Priceline Hotel: 2* Champaign Ramada Urbana/Champaign

[titleman]

I'm bidding on PRICELINE and it show the following guaranteed amenities. Can you determine the motel from this? Thanks.

Free Parking, Free Internet, Business Center, Guest Score 7/10 or Higher

My trip is for the night of September 20 and for 2 rooms. I've bid 41 dollars the last 3 bids more or less knowing I wasn't going to get it but figured I've got plenty of time and some bonus bucks might come along.

[thereuare]

The 'guaranteed amenities' shown on the Name Your Own Price bidding page are not amenities for the specific hotel that you are bidding for, but rather amenities that are present at all hotels in the zone of that star rating.

At this point in the bidding process, PRICELINE has not yet even checked for available inventory.

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

[titleman]

Duh, sorry I wasn't thinking or at least not clearly.

Yes, I begin my bidding from this forum.

[AaronJB]

Rates are somewhat on the high side for these dates - what would be your desired budget per night for these dates at the 3* level?

HOTWIRE does have a 2.5* for $49 (the price you see may vary) - while not a 3*, it does offer breakfast.

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

[titleman]

I haven't really decided yet the max I would pay for a 3 star and I will probably end up with a 2.5 star. I don't like to make the reservations so far ahead but I thought if I could sneak in a cheap 3 star then I would take it. I am hoping maybe some bonus bucks will appear before time to get serious.

[Romelle]

Keep an eye on the Bonus Money Opportunities area on this site. Every once in a while somebody will find something and post it there.

Romelle

[thereuare]

Keep us updated on your progress and let us know how we can be of further help along the way.

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

[titleman]

Howard Johnson appears as a 2.5* when I look at hotwire. Can you make an educated guess as to what * rating it would have on priceline?

HW has a 2.5* for $48.00 which I would probably take but with HJ included I'm hesitant because of all their bad reviews.

I'm thinking I will drop my PL request from a 3* to a 2.5 pretty soon.

[thereuare]

What is the address of the Howard Johnson you are referring to?

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

[titleman]

Premier Inn

1505 North Neil Street, Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, IL 61820 (Formerly Howard Johnson)

I didn't realize they had changed the name. Would probably have the same rating?

[AaronJB]

It looks like the Premier Inn is gone, as well - the last tripadvisor review was 2005. On Google street view, the property looks closed entirely.

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

[DewChugr]

The Howard Johnson's has not been there in years, the premiere either and you would not have wanted to stay at the premiere. Hotels around here don't seem to discount much. The ramada regularly has coupons in the fist full of dollars flyer, but the one listed expires 8-31, don't know when the next one comes out. It's usually good for a little over 20 off or around 50 off a jacuzzi suite. I'd avoid the drury and if you happen to stay at the ihotel if strongly recommend you not eat there.

I think decent hotels would include the ramada and holiday inn and express in urbana, the marriotts and such on the north side of interstate 74 by the mall, this is also the area where many of the restaurants are as well. I would tend to avoid any non well known chain. Most of the decent hotels are just off 74. There is homewood and hilton garden inn south near the stadium that should be nice.

Email me at my username @ yahoo if you want restaurant or local info.

[titleman]

Trying to save a dollar may end up costing me money :(

I've been bidding priceline on a regular basis, first a 3* then a 2.5*. I'm up to $47.00 and so far no luck.

Hotwire had a 2.5* for $48.00 one day and I thought I could go to it latter but it disappeared. Wish I had of taken it.

Got about 4 days left and hope I can get a 2.5* for not over $50.00.

[Romelle]

Hotwire tends to be a little more generous with stars than Priceline. Maybe a 1/2 star. So that 2.5* on Hotwire might be only a 2* on Priceline? Hope this makes you feel a bit better about missing that $48 Hotwire?

Do keep checking Hotwire though, as their deals can reappear.

And do use the grand total vs the bid amount for your personal comparisons. Sometimes the fees and taxes can be quite different.

Romelle

PS - that 1/2 star difference has a lot of variation. Sometimes the star levels are the same, and sometimes they can be a full star different. But it "tend" to be around the 1/2 star.

[titleman]

Here is a 2* for $46.00 that show the following possibilities which would all be ok:

Comfort Inn

Best Western

Ramada Inn Holiday Inn

Homestead Studio Suites

La Quinta Inn

Guaranteed Amenities:

Free Breakfast

Free Internet in room

Indoor Swimming Pool

Pets Allowed

Business Center

Fitness Center

Can you determine which hotel it is from this info?

[thereuare]

My guess would be the Eastland Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Urbana or the Ramada Urbana/Champaign.

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

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[titleman]

You were right. The hotel was Ramada Urbana/Champaign and I bid and got it for $45.00 each for two rooms. This is not the star level I started looking for but I believe it a good value for the price.

After trying for a couple of weeks and getting a lot of bids turned down I believe a person needs to have a bottom price and star level from the beginning. I didn't do this and I ended up losing a couple of good prices that later disappeared.

I always use your site as my starting point and thanks for your help, especially your explanation of difference of star levels between HOTWIRE and PRICELINE.

[Romelle]

You did well. For your date the HOTWIRE "Standard Rate" for this hotel is $74 and it is $73.80 on Ramada's web site.

And you are right about the advanced research and knowledge. A clear idea of just what constitutes a "good deal" lets one jump when one comes along.

Romelle

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you received one of the hotels you were hoping for and find this to be a good value for this trip.

Can you please add a reply to this thread confirming if you bid this using PRICELINE's Name Your Own Price or if you took the PRICELINE EXPRESS deal as described above?

Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.

[titleman]

I was using the name your own price feature. I bid $50 on a 3*, 47 on a 2.5* and then I bid 45 on the 2*.

[thereuare]

Thanks for the follow-up! :)