Priceline Hotel: 4-5* Hotel - Need to Priceline

[bassey4]

Hi! I'm new to hotel bidding and was wondering if you could help me.

 

We are looking for a 4* hotel in Downtown Seattle. (Downtown - Pike Place - Retail District - Convention Center) Renaissance Seattle Hotel. Travel dates are June 11-June 16. We really don't want to spend more than $150 a night so were hoping to get a good deal on a nice hotel in a good part of downtown Seattle. We have two little ones and want to make sure we are in a safe area but we don't know what areas are safe! The purpose of this trip is to site see but also for our nephew's high school graduation. We will be needing a rental car for one day to drive to North Bend for the ceremony.

 

I read some sample strategies on other posts and was oping to get the same help :)

 

Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

 

Liz

 

Oops meant to write "New" to Priceline in the Title. Sorry!

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

This is definitely busy period in Seattle. A 5* for $150 is unlikely during most periods aside from perhaps the slowest, but unfortunately, a 4* for $150 also is going to be difficult and perhaps impossible. Usually the hope is that what's causing the issue with rates is happening during only part of the period, leading there to be a benefit from splitting the stay between two hotels. These dates unfortunately look busy across the board.

 

I'm thinking a 4* will probably take over $200 and possibly over $225. Additionally, with bidding only one bed is guaranteed.

 

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[bassey4]

Thank you for your response! Can you suggest another area that would be a good place to stay in that price range where we would still get a decent hotel possibly 3.5* in a good area, walking distance to downtown Seattle?

[bassey4]

And you would mind explaining to me a little more about how to re-bid zones? I'm not sure I fully understand the strategy on this. I read on one blog to research the areas you don't want to stay in and that don't have whatever star rating you want and ad those in first, as each bid is rejected so you know you won't get hotels in those areas. But then after reading a few posts on this website I saw you suggested going straight down the list...add zone 1, if rejected add zone 2, if rejected add zone 3, etc. Excuse me if I sound completely lost but I am haha!

[Romelle]

And you would mind explaining to me a little more about how to re-bid zones? I'm not sure I fully understand the strategy on this. I read on one blog to research the areas you don't want to stay in and that don't have whatever star rating you want and ad those in first, as each bid is rejected so you know you won't get hotels in those areas. But then after reading a few posts on this website I saw you suggested going straight down the list...add zone 1, if rejected add zone 2, if rejected add zone 3, etc. Excuse me if I sound completely lost but I am haha!

 

The blog list for going straight down said (or should have said) ...add REBID zone 1, if rejected add REBID zone 2, etc.  The rebid zones were checked out first as per the process description up in the FAQs.  The numbers weren't the same numbers as the ones on the Priceline list of possible bidding zones.  

 

If you aren't sure of the process, but think you have it, you can post what you believe are the rebid zones here, and somebody will double check them for you.

 

The concept is tricky, but you do have the general idea right already.  What you are still needing is to understand exactly how to determine those rebid zones.  Click here for detailed instructions.  But post back if you have further questions.  

 

Romelle

[thereuare]

Pay careful attention to Romelle's post above, i would almost guarantee any strategy on this board suggested:

Select (Star Rating and Zone)...

Bid $xx, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $xx, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $xx, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $xx, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $xx, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $xx

If you've read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and are still confused, you can try the following to perhaps better understand how to determine your re-bid zones:

1) Use the PRICELINE search box on the upper right of this page, enter your city and dates, and click "GO".

2) List each zone that is offered in this region.

3) Next to each zone list the highest star rating offered in the zone. The way to determine the highest star rating offered in the zone is by selecting the first zone i the list, then scrolling down to see the highest star rating selectable (ie- not greyed out). NEXT UNcheck the selected zone, place a checkmark in the next zone, and repeat the process for each zone in the region. Each time you take note of the highest star rating in the zone, make sure that only ONE zone is selected above.

4) post your findings and we'll take it from there

If you don't follow the above just post back and we'll break it down further.

HOWEVER, you also mention traveling with two little ones, so be aware that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request. If this is not a risk you're willing to accept, HOTWIRE would still be an option as they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (although this usually means two beds, the second 'bed' could be a sofabed, rollaway, etc)... or PRICELINE EXPRESS where the offer shows 'bed choice' and one of the choices indicates a room that would accommodate the needs of your family.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

Let us know your thoughts/questions on the above and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

[Romelle]

You also might look at the CalendarofWins up in the header.  You will see some other member reported results there.  Do check out both Price.line and Hot.wire.  Oddly enough, two of my Hotwire deals happen to fall in your general date area.  

 

My solution might not be right for you.  My grandson is 15 and we both are train buffs so having a place to stay out a ways wasn't a problem.  But my report and other bidder's reports might generate some ideas.

 

For the record, I'm just a member rather than a board official.  But I travel quite a bit and had just fought the battle of Seattle prices.  I knew as long as I had some hotel with airport shuttle service I could get us to/from the airport and then we could train to/from downtown.  

Romelle

[bassey4]

WOW! Thank you both so much for your posts! As mentioned, I am new to this game so I appreciate all the advice I could get. Too funny my nephew is obsessed with trains and they just took a trip to Seattle earlier this year for the same reason...trains! :)

We want to stay in downtown Seattle. We were thinking Bellevue and renting a car but renting a car for 5 days is $$$ too! So hopefully with your knowledge and help we can win a hotel in downtown seattle at a discounted rate!

I will go read all the posts you suggested but in the meantime, I took a stab at bidding for a hotel last night and didn't get a winning bid. I started at $150 (just to see, but knew I probably wouldn't win but hey doesn't hurt to try right?) and ended up at $205. Still didn't win. I did my research before hand and added in all the zones that didn't have 3.5-4* ratings each time I re-bid so I knew I was safe not getting hotels in those areas.

I did:

4*

$150 Downtown - Pike Place - Retail District - Convention Center

$165 - rebid zone 8

$175 - rebid zone 9

$180 - rebid zone 12 (added 3.5*)

$185 - rebid zone 10

$195 - rebid zone 14

$205 rebid zone 16

Am I doing this right?

$205 was way higher than what we wanted to pay but I kept trying to see. We want to stay under $180 if possible.

Adding 3.5* is totally fine with us too because we realize we won't get a 4 star at that rate.

[thereuare]

If i'm following your bidding strategy correctly (which you can improve upon), you have already bid up to $205 for a 3.5* hotel?

If so, then not only is a 4* not possible at $205 or less, but apparently a 3.5* is not possible at this time either.

Are you willing to take the occupancy risk mentioned above? If so, i am seeing what may be the The Roosevelt Hotel for $207/nite (only $2 more than you have already bid) if this is of any interest.

If not, using our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com, what is the best deal you're able to find at an acceptable hotel in the area(s) you're willing to stay?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[bassey4]

Ya $205 for a 3.5*. Expensive time to travel! :)

 

How can I improve, would you mind giving me some guidance on what I could do better?

 

Two beds would be preferred but one bed would be fine for us as long as it's a Queen or King bed.

 

So if the Roosevelt is $207 why were none of my bids accepted? You would think one of my higher bids would have been accepted since it wouldn't have been much of a discount off that price!

[thereuare]

... one bed would be fine for us as long as it's a Queen or King bed.

How do you guarantee it would be a queen or king... all that is guaranteed is a room that will accommodate double occupancy.

So if the Roosevelt is $207 why were none of my bids accepted?

The $207 is thru PRICELINE EXPRESS, which is also 'opaque', so you may not always be able to beat this rate thru bidding (plus, there is still a couple of dollars between your bid price and this PRICELINE EXPRESS price). As well, the bidding side of PRICELINE, the 'retail' side, and the PRICELINE EXPRESS side, all use a different universe of hotels, so it's possible this property is available thru the PRICELINE EXPRESS side of their service but not the bidding side of their service.

How can I improve, would you mind giving me some guidance on what I could do better?

From a more general point of view, you lowered your star rating while raising your bid price, which is a 'no-no'. What if the 'right' price for a 4* was $250 and the 'right' price for a 3.5* was $150... you never gave yourself a chance to win at $150 since your first bid at the 3.5* level was $180.

We can suggest a better strategy for you to follow once you decide if:

1) continuing to bid on PRICELINE is the best options for your trip (given the occupancy issues outlined above)

2) you decide up on your maximum bid

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

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