Priceline Hotel: Priceline makes a new zone for my bid!?!?

[djfunkywill]

I've used Priceline's name you own price tool dozens of times but I've never encountered this.  I'm trying to find a hotel room close to a concert venue in Northern Virginia.  The actual hotel at which I'd like to stay is between two established zones.  When I go to "name your own price" it gives me a circle around that area (Gainesville, VA) that overlaps one of the other established areas.  According to google maps there are only two hotels within the new circular area.

 

When I check this area for the night in question (May 30 check-in) on "name your own price" it gives me the option for a 2.5 or 2.0 star hotel.  I'm guessing the 2.5 is Hampton Inn.  There is an Extended Stay/Value Place also within the circle that I suspect is the 2 star.

 

I'm kind of surprised because the hotel I'm trying to get (Hampton Inn) has a two night minimum stay and only shows up when I select two nights.  I've even called the place to confirm the policy.  But then it shows up in it's own zone for a "name your own price" for a single night.  I'm a little hesitant to pull the trigger because I'm hoping to walk to the concert venue (Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA) and need to stay at the Hampton Inn if I want to make this work.

 

Am I reading this situation correctly?  Could the 2.5 be anything other than the Hampton Inn in Gainesville?

 

Your help is deeply appreciated.

 

Sincerely,

 

-Will

[thereuare]

I think what you're saying is that the zone(s) on the bidding side of PRICELINE differ from those on the 'retail' side of PRICELINE? If so, this is nothing new and has always been the case (as well, even when the zone names are the same, the boundaries of what is including in that zone may be different between each side of their service). If you want to see another example of this, look at NYC where some of the area names are the same but many are also different.

For the 2.5* i agree that the Hampton Inn Gainesville-Haymarket would be a likely outcome, but there could always be other hotels that we're not yet aware of in the zone.

If you bid for this stay and the page shows the circular area, you're hotel will be anywhere within the boundaries of this circle? (ignore the western most tip of the Northern Virginia region which takes you to a different page to place your 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 it goes or if we can be of further help.