Priceline Hotel: Bidding Help New Orleans Presidents Weekend (2/14-17) and Beyond

[JayM]

I'd like some input regarding strategy and expectations; for 3* and above accommodations in the New Orleans Downtown, French Quarter, and Convention Center areas. It's a 3 phase trip. I definitely need a room for Presidents weekend (February 14-17). I'm interested in extending the trip to Thursday (February 20). If possible, I wouldn't mind extending it further to Sunday (February 23).

Thanks

[Romelle]

I'll take the easy ones, just to get your thinking started.

Extensions from Priceline bidding can only be done for the number of days of the original bid. So you would have a possibility of extending from your first three-day phase to your second. But not on to your third three-day phase. While I'm at it, extensions can be done on either end of a trip, but not on both ends.

It may well be good to handle the three phases separately anyway since rates are really date-specific. Just as an example:

Hotwire 3* Downtown

14-17 $199

17-20 $69

20-23 $127

Priceline can average things for longer bids, but it seems the more wildly the rate swings the less well it works.

Romelle

[JayM]

Thanks for your response.

By extension, I meant me personally bidding the next phase, not the actual prospective winning bid; because I imagine the price to drop dramatically after the holiday, as you illustrated. I never heard the part about extending a winning bid, though. I thought if offered an extension, you provide your dates and they either take it or leave. Are you sure?

I'm open to HOTWIRE, but they seem to have a star inflation compared to PRICELINE. Do you have any idea, what are the hotels for the listed prices?

[Romelle]

FYI, I'm a member, not anybody official.

Regarding what hotels are offered - the Hotel Lists show all hotels members have reported here. There is a general link up in the banner, but there now also are links to the Priceline and Hotwire lists for Louisiana at the bottom of this page - left side.

In the case of HOTWIRE, the amenity lists are also included. Sometimes by comparing the amenities of reported hotels with the amenities of a Hotwire offer, one can get a good idea of what the hotel might be. You also can post the list here and one of the pros will make a well-educated guess as to the hotel.

Regarding an extension. Sometimes one is offered it, and sometimes not. You put in your dates. But the extension might come at an entirely different rate than the bid rate. You are the one that gets to "take it or leave it".

Yes, Hotwire does seem to have star inflation. You can compare the hotel lists of Hotwire and Priceline and occasionally find examples. What seems most common is about a 1/2*, but I've seen examples of both equality and a full star difference.

Romelle

[thereuare]

The 3* currently offered for $199 in the Downtown zone has the following amenities:

Complimentary Breakfast

Free Internet

Fitness

Pool

Business

Laundry

Hi-Speed Internet

Travel Accessible

Room Accessible

Wheelchair Accessible

Bathroom Accessible

Handicapped Parking

Roll-in Shower

The Country Inn and Suites New Orleans French Quarter would be my best guess for this one (which incidentally is also 3* rated by PRICELINE). You could try bidding on PRICELINE but then you're subject to any 3* hotel in the zone, whereas this HOTWIRE offer is showing a 4.5/5.0 TA rating, so you can have a bit more comfort in knowing that even if not the Country Inn that it is a 'good' one with excellent reviews.

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

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and/or how it goes or how we can be of further help.