Priceline Hotel: 4* Montreal Hilton Bonadventure

[nanbill47]

Am looking for hotel in Montreal for Oct3 to 5th. Never have used priceline or hotwire. Am willing to pay to $100. total if that's possible. Would like a 4*. How do you begin? Do I have a better chance on one or the other? Greatly appreciate any help I can get. Thanks

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding.

Previous posts indicate a 4* in this area has gone for about $80/nite, so i think if you're looking for $50/nite ($100 total) i doubt you'll be successful, but you can certainly try. However, the Omni Mont Royal Hotel that we have seen come up as a 4* hotel goes for $349 Canadian for your dates ($232? US) so getting a $50 bid accepted doesn't seem likely.

Some other 4* in Montreal that we know Priceline deals with (as seen thru the Vacation Pacakge) are the Inter-Continental, Sofitel, etc.

Some 3* examples are the Crowne Plaza, Wyndham, Novotel, Delta, Holiday Inn, etc. Even the 3* hotels seem to go for about $55 or so. I said above, you can certainly try the 4* at $50, but i just want to make sure your expectations are realistic.

If you're not successful at $50/nite for a 4*, would you book conventionally, lower to 3*, raise your bid amount, or not take this trip?

I'll post a strategy tomorrow, but please give some thought to the above question and let me know what you would do if you're rejected at $50/nite.

[nanbill47]

Thanks for the info. I don't understand what u mean by total. I would be willing to pay $100 per nite. I will still make the trip and if I didn't get the 4* I would bid for the 3*. Just wondered how high to start.

[thereuare]

I was confused by this line in your first post, thinking that you only wanted to spend $50/nite:

Am willing to pay to $100. total if that's possible

Bidding 4* Montreal you have 2 RE-BID ZONES (read the link if you're not familiar with re-bids, and feel free to ask any questions or confirm which zones are re-bid zones)

Select 4* Montreal and

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone and..

Bid $80

My first thought was to bid $75, $80, and $85, but then i noticed that Hotwire offers a 4* hotel in the Downtown area for $80/nite which matches the description of the Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel as well as the description of the Omni Mt. Royal, but could potentially be any other hotel Hotwire rates 4*. If you'd be equally happy with the Le Centre Sheraton or any other hotel Hotwire deems to be 4*, i would use the above posted strategy and if ultimately rejected at $80, then just purchase the $80 hotel thru Hotwire.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have and/or confirm your re-bid zones before bidding if you're unsure.

[nanbill47]

I decided to bid $75.00 for a 4* with priceline and was re-jected. Then when I was going to change zones I chickened out because I didin?t know which zone had a 4* and didn't want to be stuck out in the boonies somewhere. How do you know if there are any 4*s anywhere else in Montreal? I will try again when I can. Can always go to Hotwire.

[nanbill47]

I would like to confirm rebid zones. Plan to try again Wedsday nite. Thanks.

[thereuare]

Here is a quote from Bidding Again before 72 hours:

The way to check what star levels are available in each zone is to open a Priceline page, check ONLY the zone you are inquiring about, and then proceed to the next page (as if you were going to select a zone)... this will give you the available star ratings in that area. You can then hit BACK on your browser, uncheck the current box, check the next box, and repeat the process. It is important to do this before EACH attempt at adding a zone that you really don't want, as new hotels can be added and the star ratings can change at any time.

So that's how you can determine your re-bid zones, so see if you can figure them out and post here which ones you think they are. It is important to know how to do this on your own as you should check them before each bid to make sure that no new star levels have been added to the area, thus disqualifying it as a re-bid zone.

If you need further clarification of the process of determining your re-bid zones feel free to ask and mention which part you don't understand (even if it's the beginning :) ).

[nanbill47]

I really feel stupid but do you mean to go to priceline site and go to hotels and Montreal and check area and then fill out a bid and my name before I can find out the hotels? When I go to the next page they want all the info for bidding.

[nanbill47]

I finally get it. I went back in and they do have one more area the airport that has a 4*. So what do you do about not getting that?

[thereuare]

You got it!! :)

So since the airport has 4* hotels as well, that is NOT a re-bid zone. The other 2 zones, whose highest zones are 3* are your re-bid zones.

So this is how it will play out...

You select 4* Montreal and if you are rejected you will be allowed to bid again if you add another zone or lower your star rating. So if you keep your minimum quality level at 4* and add a zone whose highest star level is 3*, then you can't possibly get that new zone since it doesn't meet your star criteria... so it's essentially like placing a bid only for your other zone.

You should double check your re-bid zones before each bid to make sure that new hotels have not been added which would make no longer make that zone a re-bid zone.

Hope it all makes sense now, but if you still have any questions or need clarification, just let us know.

I think you said you'd be re-bidding today, if so, good luck and let us know how it goes.

[nanbill47]

I had to let you know that I got the Hilton Bonadventure for 85.00. I didn't have to try other bids they just took the first one. I hope it's a good hotel. Someone on the other board said she had stayed there and liked it. It makes you feel like you should have bid less when they take your first bid, but I thought I'd go for it. Thanks for all your help. I'm excited. Will try doing this again in the future!!

[thereuare]

That's GREAT!!

Glad you were successful.

Everybody feels that maybe they should have tried lower after their bid is accepted, but at half off the $155/nite rate the Hilton's website is asking, i think you did just fine! :)

The other thing you'll find is that it's difficult to keep your mouth shut about your deal... you'll soon be telling all your friends and family that will listen about your bargain.

If you have bed/room preference (smoking/non-smoking, king, 2 beds in room, etc) don't forget to call the hotel and ask them to add your preference to your reservation.

Enjoy your trip and maybe add your own review to our HOTEL REVIEW section when you return.