way around. The only reported 2* is an Extended Stay America. Before I pressed the Buy button though, I'd check its reviews. And I can see a Red Roof and another 2* ... may be more there.

If you decide to go the PRICELINE EXPRESS route, don't miss the 5% off coupon code on PRICELINE's site. Not much savings at $39, but worth a cup of coffee at the more higher priced ones.

Romelle

[Shoob]

I hadn't gotten a chance to update you on my win... I ended up winning a 3 1/2* for $51! It was the Embassy Suites Detroit Metro Airport. This was another beautiful hotel on this trip... and the best thing here was that we got a "cooked-to-order" breakfast (that included a normal buffet style breakfast), free wi-fi, and a beautiful looking suite with microwave, fridge, two HDTV's w/ cable. Truly hard to beat.

Only downside I could think of... distance from city. The airport is a bit of a drive from downtown Detroit, but this wasn't an issue for us as we only wanted to be near Dearborn; plus, the hotel is a 1 minute drive from the major highway connecting you to anywhere you need to be in and around Detroit.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Nice to see you received a great deal at this property and were pleased with the results.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board. Please remember to follow-up your thread with your win/decision as you make them so that the information can help others in a timely manner.

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

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the hotel.

[Romelle]

Nicely done. You really scored.

Looking forward to when "Doc Shoob" comes back for the NYC trip.

Romelle

[Shoob]

Looking forward to when "Doc Shoob" comes back for the NYC trip.

Ha! It'll be a bit of time before I get that title, but I'll probably hold that title by the time I get over there! Hopefully I get a chance to come out there sooner rather than later though...

Thanks again for all of your guys' help!!!