dbm0902 Posted July 3, 2013 Report Posted July 3, 2013 Hi I am new to this. Just want to confirm. I want to go to Sonoma and there are 3,4 star hotels in Sonoma. My first bid and was rejected. So if I add zone 1, Benicia (which doesnt have any 4 star hotels) and I definitely DONT want that area because its far away, I will be able to bid again and I definitely WONT get Benicia. Next add zone 2 Fairfield, (again far away and no 4* hotels) etc.... Is this correct. The worst thing would be to get a hotel that is far from where I want to be. So in closing if there are no 4* hotels in that zone there is no way you will get it. is this correct? b thanks and I will try it again!
dbm0902 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Report Posted July 4, 2013 I am new a this and am trying to bid on a 4* hotel in Sonoma, CA. Oct 25-272013 2 nites. Name your own "median price" is $459. What price do I start bidding at? It states 60% off, is it off $459 median price? How do I know what price to start bidding at? I entered a bid at $230 and it was rejected. Any suggestions? To confirm, after first bid in Zone 8 Sonoma, 4* was rejected, if I add zone 1 Benicia to 8, (which doesnt have any 4 star hotels) I will be able to bid again and I definitely WONT get Benicia being there is no 4* in that region. Next add zone 2 Fairfield to 8 Sonoma, 4*, (again no 4* hotels in zone 2) ...etc.... Is this correct. The worst thing would be to get a hotel that is far from where I want to be. So in closing if there are no 4* hotels in that zone, there is no way you will end up in a location you dont want to be in, correct??? thank you! Diane
AaronJB Posted July 4, 2013 Report Posted July 4, 2013 Discounts are as much as 60% (although sometimes deeper discounts are seen), but discounts can also be noticeably less - especially in smaller areas and/or during busy periods and this would definitely appear to be a busy period in the area. What would be your desired max bid for this stay?Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.
dbm0902 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Report Posted July 4, 2013 my max would probably be $300. but when you are considering a price, do you start with the "median price" that appears on the name your own price screen towards the bottom? It says $459 is median price, so where would you start bidding?
thereuare Posted July 4, 2013 Report Posted July 4, 2013 The median price shown by PRICELINE is meaningless in developing a bidding strategy (as it's often flawed and not accurate).Is there a big event taking place in the area for these dates as rates are VERY high at the moment which can make getting a successful bid more difficult. While higher retail rates mean more margin for a hotel, they may actually be willing to discount less during times like this as the high rates are indicative of high demand... so why offer a deeply discounted rate when the hotel may be able to sell that room on their own at full price? With this noted, it is still worthwhile to give bidding a try, but you just need to be realistic in your expectations.When bidding 4* in this region you have SIX 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.(NOTE: 're-bid zone1' is not the same as priceline's Zone1, 're-bid zone2' is not the same as priceline's Zone2, etc, etc)Select 4* Sonoma...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $200, if rejected add re-bid zone4...Bid $210, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...Select 4* Sonoma and re-bid zone5...Bid $220, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $230, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $240, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $245, if rejected add re-bid zone4...Bid $250, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...Select 4* Sonoma and re-bid zone6...Bid $255, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $260, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $265, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $270, if rejected add re-bid zone4...Bid $275, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...Select 4* Sonoma and re-bid zone5 and re-bid zone6...Bid $280, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $285, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $290, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $295, if rejected add re-bid zone4...Bid $300Any 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Recommended Posts
Register now, we have a huge community of travel enthusiasts to answer any questions you might have.
Sign In Now